On the first day of Black History Month 2023, Westminster City Councilman Obi Ezeadi announced the launch of his new organization called BIPAC. It's one of the state's first political action committees dedicated to providing financial support and guidance to Black, Indigenous and people of color running for state and local office. BIPAC is a play-off of the acronym "BIPOC."

"Candidates of color don't have a support system. They don't have the same access to funds, to strategic guidance that white candidates have," Ezeadi said. "BIPAC's mission and purpose is really to be the great equalizer, to level the playing field."

"When I put my hat in the race, some people told me 'Don't do it, Westminster is a conservative city,' is what I was told. It's only 4% Black," said Ezeadi. "So my odds were low."

But Ezeadi believes when the odds are low, "that's when we need more people trying to break that."

The last Black councilor to serve on the city's council was Butch Hicks nearly 20 years ago. Hicks served from 1999 to 2005. The city of Westminster is a predominately white area. The actions during the Jan. 6, 2020, insurrection is what motivated Ezeadi to run for council, because he wanted to bring move equity and inclusion to the city he lived in.