Your Reporter Michael Abeyta specializes in coverage of the Colorado city of Aurora. Share your story ideas with him by sending an email to yourreporter@cbs.com.
Monday, a new era begins for Aurora's City Council when newly elected members are sworn in.
On Election Day, two of the council's conservative incumbents lost their bids for reelection, with progressive candidates winning all five open seats. Mayor Mike Coffman, a Republican, said at the time that he was surprised by the results.
Council Member-Elect Gianina Horton said she didn't realize the pressure of needing to serve the city's more than 400,000 residents until after the election.
"It feels exciting. It feels like a heavy responsibility that I know myself and the others are ready to meet," she said.
She says after running a tough campaign for the council's District 1 seat, she needed a break.
"I immediately got sick," she said. "My body decided I needed a break. But beyond that, it just. It was very humbling, right? It's very humbling to know that a lot of folks are putting their trust in us."
She says now she's ready to lead, and she's going to have a little help from a few other newly elected council members.
"We flipped Aurora City Council," Horton said. "Democrats are in the majority."
Initially, she says, it's going to be about learning the ropes for her and the other newly elected members.
"Right now, it's really getting our feet wet; orientation," she said. "We're thinking about policy committees, which ones we want to serve on, which ones we want to lead."
But eventually, she says she and her colleagues are going to get down to the business of doing the work voters elected them to do.
"It's very humbling to know that a lot of folks are putting their trust in us. Not only myself, but the others who ran great campaigns to fix the harm caused by this current city council," Horton said. "I know personally I'm really excited around independent oversight of the Aurora Police Department."
But Monday, when she raises her hand to be sworn in as a member of the Aurora City Council, she says she's going to try to take just one moment to take it all in.
"I'm going to feel super proud. I'm going to be super proud of what the community accomplished. Having my family in the room," Horton said. "I'm the oldest of six. My parents are going to be there. It's going to be a very momentous moment for me, the family, and I. And I will hope the community feels the same way."
The council meeting will take place on Monday at 6:45 p.m. in Aurora at City Hall.