Meet Lisa Calderón: Get to know the Denver mayor candidate

The Denver mayor's race features a crowded field of 17 candidates. All agree on the top issues at stake in the race, and in many cases, they agree on the solutions.

Yes, but: No two candidates are alike.

• We asked each a series of fun questions to learn more about them as a person as part of our Spotlight profile series. (Edited for style and brevity.)

Meet the candidate: Here's what Lisa Calderón, a university professor, told us.

📲 First tap in the morning: Email

📍 Favorite spot in Denver: City Park — I never get tired of walking our two dogs there.

🍳 Favorite places to eat and drink: My default restaurant for authentic Mexican food is El Taco de Mexico. I'm still looking for a place that serves a great Cadillac margarita.

👀 Fun fact: I'm a dark chocolate aficionado — and won't eat the cheap stuff.

😄 Hobbies: Hiking in the mountains with my daughter Savannah, and our dogs Zelda and Oliver. It's always an adventure no matter where we go because we are surrounded by beauty and always see something different.

📺 On demand: "Pachinko" on Apple TV

📕 Reading list: "The Night Tiger" by Yangsze Choo, "Are Prisons Obsolete?" by Angela Davis and "Gwendy's Button Box" by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

🎧 Podcast queue: ""I'm Not a Monster: The Shamima Begum Story," "Out Alive," "Criminal," and "Colorado Matters" from CPR

🎵 On rotation: Indigenous artist Katherine Paul from Black Belt Eagle Scout, Mary J. Blige, Billie Holiday

☝ First action as mayor: Declare a state of emergency to rapidly get unhoused people housed

🚩 What sets you apart as a candidate: I'm a fourth generation Denverite with 30 years as a community leader in the nonprofit, government and education sectors. I am not part of Denver's political machine, and will transform systems rather than just rearrange seats.

🏆 Proudest personal achievement: Being the mother of two children

🎉 Top career accomplishment: Getting my doctorate in education after my bachelor's, master's and law degrees