Happenings in and around Historic 5 Points, Northeast Denver and Aurora January 2021
Windsor Gardens Seniors Support BLM
5 STAR NEWS
Formerly 5 POINTS NEWS. Proud Recipient of the Dr. Syl Morgan Smith Excellence in Media Award and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Colorado Media Award
Helen Rigmaiden Helen Rigmaiden, a 71 year-old resident of the Windsor Gardens Retirement Community received a letter from the Windsor Gardens Association informing her that they had received a complaint about her Black Lives Matter sign in her window. It had been there for two years. Rigmaiden was orderd to remove the sign. She refused and received overwhelming support from residents and the community. A Black Lives Matter parade was organized by Rigmaiden, Denver Public School Board Director Tay Anderson and community leaders. Now many Windsor Gardens Residents proudly display BLM signs.
1,656 Free Dinners Distributed on MLK Day in Aurora and Denver
3 4 9
Aurora MLK Library (Fletcher Plaza) was one of five locations in Aurora and Denver where 1,656 free dinners were served To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the legacy of humanitarianism and love he left, city legislators of Denver and Aurora, the president of the Aurora branch of the NAACP, Omar Montgomery, Councilmember Crystal Murillo, Attorney General Phil Weiser, Colorado Treasurer Dave Young, APS School board member Vicki Reinhard, and many others volunteered to give out 1000 meals on the Martin Luther King holiday. The cooperative ended up giving out 1656 meals- shattering the goal and even surpassing double of the 763 dinners given out by No One Should Be Hungry, Period on Christmas day of 2020. “I’m grateful we can bring this campaign to Ward 1. Ward 1 is a vibrant but chronically under-resourced community, and people were struggling even before COVID. We must meet people’s most basic needs first if we are going to empower people to move forward and build thriving lives,” stated Aurora Ward 1 Councilmember Crystal Murillo. “I look forward to supporting this campaign now and in the future as we work to address food insecurity.” Denver Councilwoman Candi Cdebaca, an original sponosor of brother jeff Cultural Center’s “No One Should Be Hungry, Period” campaign, coordinated one of five simultaneously operating community sites. “I am proud that our site distributed about 600 dinners in 4 hours!’ Cdebaca said. “Thank you to the nearly 200 volunteers (across all of the sites) who made it all possible, and thank you to everyone else who helped in your own special ways making MLK Day of Service one to remember!” –5 Star News
10 11
13 Rev. Dr. Timothy and First Lady Nita Tyler, Regina Edmondson and volunteers worked together to feed the community
5 STAR NEWS ONLINE NOW at www.brotherjeff.com
2 8 5 STAR NEWS
Who Survived 2020? You!
brother jeff Founder/Editor 5 STAR NEWS
The year twenty-twenty will go down in history as one of the toughest years in recent history. It will be defined by Covid-19, a global pandemic that took a vast amount of lives and shut down the world economy. Everyone wore masks, travel was restricted and funerals were limited to a handful of mourners. George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police. An officer kneeled on his neck for over 8-minutes-and46-seconds setting off the largest global protest in history. President Trump was defeated at the polls, so in royal Trump fashion he instigated an insurecction and his loyal followers stormed the U.S. Capitol, destroying, looting and taking lives. The insurrectionists goal was to “lynch” Vice President Mike Pence and stop the electorial college certification, the final step to the previous peaceful transferance of power. Hurricane 2020 seemed unstop-
pable with massive winds destroying everything in her path. However, there was a worthy opponent that stood and emerged victorious. You. Yes, you! Think about it. Twentytwenty is gone and you are here. That makes you the MVP. You may have sustained bumps and brusies along the way (that happens in all battles) but you won. It’s 2021 and time to step out on a new path. The way we worked, whorshiped, and gathered in the past have changed. Technolgy has become central in our lives. Words like Zoom are familiar to everyone and alternatives to education proved we can learn in new ways. The brick-and-morter days are gone. That said, we are at a turning point. Those with the ability to adapt will survive; those who can’t will go the way of wisdom teeth. For those ready to forge on, let’s go! –brother jeff
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett Develops Covid Vaccine
Dr. Kizzmekia Cobett Ph. D., is a microbiologist and immunologist who has served as the project lead for the leading coronavirus vaccine, mRNA-1273, licensed through Moderna. The pedigree
5 STAR NEWS Monthly Publication January 2021
Publisher brother jeff Editor brother jeff
Layout & Design Cynthia R. Martin Photography brother jeff Lens of Ansar
Vaccine Hope or Suspicion As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches 350,000 deaths in the United States, the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine the week before Christmas instilled hope in many, suspicion in others. Scientists and some of the general public are excited about this vaccine squelching the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the African American community is skeptical. The very groups that are disproportionately impacted by the virus are among the most suspicious. This is not due to scientific concerns about the vaccine, but rather memories of past wrongs in the medical environment. So, while the release of the vaccine was historic, the work has only just begun. Black Americans, young or old cite the Tuskegee “experiment”, as a reason to be cautious. Although people often can’t give details about the study, the lore of this atrocity has been passed down from generation to generation. What was the Tuskegee study? It was a U.S. Public Health Service study from 1932 through 1972, that studied the natural history of syphilis in Black men. These Black men, many of them sharecroppers in Alabama, were never intentionally treated for their syphilis even when penicillin was available. Public Health officials did not inject these men with syphilis, as urban myths would suggest. This was a focused effort and to this day offers an example of structural racism and blatant disregard for the Black body/ Black health. The Tuskegee experiment along with many other instances has created lingering distrust in governmental systems and health institutions. This has contributed to vaccine hesitancy among Black popu-
lations. However, in some respects this is a different day. Though systemic racism abounds, studies like Tuskegee will not occur. Now, there are safeguards in place and watchful eyes, including African Americans that have dedicated their lives to insure this will never happen again. We have Black scientists and medical doctors that helped develop the COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is making waves in the lab and connecting with our community. While there are reports that some black community members question Dr. Corbett’s motives and whether she is pro-Black enough, I trust her. These are age-old debates in our community. Other Black professionals have cited her as an asset to the Black community. We have Dr. James Hildreth on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee reviewing the data and making recommendations. The FDA is the regulatory authority that oversees the safety, effectiveness, and quality of vaccines used in the U.S. We have the National Medical Association reviewing vaccine data and advising, as well.
Dr. TeaNT is a Medical Doctor in the Public Health Sector for Over 30 Years & Counting. Now a freelance blogger – giving the real perspective on popular medial topics. An avid biker, hiker, gardener, walker, reader, and dancer. Read her blog at www.drteant.com
of her team also includes universal coronavirus vaccine models and novel therapeutic antibodies. Her bio on the website of the American Society for Microbiology states she “is a research fellow and the scientific lead for the Coronavirus Vaccines & Immunopathogenesis Team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Vaccine Research Center (VRC).” As a Meyerhoff scholar, she started her higher education journey at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she got a B.S. in Biological Sciences. After her bachelors, she went onto University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a public ivy school, for her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology. As a member of the VRC since 2014, she has been developing vaccines for various forms of coronavirus, and is characteristically poised to defeat the virus that causes COVID-19 specifically- an effort which her team has been diligently tackling since it’s arrival on the global scene.
Contributing Writers & Researchers brother jeff Jim “Dr. Daddio” Walker Jon Bowman Shay J Justy Robinson Distribution Gerald Borden 5 STAR News is a publication of brotherjeff.com 2836 Welton Street Denver, CO 80205 303.297.0823 5pointsnews@brotherjeff.com
January 2021 8
3
Slavery and Human Trafficking are Real
5 Star News Journalist Justy Robinson
January is the National Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Because of the massive nature of this issue, the 5 Star News has deemed it important to inform our audience on some facts about modern enslavement and human trafficking. Due to the fact that human trafficking and enslavement have historically one hand in hand, both will henceforth be referred to as human trafficking. Many aspects of human trafficking mirror the facts of enslavement in European and US history. As an example, female victims of enslavement are often sexually exploited by their captors, as some may know was often the case on the plantations Thomas Jefferson owned. There is also an exceptional amount of money involved. The Department of Defence (DoD) estimates that $150 billion is amassed by slavers and traffickers every year- $99 billion by sex traffickers, and $51 billion by
4 8 5 STAR NEWS
slavers. The human cost of life is also massive. Internationally speaking, 4.5 million people are currently victims of sex trafficking, and a whopping 21 million are victims of enslavement. Out of all of these numbers, 20% of human trafficking victims are children. Though happening more frequently abroad, this issue is affects everyone who lives on the Earth- and the US, who has a history of human trafficking, is no exception. In the US, it is estimated that one out of every six endangered runaway persons become a victim of sex trafficking, and many industries thive off of sexual trafficking- such as illicit massage and spa businesses, pornographic businesses, and residence-Based Commercial Sex businesses. As for forced labor specifically, Domestic Work, Agriculture, and Traveling Sales Crews are a few industries benefiting from human trafficking. Something I had never realized was the scope of modern enslavement, though the existence of a holiday like Juneteenth should’ve made me realize; such an industry must remain tantalizing to the modern white man even as it’s become constitutionally illegal, and despite the undoubtably corrupt ethics of such a crime. A number like $150 billion is all one would have to say to perk up the ears of any morally bankrupt man on Earth, especially those whose progenitors were participating in it only 158 years ago. It is, TRULY, the duty of everyone, no matter their country of origin, to defeat the evil shadow of human trafficking wherever it appears. If anyone suspects slavery or human trafficking is happening at a business they’ve visited or anywhere near them, they should call 1-800-424-9098, visit humantraffickinghotline.org, or hopeforjustice.org. –Justy Robinson
January 2021 8
5
LAWSUIT FILED IN BY BLACK FAMILY HELD AT GUN POINT IN AURORA
Jon Bowman 5 STAR NEWS Journalist
Lawyers for a Black family, including a six-year-old child, that was held at gunpoint by Aurora Police, has been filed in Arapahoe District Court. Brittney Gilliam and four young girls were in a van, APD identified as a stolen car. Five Aurora cops involved say they thought the vehicle was stolen. But, the rub in this case was that the police say the plates on the van, matched plates from another state, registered to a motorcycle? Attorney David Lane says, the case was filed when the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s office declined to file charges agains the APD cops involved, in the seemingly illegal stop. “This family was forced out of their vehicle, made to lay on the hot, oil stained, asphalt parking lot, for no reason at all,” Lane said. Four minor girls were in the van, which was supposed to be a motorcycle, and were put face down in the parking lot,
while police tried to sort the situation out. Police Chief Vanessa Wilson, said the incident was a sad mistake, one that has forced the department to rethink how it treats people suspected of a crime. This suit was filed after the DAs office declined to file charges against the five officers involved and Chief Wilson. Lane saying, “This is the first time the civil rights las that just went into effect in Colorado on Jul 1 has ever been used in state court.” In the past lawsuits such as this --involving police of violating a Black families constitutional rights--wpu;ld have been filed in federal court, but Lane said the state’s new Police Accountability Law, has even more protections for victims, such as not allowing government officials to use Qualified Immunity as a defense. The passage of Senate Bill 20-2017 means that even if there’s no clear law the officers violated, the car can proceed and could set a new precedent. “There is some case law, at the Federal level, but very little under Colorado law, which prohibits cops from pulling guns on small children, and if a judge decides yes, state law does limit holding kids at gun point, then new state law can be set,” Land said. Last August, Gilliam and the children were looking to ‘get their nails did’ but the nail salon was closed, so they were sitting in the van googling another shop to go to, when APDs finest, ordered the family out, AT GUN POINT! Aurora’s finest forced the family to the ground, faced down and put cuffs on three. The new lawsuit indicates they were detained and searched without cause or suspicion. The filing also claims, more than a dozen officers rolled up, to join in the stop, while more than 15 eyewitnesses,
New Dates for the Aurora Fox’s 36th Season
After a surge in Colorado’s COVID cases forced a partial shutdown of area businesses at the end of last year, the Aurora Fox Arts Center is happy to announce new dates for the latter half of their 36th season, so that they may proceed with their programming. “The word for Season 36 is ‘flexibility,’” says Aurora Fox Executive Producer, Helen R. Murray. “We consider our work to be a vital public service we provide to the citizens of Aurora. We keep our community members entertained, engaged and connected through art, and we remain committed to doing so through whatever mediums we must employ to present our season in its entirety.” Murray and her team are hopeful that newly vaccinated populations and an anticipated drop in COVID infections will allow the company to present the last three shows of season 36, live and in person. If the Tri-County Health Department determines that doing so would be unsafe for artists and patrons, however, the Aurora Fox is prepared to go virtual. WHO: The Aurora Fox’s company of artists and staff WHAT: New dates for the final three (3) shows of Season 36. The amended schedule will allow time for more progress to be made in Colorado’s fight against the Coronavirus, so that the theater can reopen to the public with robust safety protocols in place. WHEN: The new calendar will proceed as follows: • THE PAVILION | February 26 – March 21, 2021 • QUEENS GIRL IN THE WORLD | April 16 – May 9, 2021 • WONDERLAND: ALICE’S ROCK AND ROLL ADVENTURE | June 11 – July 3, 2021 6 8 5 STAR NEWS
• Other ancillary programming includes: • Annual Gala (Presented virtually on Saturday April 3, 2021) • The Voices Project- A limited, serial video podcast hosted by GerRee Hinshaw & Helen R. Murray featuring artists and theatre makers from diverse backgrounds (Ongoing) • Cultural Concerts On Colfax – A monthly series of music and storytelling that celebrates Colorado’s cultural and creative diversity (January - May 2021) • Little Foxes Summer Theatre Programming (July 5 – July 25, 2021) WHERE: The Aurora Fox Arts Center 9900 East Colfax Avenue Aurora, Colorado 80010 Virtual Programming made possible through a generous partnership with Fitzsimons Credit Union is available at www. AuroraFoxArtsCenter.org/Virtual-Stage-2 The Aurora Fox Arts Center is home to the award-winning professional theatre company operated by the city of Aurora’s Cultural Services Division. The theater is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association and during a typical season operates with two performance spaces. On March 13, 2020, the global Coronavirus pandemic shut down operations at the Aurora Fox Arts Center. Since then, the small professional theater has been undeterred in pursuit of finding new and consistent ways to reach citizens in Aurora, and beyond. The Aurora Fox Arts Center holds at its core a commitment to diversity and inclusion in our selection of plays, our casting practices, and our pursuit of theatrical innovation. For more information on the Aurora Fox’s rescheduled and socially distant 36th season, including the latest safety protocols, please visit www.AuroraFox.org.
gathered to watch the drama play out. Chief Wilson, who says Aurora Police need a new Book, on how to treat members of the public, who happen to be Black, has also expressed that this parking-lot stop is not the way we expect our officers to act. While apologizing tor the way Ms. Gilliam, and her family were treated, all she can really say about the law suit is no comment, as the City has yet to be served. The Chief has offered to cover the cost of providing therapy to the children involved, and while Wilson says the cops followed protocol and training, the city feels cops need to have discretion and ability to change processes when things in the streets, are not in the books! Wilson notes since the incident, training practices have changed a bit to let officers use common dam sense, when handling suspected stolen car investigations! Really? The APD indicates they are trying to ‘restore public trust’ in the department... a new plan called, “A NEW WAY’ has been implemented, which hopes to have resident give the agency feedback... calling the plan a living document to be updated as need be. While the 18th JD is reviewing the lawsuit, the office declined to file any charges against cops involved. But, the good thing is the courts will have a look at the state’s new Police Accountability Law. The sad thing about the whole incident, is that the temporary plate on the van was issued in Colorado. Whereas the temp tag they were looking for was from the state of Montana and was issued to a MOTORCYCLE! Gilliam and all four kids have suffered severe distress... they struggle to sleep and eat, and they are also in therapy to help them deal with what happened that day last
summer. The suit also claims the department has a history of excessive force and racial profiling against Black people... and the suit documents many of those incidences between Blacks and cops in A-Town. Lane says, “The suit seeks relief related to unlawful seizure, unlawful search, excessive force and denial of equal protection.” Punitive and compensatory damages ae also on the table. For a second time in less than a year, a Federal Court has clamped down on the City of Denver and Denver Police. Last summer, a Federal Judge put the city on notice to stop denying citizens the right to peacefully protest...now the court is telling cops and the Mayor to stop the unhoused neighbor sweeps! Judge William Martinez in response to a request from Denver Defendants has issued a ruling that the city must provide prior warning when sweeping homeless encampments, even if the city thinks there may be health or safety risks in play. To that end the court issued a injunction to protect Plaintiffs procedural rights are protected. AND FINALLY, shout out the the Voltron Crew of musicians and rappers who took time out to produce one of the finest hip hop works Denver has ever been put on wax! The Message to the Mayor word and video are unreal! Under the production of, Bro. Jeff, the music and the video shot at unhoused neighbor sweeps in and around Five Points is masterful and sad at the same time. The question, the song and video are asking, has to do with the upbringing of Mayor Hancock... the group saying Mayor Hancock we don’t believe you... –Jon Bowman
Free Preschool to 4-Year-Olds Who Need it Most The Denver Preschool Program (DPP), a voter-approved nonprofit that helps Denver families find and pay for high-quality preschool, announced a new initiative that will cover the full cost of preschool for eligible families that earn 300% or less of the federal poverty level. This initiative is in addition to the existing universal tuition support that the Denver Preschool Program has provided to families since 2007. According to Elsa Holguín, Denver Preschool Program President and CEO, the launch of this initiative comes at an opportune time as families continue to struggle with the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our goal has always been to provide Denver families with access to affordable, quality preschool options,” says Holguín. She adds, “The opportunity to cover up to 100% of tuition costs for families removes the financial barrier some families face when they enroll their 4-year-olds in a qualityrated preschool.” All families in the city and county of Denver enrolled in one of the Denver Preschool Program’s 250+ participating preschools are eligible for tuition support during their child’s last year of preschool. The tuition support provided to families by the Denver Preschool Program is based on a number of factors including income, the number of hours the child is enrolled at the school and the quality rating of the selected preschool. In order to receive free preschool, a family of four must make $47,638 per year or less, enroll their 4-year-old full time in a participating preschool and not receive any other financial assistance for early childhood education. Feedback from an initial pilot conducted last school
year that provided more than 50 families with expanded tuition support has been favorable. In addition to giving families greater choices, the additional funding enhanced their overall economic position. Says the mother of one participant, “DPP, thank you! Thank you! You have helped me incredibly during a transitional year for our family. Our child is receiving an outstanding preschool education we would not have otherwise afforded. Without this program, we would have likely pulled her out of [preschool] and her education would have been compromised.” Research shows that high-quality preschool programs can have a lasting impact on a child’s life. Not only do they promote academic, social and emotional growth, but they also give families and teachers an opportunity to identify and treat potential learning problems early. The Denver Preschool Program aims to help families manage the $1,277 per month average cost1 of preschool at DPP-participating schools, while also assisting preschools enrolled in the program achieve and maintain high-quality ratings. This support is particularly important today as families struggle with rising unemployment rates and limited job opportunities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Denver Preschool Program (DPP) makes quality preschool possible for all Denver families with a 4-year-old through a dedicated sales tax first approved by voters in 2006 and renewed and extended in 2014. Through the 20192020 program year, DPP provided nearly $138 million in tuition support to help 60,000 Denver children attend the preschool of their family’s choice. Learn more at www.dpp.org.
January 2021 8
7
8 8 5 STAR NEWS
CDC Vaccine Distribution Should Be Followed The pandemic has made even clearer that we are not healthy alone, we are healthy together. The ability of COVID-19 to infect essential workers and people with medical complications makes us all more vulnerable. This is especially so because of our fragmented health care system and the lack of an integrated way to cover us all, such as an improved Medicare for all. Systemic racism means black, indigenous people of color are more likely to wind up in the criminal justice system and in poverty and homelessness. Meanwhile, out-of-control health care costs leave us all vulnerable to extreme poverty, even homelessness. Homeless and incarcerated people face hardships including poor health and hygiene and now living in incubators of the virus. They can’t keep themselves safe by, say, staying home. Their protection is our protection. Their spread is our spread. The following are the goals put forth by the the Center for Disease Control to guide states in the distribution of vaccines: Decrease death and serious disease
as much as possible; Preserve functioning of society; Reduce the extra burden COVID-19 is having on people already facing disparities. In winter the homeless and the workers in shelters as well as the incarcerated and prison staffs are especially vulnerable to the virus, leaving us all more exposed. Morality and good public health demand that vaccines are prioritized for those who cannot protect themselves. Please contact Governor Polis: 303/866-2885 or: https://www.colorado.gov/governor/sharecomments. Urge him to speed vaccine availability for people who are homeless or in jail to help prevent Colorado’s overall spread. How we treat those some consider to be “the least of these” will either bring out the best or the worst in us. Tell Gov. Polis: A more humane and just Colorado for all must begin now. It will benefit us all. –Bill Semple, Board Chair Colorado Foundation for Universal Health Care www.couniversalhealth.org info@couniversalhealth.org
Where Do We Go From Here?
James “Dr. Daddio” Walker Sr.
President Biden has his work cut out for him and it’s going to take some time. We have to accept the fact that change has come. We’ve been praying, we’ve been talking about it, and hoping that the Trump ear would end. This is an example of what prayer will do. Many of us had been praying and hoping to get rid of him, so if you think prayer doesn’t work, this is a true example of how it works through God. Everything that we deal with in our everyday life is dealing with the Lord. It’s spiritual and what we know is that prayer works. It often takes time but it does come around. So, where do we go from here? Number one, we have to make sure that we can give President Biden the opportunity to really find out what he’s dealing with. He does not really know right now because he did not get a chance to talk to anybody or gather all the information. He is walking into a blind door. We have to give him and his administration time.
Biden has not had the opportunity to select his entire administration, so we want to make sure that he gets the time to select the people that are loyal to him and this country, not those who are loyal to sections or a certain group of people that we’ve already dealt with. We want the administration to be people he can trust because, right now, he’s trying to open up a book that has been closed. He does not know what is behind the doors he is going to be going through. He does not know what Trump has done as far as the White House is concerned. We can’t come up with any evaluations trying to say how well he is doing. It may take him six months to a year to really discover and find out what is happening because Trump is a problem for the world, not just this country. We do not know what connections Trump made with foreign countries. We don’t know what has gone down while Trump was in the White House. We don’t know what or who was left behind. President Biden must deal with a lot of things, and has to be very careful of where he goes and make sure that the safety and protection is with him. He’s going to have to make sure that he’s got reliable trustworthy people with him in his security; even in the White House they have to be very careful. The are nervous and afraid that their counterparts are carrying guns! So it’s going to take time and we shouldn’t put pressure on President Biden. We shouldn’t expect many deadlines. He set up some up on himself. For example, in his first 100 days he said he’s going to do some things on his first day, but if you set up to many deadlines in a situation where you do not know what you’re getting into, I think it’s kind of bad. –James “Dr. Daddio” Walker Sr.
HIP HOP’s Message to the Mayor
Jeff Campbell, center Creative Director of Emancipation Theater artists from left to right Kingdom, Mic Coats, Apostle, Kid Astronaut, Mizta Sandman, & Bumpy chill
Emancipation Theater Company, through their From Allies to Abolitionists initiative, sent a “Message to the Mayor” through a song that brought several local legendary artists together. The song, on what they believe to be the unethical homeless sweeps being perpetrated in the office of the Mayor, is a direct call out saying “We elected you for a reason, and this ain’t it.” Message to the Mayor is considered by many as an instant classic and a perfect example of artists using their talent to speak truth to power. The hook sung by Jon Shockness aka Kid Astronaut is infectious: “To Mayor Hancock the steets need you; you promised to do some-
thing but we don’t believe you. Mayor Hancock the city needs you; you promised to do something but we don’t see you...” According to Westword Mayor Hancock has heard the song and replied, “When it comes to street homelessness and encampments, our highest priority is to connect people with services, shelter, housing, family, treatment or care...” From Allies to Abolitionists disagrees and is spearheading a campaign for people experiencing homelessness, by opposing the urban camping ban of the Hancock administration. They have convened a coalition of groups including All In Denver, The Interfaith Alliance, and others. –5 Star News
January 2021 8
9
Modern Day Redlining Continues - Double Check Your Home Appraisal
District 9 Councilwoman Candi Cdebaca
I just had to share with you all my recent experience with modern redlining. It was astounding (in the bad way). In October I was trying to refinance my house. I went through my credit union and got it appraised. I was on calls during the time the appraiser came over so Kerrie walked him through the house. I get the appraisal back and it is LOWER than what the auto-generated value is and substantially lower than what Zillow/trulia would predict purely based on sales in the broader area--I get it, these are not accurate measures of value but I expected a plus/minus margin of like $10-50K. This is not a beat up or dilapidated house, it is old but well kept. The appraiser did not have a single comparison SOUTH of I70 (mind you I live on the south side) and adamantly REFUSED to add a comparison to anything south at the same distance despite not hav-
10 8 5 STAR NEWS
ing a single lot size that was comparable on the north side of I70. The South side of me is Clayton and the north side of me is Swansea, I am in Swansea. South side is gentrifying faster and has already turned over demographically. The north side of me is still over 80% Latino and living in poverty (yet in houses selling to predators for half a million in many cases). Long story short, I end up fighting for another appraisal because 1. I paid for it and 2. I knew it was wrong and I wanted to prove it---you can’t stop me from a fight when I know I am right. I got the second appraisal today. I shit you fucking not, the second appraisal was $180,000 HIGHER simply using comps five blocks to the south of my house rather than five blocks to the north. Exactly $10K off of what I had originally expected based on a novice’s search of sales/values in the area. $180K difference doesn’t sound like a lot but makes as huge difference when you are trying to tap into equity because you don’t get to borrow 100% of your value and the more you borrow, the more it impacts your credit via debt to income. Like $180k is a whole effing house back in my day (as if I’m 100 but literally back in like my recent life this was the cost of a whole ass house)! This matters for me and it matters for you and it matters for our entire gentrifying neighborhoods. It matters that we got a lower value when my Black wife walked the appraiser through the house. It matters when the appraiser will only compare to homes that are still largely owned/ occupied by low income Latinos on the north side of I70. It matters that the bank gave me this whole song and dance about the formulas being standardized and not influenced by appraisers. It matters that
banks won’t flat out NOT lend to you, they will just make it impossible for you to get what you DESERVE. The only factor that changed was literally WHO (what color we were) walked the appraiser through the house, WHO was there and a demand that there be a comp at similar distance in multiple directions. I took all of the recommendations from friends when I asked you in October who to reach out to and I reached out to several people you all pointed me toward regarding fair housing practicies -special shout out to Millete Birhanemaskel who helped me pull comps to prove my case for a second appraisal and advised me to read an article about changing the color of who walked the appraiser through. I made a complaint against that appraiser and hope to report back more to you all as they investigate. I am sharing this because I want you all to do it too if you have had similar experiences, the appraiser’s name and license is on your document and the complaint system lets you look up any appraiser in CO in a database and complain from there. I also found during my process that
the state is CURRENTLY taking feedback on whether or not the Colorado Board of Appraisers should continue to exist and what they they should exist to do. I need all of you who have feedback on this industry to go fill out this easy google form. Friends in real estate, that means you too. Friends in real estate, please get to know this process so you can help your clients make complaints and force the industry to change and purge the bad ones, especially my BIPOC realtors and people who know that the game is rigged. Shit we need a community-wide spreadsheet of the appraisers and their license numbers who are bad actors so we can hold them accountable ourselves until major changes happen! Let’s call it what it is and fight for those who don’t have the time or support to fight back. It is redlining. If we can’t get past redlining in its modern forms, we will never close the wealth gap and we will never dismantle this rigged game. –Councilwoman Candi Cdebaca
We See Ourselves in Vice President Kamala Harris
5 Star News Journalist Shay J
For 232 years, white men have been the only face occupied by the white house vice president seat; on January 20, 2021, all changed. Kamala Harris broke barriers and made history as she, the first Black American and South Asian American woman, took an oath to be vice president of the United States. The 2021 inauguration was a glimpse of hope for many people, but it was exceptional for women of color. “I felt seen, for the first time” This was a familiar feeling that resonated with our multicultural women. Do you know how powerful it is to see someone that looks like you take one of the highest office seats in the country!? Vice president Harris seem to understand just how influential this moment was and is. In Harris’s speech, she shared, “I may be the first, but I won’t be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”
The moment didn’t go unnoticed that not only were we watching Harris make H(er) story, Amanda Gorman was stealing our hearts and filling up our spirits; with her original poem “The Hill We Climb.” This chocolate 22-year-old sista is the youngest inaugural poet, and if you ask me, the best to do it. Overcoming her struggles with a speech impediment and owning that stage like it was her rightful place. This simple yet timely reminder that people like “us” can and will win. Now I took notice of the Black designers that Harris was dipped in for this historical event. Rocking Sergio Hudson, Christopher John Rogers; and might I add Mrs. Obama joined her in these threads. When had we ever seen a president or vice president in a Black designer’s work? Never. The ode to her Black community didn’t stop there, with her alma mater Howard University’s marching band being apart of the presidential parade; this was a monumental moment. VP Kamala Harris is undoubtedly a visible representation of hope and reminder that betting on Black women is a winning strategy. In another breath, we must hold Harris and Biden accountably to the Black community fighting to get them in office. Understanding that representation is not a cure-all, and the system of white supremacy and privilege needs to be shattered. The issues our communities are battling require more than identity politics. “I believe that true liberation lies outside of a two-party system and will require the abolition of systems and structures both Biden and Harris uphold.” Furthermore, those still impacted by Harris’s past actions need to center in this new administration and receive justice while hoping for a better future.
Black Lives Matter at Windsor Gardens Helen Rigmaiden, a 71 year-old resident of the Windsor Gardens Retirement Community put a Black Lives Matter sign in her window, she wanted to unite the members of the community in conversation; instead of conversation, she received the same vitriol that characterizes racism in the US and abroad. Throughout her time in the community of Windsor Gardens, Rigmaiden had noticed the various signage her co-community members had put up, from signs for sports teams to full-blown Blue Lives Matter flags; and when it came time for her to join in on putting a sign up, she wished to put something up that’d encourage dialogue amongst the other members of the community. To achieve this goal, and because it spoke to her as a woman of African descent and as a kind human being, she decided a Black Lives Matter sign was perfect. Despite the noble intentions she had, a fellow community member took it as an invalidation of their life instead of the irrefutable fact that it is. On December 24th, Christmas Eve of 2020 (after having the sign in her window for two years), she received a letter from the Windsor Gardens Association informing her that they had received a complaint from a member of the community- and moreover, that the association agreed with the complaint. This letter was a demand of Rigmaiden to take her sign down by the following Monday, saying “You may not be aware, but this is a violation of the Windsor Gardens’ Signs Policy.” Like it would be for anyone who passes through the Windsor Gardens community, it wasn’t hard for Rigmaiden to notice the blatant hypocrisy the association exhibited in calling her sign a violation. Her
neighbors had all manner of signs, and even though they claimed that letters had gone out to everyone in the communityshe could feel in her heart that something was amiss. In an interview with 9NEWS on the subject, she said “It has to be all of us [who] are taking this stuff down, or we’re not. I just want to be treated fairly.” So, taking inspiration from the younger generation of activists who she feels have been bold in their desire to see freedom ring, she kept the sign up as her “form of nonviolent protest.” Taking notice of Windsor Garden’s insinuation and determined to do something, it quickly became the prerogative of Colorado Electeds like Tay Anderson, At-Large Director on the Denver School Board, and community organizers like brother jeff to quite literally, ride for Rigmaiden- organizing a cavalcade as a protest and deigning to drive the entire line of cars through the Windsor Gardens community. Anderson told the press that this rally’s mission was “to show the community has her back and there are people that care about this issue, that care and support Black lives that are going to be there as we move forward in this fight for racial justice.” In an interview with 9NEWS, Tay Anderson spoke to the importance of uplifting and defending our elders- saying “When one of our civil rights leaders is under attack, we have to stand up and be able to say that we want to be there to support our elders and also let them know that as they pass the baton to the younger generation, we are here to carry the torch to the finish line.” This truly was the rhetoric of each and every person in attendance, meaning to carry the torch of freedom past the finish line. –Justy Robinson
Yes, Black women lead and take our positions, yet we are still in a battle to be present at every table and not trade one part of the power for another lapse in representation. With Harris as Vice President, we are at the mercy of a senate with not one Black person to advocate for our communities, and this truth reminds us we still have a ways to go, yet we remain hopeful and ready. VP Kamala Harris is a start to seeing ourselves in all possible ways; in Issa Rae’s words, ‘I’m rooting for everybody Black.’ Now let us make sure those same Blacks are rooting for us. –Shay J
“... And to the woman most responsible for my presence here today — my mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, who is always in our hearts. When she came here from India at the age of 19, maybe she didn’t quite imagine this moment. But she believed so deeply in an America where a moment like this is possible. So, I’m thinking about her and about the generations of women — Black Women. Asian, White, Latina, and Native American women throughout our nation’s history who have paved the way for this moment tonight. Tonight, I reflect on their struggle, their determination and the strength of their vision — to see what can be unburdened by what has been — I stand on their shoulders...” –VP Kamala Harris
Jimmy Johnson Tax Service
Income Tax, Bookkeeping & Notary Service
2839 Fairfax St. Denver, CO 80207
Phone | 303.331.8728 Cell | 720.394.5991 Email jjohn10602@aol.com www.johnsontaxservice.com Serving the Denver area since 1990
FREE Community Food Pantry No forms to fill out No questions asked Tues - Friday 4pm No One Should Be Hungry, Period.
brother jeff’s Cultural Center 2836 Welton Denver CO 80205
5 STAR News Photo Gallery Windsor Gardens Black Lives Matter Parade
January 2021 8
11
12 8 5 STAR NEWS
Biden Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities
President Joe Biden
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Policy. Equal opportunity is the bedrock of American democracy, and our diversity is one of our country’s greatest strengths. But for too many, the American Dream remains out of reach. Entrenched disparities in our laws and public policies, and in our public and private institutions, have often denied that equal opportunity to individuals and communities. Our country faces converging economic, health, and climate crises that have exposed and exacerbated inequities, while a historic movement for justice has highlighted the unbearable human costs of systemic racism. Our Nation deserves an ambitious whole-of-government equity agenda that matches the scale of the opportunities and challenges that we face.
It is therefore the policy of my Administration that the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government. Because advancing equity requires a systematic approach to embedding fairness in decision-making processes, executive departments and agencies (agencies) must recognize and work to redress inequities in their policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity. By advancing equity across the Federal Government, we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone. For example, an analysis shows that closing racial gaps in wages, housing credit, lending opportunities, and access to higher education would amount to an additional $5 trillion in gross domestic product in the American economy over the next 5 years. The Federal Government’s goal in advancing equity is to provide everyone with the opportunity to reach their full potential. Consistent with these aims, each agency must assess whether, and to what extent, its programs and policies perpetuate systemic barriers to opportunities and benefits for people of color and other underserved groups. Such assessments will better equip agencies to develop policies and programs that deliver resources and benefits equitably to all. Sec. 2. Definitions. For purposes of this order: (a) The term “equity” means
the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality. (b) The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the preceding definition of “equity.” Sec. 3. Role of the Domestic Policy Council. The role of the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) is to coordinate the formulation and implementation of my Administration’s domestic policy objectives. Consistent with this role, the DPC will coordinate efforts to embed equity principles, policies, and approaches across the Federal Government. This will include efforts to remove systemic barriers to and provide equal access to opportunities and benefits, identify communities the Federal Government has underserved, and develop policies designed to advance equity for those communities. The DPC-led interagency process will ensure that these efforts are made in coordination with the directors of the National Security Council and the National Economic Council. Sec. 4. Identifying Methods to As-
sess Equity. (a) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall, in partnership with the heads of agencies, study methods for assessing whether agency policies and actions create or exacerbate barriers to full and equal participation by all eligible individuals. The study should aim to identify the best methods, consistent with applicable law, to assist agencies in assessing equity with respect to race, ethnicity, religion, income, geography, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability. (b) As part of this study, the Director of OMB shall consider whether to recommend that agencies employ pilot programs to test model assessment tools and assist agencies in doing so. (c) Within 6 months of the date of this order, the Director of OMB shall deliver a report to the President describing the best practices identified by the study and, as appropriate, recommending approaches to expand use of those methods across the Federal Government. Sec. 5. Conducting an Equity Assessment in Federal Agencies. The head of each agency, or designee, shall, in consultation with the Director of OMB, select certain of the agency’s programs and policies for a review that will assess whether underserved communities and their members face systemic barriers in accessing benefits and opportunities available pursuant to those policies and programs. The head of each agency, or designee, shall conduct such review and within 200 days of the date of this order provide a report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (APDP). –Entire order www.whitehouse.gov
January 2021 8
13
14 8 5 STAR NEWS
RTD Director Responds to Governor Polis CPR News reported Gov. Jared Polis, a resident of Boulder, is “extremely concerned” by recent comments from the Regional Transportation District’s new top staffer questioning the wisdom of building a long-promised rail line from Denver to Boulder and Longmont. RTD Director Shontel Lewis responded via Facebook: What he (Governor Polis) is saying here is bankrupt the agency so that Boulder can have a train. If he is committed to all Coloradans and ensuring the best outcomes for all Coloradans, not just folks up north, that starts with tough conversations about the state of the agency — not ill informed demands. Governor Polis campaigned on the completion of FasTracks, specifically calling out the NW rail — absent a plan nor funding commitment to actualize a train to Boulder. While actively ignoring the fact that there are several projects in the FasTracks plan that remain unfinished. As the Governor of Colorado you would think his advocacy would stretch beyond Boulder when it comes to communities being connected. He also has authority and could allocate $$ to funding public transportation. General Manager Johnson, while new to RTD, is not new to transportation and has served in varies leadership roles to understand what it takes to lead a transit agency and to determine what needs to be prioritize, particularly during a time of hardship for an agency. Governor Polis, let her lead that is what the RTD Board of Directors hired her to do — and we elected you to lead the State not RTD. While, I empathize with folks who believe they were promised something and never delivered — it doesn’t feel good I imagine, I am most concerned about those marginalized and vulnerable
and those that rely on transit not those that simply want what others have. To send this letter, during a global pandemic, as we making hard decisions to prioritize the wellbeing of staff and provide transit to our communities is so out of touch. Governor Polis asking that we not only prioritize this train, a request from a leader that I assume understands how budgets and deficits work, ridership projects, full funding agreements, capital investment, etc., is at best ignorant to the nuance and subject, and incredibly disappointing. If our Governor in interested in representing our communities equitably he would ask his staff to provide him with what it would take to fulfill this promise as he so desires. The most important questions. 1. Who stands to benefit? 2. Who stands to be harmed? If answered, leaders might see that the communities that depend on our transit for their survival ie, jobs, education, access to food, healthcare appointments, childcare — stand to be harmed by Governor Polis’ priorities and his politics. We might see that he is ignoring the needs of our communities using transit today in exchange for others to have shiny new toys. I get it, as electeds we feel pressured by our constituents, however — Governor Polis and other elected leaders at this juncture have to be honest with our constituents with hard truths and facts. It is time that we stop talking about 2004 and accept what is in order to build from there. It is time we explore what our communities need and identify the modes and partnerships that it will take to deliver. We are so much more creative than asking for a train for the sake of having it. Aren’t we? – RTD Director Shontel Lewis
January 2021 8
15