Happenings in and around Historic 5 Points, Northeast Denver and Aurora April 2021
5 POINTS Says Well-Done to Mrs. Zona
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
Zona Moore, owner of several Denver-based companies, passed away in April. Moore (born Zona Porter) and her husband Willis Moore decided to move to Denver on the recommendation of her sister. After working for a time, Mrs. Zona, as she was affectionately known, started J & Z Liquor with her son John. When the owner of Tamale King, a neighboring business, passed away- Mrs. Zona took over the lease and rebranded the business as Zona’s Tamale Stand in 1972. She served her famous pig ear & hot link sandwiches. Her home-going service was held at the Zion Baptist Church. A horse-drawn-carriage traveled through Five Points in honor the neighborhood she loved and the community legacy she built. –Justy Robinson
Live Jazz Every First Friday in Five Points
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Purnell Steen along with Little Sistas Treats Denver Arts & Venues, Five Points Business Improvement District, KUVO Jazz, The DROP 303 & Five Points Development Corporation have come together to keep the Jazz roots of Five points alive every first Friday with Five Points Jazz Hop in Cousins Plaza. This monthly event features the performances of local jazz musicians and all of your favorite Five Points neighborhood destinations and community gathering spaces. The first event was in Lawson Park, where food was sold by Denver names such as Konjo Ethiopian Food and Sticky Drip Waffles. Attendees were blessed with the music of Purnell Steen & leJazz Machine. Thankfully the Five Points sound is still alive today, and the main keeper of the flame is pianist Purnell Steen and his group Le Jazz Machine. Now in his early seventies, Steen is a consummate performer who has a legion of devoted fans in his native Denver. Steen is also part of a musical dynasty, with relatives including vocalist Dianne Reeves, pianist George Duke, saxophonist Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, and bassist Charlie Burrell. Future Five Points Jazz Hop artists will feature the music of Los Chicos Malos attendees will be able to hear the work of Cojunto Colores and more. Covid protocols will be in place and everyone will be able to hear live music in a safe, socially distanced setting. We’ll see you there! –5 Star News
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13 Norman Harris (second from left) along with members of the community
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It’s Time to Come Back Together
brother jeff Founder/Editor 5 STAR NEWS
Coivd 19, continues to impact the health and life of the entire nation. Business enterprises have found a way to continue and many have closed their doors forever. Faith institutions have gone virtual and some will continue to worship online as opposed to returning to the church and temple pews or mosque floors. There has been one aspect that has touch everyone, but is sadly overlooked. Think about all the lives that have been lost without family and loved ones being able to assemble for a homegoing celebrations. It is hard to image the stress of determining who is able to attend with some funeral homes allowing no more than a handfull of mourners.
There are many the community did not get an opportunity to have a final moment. Zona Moore is among them. Mrs. Zona as she was affectionately known was/is a Five Points legend. She is best known for running the “Pig Ear Stand” or “Zonas” right at the intersection where the Five Points converge on Welton. Mrs. Zona fed everyone and it did not matter if you had big money or none at all. If you were hungry, she had food. If you needed someone to talk to, she was there to listen. The legacy Mrs. Zona left is relized by her children and children’s children and children’s, children’s children. We say well-done to a Five Points legend, but never goodbye. –brother jeff
Black Enough to get the Vaccine There were lots of discussion about Black people being hesitant- not wanting to get the vaccine. I will tell you that my phone was buzzing with questions and comments -where can I get my shot, why aren’t they giving them in my community?, etc. There were plenty of folks that wanted the shot but couldn’t get on the list, didn’t have computers, or didn’t meet the criteria. Some of the people I spoke with were spurred on by seeing people die, some wanted to feel safer, some wanted to get back to normal, and some were required by their job. There were those who may have been unwilling but they were brought in by their mother and families. I am not down playing hesitancy because that is real as well. I observed more hesitancy among the younger Black population. However, with limited time and energy, my primary focus was getting those that wanted it connected with places that could provide what they needed. As one pastor told me, “Black folks always want to follow the rules.” “We need to get this COVID-19 vaccine by any means necessary and if that means that ‘we work at Walmart’, then that is what we have to say.” My thought was that just being Black in America should be enough reason to prioritize getting Black folks to the front of the line. There will never be 100 % vaccine administration, but it is important to get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible. This should be especially true for those who have suffered disproportionately from COVID-19. Like most other viruses, COVID-19 has mutated and variants have arisen. Do you think we will reach
the herd immunity (enough people in the community vaccinate to slow the spread) in time? Sounds like this is doom and gloom, but I am hopeful. Our Nation may seize the moment to take a hard look at our issues and move into action. We must repair longstanding deficiencies in our Nation. Retirement is now around the corner and I would love spending my time learning about the ways that our Nation plans to do better so we can be a stronger and better place for all. I am hopeful. I also plan to wear you all out with some posts when retirement is official. Be on the lookout for more tea spilling and letting down the mask to the real me behind the DrTeaNT. Be ready for super dynamism. Whew! Looking back I can hardly believe that just one year has passed. In one year we have come full circle: a virus – a vaccine; a murder – a conviction; an irrational president – a reasonable president. Circles are never ending so we are not at the end, but a beginning and it keeps going round and round, where it stops, I certainly don’t know!
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
Lolita Buckner Inniss Appointed Dean of CU Law
University of Colorado Boulder Provost Russell Moore today named Lolita Buckner Inniss dean of the University of Colorado Law School, effective July 1, 2021. Inniss will become Colorado Law’s first African American dean and second female to lead the school. She will arrive May 1 as a visiting professor to get to know the current law students, faculty and staff, prepare for
5 STAR NEWS Monthly Publication April 2021
Publisher brother jeff Editor brother jeff
Layout & Design Cynthia R. Martin Photography brother jeff Lens of Ansar
incoming law students and expedite her transition to becoming the dean. Inniss will succeed Colorado Law Dean James Anaya, who will continue as a university distinguished professor when his appointment as dean ends on June 30. He will also hold the Nicholas R. Doman Professorship in International Law. “Professor Inniss impressed many constituents in our campus community, including the search committee and me, with her accomplished record as a legal scholar and her inspiring, expansive vision for Colorado Law,” said Moore. “Based on my interactions with her, I am confident that she will build upon and extend the gains in accessibility, excellence and national reputation achieved by Dean Anaya, and will take Colorado Law to all new and exciting levels of success.” Inniss is the senior associate dean for academic affairs and a professor of law, university distinguished professor and the inaugural Robert G. Storey Distinguished Faculty Fellow at the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
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
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March is Women’s History Month and I Was Never Taught About It
5 Star News Journalist Justy Robinson
March is Women’s History Month and it has been since 1987 (for those, like me, who were never taught this), a holimonth that calls on us to study, observe, and celebrate the “vital role of women in American History.” Anyone who has been paying attention through the entirety of American history however, would know just how much of it women have been undervalued and actively oppressed- a fact that even perseveres all over the country and in most aspects of life in the US to this day. Indeed, the story of women in this country has been the story of fighting against oppression. For more history on the event itself, it began in 1978 as a week-long celebration of Women’s History held by the school district of Sonoma, California. This celebration consisted of an essay contest several hundred students participated in, pre-
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sentations, and a parade which was held in downtown Santa Rosa. As the institutions of Sonoma began to adopt the event, so did other school districts and so the following two years saw a dramatic increase in the number of observers. This led to 1980 and the founding of the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women’s History Alliance or NWHA), founded by Molly Murphy MacGregor, Mary Ruthsdotter, Maria Cuevas, Paula Hammett, and Bette Morgan. NWHP would lead a coalition of different groups to lobby President Jimmy Carter to recognize the celebration nationally, and that same year he did. In celebration of the holi-month, I’ve decided to put a spotlight on an individual of exceptional character within the Denver community- Euda K. Best- self described as an indigenous healer. Best’s contributions to toppling the systems that seek to oppress us all are numerous and not to be understated; if we are not healthy, we cannot continue to fight. To that end, she has a myriad of ways in which she helps support her community’s health and well being. She is a certified yoga teacher that has been teaching group and individual classes for five years. Yoga, in its many traditions and practices, is a spiritual practice much more than a physical one- so in the modern day, she is moving away from asana (the movement limb of yoga) and more towards meditation- something she has also been practicing for over ten years and something she only recently began offering classes on. In addition to offering classes on meditation, she has been doing various forms of card readings for years. She has stressed that she doesn’t want to use the term therapy or therapist without a credential- but
some of her most recurring clients are therapists themselves and have led her towards recognizing that what she does is indeed “medicine.” Finally, and in addition to yoga & meditation classes and card readings, she has made it her mission to help her community members reconnect to their innate creativity. In her upcoming series she titled “Spring Cleaning and Connecting to Creativity,” she is going to do rituals for three new moons, two full moons, and an equinox, from now until May 11th, that seeks to connect attendees back to their creativity and stress the importance of using our creativity for all aspects of life. In her opinion she says “we’re at a time where the old way of being is dying,” and we must learn to use our creativity to create the world we’d like to see. On top of everything else, she has partnered with Pharcyde TV as a new platform for her radio/TV show, Hella Random Radio. This show has existed in various forms since 2011, and it plays music Best
calls conscious. Best knows how harmful music can be. When she taught kindergarten through eighth grade, she noticed how the music that her students were listening to (especially the student’s with parents she called “distracted”) affected them. In essence, it is her belief that music was raising them into who they’d be- and harmful music created harmful people when not overseen and regulated. This caused her to become “militant” in her choices of music, and to only promote the kind of music she feels helps people heal. To get in touch with her about any of the services she provides, you can find her on instagram @hellarandom and/or @eudakbest or email eudakbest@gmail.com. Check out her show on PharcydeTV’s twitch page twitch.tv/PharcydeTV! –Justy Robinson
Leaders Discuss Coordinated Homelessness Effort
Mayors, City Council Members, County Commissioners, City Managers and leaders from across the seven county Metro-Denver region convened to discuss regional coordination on homelessness. The event was co-hosted by the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and the nonprofit Community Solutions, which leads the national Built for Zero initiative. Speakers at the event included Mayor Hancock of Denver, Mayor Olson of Englewood, Veterans Affairs, Department of Local Affairs, the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, and Community Solutions. The convening marked an important recognition by key stakeholders that regional coordination will play a critical role in accelerating progress across the state. “I am grateful that we are convening today to have a conversation about our neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, and how we can work more collaboratively as a region,” said Denver Mayor B. Hancock. “Coming together collaboratively as a region gives us the opportunity to be more efficient
with the resources we have, whether it is the services to connect people to have their needs addressed, or to housing.” “The work to end homelessness must be planned at a local level and meet the needs of local communities. Coordination at a regional level means we can share resources, support these local efforts, and work together on a set of shared goals,” said Matt Meyer, Executive Director of the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative. “This is a convening years in the making. Our state, regional, and comunity partners have been working tirelessly to lay the foundation for coordination of homelessness at this level. ” Built for Zero includes more than 80 communities that have adopted a data-driven methodology to end homelessness. Half of those communities have driven reductions in homelessness for a population, and 14 have reached a milestone for functionally ending homelessness for chronic or veteran homelessness.
Stop the Tigray Genocide
Tigray-American protestors outside the Colorado State Capitol
The sun will soon rise on the sixth month of the Ethiopian federal government’s genocidal campaign in Tigray, and with each passing day more and more damning information arises about Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s regime and their actions within the region of Tigray, and Ethiopia as a whole. The Associated Press (AP) has begun reporting on the true scale of arbitrary arrests of Tigrayan people in high and influential positions throughout Ethiopia. In their article, AP mentions that much of the world already knew that the arrests of Tigrayan military officials has gone on for quite some time now; but they have recently found that these arrests have extended to priests and office workers; and that some of these arrests have been carried out on no other basis than ethnic profiling or calling them “traitors.” These unlawful arrests see no charges pressed against some of those held captive, but they remain held in any of 9 known locations around Ethiopia for months. A man
of the armed forces even contacted AP saying that he was detained with hundreds of fellow Tegaru and “They might kill us…. We are in their hands, and we have no choice but to pray.” In Tigray, the efforts of organizations like the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), & the World Food Programme (WFP)- who are trying to provide humanitarian aid to civilians who’ve been displaced from their homes, raped, maimed, starved, or denied healthcare- are being threatened by “complex and unpredictable security situations.” For the five months so far that this campaign has gone on for, hospitals, food suppliers, and even the homes of civilians have been raided by the conglomerate of Ethiopain and Eritrean troops; and with no concrete evidence of the Federal Government’s cooperation in the distribution of humanitarian aid, the lives of the aide workers are in danger constantly. –Justy Robinson
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News You Can Use With Jon Bowman - Now Go Run And Tell That
Jon Bowman 5 STAR NEWS Journalist
So, Easter and Passover are gone and Ramadan is still suggesting forty days of fasting during daylight hours...all three celebrations intended to help us improve our lives and our health! But, now we are left with a possible four-week trial of that seen-on-tv murder involving George Floyd. IT IS NOT THE GEORGE FLOYD TRIAL THOUGH. The rouge cop on trial is a 19 year vet of the Minneapolis Police Department, who’s wife divorced him just weeks after she says she watched him put Floyd to death on the streets, by using his knee in Gorge’s neck to cut off his breathing, Deriek Chauven faces murder and manslaughter charges in connection with the killing. As the trial began with Don Williams as the first witness, the jury saw what a handful of eye witnesses say, four cops handcuff and try to stuff big George into the back seat of an SUV, only to have to drag him out into the street, where three of the officers all kneeled on Floyd until he was dead.
Williams, an MMA fighter, says he became involved because, “ What he saw wasn’t right!”. The 17 year old, Damella Frazier, was first to video tape the struggle... she was just walking her lil cousin, Jedidah Reynolds, to the Cup Food Store for some snacks, she told the jury.While she waited outside, she shot one of the all-time best on-the-scene, spot news stories ever. Footage that documented what Black folks have been complaining about since we landed on these racialistic shores. The fact that police, in many cases treat us like bull crap. A New York Times study indicates police kill about 1,000 people a year... since 2005, 121 police officers have been charged, but there have only been 44 convictions and most of those wound up guilty of lesser charges. We now know Floyd was killed after Chauvin held his neck for 9:29 seconds not 8:46 seconds as previously thought. “Deck Chauvin is in the courtroom but America is on trial,” said Rev Al Sharpton. But, LZ Granderson writes,”America is in the court room, true, but to be on trial is to suggests she is the defendant, she is not. America is the prosecutor... the one who labled Blacks being three-fifths human. Who provided white slave owners with reparations rather than the enslaved. The one telling black and others of color to go back to where you came from as if there would be a United States without us.” There is a trial, but the one we are watching began long before George was murdered. “Black America has watched the prosecution use every tool imaginable to try to prove that our lives o not matter. And each moment when it appears that Black lives do matter, America motions for a mistrial We watched that as the defense tried
Forty-Seven States Restricting the Vote
The Honorable Wellington E. Webb
The confederacy continues to try to pull itself out of the grave by spreading lies, and like every other cheater will change the rules of the game. One example, in 1956 during Wilt Chamberlain’s freshman year in college, the NCAA banned dunking free throws, as a result of rumors that Chamberlain had been doing that in high school. Later, the NBA also banned dunking free throws. They changed the rules because they didn’t want him to have the upper hand because of his immense talent. Now 47 states have decided to make it more restrictive to register to vote and to vote. Amazing how these restrictions suddenly need to be made after people of color turned out in record numbers to vote in 2020 and turned red states blue. This confederate rebellion against the United States is to preserve white power and to oppose white progressives and anything black, brown, yellow, or red. Some outsiders have ignorantly said new laws are similar to what we have in 6 8 5 STAR NEWS
Colorado, which is wrong. Colorado allows everyone to vote by mail. While we have many ballot drop off sites, other states are restricting drop offs and impacting the elderly, disabled and communities of color. Say it like it is. The only reason the Republican controlled legislatures are changing voting rules is they didn’t like the election outcomes so they are going to try and keep the will of the people down. I say the days of Jim Crow voting laws will not be tolerated. Georgia lost the MLB All-Star game and other states should also feel the economic wrath if they make voting more difficult. Then add the name calling with the most recent incident in Colorado. Last week a Republican state representative ignorantly using the term “buckwheat” when addressing a colleague then said we talk like that in eastern Colorado. Well, that excuse is not true. I attended Northeastern Junior College in Sterling and played basketball there for two years. Those type of racists terms weren’t used and if they were it was done in private because we as black people know if someone calls you buckwheat or some similar term they also will call you a nigger or have already. The legislature needs to set the moral high ground by each elected official calling each other “Senator” or “Representative” out of earned respect. This was the case when former Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll was in charge. He told legislators to address one another by their title, and when they didn’t he levied a fine against the offender. Legislators don’t have to agree but they should be civil. – Honorable Wellington E. Webb
to paint mr. Williams as an angry Black man, but Williams, trained in martial arts and growing up Black, didn’t fall for the trap to blow up or argue with the attorney, he calmly said, “I stayed in my body, you can’t paint me out to be angry.” Floyd’s death and the footage of him dying, set off protests and demonstrations around the world. The Covid-19 Summer, touched off the biggest protests against police brutality towards Black men, the world has ever seen. And as testimony will continue for a few weeks, the really ironic thing is that both a Police Dispatcher -- who sent Cahuvin and his rookie cops to the scene -- actually called police on the police as did MMA fighter, Williams. Both saying they called because what they saw happening was not right or just! In the end, with the whole world watching. We will find out if cops can continue to be arrester, judge and jury, as well as, executioner! Let us hope all twelve jurors will let their eyes and minds accept what they saw and not the drivel the defense is trying to sell. MORE BLACKS CALLING AMERICA HOME
A new reading of America’s demographics by the Pew Research Center, reflects that the Black population in America has gone up 29% since 2000. Now, some 47 million identify as Black. Still just about 14% of the total U.S. population, the rise shows some new nuances in the growing Black community. In an interview with The Root, Mark Lopez of the center said, “The population is growing for a number of reasons-including a greater number of immigrants arriving from all over the globe--who are now identifying a multi-racial background and a Black and Hipanic background more so than in the past. The immigrants now account for some increases in America’s Black population-more that four million (10 percent of the demographic) are foreign born, which is up from 1.9 million ‘single-race, non-Hispanic’ Blacks who were foreign born in 2000. The center conducts these studies about ten years after the last census. WE GOT TO GO NOW RUN AND TELL THAT! –Jon Bowman
Murillo Seeks Re-election to Aurora City Council
Aurora Councilwoman Crystal Murillo - Ward 1
Crystal Murillo, Aurora City Council Member for Ward 1 announced she is running for re-election. The youngest city council member and first Latina in Aurora’s history, Murillo was elected in 2017, ousting incumbent Sally Mounier in a 60-40 upset. “In 2017, I ran to ensure our community has access to housing, the economy, and justice so that our City Council works for the people. And in these last four years, we have taken great strides toward making Aurora work for everyone in our community. That is why my re-election campaign is built on hope: I feel excited for the future of our city,” Murillo shared. “My focus is on ensuring we have Housing for All, an Economy for All, and Justice for All: As the chair of the housing committee, I worked to appropriate money for affordable housing, pass housing study recommendations and sponsored a reso-
lution declaring housing as a human right to center our work in equity. However, we must still fight to implement policies so families can stay in their homes, renters have a path to homeownership, and that any development is inclusive of community voices. To close the gaps for Ward 1 residents, I facilitated the creation of new jobs through strategic partnerships in our water department to help remove employment barriers and supported an ordinance to increase the minimum wage. I will continue to work towards a future where every job in Aurora pays a livable wage and where the COVID recovery is used to build back our working families, small businesses, and nonprofit networks. Every Auroran must feel safe in their community regardless of their identity. To this end, I sponsored a resolution to support our AAPI community against hate and bigotry and worked collaboratively with other councilmembers to hold the GEO Detention Center accountable. We must stop the over-policing of communities of color, repair the broken relationships between our police and our residents, and continue supporting our immigrant and refugee communities. There are countless reasons to lose hope and having hope does not mean we come to the world naively. It means that in the face of all that has come against us, we show up defiant, brave, and resilient. Although progress can be incremental or slow, it is still possible. I am working to ensure an AURORA FOR ALL. If you would like more information, please visit murillo4aurora.com. I am also hosting a kick-off for my campaign on Tuesday, May 11th. – Councilwoman Crystal Murillo
Black Maternal Health Week Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), April 11 – 17, is observed during National Minority Health Month in an effort to bring awareness of the gaps in maternal health experienced by Black women in the U.S. The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) works with partners to reach, educate and inform racial and ethnic minority populations during BMHW by amplifying efforts from federal and non-federal partners. Significant racial and ethnic maternal health disparities exist in the U.S. Compared to non-Hispanic white women, nonHispanic Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes and one and a half times more likely to experience severe complications among hospital deliveries. For Black mothers, the risks are higher at each stage of the labor, delivery, and postpartum process, regardless of income or education level. Contributors for these high rates are rooted in implicit and/or explicit bias and structural racism in social determinants of health, chronic stress, and quality of care. In late 2020, HHS issued the Action Plan to Improve Maternal Health in America to help address risk factors before and during pregnancy and improve the quality of access to maternity and postpartum care. In addition, OMH is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop tools and resources that will support maternal mortality review committee’s (MMRCs) in their efforts to address disparities in maternal mortality among racial and ethnic minority women. During Black Maternal Health Week, OMH and partners are highlighting the following initiatives and activities: Racism Is Literally Killing Pregnant
Black Women & These Numbers Prove It - By Morgan Brinlee The United States has one of, if not the worst, maternal mortality rate in the developed world. In fact, while global maternal death rates have dropped by more than a third from 2000 to 2015, the rate in the United States has more than doubled since 1987. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 700 women in the United States die each year as a result of complications related to pregnancy or childbirth. But buried in state and national data related to maternal mortality rates is an even more worrisome trend: Black women bear the greatest risk of maternal death. The CDC defines a pregnancy-related death as “the death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of the end of pregnancy from a pregnancy complication, a chain of events initiated by the pregnancy, or the aggravation of an unrelated condition by the physiologic effects of pregnancy.” Since it began tracking data through its Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System in 1986, pregnancyrelated deaths, according to the CDC’s findings, have steadily increased. In 1987, the center recorded a ratio of 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. In 2013, the last year of available data, the ratio was a staggering 17.3 deaths per 100,000 live births. Moreover, an analysis put out in January found that nearly 60 percent of those deaths could have been prevented, meaning there’s a terribly huge problem with the state of maternal health in the United States. But just as worrying as the rising national rate are the racial discrepancies being found in the data. According to the CDC, white women accounted for
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National Youth Violence Prevention Week Mayor Michael B. Hancock yesterday launched National Youth Violence Prevention Week alongside members of the Youth Violence Prevention Action Table. The mayor emphasized the city’s commitment to preventing youth violence, while members of the Action Table highlighted strategic objectives and stressed the importance of having youth participate as partners in this fight. National Youth Violence Prevention Week was created in 2001 by the Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), an initiative of Sandy Hook Promise. Denver is one of many states highlighting National Youth Violence Prevention Week from April 12 – 16 and encouraging everyone to approach what they do with a clear purpose of improving the mental, physical, and environmental health and safety of our young people. Denver is using this week to jump start the city’s efforts to raise awareness, continue learning and taking action against youth violence. “Recognizing our young people who are making a positive impact and being the difference is something we all must commit to – lifting them up and working side by side with them in the fight to make our communities safer, not only this week, but every week,” Mayor Hancock said. “Youth violence is real, but most importantly, it’s preventable, and it requires every one of us to take a stand against violence.” “Youth violence is more than just gun violence and community violence,” said Jonathan McMillan, youth violence prevention coordinator. “It also includes self-harm, including suicide, alcohol, tobacco and substance misuse, and relationship violence. This is why Denver is taking a public health approach to the
problem, and the Youth Violence Prevention Action Table was intentional about creating comprehensive solutions.” “We are the generation for change,” said Dane Washington, Jr., co-chair for the Youth Advisory Council of Denver. “Though we’re learning from the adults, we’re also giving them new ways to approach youth violence prevention. We’re in the community, we see the violence and we see the cause – that’s why youth voice is so important.” “Denver is prepared for this,” said Kristin Bronson, Denver city attorney. “We have the right leaders in place and a comprehensive plan with strategies that are community-led, city-supported and youth informed. We’re excited to spend this week looking for opportunities to share more about our plans around youth violence prevention and highlight the wonderful work of our youth in partnering with us in this effort.” Convened in 2019 under the leadership of Denver City Attorney Kristin M. Bronson, the Youth Violence Prevention Action Table increases communication and information sharing among city agencies, community organizations, and youth to address gaps and opportunities where the city can increase support. Additionally, the Action Table was tasked with developing a public health approach to youth violence prevention in a set of strategies outlined in a December 2020 report. In February 2021, the City hired a new Youth Violence Prevention Program Administrator, Jonathon McMillan, who now serves as Chair of the Action Table and is responsible for implementing the recommendations of the report.
We Need Leadership to Stand Up for What is Right
James “Dr. Daddio” Walker Sr.
Look at how things have changed in Five Points. I was there recently and thought I had gotten lost. Everything is different. We must be honest and realize the growth and improvements in Five Points are not for Blacks. It angers me to see everything we built gone, but we must accept it for what it is. There is no need to sugar coat it -- Five Points is not for us anymore. Let’s talk about jobs. With all this development, Blacks are at the bottom. Look at the development sites with highways and roads and you might get lucky and see a Black flag person. I saw more Black people holding flags in Iowa the other day than I have seen in Colorado in the last 15 years. Right across the street from the old KDKO Building where brother jeff’s office is sat an empty parking lot. Now the final touches are being placed on a highrise apartment building that boasts a yoga studio opening soon. If you think that’s for Blacks I have some empty campaign
promises for sale. Speaking of politics, the election season is here and the primaries are complete. We will see if voters really want change in the following general election in November. In January 2019, the winners will take office. Will there be new leadership? What are the Democrats going to do? We know the Republican plan. They have shown they are not going to help anyone but their friends and themselves. Look how politicians are handling immigration along the Texas border. Kids are being taken away from their parents and placed in camps and prisons. Representatives Dianna DeGette and Mike Coffman went down to the border and reported what they saw, but what are they going to do? Beyond statements, what will they do to make sure these kids get back with their parents. This is sad when you talk about a free country. Everyone comes to this country for freedom. Immigrants strive to accomplish things they would not be able to from where they are coming from. Now we are putting their kids in jail. What did they do? Some say they have committed crimes. Those kids have not commited any crimes! How can we stand and accept this?! This is sad for our leadership, sad for this country and sad for the world. Even our local politicians have said nothing. We have the mayor, the council people and those we put in office not doing anything! But they can not stop Trump. He gets away with anything he wants. This is a dictatorship. We have much to deal with, much to correct. Most of all, we need leaders that will stand up for what is right. –James “Dr. Daddio” Walker Sr. reprint 2018
Racial Disparities in Prosecutorial Outcomes Prosecutors’ ability to exercise a wide degree of discretion has the potential to contribute to equitable—or inequitable—outcomes for defendants in the United States criminal justice system. This study sought to explore the presence and extent of racial and ethnic differences in case outcomes within the Denver District Attorney’s Office. Drawing on administrative data case files for adult felony cases accepted for prosecution between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018 and interviews with Denver prosecutors, we examined four key points of prosecutorial discretion: dismissals, deferred judgments, plea agreements, and referrals to drug court. Administrative data and case file review showed differences between White, Black, and Hispanic defendants. Specifically: Cases involving Black defendants were more likely than cases involving White defendants to be dismissed during prosecution. Cases involving Hispanic defendants were equally likely to be dismissed as cases involving White defendants. Among cases that were not dismissed, cases involving White defendants were more than twice as likely to be deferred than cases involving either Black or Hispanic defendants. Race and ethnicity were not associated with charge reductions in plea agreements. Drug felony cases involving White defendants were more likely to be handled in drug court rather than handled in district court or by some other unit, compared to drug felony cases involving Black and Hispanic defendants. Interviews with Denver prosecu-
tors provided additional insight. Overall, interviewees shared a common concern about the overrepresentation of people of color in the criminal justice system and pointed to the system itself as contributing to racial disparities. When considering the role of prosecution in ameliorating or exacerbating these disparities, interviewees: Felt that prosecutors are unable to correct for social inequalities that may serve as the underlying causes of offending. Did not agree about prosecutors’ role in ameliorating disparities caused by policing. Described using tangible and subjective factors in making plea offers, some of which they acknowledged are connected to race and ethnicity. This Denver-based study represents an important first step in understanding racial and ethnic difference in case outcomes. This study represents an effort on the part of the Denver District Attorney’s Office, under the leadership of District Attorney Beth McCann, to expand the use of data, improve transparency, and hold themselves accountable for the equitable treatment of defendants. The recommendations to further evaluate case refusals and dismissals, review eligibility requirements to support equitable outcomes, increase processes to support cultural awareness and racial justice, and improve ongoing data collection and review may have application to other judicial districts within Colorado and nationally as well.
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Park Hill Can Lead on Race and Housing
Pastor Nathan Adams Colorado Village Collaborative and Park Hill United Methodist Church have teamed up to create a temporary Safe Outdoor Space in the Park Hill Neighborhood. 5 Star News spoke with Pastor Nathan Adams. of PHUMC on the vision and intention behind the initiative. Q: When will the Safe Outdoor Space begin and end? A: We’re gonna pick up the ball June 1st through the end of the year December 31st. So the next temporary Safe Outdoor Space will be at our location. Q: How did you decide to take on this effort and did you need permission? A: We are called Methodist for a reason and that was supposedly a derogatory term at the beginning. At the start of our denomination, our movement, we have a
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method for everything and that means we have meetings for everything so we have lots of meetings. This was not just me waking up one day and saying God told us to do this. Being the next temporary Safe Outdoor Space is inline with living out our faith as followers of Jesus Christ at PHUMC. PHUMC has been in the Park Hill neighborhood for over a hundred years. We have been a leader on integration and helped form the Park Hill Action Comittee when the Park Hill neighborhood was encouraging white residents to flee and sell their property because Black residents were going to move in. Rsidents and members of seven Park Hill churches got together and said no we want to be an example of integration. Rev. Dr. J. Carlton Babbes, who is a long term pastor at PHUMC for about 20+ years was one of the leaders. He gave a sermon that lives in PHUMC lore that challenged the congregation that it was time to integrate and said we can do this and we can be a leader. There are stories of Rev. Dr. J Carlton Babbes going door to door and inviting members of the Black community to be a part of the church. We remain a multiracial and multiethnic congregation due to this legacy and the story continues. Park Hill an example for the City of Denver and people across the country were looking to Park Hill as an example of how to integrate a neighborhood and how people of different backgrounds can live together. We have another opportunity to set an example, to show people that in a neighborhood like Park Hill people from all different economic walks of life, backgrounds, and different forms of housing can do work together.
Remembering George Floyd
5 Star News Journalist Shay J
Why should I consider getting vaccinated? Getting as many of us vaccinated as possible will hopefully allow us to achieve widespread community immunity so we can get back to the things we love. This past year has been tough, and we’ve suffered through a lot. The vaccines will help us get back to work, back to spending time with family, and back to a more normal life. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is an effective way to stop people from getting really sick or dying from COVID-19. Being vaccinated means that you are protected from getting seriously ill. It may also reduce the chance that you could spread COVID-19 to others who are more vulnerable. The vaccines are free whether or not you have health insurance or are a U.S. citizen. The vaccines are free. Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance will cover the cost of the COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, uninsured Coloradans will have access to free vaccines. Providers cannot turn away anyone because they can’t pay for the vaccine or don’t have health insurance. Providers also cannot require ID before offering you a vaccine. State and local public health agencies will never share your information for any immigration or law enforcement purposes. And receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will not count against you in any public charge determinations. What can I expect at my vaccine appointment? At your appointment, you should receive an FDA fact sheet that tells you more about the risks and benefits of the specific COVID-19 vaccine you will receive. You should also receive a vaccination card or printout that tells you which
COVID-19 vaccine you received, the date you received it, and the location you received it. Keep this card as a reminder of when you need to get your second dose, if applicable. The second dose of any COVID-19 vaccine must be the same vaccine product as your first dose. It is very important to get both doses of the vaccine so that your body develops enough antibodies to fight the COVID-19 virus if you get infected at a later time. You may experience side effects, especially after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. These symptoms are normal and show that your body’s immune system is responding to a vaccine. These side effects typically go away on their own after a few days. Sign up for v-safe CDC’s v-safe is a new smartphonebased, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive COVID-19 vaccines. When you receive your vaccine, you should also receive a v-safe information sheet telling you how to enroll in vsafe. If you enroll, you will receive regular text messages directing you to surveys where you can report any problems or adverse reactions you have after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. V-safe is available in English, Korean, simplified Chinese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Vaccines can save lives, but so can you. Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available to us. To slow the spread of disease, Coloradans should continue to use basic public health guidance, like physical distancing and mask wearing, until a vaccine is widely available and used by Coloradans.
On May 25, 2020 our eyes struggled to make sense of what we were seeing. The heart-wrenching video was released of George Floyd being held on the ground with a knee on his neck; The streets erupted in pain and screams for justice. Remembering the last words of our Black brother, “I can’t breath,” he pleaded and begged for his life. Officers Chauvins didn’t let up, didn’t seem the least bit bothered or even human; for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the officer kneeled on George Floyd’s neck. Not one but three officers watched as the Minneapolis police officer stayed on his neck until Mr. Floyd was unconscious, showing absolutely no signs of life. As bystanders walked by and watched from afar, they begin taking videos and screaming at the officers to let Mr.Floyd breathe; they recognized they were watching a man being killed. Some of the witnesses even called the police on the police, the dispatcher admitting that as she was watching the cameras, she thought the video had been paused or stuck; there was no way officer Chauvin was still on Floyd’s neck. With hours of video evidence and additional testimony from paramedics and law enforcement officials said that Mr. Chauvin’s use of force was unnecessary. Almost a year later, and the trial begins, this trial is most viewed in decades. The first week of the trial was marked by devasting testimony. An undeniable reminder of the pain this caused for Floyd’s family and many Americans, especially Black Americans. As the trial of Derek Chauvins goes public, we are reminded that this is not George Floyd’s trial; so many things you hear are going to be an assassination of character for Floyd. They
will paint a picture of an uncontrollable Black man and a control officer who did what he had to do. They start this process by highlighted the events of took place on Floyds’ day that leads to his death. The counterfeit $20.00 was used at the store and using Floyd’s girlfriend to discuss their drug use. Chauvin’s lawyers will argue that George Floyd’s death resulted from his drug use, not a knee on his neck. Chauvin pleaded not guilty to seconddegree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges. The three officers who just watched as this all happened face charges for aiding and abetting second-degree murder. All officers in the case were fired from the police department the day after George Floyd’s death. Many officers, including Chauvin’s former supervisor, state that Chauvin used excessive and unnecessary force. As we listen to Dr. Bradford, the ER doctor who pronounced Floyd’s death, it becomes clear that no one on the scene administered life-saving skills. Also, the reports didn’t acknowledge drug overdose or usage because, as the ER doctor spoke, he confessed, “ I thought Floyd went into cardiac arrest due to oxygen deficiency. In my opinion, a knee to the neck would be a critical factor in the lack of oxygen. This trail has me sitting on the edge of my seat. Every witness has become a significant piece of the puzzle. A critical statement for the Chief of police, “ we are supposed to serve with compassion and protect with courage,” also stated a deescalation policy. He notes that police officer’s conduct in contact with a suspect is vital because “we may be the first and last time they have an interaction with a police officer, so we have to make it count. It matters.” as jury I hope they all agree that these things didnt take place. We are at just the beginning of this trial, which could take about a month. So do what you need for mental health and wellbeing. It’s never easy watching another one of our lives being since taking away. Jon Bowman reminded me as the trail started on Holy week, this quite similar to Jesus; tried and killed to rid the world of sin. George Floyd gave his life to highlight the police violence and assist in getting one centurion found guilty of what we all witnessed in the streets. May God be with Mr. George Floyd’s family and those impacted by his untimely death. –Shay J
–covid19.colorado.gov
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Fewer preschool and kindergarten students participated in Denver school choice this year
Chalkbeat Journalist Melanie Asmar
The number of children who applied this winter to attend Denver Public Schools preschool and kindergarten this coming fall was down more than 20%, from nearly 10,500 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds last year to about 8,250 this year, district data shows. The decline could mean one of two things. It could mean that families are waiting to see what public school will look like this fall before deciding to enroll. Or it could mean that the families who left the public schools in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic for private schools, homeschooling, or other arrangements aren’t coming back. The second scenario could have financial implications for Denver Public Schools. Like all school districts in Colorado, its state funding is based on enrollment. If this winter’s enrollment trends for preschool and kindergarten continue,
Denver could lose more than $12.5 million of its $1.1 billion budget, according to a presentation by district staff to the Denver school board. “We’re hoping students come back,” said Liz Mendez, the executive director of enrollment and campus planning for Denver Public Schools. The declines in Denver mirror national and statewide trends spurred by the pandemic. Colorado lost more than 29,900 students this year, or about 3.3%, with the biggest drops occurring in the early grades. Denver Public Schools also saw a 3.3% decrease. Denver students who want to attend their neighborhood school don’t have to submit school choice applications, meaning Denver’s numbers are not a perfect predictor of enrollment. The numbers come from the district’s first round of school choice, which is an opportunity for students to apply in January and February to attend in the fall a district-run school outside of their neighborhood or an independent charter school. In total, more than 23,500 Denver families filled out school choice applications in January and February, district data shows. That’s about 2,800 fewer families than last year. The biggest declines were at the preschool and kindergarten levels. The district received 31% fewer applications for 3-year-old preschool programs, 26% fewer applications for 4-year-old preschool programs, and 15% fewer applications for kindergarten. By comparison, school choice at the other transition grades of sixth and ninth grade was steady: sixth grade applications were down 4%, while ninth grade applications were up 1%.
Jeffco Public Schools, Colorado’s second-largest school district behind Denver, also offers families an opportunity to apply in the winter for schools the following fall. But Jeffco’s system doesn’t allow for the same point-in-time comparisons as Denver’s does. While the percentage of current Denver Public Schools preschoolers who applied for spots in kindergarten didn’t change much this year, the raw numbers declined. That’s because there are fewer students in preschool in Denver this year. It’s hard to pinpoint why. It could be that families felt it wasn’t safe or that they found other arrangements because the district wasn’t offering any type of preschool — in-person or virtual — for the first several weeks of school.
Mendez said the district was anticipating that more families who opted out of Denver Public Schools preschool this year would apply to preschool or kindergarten for next year. But the number of new applicants was lower — and less diverse — than the district hoped. The new applicants were disproportionately white. Black and Hispanic students were underrepresented, as were students who live in southwest and far northeast Denver. Families who didn’t participate in the first round of school choice in January and February have another chance. A second round of school choice is going on now. –Chalkbeat Journalist Melanie Asmar
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Cinco Mayo Celebration Comes to Five Points The city’s annual Cinco de Mayo and the newly created First Friday Five Points Jazz Hop fuse together for the first time in a two day series of FREE Latin concerts in the historic Denver district. Starting on Friday May 7 through Saturday May 8, the creative cultural mix in locations along Welton street not only hosts a variety of jazz artists with Hispanic musical flavors but also people have an opportunity to learn salsa steps in the Five Points Plaza. Norman Harris, President of Mile High Festivals and one of the organizers says; “The area has always been a multicultural melting pot so it’s exciting to commemorate the annual Latino celebration in a district of Denver that has always
had strong and historic Hispanic connections. Latin Jazz lives in Five Points, so we are honored and privileged to create this fun, FREE, fiesta and invite everyone to join in the jubilations!” The weekend’s cultural collaboration is a joint venture between Mile High Festivals, organizer of the city’s juneteenth celebration and First Friday Five Points Jazz Hop, Curtis Park Neighbors, The Five Points BID, KUVO and Agave Shore. Notable live performance highlights include Conjontes Colores, Los Chicos Malos DJ Ricky O and Los Mocochetes, Westword Magazine’s Music award winners.
City Park Alliance 1st Annual Golf Tournament On behalf of City Park Alliance, we invite you to our First Annual Golf Tournament, Monday June 28, 2021 at City Park Golf Course. Registration is open at www.cityparkalliance.com. City Park has been a fixture in my life since a hot July day in 1976 when my wife, Kate, and I were stopped for a red light on Colorado Boulevard at Montiview. We were looking to buy our first home and saw signs for “Open Houses” so turned right and started discovering the Park Hill neighborhood where we have lived ever since. We have been long time City Park “patrons”. Two years ago I joined the board of City Park Alliance, a non-profit that “Advocates for Denver’s Largest Urban Park”. As you might expect there are more worthy projects in the park than there is public funding so one of CPA’s areas of focus is providing financial support for high value projects like the Mile High Loop and Color Fields in the park. We are planning financial support for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science redevelopment of the DeBoer Waterway into The
“Nature Play” area for young kids, which will open in 2022. Check it out https:// cityparkalliance.org/seeking-feedbackfeedback-from-the-neighborhood-natureplay-at-city-park/. As you may know City Park Golf Club had a limited reopening September 1, 2020 after a full redevelopment of the course and clubhouse as part of a major storm water management project. I was fortunate to play on Opening Day and this course is a “Gem”. There has been limited play this spring with full opening May 1. The City Park Alliance Golf Tournament provides an opportunity to play City Park GC AND provide financial support for ongoing City Park projects. So grab a foursome and sign up now, as we will be limited in number of players. Sponsorship Opportunities available, which will get you and your business significant exposure. You can get in touch with me at PatMaley@comcast.net. Let me know if you have any questions and I look forward to seeing you on June 28th at City Park Golf Course!
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