Equity and diversity: Meet the new Mountain Youth Network manager

BY CHRIS KOEBERL CKOEBERL@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

When Rose Morris arrived in Colorado from Puerto Rico seven years ago, she knew she wanted to work with the state’s youth. Now, she’s doing just that as Mountain Youth Network’s new manager.

“I want to put my skills to work locally because there is so much to be done all around us and there is always going to be somebody that can bene t from a helping hand,” she said.

Mountain Youth Network is a Clear Creek County organization whose mission statement is “to inspire and support our youth to nd their path to hope, health and happiness.”

MYN falls under Clear Creek County Public Health’s umbrella and is a community-based initiative. e coalition includes individuals from a range of sectors: law enforcement, education, health and human services, government, youth-serving organizations, students, community organizations, parents and local businesses

Morris said that growing up in Puerto Rico gave her an insight into the importance of equality and diversity among youth. Morris added that she will strive to create an environment that includes those two principles in moving MYN forward.

“Diversity is education,” she said.

Clear Creek County provides a great backyard for the outdoor activities that are at the core of MYN’s goal, Morris added.

“Getting outdoors just takes you out of your comfort zone,” she said.

“You develop skills of problemsolving, you have to work with your peers to gure things out and you get exposed to a variety of circumstances that just enhances that thought process and the ability to work through things.”

Adapting to the new role will take time, she said, but her measure of success will be re ected in what MYN participants get out of it.

“I bene t from seeing people doing well and thriving,” she said.

It’s August, which means it’s back to school for millions of children and young adult Americans. August also presages Banned Book Month: September.

Unless you live under a rock, you’re aware that open reading and the free exchange of ideas are under withering re in an ongoing crusade against the First Amendment. According to the American Library Association (ALA), there were 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022. It was the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. at nearly doubles the 729 challenges reported in 2021. Also in 2022, a record 2,571 unique titles, a 38% increase from the 1,858 unique titles in 2021, were targeted for censorship. Of those titles, the vast majority were written by or about members of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. Of the reported book challenges, 58% targeted books and materials in school libraries, classroom libraries, or school curricula and 41% targeted materials in public libraries.

The top 13 targeted books:

1) “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe

2) “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson

3) “ e Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison

4) “Flamer” by Mike Curato (tie)

JERRY FABYANIC