Prepare for power outages

controlled by men,” Sesay said. “ e space was controlled by men. For Media Matters for Women, we are in charge, and we are taking the lead in telling the stories of women — especially those who are in the last mile.”

To bridge that information gap — especially for women in remote, “last mile” communities — MMW’s journalists must gain the trust of — mostly male — community leaders. at work, Kallon says, has taken years of building trust to develop.

“Sierra Leone is a country where we have a high number of illiteracies; many women do not have the ability to read and write,” Kallon said. “ e gap of gender inequality is huge. We ensure that we work with key traditional and religious leaders — these are key stakeholders at the community level — and these are in uencers of change. If we want to create an impact, it is important to try and target these people who are in that position and can help us make a change.” is, Sesay says, is the importance of MMW gaining the trust of local leaders.

While MMW is women-run and primarily creates content for women, the NGO is not a liated with any political party or ideology. eir mission is simply to inform women of their rights.

In Sierra Leone, when new laws are passed — such as the country’s recent Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act — word does not always travel to last-mile communities, which may or may not enforce new ordinances and statutes. is contributes to a continuance of old patriarchal roles in remote communities, despite e orts by the legislature to promote equality.

“Traditional and religious leaders are well-respected gures in our communities, and they demand respect within these communities,” Sesay said. “So, it is easy for us to use them as a vehicle of change. eir buy-in makes a whole lot of di erence. We win and they win as well.”

Kallon said that while many leaders were skeptical at rst, they’ve begun to see the bene ts of MMW programming — and female empowerment — within their own communities.

“Obviously, you have some resistance, because we are preaching equality, we are preaching women empowerment — men don’t want to hear messages like that,” Kallon said. “We back our podcast with what the law says, and if you have the backing of the law, they understand that it’s something they have to join hands and work with.

“In the beginning, they’d say ‘Oh, you want to give voices to our women, you want to challenge us, you don’t want our women to be submissive,’ because that is how it operates in rural communities; women are submissive, they answer

Fri 3/31

Jeffrey Dallet @ 2pm Village at Belmar, 7825 W Alameda Ave, Lakewood

Wendy Clark Band at Sunroom Brewing @ 5pm Sunroom Brewing, 3242 S Acoma St, Englewood

Trouble Bound: High & Lone‐some Classic Country Night @ 6:30pm Western Sky Bar & Taproom, 4361 S Broadway, Englewood

Zikr Dance Ensemble presents "Mysteries, Rites & Revelations"

@ 5pm / $25

Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree. david taylor.zikr@hotmail.com, 303-8841910

Bertin y su Condesa @ 8pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Bertin y Su Condesa - Dinastya Angelito y Su Sabor Costeño @ 8pm / $70 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Mon 4/03

Modern Swing Mondays @ 5pm / $10 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Microwave @ 6pm

Dan Bublitz Jr: Comedy Showcase @ 7pm Centennial Comedy Club, 9200 East Mineral Avenue, Centennial

Gothic Theatre, 3263 South Broadway, En‐glewood

Delta Sleep @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Dan Bublitz Jr: Clean-Ish Comedy Show @ 6pm

Pizzability, 3445 S Broadway, En‐glewood

Thu 4/06

Colony House @ 6pm Gothic Theatre, 3263 S Broadway, Engle‐wood

Joe Dombrowski @ 6:15pm

Comedy Works South, 5345 Land‐mark Pl, Greenwood Village

Joan Osborne @ 6:30pm

Pace Center, Pikes Peak Avenue, Parker

Los Cardenales de Nuevo Leon @ 7pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

Grupo Pesado @ 7pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

DUELO DE ACORDEONES

EDICIÓN ESPECIAL @ 7pm / $100 Stampede, 2430 South Havana, Aurora

Sat 4/01

Jenny Shawhan @ 1pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

6 Million Dollar Band @ 6pm Wide Open Saloon, 5607 US-85, Sedalia

Spring Fling Dance @ 11:30pm

Heather Gardens Clubhouse, 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora

Dear Marsha,: April Fools with Dear Marsha and her Freaky Band @ 8pm Mirage Sports Bar, 8340 W Coal Mine Ave, Littleton

Sun 4/02

2023 Platte River Half Marathon & Relay @ 6am Littleton, CO, 2920 Brewery Lane, Little‐ton. logan@platteriverhalf.com

CW & Twenty Hands High @ 6:30pm

Tue 4/04 Wed 4/05

Tony Medina Music: The Open Mic at the Alley @ 5:30pm The Alley, 2420 W Main St, Littleton

Tailgate Tavern & Grill, 19552 Mainstreet, Parker

YouthTuber - Powderhorn @ 2:20pm / $132

Apr 5th - May 10th

Powderhorn Elementary, 12109 W Coal Mine Ave, Littleton. 720-9960894

Ladies Night @ 5pm Stampede, 2430 S Havana St, Aurora

DJ Rockstar Aaron: Forbidden Bingo at 'Bout Time Pub & Grub @ 7pm

Bout Time Pub & Grub, 3580 S Platte River Dr A, Sheridan

Diego Figueiredo @ 11pm

Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S Allison Pkwy, Lakewood

WHL U.S. Development Combine: Denver - Skater @ 11pm / $399

Apr 6th - Apr 9th

South Suburban Family Sports Center, 6901 South Peoria St, Centennial. 888844-6611 ext. 3354