JANUARY 2024
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2 Life on Capitol Hill
January 1, 2024Jan
Crisis Text Line comes to Denver’s youth Schools, community look to text line to help students facing anxiety, other mental health issues BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
One recent day, Lucy Roberts, a Denver Public Schools nurse, was checking the eyes of the students at Manual High School. While doing a vision test for a 14-year-old student who wears glasses, an unrelated question came up. “How do I know if I have anxiety?” the student asked Roberts. While the question was unex-
pected given the setting, teens asking about anxiety is not uncommon, Roberts said. She leads a professional development course for DPS nurses on mental health interventions, and the in-house estimate is that 80% of the students they work with have some sort of mental health issue. “Anxiety is the most common,” Roberts said. For middle and high schoolers, anxiety can lead to many adverse outcomes, including self-harm and thoughts of suicide. “They (youth) are definitely in need of support,” Roberts said. “The ability to talk about it is critical.” School nurses are not the only ones who have recognized this need in the community. Caring for Denver, which is a tax funded foundation that voters ap-
The Crisis Text Line is now available for all Denver youth, thanks to a grant from CarCOURTESY PHOTO ing for Denver.
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proved in 2018, also noticed that youth in need of mental health support has gone up significantly. Assistance addressing violence among youth and suicide has doubled since 2017, said Lorez Meinhold, executive director of Caring for Denver. Caring for Denver focuses on three primary funding areas — youth, being community-centered, and alternatives to jail. It recently put a grant toward a partnership to work with the Crisis Text Line, a national nonprofit that provides free, 24/7, confidential text-based mental health support in English and Spanish to young people. The Crisis Text Line received $326,257 in grant funding to promote the line to students. Another $325,846 went to Montbello’s Struggle of Love Foundation programming, which works to increase mental health support for those in need. Denver Health and its foundation received $1,722,813 to assist with its school-based health centers and a crisis intervention team to respond to mental health needs involving school personnel, hospital emergency rooms and inpatient treatment within 24 hours.
The Crisis Text Line is available to anyone needing mental health support, though it is designed for youth, teens and young adults age 24 and younger. Individuals seeking support can text DENVER to 741741 to immediately reach a live, volunteer crisis counselor 24/7 to have a text conversation in real time. Crisis volunteers are available for text conversations in Spanish as well. Learn more about the Crisis Text Line at crisistextline.org. To learn more about the Caring for Denver Foundation, visit caring4denver.org.
“We have (mental health) resources in our schools, and we have resources in our communities,” Meinhold said. The text line will “bring an additional tool to young people. We want to have as many resources available as possible.” What attracted Caring for Denver to the Crisis Text Line is that it is designed for people age 24 and younger, and can provide free support at any time day or night with a live volunteer crisis counselor in a way that’s familiar to youth — texting. SEE TEXT LINE, P3
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January 1, 2024
TEXT LINE FROM PAGE 2
Providing the opportunity for youth to get the support they need immediately and in real time via a text conversation is so valuable, Roberts said. She added that sometimes a teen will “clam up” or feel intimidated if they have to talk with a stranger — albeit a professional therapist — about a struggle or mental health issue they are facing. Other teens don’t have the time to commit to an hour-long appointment amid their studies, after school activities, social time with friends and family and/or anything else they’ve got going on. Still others may not have transportation available to them to be able to see a therapist in person. “A text line is key for this type of support,” Roberts said. Youth “are comfortable reaching out by text.” While the Crisis Text Line’s counselors can help with mental health emer-
gencies such as self-harm and suicidal thoughts, they are also available for anything a youth might be struggling with — not doing so well on an important exam, not getting the part in the school play they wanted or the position they trained for on an athletics team, moving or transferring to a new school, isolation, a relationship breakup and much more. “Lots of things can add up,” Roberts said, adding that she has had students say to her that they can’t sleep at night because of something they’re worried about. “Even if they’re not in crisis, they’re going to have some hard days.” Caring for Denver had heard about the Crisis Text Line and found that its success rate included serving roughly nine million youth across the nation. The organization thought it would be a benefit for Denver as well, Meinhold said. “Young people have real struggles,” she said. The Crisis Text Line can help them with “the kinds of things youth are trying to sort through.”
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4 Life on Capitol Hill
January 1, 2024J
‘We tell our artists to dream big’
Event series at Denver Art Museum features local artists, live performances BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Quána Madison has a unique outlook about how viewing and experiencing art can improve one’s health. “I think the arts world nourishes well-being, and the arts is a diverse set of experiences and the art form,” said Madison. Madison is a multidisciplinary artist whose three main art forms are abstract expressionist painting, healing arts facilitation and fashion artist. “I paint clothes,” she said, adding that collectors and fashionistas have commissioned her to create paintings on clothing so they can wear it. On Jan. 26, Madison and performing artist/musician Wes Watkins will be the featured artists for the series opener of the Denver Art Museum’s Untitled: Artist Takeover events. The quarterly after-hours DAM presentations feature live performances, pop-up installations throughout the museum, art making-stations and other unique experiences, with each event led by local and regional artists and collaborators. The organizers seek to provide “an unexpected and engaging atmosphere,” the museum states. “Untitled is a pop-up, onenight event and we really have this goal of wanting to connect visitors with artists and their communities,” said Sarah Rockett, manager of creative and public engagement at DAM. “The artists really have to think about different ways in which they are sharing their work with the public.” The series began in 2010, eventually evolved into a monthly program, then moved Quána Madison, pictured, and performing artist/musician Wes Watkins will be the featured to the current quarterly sched- artists for the series opener of the Denver Art Museum’s Untitled: Artist Takeover events. PHOTO BY SABRINA MONTOYA ule in 2020.
The other 2024 Untitled events are scheduled for April 26, July 26 and Oct. 25. Tickets to Untitled events are included with museum admission and all museum spaces and exhibitions are open during Untitled. The museum’s onsite The Ponti restaurant and Café Gio also feature special late-night hours during Untitled. Madison has overcome difficult times in her life, and said her skills have helped get her through numerous health crises, homelessness and more. She believes these experiences enrich her soul and well-being. She also is dedicated to helping people overcome illnesses – both physical and mental – and brings a unique set of qualifications to the table. Her skill sets include being a mindfulness teacher, a healing arts workshop facilitator, a self-leadership coach, a model and an artistphilanthropist. Through it all, Madison retains a fervent belief that the arts can heal people. “A lot of people I work with struggle with depression, anxiety, some suicide ideation, stress, traumatic experiences or complex trauma,” Madison said. “At my workshops, I can talk about it as a peer.” Rockett said planning for the Untitled series is at least a fourmonth process, and that the series is open to trying new things. Recent additions included an opera performance. Another was for a couple of stand-up comedians to perform. This year’s lineup ranges from art and performance rooted in reimagined ancient iconography to poetry slam artists. “We tell our artists to dream big, and then we whittle it down from there to things that are actually feasible and doable,” Rockett said. “We try to connect with as many different creative communities as we can in the Denver area.” To learn more about Untitled: Artist Takeover at the Denver Art Museum, visit denverartmuseum. org/en/untitled.
Life on Capitol Hill 5
January 1, 2024
From suffrage to open mic Denver Woman’s Press Club remains a hub for women writers as it enters its 125th year BY DIANNE BLOMBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, the Denver Woman’s Press Club remains an integral part of Denver’s literary scene. The DWPC started during the Suffrage Movement to give women a safe location to voice opinions, share ideas and support each other as writers. Today, that support and encouragement has spread to the community at large through its popular Open Mic Nights, which take place in the tiny house in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Founded in 1898, the club has been located at 1325 Logan St. since 1924. Once surrounded by stately homes of the time, it now sits alone, flanked by parking lots. It is the sentry of history and represents the strength and perseverance of women writers. “The club has been a dynamic spirit affecting cultural and social issues vital to our community and our country,” said Charlotte Hinger of Fort Collins, who is a member and best-selling author. The club was founded by Minnie J. Reynolds, an early political writer at the now defunct Rocky Mountain News and a state and national suffrage leader. Many of her associates joined in her drive to create a press club west of the Mississippi that represented women writers. “The DWPC was created as a refuge, a safe haven and a meeting ground for women who believed in the power of the written word, and still do,” said Corinne Joy Brown, a DWPC past president, journalist and author. The club’s name is a little misleading. Though television and print journalists are members today, so are novelists, essayists, communication specialists, poets, Substack writers, podcasters, screenwriters, editors and more. Its members have received such accolades as the Pulitzer Prize, numerous state and regional recognitions including awards from the Colorado Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Colo-
The Denver Woman’s Press Club has supported women writers for 125 years. Its walls adorn photos of past members, such as this one of Helen Marie Black, a reporter for the former Rocky Mountain News and an early member of Denver Woman’s Press PHOTO BY TIM COLLINS Club.
rado Book Award. They have achieved New York Times Best Seller status, and most are widely-published authors. To keep the club moving forward and remain current in attracting new members, the club hosts diverse programs each year. Most are open to the public. Programs include talks like one from Adrian Miller, a food writer and James Beard Award winner, whose 2017 book, “The President’s Kitchen Cabinet,” was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award for Best Literary NonFiction. Another event, a presentation highlighting a 2023 best-selling book, “Lodge, an Indoorsy Tour of America’s National Parks,” by Max Humphrey and co-author DWPC member Kathryn O’Shea Evans, drew a big crowd. Early last year, the board of directors realized that after 125 years, the club needed a modern twist to attract greater participation by its members and the community. Happy hour events interested a few and a Little Free Library that was installed in 2022 and replicates the DWPC clubhouse, has been a hit among the club’s Capitol Hill neighbors, but the most popular new event is the Open Mic Night. Open Mic Night is open to anyone 18 years of age and older, and welcomes all gender identities. Writers from across the Front Range come early to get their names on the list for a chance at five minutes in front of the microphone. Performances begin
at 5:15 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. By 7 p.m., the clubhouse is dark and left to the ghosts of the past 125 years. Bruce Walker, a long-time Park Hill resident, has taken the mic many times. “To have immediate, honest feedback, is important to any writer,” Walker said. “To get it in a place where good writers have been sharing and developing their craft for more than a hundred years makes it all the more meaningful.” In front of this friendly crowd, writers read published, non-published
and even early drafts of their work. Poetry, plays, novels, essays and nonfiction are cut to five killer-minutes of story. “Open Mic (Night) motivates me to stretch a little and to try something different. Reading a piece out loud is a great exercise,” said Mary Lou Eagan, a club member who lives in Denver’s University Hills neighborhood. After the readings, with a glass of wine or a cold beer in hand, participants mingle with audience members for casual discussions of their work. Linda Berry of Aurora, who is a club member and award-winning playwright, captured the lure of these performances. “I love the open mics,” Berry said. “It’s partly, I’m sure, because of the novelty – it’s a new thing for me.” Buffy Gilfoil, a teacher, Lowry resident and club member since 1986, talked about why writers need opportunities like the Open Mic Nights. “I love the yin and yang of writing,” Gilfoil said, adding that it’s “the isolated meditation involved in giving expression to ideas and the pleasure of being in the company of other writers.” Editor’s note: Dianne Blomberg is a member of the Denver Woman’s Press Club and served as its president in 2022. The Denver Woman’s Press Club’s Open Mic Nights take place from 5-7 p.m. on the following dates: Jan. 12, Feb. 16, March 22, April 19, May 17. To learn more about the club, visit dwpconline.org.
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6 Life on Capitol Hill
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January 1, 2024Jan
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LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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Columnists & Guest Commentaries Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of Life on Cap Hill. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com Deadline 5 p.m. on the 20th of each month for the following month’s paper.
In 2024, check out our new website and let’s delve into neighborhood news
“No time like the present” This mazetorial represents the 2024 new year. To solve, start at either ‘S’ in the lower right and left corners, and maze-out to the ‘W’ for win where the sand gathers at bottom of the hourglass.
t’s a new year, and there are many new and exciting things to come as we enter 2024. I’ll admit that 2023 was kind of a wild ride internally here at Colorado FROM THE Community Media. EDITOR There were some changes to the newspaper that you may have noticed – such as smaller page sizes – and some things you may not have noticed, like how our paragraphs look. But I think the Christy Steadman most exciting change around here has been the launch of our new website. If you have not had a chance to check it out yet, I highly encourage you to do so: coloradocommunitymedia.com. On the homepage, you’ll find all of the newspapers in CCM’s portfolio for the two dozen communities we cover around the metro area, including Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile. This means you can easily access any and all of CCM’s publications with just a click of a button. Want to know the major headlines outside of your neighborhood, like in Brighton or Castle Rock? One click and you can link to the papers for those communities, where our team is on the ground reporting the news. The print version of the Denver monthlies — Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile — is known for its design work and magazine-style layout. As an editor, what I like best about the new website is that it allows me to highlight this so that the print and online versions compliment each other. It is so much more eye-catching and appealing. SEE STEADMAN, P7
Life on Capitol Hill 7
January 1, 2024
Charades in the garden: A playful way to edit your garden in winter
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ow is the time to make plans for your garden before the frenzy of spring arrives. Bundle up and take a walk outside to view your garden while it is stripped down to its bare bones. This time of year, most of the leaves and blossoms have fallen away and you can clearly see the structural elements that hold the garden together. There are two things to look for when ‘winter editing’ your garden: mass and void. Mass in the garden is something more solid and permanent, such as a boulder or dense shrub. Consider structures as well, such as trellises, planters, walls, pergolas, sculptures, etc. These are the framework of your garden. Ensure they fit together nicely in a balanced composition. Do you have
too many garden gnomes crowding your view, or too few shrubs anchoring your planting? How does the spacing feel? If these masses don’t look right together in the dead of winter, you probably can’t fix them with pretty flowers. If you are unsure what sort of structure your garden would benefit from, have a child or playful friend step into the garden and open their arms wide, like a tree, or crouch low, like a small shrub or stone. Play around with it and have fun. You could even use buckets, ladders, or outdoor furniture as placeholders for rocks or trees. Perhaps on a snowy day, you can make snow sculptures. If you prefer pen and paper to
charades, you can sketch out different shapes. This can apply to plants, particularly trees and shrubs, as well as built structures, such as arbors, pillars, etc. Embrace void in the garden. Void is simply emptiness. It’s critical to have a balance of mass and void for a garden to feel right. Too many things in a garden can feel crowded, so make room for empty space. This could be a swathe of low planting, a flat surface cutting through plants, such as a path or water. It can also just be air. Leave room to breathe. If you enjoy this sort of garden staging, you could use a tarp to represent a pond or a sunken gravel seating area, or patio cushions as steppingstones. Use whatever you have around the house — get creative!
After all this garden play, you should have a better understanding of what elements will complete your garden space. Take the time now to make good decisions before spring fever hits. If you can get the balance of mass and void, and good structural elements designed to look appropriate in winter, your garden will look nice in all seasons, no matter what is in bloom. Compile your shopping list ahead of time so you don’t go to the nursery hungry for plants and grab anything bright and colorful, but nothing substantial. Check off your list first, then throw in all the extra beautiful flowers your heart desires.
We need safe and stable housing for ALL! Pass For Cause Eviction legislation
cluding lack of proper notice, discrimination and violation of lease agreements plague our state. Colorado renters, including many of our members at 9to5 Colorado, can be kicked out of their homes in a moment’s notice. They are forced to scramble to find another house or apartment, pay an entirely new deposit and first month’s rent. They are torn from their neighbors, and for some, their family members and the place they’ve called home for generations.
Year after year, greedy corporate landlords hike rents, block access to loans, buy properties, overdevelop and displace families in order to maximize profits with no regard for our communities. As For Cause Eviction returns to the 2024 legislature, 9to5 Colorado and our partners return even stronger to support this commonsense policy. For years, our organizers and members have fought for better housing protections, and we will not stop fighting until all Coloradans
have access to safe and stable housing. We refuse to let predatory corporations destroy our communities. State legislators should pass For Cause Eviction legislation to protect tenants across Colorado from unjust evictions and help keep Colorado families in their homes. Join us to help build and sustain our homes, our neighborhoods and our state. Cesiah Guadarrama Trejo, state executive director for 9to5 Colorado, which is based in Denver.
STEADMAN
to do has been revamped to better provide curated goings-on locally in Denver. I’m also looking at new ways to cover business news in 2024, moving away from blurbs to more in-depth stories. There will also be some changes to the opinion pages this year. This Janu-
ary edition features the final Denver Botanic Gardens horticulture column. The horticulturalists have been writing the column for many, many years, and they felt that it has run its course. But, don’t worry — I have some ideas for new local columns that I think will inform you about your community in
new ways. And as always, I use this annual firstof-the-year column to remind my loyal readers that I love hearing from you. If you know of something that would make a great news story, column or event, reach out to me at csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com.
send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line. • Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on the 20th in order to have it considered for publication in the following month’s
newspaper. • Letters must be no longer than 400 words. • Letters should be exclusively submitted to Colorado Community Media and
should not be submitted to other outlets or previously posted on websites or social media. Submitted letters become the property of CCM and should not be republished elsewhere.
GUEST COLUMN Julia Pearson
Julia Pearson is a horticulturist with the Denver Botanic Gardens.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Think about the warmth of your home, the neighbors you wave to, the close friend down the hall who babysits your kids. You have built a community. We all search for this kind of support and love from the people who surround us, and more importantly, we all deserve it. We all deserve safe and stable housing to ensure our communities flourish. But right now, eviction stories in-
FROM PAGE 6
You may have also noticed some changes to our editorial content. The former calendar-style list of things
ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules: • Email your letter to csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not
8 Life on Capitol Hill
January 1, 2024J
Denver Water takes climate change challenges head on The utility service looks at impacts on water, adaptation strategies to safeguard against disaster BY NATALIE KERR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
In 2020, Hillary Hamann and Meghan McCarroll surveyed residents in Aurora about their water literacy – what they know about water and where their water comes from. Part of the survey gave an explanation of watersheds – which are areas where water sources like streams and rivers converge – and then asked respondents a question: Do you live in a watershed? A third of participants said no, a third of the participants said they weren’t sure and the last third said yes. “Everybody lives in a watershed,” said Hamann, a professor of geography and the environment at the University of Denver. “That’s a weird disconnect, and a lack of understanding.” Understanding where water comes from and how it’s used is integral to developing and implementing climate change adaptation strategies as the western United States grapples with decreasing water supply, but high water usage. For water utility Denver Water, which serves about 1.5 million people in the metro area , adapting to a future in which climate change will drastically impact water availability involves gathering massive amounts of data, planning for multiple outcomes, developing water conservation programs and developing a new mindset around water. Climate change impacts on water
Climate change research indicates that increases in the earth’s global temperatures will make rainfall less predictable and decrease natural water storage like glaciers and snowpack. Alternatively, the global sea level is rising, adding saltwater
Melissa Botteicher, a member of Denver Water’s Youth Education team, helps plant water-wise plants at the Einfeldt Pump Station at the corner of South Buchtel Boulevard and South University Boulevard, which is near the University of Denver. COURTESY OF DENVER WATER
to fresh groundwater sources and rendering them unusable for drinking water. These impact how much quality drinking water is available, while other climate change related impacts – like increased wildfires, droughts and floods – will increase water demand and strain the water supply. They can also decrease water quality by releasing pollution like sediment into freshwater. Denver Water is taking all of these impacts into account for their operations, said Taylor Winchell, senior climate change adaptation and water resource planner at Denver Water. Every aspect of the utility’s services – from where they source water to the infrastructure used to transport water to financial investments – are already being impacted by climate change, Winchell said. This comprehensive approach has involved developing a new organizational mindset, in which every-
one now considers climate change in their work, no matter their role with the company, Winchell added. “We really look at climate change from a holistic perspective,” Winchell said. “To us, climate change really impacts all aspects of a water utility. We say that ‘climate change is water change.’” Denver Water adapts
Denver Water began its climate adaptation program in 2008, during a decade when water utilities were starting to think more critically about future water availability and recognizing that climate change was already starting to impact their services. The climate adaptation program yielded several new programs and actions that helped Denver Water monitor and plan for changing water availability. Denver Water helped found the Water Utility Climate Alliance, a co-
alition of 12 utilities from across the country that collectively serve water to more than 50 million people. This allows water utilities to share ideas and information to better understand and adapt to climate change. Collaboration with groups like WUCA and the Colorado Water Conservation Board, which is the state water policy agency, allows Denver Water to work with other water providers to develop effective adaptation strategies and access vital data from science organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. This data then goes to help develop programs like Denver Water’s Water Shortage Response Committee, Wildfire Coordination Team, a drought and wildfire response plan and to join the National Forest to Faucets program, which, since 2011, has worked to conserve forest areas as important watersheds. Denver Water also employs its own research teams, like the Colorado Airborne Snow Measurement Program to assess how much water is in Colorado’s snowpack, and the streamflow forecasting tool, which is sourced from the software company, Upstream Tech, and leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to forecast watershed levels. “We’ve been working on this for a long time,” Winchell said. “Part of what initiated that was really this recognition, that began emerging in the 2000s amongst water utilities, of ‘hey, climate change is here, it’s happening and it’s impacting us already.’” Preparing for an uncertain future
While it is known that the planet is warming and that human activity like burning fossil fuels is accelerating that process, the exact ways climate change will affect a natural resource like water can be difficult to predict. This uncertainty means that water providers have to plan for multiple futures in which supply and demand are at different levels so that they can be flexible and adaptive as the climate changes. SEE CLIMATE, P9
Life on Capitol Hill 9
January 1, 2024
CLIMATE FROM PAGE 8
Denver Water engages in longrange planning based on different eventualities, and scenario planning for different economic, population and resource statuses so that they are prepared for a wide range of climate impacts and can remain resilient and reliable. Collaborations among water utilities also help initiate climate adaptations across the entire water sector and infrastructure decisions because they can leverage more resources to make climate change top of mind, said Kavita Heyn, WUCA chair and adaptive planning and climate manager at the Portland Water Bureau. Many cities and water providers are having to replace or update their infrastructure to be more resilient and nimble, which is not a simple process, Heyn said. The most recent report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers rated U.S. infrastructure at a C-, which means that, in general, infrastructure is in fair condition, but is showing signs of deterioration and vulnerability to risk. “We need to rethink how we build and design and update our infrastructure to be able to tolerate a range of extreme conditions to be able to withstand those,” Heyn said. “At the same time, let’s not forget, we have an opportunity to build infrastructure that can decrease our carbon emissions, which is actually the root cause of climate change.” This collaboration among water utilities and different industries needs to carry over into coordination between local and state governments, said Jacob Smith, executive director of Colorado Communities for Climate Action. Local municipalities only have so much ability to address climate change without the state taking action to create broader change, Smith said. Though the state has increased efforts to create more resilient communities and protect them from natural disasters, the resources needed to adapt are so numerous that current efforts are inadequate to provide them, he added. Many local governments also have to navigate managing several water districts that overlap with other government jurisdictions,
which can make enacting changes difficult, Smith said. The state could help smooth the coordination between water districts and local governments alike. “The state can play a role in making sure that across all of those entities, there is a coordinated effort on these water challenges,” Smith said. “And the state is doing that, (but) that’s just the place where they’re going to need to continue to invest more and more.” Inequity in water resources
Not all water utilities have the same resources to be able to prepare for or react to major water events, like wildfire or flood, said DU professor Hamann. Denver Water is a utility with more financial stability, which allows it to develop these long term plans and solutions, she added. This financial discrepancy could further exacerbate socioeconomic inequities that correlate with less access to water information and high quality water, Hamann said. Financial inequality between water utilities is especially important, considering that many utilities share water sources like the Colorado River, Smith said. When those resources are compromised by a flood or mudslides that send debris and sediment into the water, not all districts are equipped to handle it, he added. “Every downstream community (would have) to deal with these water treatment challenges that they didn’t design their system for, and they didn’t plan on,” Smith said. “It’s not their fault, but it is imposed on them.” Another common challenge for most water utilities, but particularly for smaller districts, is balancing water conservation goals with income requirements, Hamann said. If people don’t use enough water, the utility service won’t generate enough money to cover its budget. To combat this issue, Denver Water has raised its fixed rate, which helps stabilize revenue so it can take on improvement projects like reservoir expansions, main break repairs and the lead pipe replacement program. “It does cause a challenge in our finances, but it’s something that we actively plan around, and it doesn’t inhibit us from encouraging more water conservation,” said Winchell, Denver Water’s senior climate change adaptation and water re-
source planner. Denver Water has also seen how making proactive investments into climate adaptations can save money later on when extreme weather events happen, Winchell added. Recovering from the 2002 Hayman Fire – which burned nearly 140,000 acres of public and private land southwest of Denver and forced the evacuation of roughly 5,000 residents – cost Denver Water approximately $27 million. But investments into watersheds and infrastructure should mitigate future damage from such natural disasters, Winchell said. The WUCA tries to help close economic gaps between water providers by making all of its educational resources free to access, and by offering workshops and training to smaller utilities, Heyn said. This is to help smaller communities prepare for climate change but also address environmental justice issues in the water sector. “We want more of those smaller communities’ systems, and water systems, in particular, to be more involved in this work because they don’t have as many resources as we do,” Heyn said. “They need … more help than us to really be prepared for the impacts of climate change.” Personal water conservation efforts
From Hamann and her colleague’s research conducted in Aurora, Hamann concluded that when people don’t have knowledge of watersheds, it correlates with a disconnect from the importance in their personal behaviors to conserve water and maintain water quality. People should feel empowered that the changes they make in their lives can have a big impact on water challenges, Hamann said. Even something as simple as taking a shorter shower or getting their homeowners association to allow xeriscaping on lawns to save water, can make a big difference, she added. “While each individual person is just a drop, collectively those drops carved the Grand Canyon,” Hamann said. “Even more importantly, if you do feel like you have some agency or have some knowledge, you also will be more likely to push for policies or to call out inequalities that you’re seeing.” Using water sprinklers in the morning when the heat doesn’t evaporate as much water, installing
low flow toilets, avoiding synthetic fertilizer and scooping up pet waste are all practices that everyone can do to help conserve water and help keep it clean. But knowing why it’s important to be water conscious in the first place, and understanding how to implement some water conservation practices, are the first steps to adopting those practices at a larger scale, Hamann added. In the past decade, Denver Water, Hamman and Smith all cite having seen changes in people’s perception of water challenges, and the general public’s knowledge in understanding that climate change is happening here and now. For some, this awareness comes from having lived through periods of drought or other climate change related events, like record-setting high temperatures. For others, the shift could have come from the increasing number of public conversations about climate science, which started with climate change as a future possibility to now a present reality. This change in public perception and concern has also led to more political action, especially in smaller communities where climate change once felt irrelevant, Smith said. “We’ve really seen this pivot from, we need to protect ourselves against these future disasters or future problems into it’s happening now,” Smith said. “It’s not hypothetical, or speculative. It is real and worsening.” Water utilities thinking more critically about climate change is an example of the impact of changing attitudes, and how that can have real, practical impacts on how prepared communities are for future challenges, Heyn said. Even though everyone will be personally affected by climate change in different ways, climate change related impacts on health, recreation, weather, temperatures and the economy will be universal. The good news is that there is a wide breadth of local action that communities can take now to be better prepared and to decrease their strain on the planet, Heyn said. “Denver, and other parts of the country, cities in particular, are doing a fantastic job to rise to this challenge,” Heyn said. “It’s just a really exciting time to do this work and there’s a lot of hope for the future.”
10 Life on Capitol Hill
January 1, 2024J
It’s a new year and with that comes some interesting annual events as well as some new things to discover. From farm animals at the National Western Stock Show to marine biology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver offers a world of fun to get your year off to an excellent start. at 9:30 a.m. in Denver’s City Park. Then the Marade – a march and parade – steps off at about 10:45 a.m. It will proceed down Colfax Avenue to Civic Center Park, where there will be a closing ceremony, resource fair, entertainment, food trucks and more. This free, family-friendly community event is organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission. Learn more at drmartinlkingjrchc.org.
November), you have another opportunity to see the local artist’s work. Natan’s “Iconic Denver” is a self-guided walking tour of his plein-air watercolor paintings, which will be displayed inside buildings or near the landmarks that inspired them. All the artwork will correspond to stops along the tour, and a QR code will provide a list of stops for each location. The tour opened mid-December, and runs through March. Natan has lived in Denver since the 1950s, and “creates work that evokes the city’s energy and illustrates his feelings while painting,” states a release about the walking tour. To learn more about Natan and his work, visit ednatanart.com. Photo: “Wynkoop & 16th” by Ed Natan. This watercolor painting is part of Natan’s “Iconic Denver” walking tour. Courtesy of Ed Natan.
Animals galore at the National Western Stock Show
When one thinks about Denver’s January events, it’s nearly impossible for the National Western Stock Show not to come first of mind. Can you believe this year’s is the 118th? This twoweek event brings together the best of Western culture together. There are pro rodeos and exquisite horse shows, and youth (primarily 4-H and Future Farmers of America) from across the state compete in exhibitions. And it’s not just cattle and horses. At the stock show, you’ll get to see so many different kinds of animals, from alpacas to yaks. That’s not all – the stock show also offers a ton of vendors that include fine art and home decor, jewelry and clothing, and agricultural products and equipment; and a variety of onsite dining and food options. The National Western Stock Show takes place Jan. 6-21. Find a schedule of events and purchase tickets at nationalwestern.com. Photo: The Westernaires, a youth equestrian organization based in Jefferson County, ride in the 2020 Stock Show Kick-off Parade in downtown Denver. File photo by Christy Steadman. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Marade
Another not-to-miss annual event in Denver that’s happening this month is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Marade, which takes place this year on Jan. 15. The event kicks off with a ceremony
Mongolian American art at PlatteForum
Ed Natan’s ‘Iconic Denver’
If you were unable to make it to Ed Natan’s “Feel the City” show at Tom’s Starlight (which reopened about a year ago and then suddenly shut down again in
It’s always interesting to see what young creative minds come up with, and PlatteForum allows visitors to do just that. Its latest show, called “>ENTEREXIT<, Animated Immigrant Stories,” features the work of resident artist Eriko Tsogo and PlatteForum’s ArtLab interns. ArtLab is PlatteForum’s flagship arts-education internship program for high schoolers. Tsogo is a Mongolian American multidisciplinary artist, curator and cultural producer based in Denver and Los Angeles. The “>ENTEREXIT<” show features “a series of experimental animations … SEE THINGS TO DO, P11
Life on Capitol Hill 11
January 1, 2024
THINGS TO DO FROM PAGE 10
(and) altar sculptures about the mixed migration stories of immigrant leaders from our nation who have decided to embrace America as home,” PlatteForum states. The show runs from Jan. 12-29 at PlatteForum’s Annex Gallery, 3575 Ringsby Court #103, in Denver. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The opening reception takes place from 6-8 p.m. Jan. 12. Learn more at platteforum.org. Photo: The “>ENTEREXIT<, Animated Immigrant Stories” exhibit features the work of artist Eriko Tsogo, pictured, and PlatteForum’s ArtLab interns. Courtesy photo. ‘Cebollas’ (onions)
When a play’s title translates to the word “onions,” you know it’s going to provide some laughs.The Denver Center Theatre Company is presenting “Cebollas,” by Leonard Madrid and directed by Jerry Ruiz, from Jan. 26-March 10 at The Singleton Theatre, 1400 Curtis St., which is close to the Denver Performing Arts Complex downtown. This play is a comedic tale of three sisters who travel north on I-25, transporting a dead body across state lines. Ticket prices vary for desired date, time and seating within the theater, but range between $35-$79. Learn more or purchase tickets at denvercenter.org/ tickets-events/cebollas/.
Show times are offered at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Ticket prices vary, beginning at $27.50 for some performances. Learn more at curioustheatre. org. Photo: Image courtesy of Curious Theatre Company. Texas organist to perform in Denver
If you missed last month’s organ tour, January offers another opportunity to experience some organ music. Denver Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is hosting L. Graham Schultz of Dallas, Texas. Schultz will perform in Denver at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at Saint John’s Cathedral, 1350 N. Washington St., in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Schultz has been featured as a performer at conventions of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society across the U.S., as well as playing for numerous choral residencies in Europe. Free will offerings are accepted. To learn more about the concert, visit agodrmc.org.
seum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., has you covered for an underwater adventure. It is hosting a sensory-friendly family movie night featuring the film, “Secrets of the Sea,” at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 in the museum’s new-ish Infinity Theatre. On this night, audience members are welcome to move about, clap, talk and laugh during the film, with sensory and quiet spaces activated nearby. The film showcases marine biodiversity and was filmed in 16 different locations. Learn more or purchase tickets at dmns.org.
Worldly dance company at the Newman Center
Curious Theatre Company: ‘Truth Be Told’
Denver’s Curious Theatre Company, 1080 Acoma St., continues its 2023-2024 season with a run of “Truth Be Told” from Jan. 13-Feb. 10. This play by William Cameron and directed by Christy Montour-Larson, is a human-interest story that tells a tale of two mothers seeking the truth. It “explores the nature of objective truth and the ways in which we manipulate and distort it to serve our own ends,” states the description on the theater company’s website.
The Newman Center will be welcoming French-Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi this January. The dance company is made up of Algerian, Moroccan, Bulgarian, Italian and French dancers, who will surely delight the crowd in a show that “explores the historical mix of countless cultures and religions that span the Mediterranean,” states the Newman Center. The show takes place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit newmancenterpresents.com. Photo: Compagnie Hervé Koubi will perform on Jan. 23 as part of the 2023-2024 season of the Newman Center Presents series. Photo by Nathalie Sternalski. ‘Secrets of the Sea’
Colorado offers some awesome getaways just about everywhere in the state, but one thing we’re missing is the ocean. But the Denver Mu-
PLAN AHEAD: Celebrate the year of the dragon
The Nathan Yip Foundation is hosting its annual Lunar New Year celebration at 5 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Grand Hyatt Denver, 1750 Welton St. This year will celebrate the year of the dragon, and the event will include a full Asian dinner, a Chinese night market, a silent and live auction and a variety of entertainment and performances including palm readings and a lion dance. Tickets range in cost from $200-$350 per person, and all proceeds benefit the Nathan Yip Foundation, which provides funding for teachers and educational projects in rural Colorado. Learn more at nathanyipfoundation.org. Photo: Dragon Dancers will entertain the crowd at the Nathan Yip Foundation Chinese New Year Celebration. Courtesy of the Nathan Yip Foundation.
12 Life on Capitol Hill
January 1, 2024Jan
Denver Scholarship Foundation helps make college a reality BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Rhina Serrano-Zetino always knew she wanted to go to college. “It was my biggest dream as a little girl,” she said. “I always wanted to do something more to make my parents proud.” But being the first generation in her family to pursue higher education, she knew she might have some hurdles to overcome. “There’s a lot of nerves knowing that nobody in my family has gone through this,” Serrano-Zetino said. Then she started working with Miguel Banuelos-Garcia, a Denver Scholarship Foundation college
advisor at John F. Kennedy High School. The two talked about SerranoZetino’s values and her career and academic goals. Through these conversations, Serrano-Zetino learned about the Denver Scholarship Foundation and what it offers to aspiring college students like her. “We’re helping them paint that window that they see their lives outside of,” Banuelos-Garcia said. “We give them that foundation to understand how to build their lives around it.” The Denver Scholarship Foundation aims to make college possible for all Denver Public Schools students, supporting them with tools
and resources. It is known as the “financial aid experts in Denver,” said Diana Madriz, the foundation’s assistant director of college access. It “is a liaison between talent and resources and opportunities.” The Education Data Initiative states that nationally, 1.7 million scholarships are awarded annually, but only seven percent of college students receive a scholarship. According to the Institute of Education Sciences, about 19 million students in the U.S. pursued higher education for the 2021-2022 academic year. Locally, for that same academic year, the Denver Scholarship Foundation awarded nearly $5 million in scholarships to 1,871 DPS
students. Additionally, Denver Scholarship Foundation scholarship awards have been increasing, and have returned to pre-COVID numbers, Madriz said. She added that this school year, the foundation awarded a “record number” of scholarships to more than 2,070 DPS graduates. “More students desire to pursue a college education,” Madriz said. “This is mostly due to the direct correlation between postsecondary education and successful employment with higher-paying positions, job security and social mobility.” SEE SCHOLARSHIP, P15
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Life on Capitol Hill 15
January 1, 2024
SCHOLARSHIP FROM PAGE 12
While it may be best known for its scholarship awards – the Denver Scholarship Foundation has awarded $57.6 million in scholarships to 8,941 DPS graduates since fall of 2007 – the foundation has three main initiatives. They are: the need-based scholarships to attend any college in Colorado, for which any DPS graduate is eligible; access to resources such as financial aid advisement; and ensuring the student is successful through college, career and beyond. Fifteen DPS high schools have a Future Center where students and their families can work one-on-one with one of the foundation’s college advisors. Students who attend a DPS school that does not have a center can talk with their school’s college advisors about resources. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024-2025 academic year opened in December, and the founda-
tion wants to ensure all DPS students and their families are aware of the resources available to them. The foundation also provides resources for the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA), which allows Colorado public colleges the ability to award financial aid to students who are not eligible for federal student aid but meet the requirements for Colorado residency, including undocumented students. “Having access to financial aid is the difference between being able to enroll in college or not,” Madriz said. “It’s life changing.” And it’s important for students and their families to know that applying for financial aid does not commit them to anything — they do not have to accept any financial aid offered to them, Madriz added. “It just sets them up for options, or expands their options,” she said. The foundation’s FAFSA support includes help with application preparation and submission. This includes helping with gathering all necessary paperwork, SEE SCHOLARSHIP, P16
DENVER SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION’S UPCOMING FUTURE CENTER WORKSHOPS All take place from 3-7 p.m. • South High School: Jan. 23 • George Washington High School: Jan. 24 • Northeast Early College: Jan. 25 • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College: Jan. 30 • Northfield High School: Jan. 31 • North High School: Feb. 1 Montbello High School: Feb. 6 • Kennedy High School: Feb. 7 • Bruce Randolph High School: Feb. 8 • CEC Early College: Feb. 8 • West High School: Feb. 12 • Manual High School: Feb. 13 • Thomas Jefferson High School: Feb. 15 • East High School: Feb. 21 • Abraham Lincoln High School: Feb. 22 If you do not see your school listed, the Denver Scholarship Foundation, 789 Sherman St., Suite 610, is hosting a community workshop from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 9. This workshop is open to any senior and their family within the metro area (including high schools that are not Denver Public Schools). To learn more about the Denver Scholarship Foundation, visit denverscholarship.org.
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16 Life on Capitol Hill
SCHOLARSHIP FROM PAGE 15
identifying a timeline to ensure all deadlines are met, creating a studentaid.gov account and answering any questions about what financial aid is. The foundation also works with a student’s family to help them understand the financial aid process, and even what it means to have their
January 1, 2024Jan child attending college and what to expect. A first-generation student going to college can spark generational transformation in their family, Madriz said. “College attainment changes the outlook for families because it creates a new standard for what’s possible,” Madriz said. “It is more important than ever for students and families to be equipped with the correct information, tools and hands-
on support to submit financial aid applications and maximize their postsecondary opportunities.” Serrano-Zetino will be graduating high school this spring. She is her class president, part of the National Honor Society, involved with Key Club and helped found John F. Kennedy High School’s brand-new speech and debate team. She is planning on attending Colorado State University this fall to study international business. Serrano-
Zetino’s ultimate goal is to become a lawyer but is starting with business for her undergraduate degree because she believes it will provide her with many professional and career opportunities as she attends law school and works toward her juris doctor degree. “Some people think that they can’t afford it (college), so why should they even try,” Serrano-Zetino said. “But it’s misunderstood that people do have resources.”
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