Washington Park Profile April 2023

Digital and print community newspaper founded in 1978.

Elvis Cinemas

Elvis Cinemas announced in March that all three of its locations had closed.

e Colorado movie theater chain was locally-owned and had three locations in the metro area: Arvada, Littleton and southeast Denver at 7400 E. Hampden Ave. in Ti any Plaza.

Elvis Cinemas was known for o ering premium movies at a lower ticket price than the national chains. It served the community for 23 years, according to its website.

Logo courtesy of the Elvis Cinemas website.

Luca

Luca, Chef Frank Bonanno’s second restaurant, celebrated its 20th anniversary in March. Named after his son — who turned 21 — Luca restaurant o ers rustic Italian fare through a seasonal menu.

Luca, 711 Grant St. in Denver’s Capitol Hill, is one of 10 Bonanno Concepts restaurants. To learn more, visit bonannoconcepts.com.

Courtesy logo.

Brooks Floral & Co.

Brooks Floral & Co. owner Kaitlin Christenson celebrated the year anniversary of opening her South Broadway studio in April.

e studio is located at 1489

S. Broadway, which borders Denver’s Platt Park and Overland neighborhoods. It is not a retail space, but Christenson hosts a variety of workshops and other related events there.

e business got its start in October 2021. Christenson was inspired to open the business following the death of her brother, Brooks, who died unexpectedly from COVID at age 36 in June 2021.

“His lose inspired my healing journey through oral design and I continue to share that healing with others through intimate ower workshops — ` ower therapy’ — at my studio,” Christenson said.

In addition to the workshops, Brooks Floral & Co. o ers a variety of oral services — including wedding oral design — and the mobile Brooks Bloom Bar, which is customizable and can be booked for all sorts of events including baby showers, graduation parties and business events.

Visit the Brooks Floral & Co. website at BrooksFloralCo.com to learn more about upcoming workshops or to set up a oral consultation.

e Holmes are a husband-and-wife team and said it is rewarding to operate an independently owned and operated pharmacy.

It o ers that “old pharmacy feel the way it used to be, when the pharmacist knew everybody and how to take care of them,” Chris Holmes said. “We get the opportunity to do that in a big city, which is rare today.”

Capitol Heights Pharmacy have a grandfathered license, which allows the Holmes to operate as both a drug store, which o ers a variety of over-the-counter health and personal care products, and a liquor store. Capitol Heights Pharmacy also provides a number of services that includes immunizations, medication therapy management sessions, travel vaccinations, prescription re lls and more. Its audiology clinic opened ve years ago, and the Holmes have plans to expand some of its services, such as additional testing and diagnostics for ailments and viruses — u, COVID, cholesterol and diabetes, for example.

To learn more about Capitol Heights Pharmacy, visit chprx.com.

Girl Scout DreamLab

Girl Scouts of Colorado has become the rst in the nation to open a Girl Scout DreamLab. e grand opening took place on March 12 at the new facility located at 63 N. Quebec St. in Denver’s Lowry Field neighborhood.

e Girl Scout DreamLab is designed to be a destination space and elevate the Girl Scout experience. It will host one-of-a-kind programming, badge workshops and Family Fun Days, and will be available for Girl Scout troops to reserve for meetings and activities. e facility boasts innovative spaces where girls have the opportunity to try new experiences such as STEM projects, podcasting, performing on stage or climbing a bouldering wall.

“At Girl Scouts, we are building the leaders of tomorrow,” said Leanna Clark, CEO of Girl Scouts of Colorado. “Giving troops access to the resources available at the Girl Scout DreamLab will allow us to continue to further

Jack’s on Pearl Jack’s on Pearl, 1475 S. Pearl St. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood, had its oneyear anniversary in late March.

e restaurant is a modern American steakhouse that featuring a wood- red grill. e building has two levels with a dining room on both levels that each o er a distinct dining experience.

To learn more, visit jacksonpearldenver.com. Courtesy logo.

Capitol Heights Pharmacy is April, Chris and Kristin Holmes are celebrating the 10-year anniversary as owners of the Capitol Heights Pharmacy.

Capitol Heights Pharmacy, located at 1200 Madison St. in Denver’s Congress Park neighborhood, originally opened in 1881. It boasts the state’s pharmacy license No. 30.

Denver’s Cleo Parker Robinson Dance is one of organizations part of e International Association of Blacks in Dance, which received a National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts.

“ e National Medal of Arts is the highest award the federal government gives to artists and arts patrons,” states a news release. It is awarded “to individuals or groups who deserve special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support and availability of the arts in the United States.”

President Joe Biden presented the award on March 21 at the White House. e IABD is one of 12 recipients of the recognition. e others are Judith Francisca Baca, Fred Eychaner, Jose Feliciano, Mindy Kaling, Gladys Knight, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Antonio Martorell-Cardona, Joan Shigekawa, Bruce Springsteen, Vera Wang and e Billie Holiday eatre.

Cleo Parker Robinson, founder and artistic director of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, 119 Park Ave. W. in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, attended the ceremony as a founding member of IABD. Parker Robinson was joined by Ann M. Williams, founder of the Dallas Black Dance eatre; Joan Myers Brown, founder of Philadanco! in Philadelphia; Lula Washington, founder of Lula Washington Dance eatre and Debbie Blunden-Diggs, artistic director of Dayton Con-

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance

Capitol Heights Pharmacy is co-owned by Kristin and Chris Holmes, a husband-and-wife team who are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of owning the pharmacy this April. Courtesy photo.

ON THE COVER

temporary Dance Company.

“I was able to celebrate my excitement with a few dance steps inside the White House in 2023 with my sisters-in-dance, and meet so many incredible Americans,” Parker Robinson said in a news release. “Our IABD mission has been not only to fund Black dance companies, but to develop and support career opportunities for dancers of color. To be recognized for our collective lifetime careers honors the cultural icons who uplifted us (for) generations in their legacy of art.”

To learn more about the IABD, visit iabdassociation.org. To learn more about Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, visit cleoparkerdance.org.

Founders of e International Association of Blacks in Dance gather for a photo with the National Medal of Arts award which was presented during a ceremony on March 21 at the White House. Denver’s Cleo Parker Robinson is pictured fourth from left. Courtesy photo.

Mercy Housing Inc.

Mercy Housing Inc. announced in late February that Denver Housing Authority selected its proposal to build an intergenerational, a ordable housing and health center to serve the American Indian and Alaskan Native communities.

e development will be located at 901 Navajo St. in Denver’s La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhood. DHA will provide a 99-year ground lease for the development.

Mercy Housing Inc. is a national a ordable housing nonpro t headquartered in Denver. It will collaborate with Native American Housing Circle — a coalition of Native-led and Native-serving organizations — on the project to design the development and create culturally appropriate programs and services.

e tentative start of construction for is summer 2024. Once complete, the new a ordable and supportive community will provide residences for about 187 households and will be open to those who earn 30-60% of the area median income. A health clinic operated by Denver Indian Health and Family Services will also be onsite, as well as additional resident re-

NEW OPENINGS

our mission through this new way of experiencing Girl Scouts. We are so excited to pave the way for the future of Girl Scouts.”

e Denver Girl Scout DreamLab was funded in part through a partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA. It is

sources to provide a full suite of wraparound housing stability services such as mental health and nancial services. Residents will also have access to a tness center, community cafes, green spaces for gardening and play, and a community kitchen that will provide a space for cooking classes and community events.

According to Erin Clark, DHA’s chief real estate investment o cer, “DHA was impressed by Mercy Housing’s innovative proposal for redeveloping the 901 Navajo site from industrial warehouse uses to high-quality, mixed-income a ordable housing. And providing direct healthcare services adjacent to regional transit will be a welcome addition to the La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhood and to the broader Denver community.”

is will be the sixth development made possible with land acquisition resources from a bonding partnership between the City and County of Denver and DHA. e DHA Delivers for Denver Program (D3) utilizes property tax mill levy revenue from Denver’s A ordable Housing Fund to expedite and expand a pipeline of supportive housing residences.

To learn more about DHA, visit denverhousing. org. To learn more about Mercy Housing Inc., visit mercyhousing.org.

A rendering of the new development that will provide a ordable housing and a health center to Denver’s American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. Courtesy of RATIO Designs.

part of a national property strategy to remove barriers of accessibility across the nation. Two other Girl Scout DreamLabs are slated to open this summer in Louisiana and New Jersey, and at least ve more are in the works in other parts of the nation.

To learn more about Girl Scouts of Colorado, visit girlscoutsofcolorado.org.

Girl Scouts gather in front of the new Denver Girl Scout DreamLab to celebrate the facility’s grand opening on March 12. Photo courtesy of Girl Scouts of Colorado.

Tocabe’s Ben Jacobs, second from left, of Osage Nation, is pictured with his cousins. Jacobs and his business partner, Matt Chandra, are co-owners of the Denver-based Tocabe, which recently launched the Direct-toTribe Ready Meal program, which delivers culturally relevant, nourishing ready-to-eat meals to Spirit Lake Nation in North Dakota. See story on Page 8.

PHOTO BY ADDIE ROANHORSE

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

It seems so long ago, but there was a time that Jewish people and Black people banded together to help push the nation’s civil rights agenda across the nish line.

But that was in the 1960s. Today, the two groups barely seem to know each other and relations are hindered by mistrust, misunderstanding and anger from both communities. It comes during a period of white supremacists increasing attacks — physical and through social media — against both groups.

Still, if Denver’s Caren Press has her way, the two groups gradually will move closer via the organization she recently formed, called “ e Denver Dialogue: A Conversation Between Denver Blacks and Jews.”

Press was spurred to action after hearing the anti-Semitic attacks by Kanye West a few months ago.

After a preliminary meeting a few months ago at a Montbello barber shop, the second gathering drew more than 100 people to George Washington High School’s library

on March 15.

e group conducted a frank talk about the tensions between the two communities and how to close that gap.

“We want to address some of the issues between the two groups and see if there is a way both can work together to combat white supremacy,” said Press, a retired attorney.

“ is grassroots movement is not controlled by any church, synagogue, school district or advocacy

group. It’s our communities coming together with no agenda other than understanding, reconciliation and combining to ght the white nationalists that want to destroy us both.”

White nationalist groups send out a steady stream of fake news lies, and anti-Semitic and racist material and tropes.

“ is group ( e Denver Dialogue) would like to begin a dialogue and see if the relationship can be repaired to at least work together to ght this common adversary,” Press said.

e March 15 event was a breakthrough, and some attendees suggested not only more gatherings, but also some with a social bent, such as a barbecue. ere was a frankness, as some Jewish attendees said they didn’t know any Black people, and some Black attendees said the same about Jews.

e gathering not only enabled people to learn about others, but also helped debunk some of the supremacists’ messages.

Israel’s relations with Palestine was a hot topic on March 15 — and some of the Black attendees were interested to learn that not all Jews felt the same way about Israel’s actions. Jews in attendance learned that some Black people were horried by what West had to say.

at can help open some doors.

“Anti-Semitism is a real thing,” said Evan Weissman, an activist

with Warm Cookies of the Revolution and one of the two guest speakers on March 15. “For a lot of White Jews in the Denver area, it’s not something that’s felt in the same ways as systemic institutional prejudice is. Speaking for White Jewish folk: We need to be involved in racial justice e orts all the time, not just when it a ects Jews in a more direct way.”

eo Wilson, a Black man who is the executive director and lead facilitator with ShopTalk Live Inc., was the event’s other speaker.

“I don’t operate from a hopeful frame,” he said. “ is is what is necessary and this is in front of me. It’s necessary to have this conversation, to build this bridge. We can’t move forward unless we understand that this is what we have in common.”

Wilson has been involved in improving relations between African immigrants and Black Americans.

In summary, Press said, “It’s a waste to ght amongst ourselves. We’re putting energy into not trusting others. ere are people that want to annihilate both. It’s dumb; we should be helping each other. We should be understanding each other and reconciling.”

To learn more about The Denver Dialogue, contact Caren Press at carenpress@gmail.com.

Evan Weissman, an artist and social activist, speaks at The Denver Dialogue: A Conversation Between Denver Blacks and Jews event on March 15.

Theo Wilson, an author and social justice leader, listens to Evan Weissman, an artist and social activist, speak on March 15. The two participated in The Denver Dialogue: A Conversation Between Denver Blacks and Jews event on March 15. PHOTOS BY DAHLIA LINKOW

New grassroots movement gets the conversation started between Blacks and Jews

Denver Art Museum show runs through May 29

BY SONYA ELLINGBOE SELLINGBOE@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

“Near East to Far West: Fictions of French and American Colonialism” is open in the Hamilton Building at the Denver Art Museum through May 29 and is lled with stories, color and historic interpretations that may be a bit skewed at times. It includes more than 80 artworks that explore the ways artists were in uenced by the style of French Orientalism as they explored ways to portray the story of the American West, its landscapes and inhabitants ... including indigenous people and those more recently arrived ...

Curated by Jennifer Henneman, director of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art at the Denver Art Museum, the exhibit ranges from works by French artists, who were exposed to life in exotic Algiers and American artists, some of whom were trained in France, re ected. e market for those American artists was mainly on the East Coast and a number of them lived and painted in Taos, New Mexico, depicting the scenes in and around Taos and neighboring desert landscapes as well as scenes from an artist’s imagination.

A visitor will see images of Taos Pueblo and its residents, and African

battles that involve lions. ere are elaborate Oriental interior scenes, with brightly-costumed characters, desert vistas and pueblo architecture

that resembles the sunbaked locations in the Arab world.

An amusing pair of drawings by Charles Russell show two views of

FATHER OF EIGHT lady. Must love kids, be fit and ready to jump in and join the fun. Military training would be helpful.

ADVENTUROUS CAT LOVER

adventurous cat owner. Please be employed and willing to relocate. Especially fond of black and white tuxedo cats. All responses will be answered. Looking for that Purrr-fect match.

his studio: the rst, as his mother imagined it: with a neatly dressed artist entertaining a fashionable woman, posing on elaborate furniture. e other, depicts the artist and his Native American buddy seated in a bare-bones mountain cabin as the painter, sitting on a wooden crate, draws from his imagination ... French Orientalism and Western American art “re ect fears, desires and curiosities about unknown lands during the process of colonization” in the western part of North America and in Africa and the Islamic world.

is collection of big, colorful paintings really takes the visitor on a trip ... Oriental scenes may include lions ghting mounted horsemen, as well as exotic women with owers in their hair and pilgrims on camels, bound for Mecca ...

Imagination was alive and well in the mid-19th century on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, even though we read of excessive focus on proper behavior in the cities and small towns.

And the painterly skills were at front and center of these works, with swooshes of brilliant color, exotic costumes and a sense of humor as well.

Admission to “Near East to Far West” is included with general admission and is free for members.

e Denver Art Museum is open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday evenings, and is located at 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway in Denver.

SINGLE, ARTSY LADY SEEKS SINGLE ARTSY GUY. If you love painting, decorating, baking and knitting, we are a match. Please be over 30 and willing to take art classes.

GRANOLA EATING, CAMP LOVING, WORLD TRAVELER dreams.Must be fit and love spending days and nights outdoors in the middle of nowhere. If you know how to set up camp, pitch a tent and catch food, we need to meet immediately.

Ernest L. Blumenschein’s “Church at Ranchos de Taos,” before 1917, is shown in the “Near East to Far West” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. COURTESY OF AMERICAN MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART / THE ANSCHUTZ COLLECTION. PHOTO BY WILLIAM J. O’CONNOR

HIGHLIGHTING DENVER AUTHORS

Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Anthony Garcia

Denverite Julie Federico has been a school counselor for more than 20 years. is experience has provided her with a gift of being able to break down di cult societal topics into a preschooler’s language.

“I don’t have all the answers,” Federico said, “but I’m willing to start the dialogue.”

Federico got started writing her children’s books in 2007. Since then, she has written a number of books for infants to pre-teens on a variety of topics that include anger control, domestic violence, school safety and friendship.

e books can serve as a tool for parents to start a conversation between them and their children, Federico said. ey o er emotional intelligence, Federico said.

Many of “the problems discussed in the books can be resolved when you talk about them,” Federico said. “If you can start with the younger generation, we can start to make a di erence.”

Her latest book came out in May 2021 and has two titles: “Blackness is Creative” and “God Made Me Black Because He’s Creative.” It is intended for preschoolers and elementary children.

An author’s note in the book states: “As a child’s rst book on race relations, I wanted to begin the conversation in an age-appropriate manner. is book will get the conversation started, but requires further study as kids get older … Ideally, you will have many conversations with your child about race over the years … When we can teach a community of 2-year-olds to identify and de ne discrimination, we are onto signi cant societal change.”

Q&A WITH JULIE FEDERICO

In your opinion, why is it important to have conversations about important social topics when children are young?

Colorado native and Denverite Anthony Garcia specializes in telling the stories of the voices who are often not heard.

“All my books have that theme,” he said. “I write the stories of the little voices.”

Garcia’s latest book, “Alien Expatriates,” was published in December last year. It is ction based in reality, following the story of iTalli, a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration recipient from Denver, and Nephy, a giant from another planet.

It’s “a love story from a man’s point of view,” Garcia said. “It’s funny, but also deals with serious topics such as deportation.”

e two are aliens and form a special friendship as Nephy tries to comprehend an earthling’s profound feelings of love.

“ e interplay of both aliens brings in the love passages of famous writers as Pablo Neruda, Isabel Allende, GarciaMarquez, Luis Borges and Garcia Lorca to share the deep felt passages of a denition of love from both aliens on the run from authorities,” Garcia said.

e story tells of an enticing relationship in a coming-of-age scenario. It includes some sci- knowledge, which Garcia shared to provide an insight of, perhaps, what aliens from another planet possess in their capabilities.

It’s “a fun prose,” Garcia said.

Q&A WITH ANTHONY GARCIA

In what ways do you think Denver readers will connect with “Alien Expatriates?”

e tale of iTalli, who laments the loss of his girlfriend and his journey being sent back to Puebla, Mexico, is common for many Mexican alien expatriates who are sent back involuntarily.

Nephy. the epitome of an educated American expatriate, is also on the run from the ‘men-in-shades’ authorities and question his true reason to be on this

Back in 1970, local author, historian and Denver native Phil Goodstein had his rst written work published. It was a letter to the editor in “Newsweek.”

“ at inspired me to keep going,” said Goodstein, whose works often delve into local questions.

Today, roughly 30 books later, Goodstein has completed the third part of a trilogy, “ e History of Denver Public Schools.”

“You can’t avoid schools,” Goodstein said. “ ey take in a crucial part of the society.”

Yet, what exactly is a school, Goodstein asked. Are they job training centers? Do they serve as babysitters? Are they penal institutions?

“Nobody has the certain answer,” Goodstein said.

Goodstein’s trilogy looks at about 160 years of DPS. Each is a separate volume and includes many illustrations. It is not necessary to read them in order.

e rst book, “ e Denver School Book,” which came out in 2019, looks at the origins of the school district and spans the following century – 1859 to 1967.

Published in 2020, the second book, “ e Denver School Bussing Wars,” examines 1967 to 1995 and the district’s e ort to desegregate schools through bussing.

e third book was published in September last year and is called “Schools for a New Century. From 1995 to 2020, it explores the rise of charter schools, school choice and the preschool program.

DPS re ects the values of Denver, Goodstein said.

And, he added, “they’re a focal point for education across the state.”

Q&A WITH PHIL GOODSTEIN

What inspired you to write about Denver

Julie Federico

Phil Goodstein

HIGHLIGHTING DENVER AUTHORS

Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

GOODSTEIN

FROM PAGE

Public Schools for the trilogy?

e schools are part of the community. Indeed, they are forced on the population. Schemers and dreamers have focused on them in trying to shape society. ey are constantly in the news. But nobody had done a retrospection on exactly what Denver Public Schools is, its achievements, and why it is always at the center of controversy.

Filling this void is the main objective of “ e History of Denver Public Schools.”

Goading from people who have been active in the schools as board members, concerned parents and volunteers helped push me to write the volumes.

What do you hope people get out of reading any one or all three of “The History of Denver Public Schools” books?

Ideally, by reading the books, people will grasp the obvious: there are no magical education cures. As part of the commu-

FEDERICO

In the world we live in, children encounter difficult social topics at a very young age. Knowledge is power, please educate and protect your children.

On ‘Blackness is Creative.’

This generation is the last generation that will tolerate systemic racism. They won’t stand for it. I know this from the

nity, schools re ect the values, the hopes and the limitations of those with power and individuals valiantly trying to survive in a sometimes insane society. By grasping what the schools are and where they have been, people can work to shape them to blossom as places nurturing self-learning, critical thought, and commitment to nourishing people over pro ts and property.

Where to get the book

e History of Denver Public Schools trilogy — “Denver School Book,” “ e School Busing Wars” and “Schools for a New Century” — are available at many local bookstores. Among them are Capitol Hill Books, the Broadway Book Mall, West Side books and Tattered Cover.

What’s next?

e next book Goodstein is working on will explore cemetery history in the metro area, including the people who lay to rest in them. It is expected to be published in late 2023 or early 2024.

teenagers at the schools (she’s worked at). They’re vocal about wrongdoings.

What do you hope readers get out of your book/s?

I hope to give parents dialogue to use with their children when they discuss difficult topics. Some parents say nothing on these topics because they do not know what to say. I give parents the language to use with their children to open doors of communication and educate children.

planet. e play on words will entice readers to question who really is an expatriate.

What did you find most enjoyable about writing iTalli and Nephy’s story?

iTalli, in many ways, is a version of many DACA kids that are committed to being good citizen examples and make the most of their opportunity in this country. e rst-generation Mexican workers have demonstrated outstanding work ethic and accomplishments, and I wanted to demonstrate their virtues and abilities of success in the USA.

I wanted to show with Nephy — while alien beings have been visiting our planet for eons — typically seek to avoid human

contact. But in this instance, a relationship-friendship was formed by two very di erent individuals, yet both aliens.

Where to get the book

All of Anthony Garcia’s books are available online. He also showcases his books, and is available for a meet-and-greet every First Friday at Denver’s Museo de las Americas, 861 Santa Fe Drive.

What’s next?

Garcia is working on a play version of his 2017 book, “Watili, the Native American Slave Heroine.” He is also working on a book about the coming together of spirituality and religion, inspired by his October 2022 completion of the Camino de Santiago, which is a pilgrimage of medieval origin. Its various routes all nish in northern Spain.

Where to get the book

All of Julie Federico’s books can be found on her website, juliefederico.com. Federico is also available to speak at parenting groups, schools, foster agencies and youth-serving organizations. Her contact information can be found on the website.

What’s next?

Federico has a couple of ideas for parenting books. Her ideas include tough parenting issues such as how to keep your kids and teens safe, and how to connect with your teen.

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Ben Jacobs, a member of Osage Nation, and Matt Chandra’s dream is to build a native peoples’ food supply chain.

And recently, this became a reality for them.

e two have been in the restaurant business for more than 25 years and are co-owners of Tocabe, an American Indian-speci c restaurant that has a Greenwood Village location and another in north Denver.

It is one of only a handful of American Indian restaurants in the United States.

Jacobs and Chandra saw a need beyond their metro area restaurants. Native people often do not have access to culturally relevant, nourishing food. So they set out to meet this need. It took a year and a half, but in January, they began production for the Directto-Tribe Ready Meal program.

“What we are providing (is) not just a meal,” Jacobs said. “It’s traditional, meaningful ingredients.”

It’s meant to bring joy, he added.

Jacobs’ name is rising nationally. He was appointed in March to President

throughout Indian Country and working with the incredible individuals I will serve alongside on the council,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs joins other notables on the council, including basketball great Stephen Curry and his restaurateur wife, Ayesha Curry, former baseball player Ryan Howard and former women’s basketball player Tamika Catchings, among others.

A seed to soul program

Tocabe’s dedication to its cultural roots were cited along with Biden’s announcement. It has what it calls a seed to soul mission, meaning it aims to create meals that support native people from beginning to end.

e pre-packaged meals are made with ingredients from Tocabe’s Indigenous Marketplace, which is an online store that has ingredients sourced from food distributors all over the country.

e meals are prepared and packaged at a facility in Greenwood Village and shipped to Spirit Lake Nation in Fort Trotten, North Dakota. As of early March, 4,400 meals were delivered and the next delivery in April will supply three months of food.

Once the meals are delivered, the

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Greene Trottier, director of Spirit Lake Nation’s Food Distribution Program, in a news release.

So far, there has been a very positive response to the program, Jacobs said. He added that recently there was a family of eight living at Spirit Lake Nation that found themselves experiencing homelessness. e meals from Tocabe were used to support this family during their hard times. Upon learning this, Jacobs said it validated all their hard work.

“ is is a situation where individuals would normally be given a loaf of bread, but instead, they were given a very speci c cultural meal – from native producers all over the country,” Jacobs said.

‘The makers and takers of our own future’ Food banks and the like support the donation of commodities or single, individual items that often lack nutritional value, such as processed foods like chips or white bread, Jacobs said. e existing programs are great to get food to people who need it immediately, he added, but Tocabe wanted to build something sustainable, while also providing foods that are spiritually and nutritionally valuable.

Tocabe’s Direct-to-Tribe Ready

EASTER SUNDAY

Meal program is also groundbreaking programs don’t support full, prepared program would have required so much time and so many voices, (and) eventually getting Congress involved.”

After going back and forth with the Agriculture Department and other food and nutrition services out of Washington, Jacobs and Chandra decided to nd an alternative.

“If we want to be the makers and takers of our own future, we need to do it ourselves,” said Jacobs.  rough federal grant building with Spirit Lake Nation, and a 10year friendship and partnership, the Direct-to-Tribe Ready Meal program came to be. While it is federally funded through grants, it is not part of the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations.

Going this route also allows for more freedom, Jacobs said, because they are not con ned to speci c parameters, as would have been the case if it were funded by an existing government program.

Food is more than just food

According to Jacobs, when indigenous people gather to feast, it is not just a time to nourish the body, it’s also a time to connect.

Join us for celebratory Easter worship, a message of hope for seekers and believers alike, a children’s flower procession, and joyful organ, choir, and brass music. Receive a free photograph of your family taken in front of our resurrection cross of flowers. Fully accessible.

Nursery care is provided.

Sunday, April 9 at 10:30am

Central Presbyterian Church

The food prepared for Tocabe’s Direct-to-Tribe Ready Meal program uses ingredients from Tocabe’s Indigenous Marketplace, such as the pictured native grains. PHOTO BY ADAM LARKEY SEE MISSION, P9

erefore, using culturally relevant foods and supporting tradition is a key proponent of the Direct-to-Tribe Ready Meal program.

Traditional food items include bison and sh, wild rice, tepary and pinto beans, maple syrup, and various corn meals including white, yellow, blue and red, Jacobs said. e prepared meals for the program have thus far been wild rice jambalaya with bison sausage, andouille sausage, chipotle bison chili with roasted sweet and purple potatoes, pumpkin butternut squash wheatberry risotto with roasted root vegetables, and green chili stew.

A closed loop system is program is designed to create a Native American infrastructure, Jacobs said. e prepared meal program is not only changing health, but also changing communities economically, by allowing dollars to stay within the tribes.

“Our work is not about, how do we solve for tomorrow, but, how do we solve for years from now,” he said. “We don’t just want a food economy, we need a nancial economy as well.” Jacobs told of a recent bison purchase as an example of the ideal, closed loop. e bison were purchased from Fred DuBray and Cheyenne River, then taken to Osage Nation in Oklahoma for processing. is meat was then used in the meals that were prepared for Spirit Lake Nation, he said.

Tocabe will continue supporting communities of color and diverse communities, and uses a business model that does not devalue the time, e ort and commitment of food producers. For example, when it comes to purchasing ingredients, Jacobs said he does not negotiate. If Tocabe cannot a ord to pay a distributor the true value of what their product is worth, he will nd a way to raise the money to pay the desired value.

A community-driven experience

Many other tribal nations are passed enroute to Spirit Lake Nation, including Pine Ridge, Rose Bud, Standing Rock and Cheyenne River.

e pipe dream is to build channels to deliver along the plains and drop o meals for all of these Native people, Jacobs said.

Eventually, Tocabe hopes to expand to Oklahoma – where Osage Nation resides – and throughout the southwest.

For now, Jacobs invites everyone to celebrate alongside Tocabe through

mindful meals: Eat with tradition, support your own well-being, and support local food production.

“ is is a community-driven experience. Learn about other cultures and celebrate our di erences because it’s important to know about all peoples’ cultural relevance,” Jacobs said. “If we can all inspire each other, we can live in a much better world.”

Parkinson’s slows life down, but doesn’t stop a family’s love

My dad is one of the smartest people I know. He attended a technical school and, in the 1980s, turned that into a small business repairing stereos, TVs, VCRs, and, later, computers. If it could be tinkered with, my dad could x it, and his skills were so in need that they provided for our family when I was growing up.

It was my mom and dad’s dream to raise a family in the mountains. ey accomplished this dream. My dad sold his business, we uprooted from our home in Arkansas and moved to a mountain home in Colorado. I was in the fourth grade.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember that my dad has Parkinson’s disease.

He was diagnosed about 12 years ago.

In many ways, he is the same Mr. Fixit. But in other ways, he is not. It’s the little things. e day I moved into my new condo, as a rst-time homebuyer this past fall, I thought nothing of it when asking my dad to bring his tools so he could change the front door lock. I thought this would be an easy chore for him while everyone else carried the heavy moving boxes up and down the stairs. at he remembered the tools is a win given his Parkinson’s. But my mom discreetly told me that he wouldn’t be able to change the lock — because of the cognitive skills he has lost over the years to the disease. And, thinking back, it’s possible that she brought the tools for him, though I didn’t ask.

FROM THE EDITOR

Again, it’s the little things that don’t seem to matter at the time, but add up, in retrospect, and show how much my dad has changed.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and degenerative brain disorder that a ects a person’s muscle movement. But it is so much more than a movement disorder.

e disease itself is not necessarily fatal, but complications can be serious and it can greatly diminish quality of life. Along with the motor, or movement, symptoms, there are many other symptoms. People with Parkinson’s can develop mood disorders, such as depression, anxiety, apathy and irritability. ere’s also dementia, an issue that a ects not just my dad, but our whole family. ings have become slower year by year in the 12 years since my dad’s diagnosis. at doesn’t mean the decline has been steady or that family life has ground to a halt. I’m thankful that for many years my dad could still do almost everything. Now, it’s just life at a much slower pace and nothing that we, as a family, can’t manage with a little patience.

One example: family celebrations and gettogethers. It takes him longer to unwrap a gift. So,

Spring is coming - join us as a community scientist

After the cold and wet winter we’ve been experiencing in Denver, I know everyone is looking forward to spring. As the days grow longer and warmer, we all start looking for the telltale signs that spring is arriving — birds chirping, trees lea ng out, lilac buds, bulbs emerging out of the damp soil. As you observe nature around you, why not start taking pictures, recording your observations and contributing to large projects as a community scientist? April is the perfect month to join community science e orts across the globe.

At the Denver Botanic Gardens, we seek to connect people with plants. Our scientists are particularly interested in studying patterns and processes of biodiversity. One way we do this is through community science (also known as citizen science) initiatives such as the Denver EcoFlora project. ese initiatives allow participants to connect with plants by making observations of biodiversity patterns in their environment. EcoFlora is based on the traditional ora concept, a list or inventory of plants in a given area or period of time. e eco in EcoFlora represents going beyond a traditional ora and encompassing the study of urban ecosystems. We run the Denver EcoFlora project on the iNaturalist platform where we engage the community in documenting plants living in the Denver metro area. Our goal is to document all plants living in the seven county metro area (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broom eld, Denver, Douglas and Je erson counties) using the iNaturalist app. Why? You may ask.

Well, understanding the ora of an area is the best way to protect it.

As part of the EcoFlora project, we send out monthly challenges called EcoQuests to engage participants in documenting a speci c species, group of plants or theme.

April’s EcoQuest has two parts: the rst is focused on some of the rst owers to emerge in spring, the pasque owers (Pulsatilla nutalliana). en, starting April 28, a global competition begins with the start of the City Nature Challenge

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

CHRISTY STEADMAN Editor

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

- a challenge to document the most biodiversity within cities. Using the iNaturalist app, you can make observations of any wild organism: plant, bird, insect, fungi. Observations made between April 28 and May 1 count towards the competition. Last year, we had nearly 400 participants observe more than 600 species. Our goal is to surpass those numbers this year. And, if the wet winter unfolds into a sunny spring, we just might be able to do it. Many local partners are organizing hikes or bioblitzes during the City Nature Challenge. Check our website (botanicgardens. org/science-research/citizen-science-programs/ city-nature-challenge) for details on events and how to register.

You can contribute to scienti c studies by downloading the iNaturalist app and using it to take photos of the nature around you. We encourage you to get outside, feel the sun on your face and contribute to science while you’re out there.

Denver Botanic Gardens Citizen Science projects: botanicgardens.org/science-research/ citizen-science-programs

Denver EcoFlora project: inaturalist.org/projects/denver-eco ora-project

Denver Botanic Gardens City Nature Challenge information: Denver-Boulder Metro City Nature Challenge: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ city-nature-challenge-2023-denver-bouldermetro

Jennifer Neale is the director of research and conservation for the Denver Botanic Gardens

now sure ing untie. changes while all dad a voir.

Today, things. alone.

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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.

Falls the like somewhere acre parents falls enough talization weeks nursing my he mountains.” try could again.

Editor Christy Steadman with her father earlier this year.

SEE EDITOR, P11

Christy Steadman

This purple flower is the pasque flower of the April EcoFlora challenge.

PHOTO BY SCOTT DRESSEL-MARTIN

Día del Niño events take place throughout April

STAFF REPORT

Día del Niño, or Children’s Day, is a celebration that originated in Mexico. Today, it is also celebrated in many communities across the U.S.

“This day recognizes children, pays homage to their importance in society and endorses their wellbeing,” states a news release from the Mexican Cultural Center.

The Mexican Cultural Center is putting on its ninth annual Día del Niño this year, with opportunities to celebrate through activities and Science and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Free Days throughout April. Some of these organizations include the Clyfford Still Museum, Colorado Symphony, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Public Library and Denver Zoo.

EDITOR

A highlighted event is Día del Niño at Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30. This day will offer free entry and a variety of family-friendly activities. Another is the Día del Niño Celebration at the Denver Art Museum, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 30. This event will include free entry, a variety of live entertainment and performances, and the Denver Preschool Program will be bringing guest readers to read the book, “How Do Dinosaurs Go to School?” by Jane Yolen, in both English and Spanish.

“We are delighted to honor one of Mexico’s traditional holidays celebrating Day of Children,” said Jesse Martinez, executive director of the Mexican Cultural Center. “These activities are a great way for the community to come together to celebrate and honor children, and where parents to be a kid too.”

To learn more about this year’s Día del Niño events, visit mccdenver.org/diadel-nino.

now I am conscious about making sure there’s not too much tape securing the paper or too many ribbons to untie.

Parkinson’s is weird because some changes in my dad happened slowly while others seemed to come about all of a sudden.

For instance, ve years ago, my dad could still take the family out for a day of boating on Chat eld Reservoir. And, just one year ago, he was driving his truck with no problems. Today, my dad cannot do those things. He cannot walk up stairs alone.

Falling is one of the more serious complications of the disease. Falls can be fatal if they happen at the wrong time in the wrong place, like on a staircase or slipping on ice somewhere on the ve-and-a-half acre property in Bailey where my parents live.

He did experience a couple of falls this winter. Both were serious enough that they required hospitalization and surgery, followed by weeks of rehab in a nursing home.

During one of our visits in the nursing home, in the metro area, my dad said he’s doing OK. en he said, “I want to be closer to the mountains.” I told him he needs to try to remember not to fall so he could be at home in the mountains again.

Now he has a walker, but his Parkinson’s makes him forget that he

needs to use it. e dementia seems to be coming faster. So, it’s a cycle: he tries to get up out of his chair and walk somewhere and somebody, usually my mother, has to stop him or he likely falls again. Falling is now part of my dad’s life – and our family’s.

It is still unknown why or how people develop Parkinson’s. Research on the causes and e orts to lessen the severity are making progress. According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, “scientists believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors” are to blame. Still, there is no cure for Parkinson’s. I like to think that someday there will be one. Science is already going in the right direction, with rst-of-its-kind surgeries already developed and being perfected, and new movement-based therapies that directly target the parts of the brain that help people with Parkinson’s gain control of their movement.

If a big breakthrough on Parkinson’s comes, it probably will not be in time for my dad, maybe not even for me if I ever develop the disease. I hold hope for the possibility for big improvements, or even a cure, in the lifetimes of my nieces or their children.

Awareness months o er us all a time for re ection. ey give people hope and motivate them and, perhaps most importantly, create the opportunity to share knowledge and personal stories, like mine and my dad’s.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. It also happens that it is the month of my dad’s birthday. We’ll all get together, I’m sure. In my mom and dad’s mountain home.

A child holds a project created during a previous year’s D√≠a del Ni√±o at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. PHOTOS BY CHRIS SCHNEIDER

A couple of children enjoy an activity during a previous year’s Día del Niño at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Mile High Happenings is a monthly column featuring community events throughout Denver, highlighting events that take place in the central and central-south neighborhoods covered by the Washington Park Pro le and Life on Capitol Hill newspapers.

Event submissions from community members and organizations are welcome. Submissions should include brief details about the event and a photo

April 7-30

Kyle Banister: Memories from the Backseat

Time: Varies.

Location: RPO Framing & Gallery, 1588 S. Pearl St., Denver.

Cost: Free.

e “Memories from the Backseat” gallery exhibit, hosted by South Pearl Street’s RPO Framing & Gallery, will feature the work of local artist Kyle Banister. It is running in conjunction with “Oil and Aerosol,” featuring the work of Ian Rumley and Dane Olsen, at Hazel art bar, 1581 S Pearl St. For the First Friday exhibit opening, the GoGo Beat Girls will be performing several times from 6-9 p.m. April 7 at RPO Framing.

More information/reservations: Bob Platz, owner of RPO Framing & Gallery: 303-715-3828; bobplatz@yahoo. com

Courtesy Image

April 8

Denver Philharmonic Orchestra: Wild Wild West

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Antonia Brico Stage at Central Presbyterian Church, 1660 Sherman St., Denver.

Cost: Varies.

e Denver Philharmonic Orchestra welcomes Principal Guest Conductor Mark Mast for a Wild Wild West collection to include performances of Cecil E nger’s “Variations on a Cowboy Tune,” Tom Taylor’s “Big Basin Breakdown” and Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No. 1.” Attendees are invited to the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra’s More than Music Pre-Concert Chat from 6:30-7 p.m. and post-concert reception with the musicians.

More information/reservations: denverphilharmonic. org

Image courtesy of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra’s website.

or event logo.

Deadline is the 20th of each month for the event to be listed the following month. Cycle for the column’s listings will typically begin on the rst weekend of the month, depending on publication dates.

Submissions can be emailed to Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

April 7-9; April 14-15

Grapefruit Lab: Strange Bird, Queer Bird

Time: Varies.

Location: Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St., Denver.

Cost: Name-your-own-price. is original show by Grapefruit Lab is an early-pandemic love story based on actual events. “Strange Bird, Queer Bird” tells the story of two queer people who manage to connect after only one face-to-face date before the world shuts down because of COVI-19. It denotes a hopeful tone in the personal and profound connections still happening between people despite forest res, uprisings in the streets, uncertainty and massive death.

April 8

Ballet Ariel: Firebird

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Elaine Wolf Theatre at the StaenbergLoup Jewish Community Center (JCC Denver), 350 S. Dahlia St.

Cost: Varies. Performed to Stravinsky’s score, “Firebird” is the timeless tale of a prince and his princess and the beautiful rebird that rescues them from the torments of an evil magician and his nefarious goblins. Ballet Ariel’s production is

April 12-16

Denver Auto Show

Time: Varies.

Location: Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th St., Denver.

Cost: $16 adults, $8 children age 6-12, 5 and younger are free. Discounted tickets are o ered to seniors on April 12, active-duty military and veterans receive half-price tickets on April 13.

Getting its start in 1903, the Denver Auto Show is the third oldest show in the nation, following shows held in New York in 1900 and Chicago in 1901. is year’s event will feature more than 20 exhibits from premier automotive brands, as well as lifestyle vehicles such as custom camper van conversions, and will highlight electric vehicles. It will include an indoor test track and an outdoor rideand-drive event.

More information/reservations: denverautoshow.com Courtesy logo.

e April 9 performance is a fundraiser event for the Denver Actors Fund and has a suggested donation of $20.

More information/reservations: grapefruitlab.com/ shows/queer-bird (Cash and credit is also accepted at the door.)

Image courtesy of Grapefruit Lab.

an intriguing fusion of Michel Fokine’s original choreography and Artistic Director Ilena Norton’s reimagining of this ancient Slavic fairytale set in an enchanted, shadowy forest. More information/reservations: balletariel.org/ firebird

Image courtesy of Ballet Ariel.

April 13

Denver Paper Fashion Show

Time: 5:30 p.m. doors and cocktail hour, 7:30 p.m. runway show.

Location: Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 N. Clarkson St., Denver.

Cost: Tickets start at $25. Denver’s annual Paper Fashion Show features haute couture fashions made entirely from paper by Colorado-area designers. is year, more than 45 design teams will be featured on the runway. e event features a cocktail hour, the runway show, DJ Simone Says, and Ya Girl Cedes will emcee the event. It is a fundraiser for e ONE Club for Creativity, which is a multi-disciplinary nonpro t that promotes collaborative creative culture throughout Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Region. is year, 20% of the proceeds will bene t Downtown Aurora Visual Arts.

More information/reservations: paperfashionshow.com

Last year’s second place winner is a fashion titled Savoir Faire on Air, by designer/artist Julie Fletcher.

Photo by Blu Hartkopp.

April 13-16

2023

Women+Film Festival

Time: Varies.

Location: Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave., Denver.

Cost: Festival passes: $75 for Denver Film members/$85 non-member; Individual film tickets: $15 for Denver Film members/$18 non-member.

e Women+Film Festival showcases documentaries, narratives, and short lms celebrating the best in women-centric programming. Additional festival events include receptions on opening night and closing night; a marketplace from noon to 5 p.m. April 15 that features local, womanowned businesses; and live Q&As with lmmakers.

More information/reservations: denverfilm.org.

“Judy Blume Forever” is one of the lms being shown at Denver Film’s Women+Film Festival. Courtesy of Prime Video.

April 15

April 22

April 13-16

XicanIndie FilmFest

Time: Varies.

Location: Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe Dr., Denver.

April 14

CSI: Regis Universitythe Toy Box Killer

Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: Mountain View Room in St. Peter Claver, S.J. Hall at Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd., Denver. Free parking is available in Lot 4 (enter via Lowell Boulevard between 52nd and 53rd avenues).

Cost: Free.

e Regis University Crime Scene Investigation Conference is presenting Jim Yontz,

DSST STEM & Creative Core Showcase

Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Location: CSU Spur, 4817 National Western Dr., Denver. Free parking is available in Lot N at CSU Spur.

Cost: Free.

DSST Public Schools is a network of public, free charter schools serving middle and high school students in Denver and Aurora. is event is open to the public and will showcase the work of DSST students in STEM and Creative Core programs. e event will run open-house style. Attendees will be welcome to explore CSU Spur’s other attractions at their leisure.

More information/reservations: tinyurl. com/DSST-Showcase; audrey.holmes@ scienceandtech.org; greggory.cannady@ scienceandtech.org

Image courtesy of the event’s Facebook page.

May 6-7

Cinco de Mayo “Celebrate Culture” Festival

Time: All day.

Cost: Varies.

e Xicano Independent Filmmakers Festival (the XicanIndie Film Fest) is an annual four-day festival that highlights the artistry and experiences of the Latinx community in four areas: the Chicano Independent Filmmakers, Latino World Cinema, El Epoca de Oro (the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema) and Cine Mejicano.

More information/reservations: s uteatro.org; Teatro@suteatro.org; 303-296-0219

former deputy district attorney for New Mexico’s Sierra County. Yontz, who now works as a family law attorney in southern Colorado, will discuss his role prosecuting serial rapist and suspected serial killer David Parker Ray, aka the Toy Box Killer. is event is for mature audiences only. Its content will be explicit and is not suitable for children.

More information/reservations: regis.edu/signature-events/csi-regis Image courtesy of the CSI Regis program.

The Park People’s Earth Day Tree Sale

Time: Noon-2:00 p.m.

Location: City Park Greenhouse, 2500 E. 23rd Ave., Denver; and Sloan’s Lake Park, 5055 W. 17th Ave., Denver.

Cost: Tree prices range $50-$100. e Earth Day Tree Sale is a fundraiser sale to help support

April 26

Nate’s Night

Time: 8:30 p.m. concert; dinner specials begin at 5:30 p.m.

Location: Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th St., Denver.

Cost: Concert tickets cost $25 general admission and $50 reserved; dinner separate.

Nate’s Night is a dinner and concert event that supports musical education for Colorado youth. All proceeds from dinner specials and concert tickets directly fund Nathan Yip Foundation projects. Proceeds have previously supported instrument donations in conjunction with the Future Arts Foundation, Swallow Hill’s summer music camp, and Inside the Orchestra. is year’s concert features Salmon Mountain, a collaboration of Adam Aijala

e Park People’s e orts to equitably build the urban forest. e Park People is a nonpro t that works with Denver communities to plant trees and improve parks for a healthy, resilient future. Its Denver Digs Trees program has provided more than 60,000 free and a ordable trees to Denver residents.

More information/reservations: TheParkPeople.org, 303722-6262, info@TheParkPeople.org

April 29

Capitol Hill Concerts: Edward W. Hardy

Time: 7 pm

Location: First Unitarian Society of Denver, 1400 N. Lafayette St.

and Ben Kaufman of Yonder Mountain String Band; Andy orn of Leftover Salmon; and special guest Bonnie Sims of Big Richard.

More information/reservations: Concert tickets: nathanyipfoundation.org; dinner reservations: opheliasdenver.com or 303-9938023 Courtesy logo.

Location: Civic Center Park, 101 W. 14th Ave., Denver.

Cost: Free.

is annual community event is put on by NEWSED Community Development Corporation, a Denver-based nonpro t. is year’s event will feature three stages of

Cost: $20-$25 general admission. e Capitol Hill Concerts’ season nale will be a multi-genre concert (including classical, pop and original work) by composer/violinist Edward W. Hardy. Capitol Hill Concerts has a mission to o er high-caliber, musically-diverse, family-friendly concerts, while also supporting local nonpro ts. A portion of the proceeds from this show will bene t El Sistema Colorado. e concert will be livestreamed on YouTube for free but a donation is suggested.

More information/reservations: capitolhillconcerts.com

Photo courtesy of the Capitol Hill Concerts’ website.

a variety of live music, entertainment and dance; a parade; chihuahua races; taco eating contests; a lowrider car show; arts-andcrafts and food vendors; and more.

More information/reservations: cincodemayodenver.com Courtesy photo.

Horticulturalists tend the Denver Zoo’s kitchen garden

BY KIRSTEN DAHL COLLINS SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Kal, a 380-pound African gorilla at the Denver Zoo, grasped his oppy banana leaf the way some people hold a cone of caramel swirl ice cream. Slowly and deliberately, he savored every bite.

Over at the zoo’s Tropical Discovery building, Rex, a rhinoceros iguana native to the Caribbean, munched his way through a special breed of spineless prickly pear cactus. Nearby, a shy, 40-pound capybara named Rebecca — a rodent native to Central and South America — couldn’t resist a fresh pile of water lettuce.

It was snack time at the Denver Zoo, courtesy of Production Manager Patrick Crowell and his two sta ers, Marcelle Condevaux and Keith Goode. Smiling, the three horticulturalists watched the animals polish o their greens. Crowell and his sta had grown these tropical plants in several designated City Park greenhouses, which serve as kitchen gardens for many of the zoo’s 3,000 animals. Whether it’s cardamom and ginger leaves, banana trees or hibiscus owers, the greenhouse sta enables zoo animals to eat local — even if they crave ora from across the globe. e gardeners also grow landscaping plants for animal enclosures, from tall stands of euphorbia cactus to sweet gum trees.

“We’re trying to grow as much as we can locally,” Crowell said, adding that “growing exotics can take quite a bit of research.”

e greenhouse specialties are grown without pesticides, using recycled water. All of this saves money the zoo would otherwise spend importing tropical plants from Florida.

One greenhouse holds a grove of banana trees, which are especially useful, since every part of the plant can be used. Crowell said the fruit is fed to fruit bats while the oppy leaves are popular snacks for many animals, including sloths and smaller reptiles — as well as great apes. Elephants and rhinos chew the banana stalks, which increases their ber intake and acts as a natural toothbrush.

e production sta works closely with the zoo’s battery of veterinarians and nutritionists. Animal diets have come a long way since 1896 when the Denver Zoo began with a single caged bear cub, named Billy Bryan, in City Park. Although history does not record what Billy ate, it would probably make today’s zoo nutritionists shudder. ese days, animal diets are strictly controlled in order to keep them healthy. Often, that means adding the right vegetation.

“We get calls if an animal is ill,” Crowell said.

Many of the plants in the zoo greenhouses have medicinal qualities. Crowell said that leaves from the ginger and cardamon plants help prevent heart problems in great apes. Colorful blue, green and yellow lorikeets — a small parrot from Australia — keep their feathers healthy by pecking at hibiscus owers. According to Crowell, the pollen and nectar of these owers supply the birds with

Kal, a 360-pound male gorilla at the Denver Zoo, savors a fresh banana leaf grown for him by zoo horticulturalists at the City Park greenhouses. PHOTOS BY TIM COLLINS

Horticulturalist Patrick Crowell and his sta grow a special type of spineless prickly pear cactus just for Rex, a rhinoceros iguana native to the Dominican Republic. Zookeeper Troy Bumgardner created a special clamp to hold the cactus paddles, enabling Rex to forage as he would in the wild. Rex is known for his friendly disposition and enjoys a good back scratch.

Water lettuce grown at the zoo greenhouses sparks interest from Rebecca, a 40-pound capybara. The zoo horticulturalists also supply hardwood logs for Rebecca to gnaw, which keeps her front teeth from overgrowing. SEE EATING LOCAL, P15

EATING LOCAL

FROM PAGE 14

important amino acids.

Some plants are equally important to animals’ mental health. e Denver Zoo earned its accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums by taking animal well-being seriously — and that requires plenty of the branches, twigs and leaves known as browse. Cuttings from a range of trees and shrubs, including willow, mulberry, and butter y bush, are important not just for nutrition but also to encourage natural activities like foraging. For example, Crowell said, Tundra, the female grizzly bear, enjoys stripping and eating the leaves o hackberry branches while the zoo’s Mongolian horses prefer to chew bark o cottonwood logs. Elephants and primates like to exercise their teeth on bamboo stalks.

Several passive solar greenhouses known as hoop houses help extend the growing season for browse. And whenever it’s time to prune trees and bushes in City Park, Crowell and his team are there, collecting boughs, twigs and leaves. Crowell also roams the zoo’s 80 acres, searching for under-utilized patches of dirt where he and his sta can grow additional browse in the summer months. Last year, they supplied more than 1,300 pounds of leafy trimmings to zoo denizens.

When the zoo’s urban farmers aren’t running loads of produce over to hungry zebras and gira es, they are searching for more ways to maximize every square foot of growing space. Even the rafters of the Tropical Discovery building are being put to use, with a hydroponic growing table that nourishes crops of collard greens. According to Crowell, many animals love nutrient-dense greens like collard and dandelion. Perhaps we humans should take a few dining cues from the zoo.

Zoo Production Manager Patrick Crowell, right, and Browse Specialist Keith Goode, left, harvest banana leaves for eager zoo diners, including sloths, smaller reptiles and apes.

Zoo Production Specialist Marcelle Condevaux harvests hibiscus flowers, a favorite treat for many animals including monkeys, orangutans, lorikeets and sloths. Condevaux enjoys life among the plants at the City Park greenhouses. “I like eating my lunches here,” she said. “It’s like a tropical paradise.”

BY CORINNE WESTEMAN CWESTEMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

2023 has already been a big year for Make-A-Wish.

Wish Week fundraisers have been in full swing at local schools this winter, and basketball legend Michael Jordan donated $10 million — the largest individual donation ever — to the national organization last month.

And spring 2023 could be even bigger.

Make-A-Wish Colorado celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and is hosting an anniversary celebration and fundraiser in April in Denver.

Since it started, Make-A-Wish Colorado has granted more than 6,000 wishes for children with critical illnesses as a way of giving them hope and something to look forward to during their treatment.

Golden’s Ben Bontrager, 10, went to Hawaii for his wish last spring. He was diagnosed in early 2020 with Burkitt’s lymphoma and was sick for

almost a year, with his mom Sarah saying, “We almost lost him a couple times.”

Ben, who’s now in remission, said going to Hawaii was “the rst thing idea that popped in my head,” because he wanted to get out and do something fun.

“I was sick of being home,” he continued.

Now, Ben and his family are becoming Make-A-Wish ambassadors so that they can help other families through the same process.

Dad Je Bontrager said Ben’s wish was a “bright spot” to think about during those long days at the hospital, adding, “ e thought that (Make-A-Wish) has done it over and over for people, it’s really pretty amazing.”

For Jennifer

Joan Mazak has been the proverbial fairy godmother for thousands of Colorado children after she founded

SEE WISHES, P19

Jack Rodell of Castle Rock had his wish to be a Colorado Avalanche player granted in November 2022. Jack, now 8, was diagnosed with leukemia but has been in remission for two years.

COURTESY PHOTO

History Lessons’

Elaine Westblade talked about how she and her husband, the late Maynard Westblade, promised to keep in touch by writing letters to each other every day he was overseas ghting in World War II.

ey met when Elaine attended Denver South High School and Maynard was studying at the University of Denver.

eir romance was put on hold. Maynard was part of the 42nd Infantry’s “Rainbow” Division. e artilleryman helped liberate prisoners in the infamous Dachau Nazi concentration camp in Germany.

Despite the horri c human toll of the war, Elaine was convinced that her beau would return home. ey’d gotten engaged before Maynard left.

“I couldn’t nd a wedding dress because they were using fabrics for dresses for things in the war,” Elaine said.

At home, Elaine had to get creative in the face of wartime rations. She recalled that people were on rations — everything from sugar to gas — and were only allowed to purchase one new pair of shoes per year.

“I was going to several of the stores in Denver down on 16th Street before it became a mall,” Elaine said. “I couldn’t nd anything, so a friend of mine o ered for me to wear hers, but it was too big so I took it to another friend who altered it. My sister had a veil I could use.”

Just months after Maynard returned home in 1946, the two got married.

Karry Frame was drafted and served in the Vietnam War when he was 18. He was stationed as a Marine in that country after completing about a year of boot camp and specialized training. He told students that Vietnam was one of the most controversial wars in U.S. history.

“When I got home, there was a lot of animosity nationwide, and especially in L.A. – there were people demonstrating against the war,” Frame said. “It felt like, ‘Are they supporting us or not? We’re just doing what we’re supposed to be doing for our country.’ ere was apprehension about protesters. ere were instances where people in our group were spit on when in uniform.”

Dr. Walter Ordelheide, a South alum, was drafted in 1943. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and his job was to care for injured seamen. He was trained at the San Diego Naval Hospital and stationed at the Coco Solo Naval Base Hospital in Panama. After the war, he returned home and started a private practice. “ ere’s nowhere better than Denver, Colorado,” the 102-year-old Ordelheide said.

Westblade, Frame and Ordelheide are residents of the Clermont Park Life Plan Community in University Hills. ey traveled to South on March 2 to give a Living History Lessons presentation to about 150 ninth and 10th grade history students.

Four Junior Reserve O cers’ Training Corps students served as chaperones for the veterans.

e event “brings history to life for these students,” said Col. Marvin Meek, who leads South’s Junior Reserve O cers’ Training Corps, or JROTC, program.

A lot of the residents at Clermont Park are South alumni, said Chuck Montera, Clermont Park community relations representative.

e presentation lets students hear from those who helped shape history and experienced tumultuous times. is is the 11th year that Clermont Park veterans presented to the students, Montera said. He expects the program to continue, though WWII veterans and civilians from that era are dwindling in numbers.

“It’s super rewarding to be able to o er this opportunity to students,” said Diana Bustamante, a social studies teacher who helps organize the event. “It’s powerful for students to hear from people who are wanting to share their stories. ey learn (history) is not too disconnected from our experiences today.”

— Bryn Phinney Webster contributed some of the quotes by Elaine Westblade and Karry Frame that are used in this article. ey were gathered in preparation for the presentations.

Elaine Westblade and her late husband, Maynard Westblade, married after he returned home from serving in WWII.

COURTESY OF ELAINE WESTBLADE

A photo of Dr. Walter Ordelheide, a South High School graduate, hangs in the school’s hallway. He was drafted in 1943 and served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

‘Living

is an annual tradition at the high school

Four of South’s Junior Reserve O cers’ Training Corps students served as chaperones for the visiting veterans. The students are, from left, Ford Mattice, Elias Kim, Melicc Shelton and Autumn Cross. The veterans, from left, are Elaine Westblade, Dr. Walter Ordelheide and Karry Frame.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

Karry Frame served as a U.S. Marine in the Vietnam War. COURTESY OF KARRY FRAME

the organization in 1983. She started it in honor of her daughter, Jennifer, who died at 7 years old of a liver disease.

Mazak recalled how, about a week before Jennifer’s death, she was granted an uno cial wish to meet local radio mascot KIMN Chicken. He stopped by the family’s house, walking around the entire property hand-in-hand with Jennifer. Many of the neighborhood children stopped by to see KIMN Chicken, but he was focused on making Jennifer feel special.

“It was great for her to be able to have that,” Mazak said.

After Jennifer’s death, Mazak used funds that people had raised for a liver donation to start Make-A-Wish Colorado. ere were only three other chapters in the country and no national organization yet, she said. e local chapter was all volunteers working out of their homes, helping to create memories for children who needed them. Mazak said the very rst wish was to catch a sh, so they set up a shing trip at Dillon Reservoir.

Longtime volunteer Gary Aboussie recalled wishes to meet the pope and the Broncos. One of his favorite stories was sending a guitar to Bruce Springsteen to sign, him keeping that one, and sending back his own guitar instead with a special message.

Mazak said of wishes: “ ey come in all shapes and sizes. ere are so many logistics to putting together a single wish. It’s di erent for every single family.”

About 20 years ago, Make-A-Wish Colorado started partnering with local schools for Wish Week fundraisers. Mazak said it’s been a win-win situation, as it helps instill philanthropy in the students and raises money for their sick peers. Plus, she always loves seeing schools’ creative fundraising methods, like shaving teachers’ heads or taping their principals to the wall.

While nancial contributions are needed, so are volunteers.

Aboussie described how meeting Make-A-Wish children and their families “touches your mind and heart.” So, he works to help however he can — whether that’s serving on the board of directors or speaking at events.

“(Volunteering) shows you how much more there is to do,” he said. “… We can’t stop the problems, but we can ease the e orts and give the child something to dream about when they’re going through the possibly the most di cult time of their life.”

Both Aboussie and Mazak stressed how much these children and their families need “a sense that there will be a better tomorrow,” as Aboussie described it. ey said these children also need to feel normal after feeling di erent during their formative years.

Hope and normalcy

Castle Rock’s Jack Rodell, 8, might be a little shy, except when it comes to talking about the best day of his life.

On Nov. 14, Jack was the guest of honor at a Colorado Avalanche game. He described the entire day in detail, saying he met the players, got his own jersey and more.

Jack, who wants to be a professional hockey player when he grows up, was diagnosed with leukemia but has been in remission for two years. His wish was delayed because of COVID-19.

Over the past few years, he’s represented Make-A-Wish Colorado at fundraising events, and he and his family are now becoming wish ambassadors, like the Bontragers.

“When your kid is diagnosed with cancer, and you just live appointment to appointment, it’s very lonely,” his mom Krystalyn said. “… In his head, he just feels di erent. … It’s nice to see other people celebrate him, and it’s something he’ll remember for the rest of his life.” at’s something Denver’s Austen Swinton can con rm.

Swinton, who’s graduating from the University of Colorado-Boulder this spring, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure as a child and eventually received a kidney transplant. For her wish, she met singer

and actress Demi Lovato at a July 2009 concert.

After the two met backstage, Lovato pulled Swinton on stage and asked her to sing “ is Is Me” for the crowd. Swinton said she didn’t have stage fright at all, and Lovato sang with her.

e two reunited last year when Swinton spoke at World Wish Day in California where Lovato was being honored for helping Make-A-Wish.

Swinton, now 23, said her experiences with Make-A-Wish helped brighten her life when she needed it most.

“Looking back at how much I was going through at that age — I was

only 10 or 11 when I was on dialysis — I was missing out on some of those peak childhood moments,” she continued. “ … Everyone says how much a wish impacts a child. You don’t truly know until you’re living that experience.”

Having a wish granted is the best day in a child’s life, Jack described, and now he’s hoping he can help other children as an ambassador, paying forward all the kindness he received.

“People really helped me, and I want to help other people so they feel the same way,” Jack said. “I felt special. I felt really happy. … I want other kids to feel happy.”

Manning will be honored as a Wish Hero for his longtime support of the organization. For more

Austen Swinton of Denver, left, reunites with singer Demi Lovato at World Wish Day in spring 2022. Swinton had end-stage renal failure as a child and had her wish to meet Lovato granted in 2009. COURTESY PHOTO

New nonprofit o ers sports scholarships for low-income youth

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

“Equal opportunity levels the playing eld.”

is is what is stated on the Chance Sports website to capture the new nonpro t’s sense of urgency about raising money so young Denver-area athletes can participate in more club sports, both locally and on the road.

“... and makes it about the talent not the success,” the website continues. “ e reason a kid doesn’t make it shouldn’t be because they don’t have the op-

State Sen. James Coleman, D-Denver, and former state Rep. Colin Larson, R-Je erson County, created Chance Sports in late 2022, with the goal of helping low-income families play on a club basis in basketball, football, volleyball, track and eld, cheer, eld hockey, soccer and more. ey formed the idea from when the two served together on an education committee at the state legislaey joined up with the Daniels Fund, which gave Chance Sports $300,000 and pledged another $200,000 to encourage matching donations. e late cable pioneer Bill Daniels, a former Golden Gloves boxer, said that his sports participation drove his massive business success in the cable industry.

“It means more opportuni-

ties for our youth to compete at a high level because it’s more a ordable,” Coleman said. “ ey’re really great kids, great athletes, and they’re committed and want to play but they can’t a ord it.”

Chance Sports debuted in late March. In the news conference, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said the city would give at least $200,000 to the nonpro t to match the Daniels Fund. e money will come from the $12.5 million the city got from the Broncos sale.

Scholarships range from about $1,000 to about $3,000 per athlete, per year/season.

e new organization gave its rst scholarships this winter to Denver basketball players. Athletes in other sports will receive money later this year.

e average U.S. family pays about $900 each year for one child’s primary sport, taking into account equipment costs, monthly fees, participation fees and travel expenses.

Chance Sports “is designed to help increase participation and to help supplement the costs for travel, fees and equipment,” said Rodney Bates, who has coached the Lady Blackhawks girls’ basketball team for 14 years, and overall has 24 years as a coach.

“It allows young ladies in my program to have the opportunity to showcase their talent at a national level,” Bates said. “In some households, college is not

a conversation because of the costs. But because of their skill and being able to demonstrate this at a national level, they have a chance to get a scholarship and follow aspirations beyond sports. In the last 13 years, we’re talking about hundreds of young ladies playing year-round.”

His rst group of players were in the fourth grade when he formed the team. ey graduated from high school in 2020.

“We have about 15 young ladies that went to college,” Bates said. “We want to give them the tools they need to go to college. Competitive basketball is very expensive. If we can break down that cost, more participate and the more we’ll see them do something really positive.”

e bene ts? Larson pointed out that being involved in sports can help boost GPAs, can contribute to better mental and physical health, closer friendships, high rates of volunteerism and voting in later years.

ere’s talk about spreading the program throughout the state and eventually to other states.

“Our vision is to help out the kid that wants a chance to play,” Coleman said. “I know at some point we wanted to scale our organization, but do it right. Take care of home rst.”

State Sen. James Coleman, D-Denver. COURTESY PHOTO

To learn more about Chance Sports, visit chancesports.org.

West African nation’s top female newsroom, Media Matters for Women Sierra Leone, celebrates 10th anniversary; partners with DU research team

BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

In the rural communities of Sierra Leone, women who are experiencing sexual abuse, gender-based violence and restricted bodily autonomy often have just one hope when seeking justice; the intrepid journalists at Media Matters for Women Sierra Leone.

Now in its 10th year of operation, MMW has grown from a small local podcasting network to a nationwide community news service that serves over 60,000 listeners.

In a traditionally patriarchal society where women are often not taught to read or write, MMW’s journalists create targeted podcasts translated into over 30 local dialects to reach and inform listeners — often in the country’s most remote corners.

Recently, MMW’s Executive Director Florence Sesay and Senior Journalist

Alinah Kallon traveled to New York and Colorado to attend the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women and convene with a data journalism team of grad students at the University of Denver, respectively.

Sesay said the U.N. convening was particularly poignant because she and Kallon were able to feel solidarity with women around the world working through similar challenges and learn tools to implement in her work when she returns.

“We are learning from other countries in terms of response to sexual and gender-based violence,” Sesay said. “Listening to stories, it’s like sometimes when you work on women’s issues, we need that solidarity. Sometimes just listening to all the

stories from women from across the globe gives you that energy. You keep going like you’re not alone in this ght. share best practices when I go back,” Sesay continued.

e MMW team has carved out a dedicated listener base by continually challenging norms.

In Sierra Leone — as well as most other states in the world — newsrooms have been historically controlled by men, and men typically hold positions of power. In rural communities, this often leads to a pervasive culture of violence against women, and a lack of accountability for those who commit crimes within the justice system.

“I think journalists, the media, we have very powerful women now — before, the newsroom was 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

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.”

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 leaders.

“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.

Field workers in a last mile community in Sierra Leone gather around a megaphone to hear MMW’s latest podcast episode. COURTESY OF MMW

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“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 to everything even though they are su ering inside,” Kallon continued. “Over the years (leaders) begin to understand, ‘ is is not about us, it’s about the women, and when women are happy — have happy homes, happy families, their children are well taken care of,’ they begin to see that it’s for the good of everybody. And so, they join forces.”

In one instance, a powerful man in Bombali, Sierra Leone, raped a 9-yearold girl and — because of his status in the community — the legal system did not seriously prosecute the case, Kallon said.

“We’ve had so many issues where women are victimized, or sexually harassed, or young girls are being penetrated by in uential men in society, then the (legal system) would want to play games with them; the police would lose the les,” Kallon said.

at’s where MMW’s activist bent comes in. e newsroom worked to alert advocates and residents to the situation, and within months, a public uproar had been kindled.

“What they did at the initial stage was bribe the family, but the girl’s mother was very determined to get justice for her daughter,” Kallon said. “So, what they did was the bank where he worked, instead of sacking him, they transferred him to another region. And then the civil society, all of us, we took up that matter — it was a whole journey, over a year after that.”

Finally, Kallon said, the man was brought to justice, thanks in large part to the media coverage and outrage from community members.

“ e police said they lost the le, the justice system cannot charge any case, so we had to go back and forth, and because civil society were not quiet about it, the media were making a lot of noise about it, so they had to bring the man back and he had to face justice and now he’s in prison for a lifetime,” Kallon said.

e road has not been easy. MMW started with ve listening centers each in three major population hubs, totally 15 listening centers in all. But when Sierra Leone was struck by the Ebola virus epidemic in 2014, the journalists had to gure out a di erent strategy.

Kallon and Sesay, along with their team, began reaching out to “ambas-

sadors” in rural communities who they could electronically send podcasts to and then have the ambassadors distribute the podcast to folks quarantining in their homes. at model proved to be e ective for MMW, which was able to reach a larger listener base at a time when many Sierra Leonians would have otherwise gone without pressing public health information.

Many remote communities still rely on town criers to disseminate information, so MMW has partnered with them as well to distribute their podcasts. Kallon said these e orts — plus the occasional boat visit by an MMW journalist to remote villages — have given their newsroom the ability to reach truly o -the-grid locales.

“ at was how we began getting into the interior regions because initially, we were just at the city centers,” Kallon said. “Over the years we progressed into getting more listenership because we’re not just stationed in one area…

We have created that impact over the years; we go to last mile communities — sometimes you have to use a boat to cross over — but these are places we must go.”

With a general election coming up in June and tensions between rival political parties mounting, MMW has made it their mission to inform the public — particularly women — about issues, candidates and their voting rights, all in a nonviolent, nonpartisan fashion.

“We were very strategic in sending out nonviolent messages,” Kallon said. “We are for all of Sierra Leone, not a particular politician or party. We also encourage and support women during elections; we let people know it’s their right and responsibility to vote. But as journalists, we don’t want to be partisan. We don’t promote a political party.”

MMW is also faced with confronting

one of the most persistent spreaders of misinformation — social media.

“Tension is really high among the two rival parties,” Kallon said. “ ere is a lot of fake news going on, so we have to nd a way of going around that and sending the correct message because people use social media — especially WhatsApp — to send all kinds of messages.

“We listen to what’s happening on social media, especially on WhatsApp, and then we send the correct information out in our podcast,” Kallon continued. “If we are not on the apps, our listeners will be misled, so we have to take the lead in ensuring that people get the correct information that will prevent violence during the election because tensions are aring around things like that, so we have to be on top of the situation, otherwise, it will be disastrous.”

Despite the issues they face in providing news to last-mile communities, Sesay and Kallon said that the inspiration they have provided to women across Sierra Leone makes their e ort worth it.

“ e young girls, they see us, and they want to become journalists now,” Kallon said. “We’ve become kind of an inspiration for these young girls who want to be journalists, advocates, all of it. It’s really triggering that kind of interest in them.”

“MMW has created a platform where women are building condence, we can speak hope, we can share our stories to each other,” Sesay said. “We’ve really inspired and created that space for women to speak up. And de nitely, I’m sure, most want to be like Auntie Alina.”

“We just keep telling them, ‘Just stay in school and you’ll be like me,’” Kallon replied.

Sesay said she hopes that the next decade of MMW will bring even more female empowerment and equity to Sierra Leone.

“MMW is 10 years in operation in Sierra Leone, and that means 10 years of resilience, working with communities and building a movement,” Sesay said. “So, by the next decade, we want to see strong women, stronger communities where we end violence against women, and have a very peaceful society.”

In the meantime, Sesay and Kallon will convene with a team of DU grad students assembled by Professor Renee Botta to help MMW with data collection and analysis, which will be used to create more tools to reach lastmile communities in the west African nation.

Media Matters for Women Sierra Leone’s Senior Journalist Alina Kallon interviews a COURTESY MMW

MMW’s Senior Journalist Alina Kallon (left) and Executive Director Florence Sesay (right) at the United Nations recently. COURTESY MMW

Rachel Portman’s opera makes Colorado debut

BY CLARKE READER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

If a story catches a person at the right time, it can stick with them for their whole lives. Since its publication in 1943, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “ e Little Prince” has been one of those stories.

e story of a stranded pilot who lands on Earth and must navigate his way through a strange place while meeting a cast of unique characters has been read by parents and children alike for 80 years. In 2003, the story was transformed into an opera by Rachel Portman, and now it’s coming to the University of Denver, courtesy of the Lamont School of Music and Lamont Opera eatre.

“ is will be the rst time that Lamont has done an opera by a living, female composer,” said Matthew Plenk, artistic director of the production. “Most opera companies are doing at least one production a season that isn’t part of the western canon so the fact that the composer is both living and female is signi cant.”

“ e Little Prince” will make its Colorado debut at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts’ Gates Concert Hall, 2344 E. Ili Ave. in Denver, from April 20 through April 23.

According to provided information, the opera was rst performed at the Houston Grand Opera. For the Denver performances, Plenk and music director and conductor Sahar Nouri worked with the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera to bring scenery and costumes from Utah to Colorado.

Not only is staging the show a chance to break some new ground, it provides the all-important opportu-

nity for students to get stage — and behind-the-scenes — experience.

“It’s very exciting to be part of a work that hasn’t been done here before,” said Megan Pryor, a rst year master’s degree student who is Plenk’s assistant director and a member of the show’s chorus. “I’ve done some assistant directing in high school, but never delved into opera directing until now. It’s something I’ve been very interested in.”

e goal of any production is to entertain audiences, but Plenk emphasized the importance of students learning that the talents and skills they have can be used beyond performing.

“ e number of professional singers is close to that of professional athletes, so having a wide range of

experience o ers more job opportunities,” he said. “ is is a great way to demonstrate how very, very important everyone is in telling these stories.”

at same sense of discovery that students have while working on the show will hopefully translate into an appreciation for opera, an artform that goes back more than 400 years and still has the power to connect with audiences.

“ is show has a lot of the exciting elements of musical theater while having the di cult classical singing aspect that opera brings, so it’s a great piece for rst-timers,” Pryor said. “I think audiences will be surprised by the intensity of opera and how visceral the experience is. e drama is so much more heightened because everyone on stage is giving it their all vocally.”

And while the stereotype of opera stories are huge and sweeping — to match the music — often with a heartbreaking conclusion, “ e Little Prince’s” power comes in its directness.

“ e show has serious messages, but they’re expressed through the eyes of children,” Plenk said. “I hope people are inspired to be better humans, because, I really believe art and opera can be used to remind people how to be better to each other.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “The Little Prince”

WHERE: Gates Concert Hall at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Ili Ave., Denver.

WHEN:

7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 20 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 21 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 22

2:30 p.m., Sunday, April 23

COST: Adult: $20 to $40; Student, seniors and groups: $16 to $36

TICKETS: https://liberalarts.du.edu/ lamont/opera-theatre

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“This will be the first time that Lamont has done an opera by a living, female composer. Most opera companies are doing at least one production a season that isn’t part of the western canon so the fact that the composer is both living and female is significant.”

Matthew Plenk, artistic director of the production