Washington Park Profile June 2023

BurnDown

A new venue for dining and live music has opened on South Broadway.

BurnDown, 476 S. Broadway, which borders Denver’s Washington Park West and Baker neighborhoods, is housed in a renovated 1940’s storefront. Today, it boasts three stories to o er modern gastropub dining, live music stages, open-air courtyard and a roof deck.

To nd a schedule of live music events and to check out BurnDown’s food menu, visit burndowndenver.com.

Logo courtesy of BurnDown’s website.

Studio Uplift

Studio Uplift, the in-person headquarters of Up In e Chair, had its grand opening in May at 11 E. Arizona Ave., which is located near the four-corner area of Denver’s Platt Park, Baker, Overland and Washington Park West neighborhoods.

Up In e Chair is a “global community of uplifters” who strive “to create authentically welcoming spaces with a foundation of intentional inclu-

sivity,” states its website. It o ers a variety of programs, including its Emerging Professional/ Mentorship Alliance.

To learn more, visit upinthechair.com.

Logo courtesy of Up In e Chair’s website.

Savageau Co ee & Ice Cream

Savageau Coffee & Ice Cream opened shop on Colfax Avenue in April.

It is located at 2260 E. Colfax Ave., which is in the four-corner area of Denver’s Cheesman Park, Congress Park, City Park and City Park West neighborhoods.

Visits to Savageau Co ee & Ice Cream also provides an opportunity to taste other local business’ products — it serves Denver-based Huckleberry Roasters co ee, Sweet Action Ice Cream and cookies from its neighbors, e Urban Cookie. Learn more at savageauco.com.

Hill Music, which is a Denver-based nonpro t that was founded in 1979. Tuft was inducted to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame on Feb. 12, 2012.

To learn more about the Denver Folklore Center, visit denverfolklore.com.

Gallery 6

Gallery 6, a photography gallery, recently celebrated its one-year anniversary of opening at 918 W. Eighth Ave., which is in the Art District on Santa Fe. The gallery got its start in March 2021 in Cherry Creek, and relocated to the Art District on Santa Fe in time for the May 2022 First Friday. Its partners are Tony Eitzel, tonyeitzel.com; Kevin Schwalbe, kevinschwalbe.com; and Scott Wilson, wilsonaxpe.com. All three are Denver-area photographers.

Learn more about Gallery 6 by following it on social media. Additional questions can be directed to gallery6denver@gmail.com. Denver-area photographers and Gallery 6 partners, from left, Tony Eitzel, Scott Wilson and Kevin Schwalbe. Courtesy of Tony Eitzel.

Denver Folklore Center

e Denver Folklore Center, 1893 S. Pearl St. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood, was sold in May to Ian Dehmel.

e Denver Folklore Center sells new and used musical instruments and accessories, and provides a ordable rentals and repairs. Sta ed by

Colorado Village Collaborative

e Colorado Village Collaborative, a nonpro t that exists to bridge the gap between homeless and stable housing, has re-located a Safe Outdoor Camping space to a location slated to eventually be developed into affordable housing.

e space is located at 1530 W. Ave. in Denver’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. It will have 55 tents and ve pallet shelters, which will be able to accommodate up to 70 people. Tenants will have access to toilet, shower and laundry onsite. It is also near a Light Rail station and other resources, such as peer support, will be available.

and

e Colorado Village Collaborative’s Safe Outdoor Camping spaces provide a secure environment that is sta ed 24/7.

Colorado Village Collaborative signed a two-year lease agreement with Shanahan Development LLC for the 1530 W. 13th Ave. space, with the option for two one-year extensions.

To learn more about the Colorado Vil-

lage Collaborative, visit coloradovillagecollaborative.org.

Logo courtesy of Colorado Village Collaborative’s website.

Photo courtesy of the Denver Folklore Cen-

Photo courtesy of Savageau Co ee & Ice Cream’s Facebook page.

Colorado natives: flowers and function in the home landscape

ON THE COVER

As a gardener in the urban Front Range, each season brings new challenges, or the same challenges just in a di erent order. Rabbits, salt, cold temperatures, hot temperatures, drought, foot tra c — sometimes the list seems never-ending. However, an almost foolproof way to ensure the success in the home garden is to look to our native plants for inspiration.

I spoke with some of my colleagues at Denver Botanic Gardens and we came up with three of our favorites to tackle tough conditions while delivering on ower power. ese plants are all native to Colorado and provide signi cant ecological bene t to our pollinators. ey are all adaptable to our urban soils and should only require supplemental water during the rst year of establishment.

Chocolate ower (Berlandiera lyrata)

is extra cold-hardy member of the daisy family is a garden powerhouse. e bright yellow owers oat atop gray-green mounding foliage, and last from early spring to frost. e golden pinwheels surround dark red centers that are full of nectar — attracting both butteries and occasional hummingbirds. As an added bonus, the foliage is said to have the aroma of chocolate. As things wind down in the fall, leave the last crop of ower stalks to enjoy the intricate cup-shaped seed heads, which are both beautiful and a functional food source for birds.

Ten-petal blazing star (Mentzelia decapetala)

A native, night-blooming, fragrant, drought-tolerant, pollinator mag-

GUEST COLUMN

net? Say no more!

Ten-petal blazing star is a sta favorite around here — and for good reason. Although it is a biennial or shortlived perennial, once this plant is established in the garden, it will persist from seed for years to come. Sow seed directly into the garden and keep moist. It also germinates readily in pots, but transplant it into the garden early as it does develop a taproot.Mentzelia will quickly become a favorite as the striking white owers open each night, smelling sweetly of honey, only to close again before morning.

Laura Swain

Kaitlin Austin was inspired to open her business, Brooks Floral & Co., in honor of her late brother, Brooks, who died in 2021 from complications brought on by COVID-19. Austin expanded her business about a year ago to include a studio space on South Broadway where she hosts flower therapy workshops.

KANNAH CREEK Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum var. aureum)

We love this little groundcover. Best suited for well-drained sites with little to no irrigation, sulphur ower buckwheat is incredibly durable, long-lived and great for weed suppression. In early spring, the lush mat of green foliage is topped with chartreuse pom poms that mature to deep orange. Flower stalks can be sheared after ower for a tidier appearance, or left through winter and sheared in March. In fall, the foliage ages to a deep burgundy and persists through the winter season.

Not sure how to add these to the landscape? Try pairing them with some of our native grasses like blue gramma (Bouteloua gracilis) and little bluestem (Schizachryum scoparium). Using groundcovers and grasses reduces the need for maintenance like weeding and mulching each season.

Laura Swain is a horticulturist with the Denver Botanic Gardens

Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata)

Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

Story on Page 4.

PHOTO BY MARY ANN CRADDOCK

FLOURISHING THROUGH FLOWER THERAPY

Brooks Floral & Co. workshops provide space to connect and process grief

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

“We laugh, cry and share memories knowing it’s OK to not be OK.”

ese are the words of Kaitlin Christenson Austin, a Denverite who started her small oral design business to honor her older brother. Her story is one of healing through owers.

Austin started Brooks Floral & Co. in September 2021, roughly three months after her older brother, Brooks Christenson, died unexpectedly at age 36 when COVID-19 rapidly turned into pneumonia.

place of abundance and pride.”  She added that it’s important to talk about grief, even though it is hard.

“Avoiding it doesn’t make it go away,” Austin said. “Life goes on and we are still stuck with this void.”

e workshops aren’t specically for individuals experiencing loss, but are intended to provide a safe space for healing.

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“I feel so connected to him through this and I know he is so proud,” Austin said.

Austin grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in a close-knit family of four children. Brooks was the oldest, followed by siblings Jon, Kaitlin and MarieClaire.

Brooks and Kaitlin were connected on a deep level, said their father, Bob Christenson of Sioux Falls.

“Of all the kids, they were the two most bonded by the spirituality of the human condition, and I think (Kaitlin) is expressing that in what she’s doing with owers,” Bob Christenson said.

He added that their bond continues to grow — even now that Brooks is gone.

“ ey had a good relationship,” Bob Christenson said. “ ey still do, because she’s doing these things that involve him.”

Austin expanded her business in April 2022 when she opened a studio on South Broadway in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood. Brooks Floral & Co. specializes in weddings and pop-up events, but it’s the intimate oral design workshops that gives Austin great pride.

e workshops promote healing through “ ower therapy,” Austin said.

She begins each workshop session with her story and the inspiration for Brooks Floral & Co. en she opens the oor to attendees who would like to share a story. Austin believes designing oral arrangements is like meditation because one has to become intentional and re ective. is type of environment has been successful in allowing people to open up, she said. e workshops close with a gift — writing a mantra on a card to set an intention and a reminder for people to see the beauty in themselves.

“In the beginning, there are nerves, fear and self doubt,” Austin said, but “those shift to a

ey are designed for any skill level and participants don’t need to consider themselves creative or have any background in designing oral arrangements. Attendees learn oral design tips, tricks and techniques, but Austin does not use a model bouquet.

“ at would take away the beauty of personalization,” she said. “Each design ends up uniquely di erent.”

Centennial’s Caroline Neale attended her rst oral design workshop with Austin earlier this year, in part due to a New Year’s Resolution — to focus time on her passion of oral design. She said she was attracted to Austin’s workshop style and the workshop’s focus on the whole person.

“While I thought I would get instruction, I got so much more,” Neale said. “I found a safe space to explore and connect.”

Austin has only one rule for the workshops. It is to not judge yourself.

“We tend to be really harsh critics of ourselves, but owers don’t judge us,” Austin said. “ ey just ask that we take care of them and appreciate their beauty.”

Fond memories

Bob Christenson described his mother, Jean “Jeannie Bird” Christenson, as a “ ower nut,” and he believes Austin inherited her love of owers through her grandmother.

Austin has fond memories of playing with her siblings and cousins in their grandmother Jeannie Bird’s garden. It was like a maze, Austin said, and they would spend hours exploring it together.

Austin’s late brother, Brooks, loved nature, traveling and adventure, she said. After high school, he spent a year abroad on a Rotary Exchange Program in Romania. He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the University of South Dakota in 2008, and a juris doctor from the university’s School of Law in 2012. In 2015, he graduated from the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies with a master’s degree in organizational management, global

health, and political theory.

Among other professional accomplishments, Brooks served as a grant writer and advisor for nonpro ts and led e orts to combat global poverty.

He was a craft brewer and was working on collecting wild owers from each county in South Dakota to create different oral-inspired avors in his beer. He used cooking as a creative outlet and taught Austin, who moved to Colorado in 2014, how to cook.

Austin’s core memories of her brother are tied directly to the inspiration for her oral company. His adventurous spirit is re ected in her asymmetrical and whimsy oral designs.

“Whenever I feel imposter syndrome or feel like I’m not enough, I feel his presence guiding me, saying thank you for doing this,” Austin said. “‘You’ve got this.’”

Flourishing through floral design

During the initial period following Brooks Christenson’s death, the family home was ooded with oral arrangements and plants, transforming it into an indoor garden. ese owers brought comfort during a tragic time, and Austin realized she didn’t want the owers to go to waste.

“Once the owers were gone, it was like a piece of my brother (was, too), in a sense,” she said. “It is therapeutic to still feel connected.”

So, Austin did everything she could to keep the owers alive. She rearranged fresh bouquets to give them a longer lifespan, then dried and pressed the owers and sent them to Brooks’ friends and family who could not be present to honor her brother’s memory.

Prior to her brother’s death, Austin was a wedding planner. But owers are her true passion, she said. Floral arranging as a creative outlet has helped her process grief and stay connected to her brother’s memory. She wanted to share this with others.

“By combining my creativity, passion and love for owers with education, I’m able to create a community that allows connectedness, kindness, compassion, acceptance and self-love to ourish through oral design,” Austin said. She knows this mission is something her brother would be proud of.

“Flowers can teach us so much about ourselves,” Austin said. “Flowers are nite and there is something really special about caring for and designing orals. Experiencing their beauty allows us to really live and re ect in the moment while asking for nothing in return.”

The late Brooks Christenson had a passion for adventure and travel. Here, he is pictured during a trip to Uganda when he travelled there with a nonprofit as a grant-writer. The trip was to do humanity work that focused on clean water and medical supplies.

COURTESY PHOTO

Kaitlin Austin was inspired to open her business, Brooks Floral & Co., in honor of her late brother, Brooks, who died in 2021 from complications brought on by COVID-19. Austin expanded her business about a year ago to include a studio space on South Broadway where she hosts flower therapy workshops.

PHOTO BY MARY ANN CRADDOCK

To

Brooks Floral & Co., visit brooksfloralco.com.

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

On most Tuesdays and ursdays and some Saturdays, a team of bikers meets to explore Colorado’s network of trails.

e group connects at a co ee shop in downtown Denver. When the weather isn’t too hot, it’s after work around 4 or 5 p.m. In the dead of summer, it’s usually in the morning.  ey sip on espresso and decide where they want to ride that day. It could be on the bike lanes of Denver, the 36 Bikeway to Boulder, the Platte River Trail to Brighton or other suburbs. Most of the time, it involves a stop along the way.

“We would go down the Platte River Trail to the C-470 Trail and then Krispy Kremes along there. We call it the Krispy 50. It’s a 50-mile loop,” said Ted Schultz, one of the riders in the group.

e group started after Schultz and two colleagues in his o ce space decided to start riding together after work. Schultz rode with a few others and combined the two groups.

After the ride, they go to a brewery to catch up with one another and relax after the ride.

Colorado’s network of trails

Part of the reason the group exists is due to Colorado’s extensive bike trail infrastructure. Schultz said it’s only improved in the past two decades.

“When you add up the miles of really good trails, it’s just mind-boggling,” he said.

Schultz, who grew up in Colorado, said understanding for cyclists sharing the road and building more infrastructure has vastly grown. In the 1970s and 1980s, he could almost count on angry driver backlash during his rides. Now, not so much.

Much of that may be due to more focus on improving trails and streets.  e Denver Regional Council of Governments built a map that shows all the trails and bike lanes across the region. ey stretch all the way from Boulder to Clear Creek to Castle Rock.

And more may be coming. e Greenhouse Gas Planning Standard, a new rule adopted by the Transportation Commission of Colorado in December 2021, requires agencies to measure greenhouse gas emissions from transit projects, with limits on how high those emissions go.

With bicycle infrastructure providing the option for some drivers to ditch their cars, it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Jacob Riger, multimodal transportation planning manager for the Denver Regional Council of Governments, said his group has already modi ed its 2050 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan based on the rule.

Emily Lindsey, active and emerging mobility program manager for DRCOG, said people are ready. Of the 15 million daily trips in the region, 43% are less than three miles and 19% are less than one mile.

“So, super bikeable, even more so with e-bikes,” she said.

Chris Chen, one of the riders in the group, noted that some improvements are needed. Chen, who lives in Littleton, said there aren’t many bike lanes.

He said either more need to be added or wider shoulders are needed. He also said more education about how to share the road with bicyclists needs to be implemented, citing the death of Gwen Inglis in 2021.

Inglis was a national champion who was struck and killed by a driver in Lakewood.

“It’s been so long since I took the driver’s test, but I don’t know if they have incorporated anything into that,” Chen said.

He explained that it’s scary when vehicles go by fast, especially semi-

“If it’s really close, it’s really scary, not only the sounds of it and in the nearness of that fast-moving object, but the air actually pulling you in,” Chen said.

Compared to other places, Anthony Harvey, another member of the group, said the bike infrastructure here ranks higher than other places he’s seen, including Texas, California and Chicago.

Benefits of riding e group ranges in age. Chen is

But he didn’t like the fact he had to drive to the pool before 5 a.m. to be at practice in time.  at was too early for him, so he stopped swimming and started cycling more. Not only did it satisfy as a workout, but also was more convenient.

“I can combine commuting and exercise all together,” Chen said.  en he joined the group and it became a lot more fun. It was a way

Ted Schultz poses in his garage in the Washington Park neighborhood.

PHOTO BY LUKE ZARZECKI

Bicyclists enjoy pastime that has grown in Colorado

SEE BIKE TRAILS, P15

VOICES

Take time for arts and science this summer — for free

Getting out of town for a summer vacation is always fun.

But staying local also has its bene ts. Denver is a destination, too, attracting millions of visitors every year. Here, we have a bustling city that boasts an array of entertainment options, cultural institutions and restaurants.

To begin exploring all that the city o ers this summer, I recommend looking to the SCFD.

SCFD is an acronym for the Scienti c & Cultural Facilities District.

It is supported by a sales tax of one penny on every $10 to support cultural organizations in the sevencounty metro area — Denver, Boulder, Broom eld, Adams, Arapahoe, Je erson and Douglas. e SCFD

FROM THE EDITOR

supports more than 100 organizations in Denver alone and about 300 throughout the district. According to its website, the “SCFD distributes more than $60 million each year” to these organizations.

ues throughout the metro area, visit scfd.org. Hover over the ‘Find Culture’ tab to get a drop down menu and select ‘Free Days’ to browse the calendar.

Christy Steadman

To ensure that everyone has access to these fun places and experiences, the SCFD o ers Free Days.

It’s easy to nd these SCFD Free Days. Some arts and cultural institutions list them on their websites, but to nd out about them at all the ven-

A number of cultural organizations, including the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, o er SCFD Free Days on a regularly-occurring basis throughout the year. Others, the Denver Zoo and Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, for example, o er their SCFD Free Days more sporadically, albeit still plenty throughout the year. It just takes a bit more planning in advance for those.

It’s important to note that thanks to the SCFD, some organizations — like the Broom eld Veterans Museum

Looking back, and forward, as I depart City Council

My election to Denver City Council was against the odds. I grew up working class without a lot of money. I went to law school on loans and scholarships, but rather than chase a fat law rm salary, I became an organizer holding developers accountable for affordable housing, good jobs and sustainability — but campaigning is expensive. I was juggling a toddler and couldn’t even legally marry my son’s other mom — in a city that had never elected an out LGBT leader.

But Denver embraced me, and reelected me twice. Serving this city has been a gift and a challenge, and I look back with gratitude on all we’ve accomplished together.

My service began with a city budget stuck in the Great Recession. Voters wisely restored nancial stability, and you know the rest: Our sunshine, mountains and amenities welcomed a decade of strong job and population growth that lasted until the pandemic. roughout it all, I focused on ensuring a high quality of life for Denver’s families — good jobs that pay enough to live here, more a ordable housing in inclusive communities that are healthy and sustainable for future generations.

Denver is a city in an America

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and the Colorado Music Hall of Fame at Red Rocks in Morrison — o er free admission all the time. Other organizations are able to o er experiences and events that are free and open to the general public because of the SCFD’s support. Remember the old Elitch Gardens when it was located in northwest Denver? Today, the original location at 4550 W. 38th Ave. is home to the Historic Elitch eatre, and it is hosting free movie nights — with familyfriendly (PG and PG-13) blockbuster lms — throughout the summer.

So, if you are still unsure what your summer will entail, do some exploring through the SCFD. I guarantee it will help you plan an unforgettable, fun- lled local summer.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Sampling for Hope

GUEST COLUMN

Robin Kniech

that sells land and housing to the highest bidder, making housing a ordability among our greatest challenges — and we started way behind. I was elected to govern a Denver with no housing department, zero dollars in local funding and a state law banning a ordability requirements for the apartments going up everywhere.

Together, we fought and won a transformation in the city’s approach to housing. I led the charge for one-time funding and then for Denver’s rst A ordable Housing Fund in 2016, doubled in 2018. It took eight years to generate the rst $99 million in local housing dollars. anks to development fees, a voter-approved sales tax to reduce homelessness, marijuana and property tax, and more, Denver invested $97 million from these funds in 2023 alonefor home ownership, rental assistance, new a ordable housing and services to transition people out of homelessness. By 2030, they’ll invest nearly $1 billion.

On top of the funding, I championed a change in state law so we can now require a ordability in all new residential development, and passed other policies like a prohibi-

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher

lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

CHRISTY STEADMAN Editor csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

tion on discrimination in source of income and more.

We also transformed expectations for job quality with new policies and wage standards. e statewide minimum wage was $7.36 in 2011. In 2019, I led passage of Colorado’s rst, and only, local wage — which goes further than any city in the nation at $17.29. It’s helping Denver live up to our values of racial and gender equity as more Black, Indigenous, people of color and women make up the ranks of service workers, and helps all workers keep up with cost of living.

Denver’s challenges are still great, but as I leave o ce, “basic city services” now include a wider foundation of programs for housing, economic stability and sustainability. Your next elected leaders have critical new tools and can expand and build upon this foundation.

All of this happened because of community partners, supporters (and pressure!) from constituents like you, who helped overcome reluctance and opposition we faced along the way. I will cheer the next generation of leaders on, but your engagement remains important. When the ease of the campaign trail translates to the rough realities of governing, sometimes hard decisions are needed to maintain

In recent years, domestic violence incidents and deaths have risen in Colorado, and abusers continue to nd new ways to maintain power and control over their partners. At the same time, Denver’s housing costs have continued to rise while wage growth remains stagnant, resulting in a volatile housing market. is has sparked important conversations about barriers faced by survivors of domestic violence when they try to leave an abusive relationship. Finding safe, a ordable housing is among the biggest of these barriers. Since 2018, SafeHouse Denver has o ered an Extended Stay Program, which provides survivors with rent-free, fully furnished apartments in a safe environment. e program o ers independent living and gives survivors extra time to nd longterm housing and other necessary resources for stability.

As a student studying law at the University of Denver and seeking to engage with the community, I was drawn to SafeHouse’s mission, so I’ve been volunteering with them ever since.

SafeHouse holds an annual food tasting fundraiser, called Sampling for Hope, to support the Extended Stay Program and raise awareness. As a member of the planning committee since 2019, I’m looking forward to this year’s event. It takes place on June 8 at Mile High Station, SEE LETTER, P15 SEE KNIECH, P15

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Profile. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone. Email letters to csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline 5 p.m. on the 20th of each month for the following month’s paper.

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Adrian Juarez RESPECT ACADEMY

Future plans: Pursue a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of ColoradoDenver.

Quote: “Academically, I’ve learned a lot. But I’ve also learned that mistakes and errors are a part of growth. I learned that giving up is never the answer. We owe it to ourselves and those who support us to try, even if we fail because failure creates a bigger success. e key is to just keep trying.”

DSST: COLE HIGH SCHOOL

Future plans: Major in education at Regis University.

Quote: “ e Class of 2023 is really good on advocating for themselves, not afraid to speak their minds, and one day in the future, they will be seen as role models. If no one believes in you, you need to believe in yourself because at the end of day, you are yourself.”

DSST: BYERS

Future plans: Attend Tarleton State University in Texas for Division 1 Cheer, major in nursing.

Quote: “ e class of 2023 is special because of how close we have grown as a class, especially because our high school experience has had so many unexpected situations.”

DSST: BYERS

Future plans: Study Economics at Texas A&M.

Quote: “ e class of 2023 is special because we have developed a voice for ourselves to stand up and advocate for ourselves, and for what we hope to change for the future.”

Hawa

DENVER SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

Future plans: Study integrated nursing at the Community College of Denver.

Quote: “English is not my rst language, so high school taught me to ask for support and join the community to learn the language and grow as a student.”

With

DSST:

CONSERVATORY GREEN HIGH SCHOOL

Future plans: Attend Colorado College.

Quote: “Besides the hard skills, like the strong academics, I have learned a lot about team work, the soft skills of working with others. I know that these are the skills that will be valuable for both college and lifelong success.”

DSST: COLE HIGH SCHOOL

Future plans: Major in biomedical and mechanical engineering at Colorado State University.

Quote: “People aren’t always going to be by your side, and there are others that will. So at the end of the day, do what you want to do for yourself and not for others.”

DSST: CONSERVATORY GREEN HIGH SCHOOL

Future plans: Attend the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.

Quote: “Our Class of 2023, we are the breaking point of diversity and education. When I was going out and visiting college campuses, I noticed how White the campuses were. Now with our class, so many of us are heading to college and we are making the di erence and change in higher education.”

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Janet Santos-Castaneda

Bradford Murphy

Steven David Esquivel

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Quincy Breaux

MARVIA VALDEZ: A NEIGHBORHOOD’S BEST FRIEND

Neighborhood organization is fundraising for a park shelter in her honor

BY THE BELLEVUE-HALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

As the sun sets on the homes in the 1200 block of Birch Street in Denver, eyes might come to rest on a white brick house with green shutters. Until the winter of 2021, one would likely have seen a white-haired woman with a big smile inside this home, sitting at her computer by the window of her o ce. She likely would have provided a friendly wave while a small black-and-tan dog named Toby kept watch through the front screen door.

e woman’s name was Marvia Valdez. She was one of the more familiar faces in Denver’s BellevueHale neighborhood.

Her impact was signi cant and ongoing. Times changed through the years, but Valdez was steadfast in her views of community. She always spoke of how community — the cooperation, friendship and caring

of neighbors for other neighbors — is what keeps a neighborhood healthy and alive.

“Marvia was the rst person I met when I moved into the neighborhood 12 years ago,” said Tom Arrison, neighbor and member of the Bellevue-Hale Neighborhood Association’s Lindsley Park Shelter Committee. “She was altogether friendly. Working around her over the years, I noticed how people were drawn to her and sought to be involved in her projects. She was just one of those people who made involvement easy and a joy. But she was strong-willed and things got done.”

Many knew Valdez from visits with her in her yard, or her and Toby’s daily visits to Lindsley Park, where Valdez would tend to annual and perennial gardens. Others encountered her during the holiday season when she worked with neighborhood volunteers to decorate the small evergreen trees with ornaments in the picnic area of Lindsley Park.

Her strong sense of community helped hold the fabric of the neighborhood together.

Valdez joined the Bellevue-Hale Neighborhood Association’s Board of

Trustees in 1979, just two years after the neighborhood organization was formed and registered with the city and county of Denver. Her tenure includes serving as president for a number of years.

Just some of the community gatherings Valdez was involved with include an outdoor family movie night with live music, food and ice cream trucks; an annual summer BHNA Picnic in Lindsley Park; an annual Holiday Party hosted in the neighborhood’s historic homes; and neighborhood yard sales to raise funds for BHNA.

“Her main focus was creating and building community through activities that brought people together,” said Laurie Bogue, member and past president of the BHNA Board. “Marvia’s enthusiasm, perseverance and quiet leadership motivated many others to work on behalf of the neighborhood.”

roughout her life, Valdez remained vigilant with her vision of community and in uenced development decisions in the neighborhood. She made a di erence.

Valdez died in January 2021 from a battle with cancer.

To honor her e orts of building community, the BHNA, in partnership with Denver Parks and Recreation, is making strides on ful lling

P.O. Box 200084, Denver, CO, 80220.

Valdez’s dream to construct a shelter in Lindsley Park, which will serve as a community space where neighbors and families can gather for various activities.

Fundraising and planning for the construction of the shelter has already begun. Improvements to the

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Marvia Valdez COURTESY PHOTO

SEE VALDEZ, P9

The Bellevue-Hale Neighborhood Association is a Registered Neighborhood Organization. Learn more at bellevuehale.org. To donate to the Marvia Valdez Lindsley Park Shelter, visit bellevuehale. org/lindsley-park-pavilion. Donations can also be mailed to BHNA,

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Martin Howard spent years of his life making waves in New York City as a trained executive pastry chef, thrilling locals with his chocolate-made marvels. In 1996, Howard and several of his culinary colleagues participated in a chocolate-themed fundraising bene t where all of the chefs presented a themed tasting table. Howard’s was themed around “ e Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” an Australian drag-themed road comedy from 1994. Howard came in drag as Chocolatina, Queen of the Dessert. She served a dessert in the shape of a high-heeled shoe and did a musical baking demo.

On that day, Chocolatina Q. Dessert was born.

Later after moving to Denver, Chocolatina became known as e Pie Queen. “ e Pie Queen started during COVID when we had no work. I started at home, then Epicurean Catering — where I work — let me use their kitchen,” said Chocolatina. “During COVID, people were starved for comfort food and live entertainment. I decided to bring it to their front yard.”

On June 17, join Chocolatina as e Pie Queen of Denver at Pride on South Pearl, a fun- lled local pride event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

“I will be there to provide sweet treats and musical merriment,” e Pie Queen said.

e event’s festivities take place from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Historic South Pearl Street in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood. It will include food trucks, live music and other entertainment, and much more.

e event will also raise funds for e Center on Colfax, a nonpro t that serves the LGBTQ+ community throughout the Rocky Mountain region. e Center on Colfax gives a voice to Colorado’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and

Come meet The Pie Queen of Denver on June 17

and dance performance and will have her tasty pies for sale.

“I am so excited that the Pie Queen will be singing and dancing during our Pride on South Pearl event,” said Fidler. “I read about her during the pandemic and hired her to entertain friends and bring her delicious pies to two special occasions. Aside from the fact that we bonded over New York roots, the Pie Queen is charming, funny and an extremely talented performer and baker.”

picnic area, landscaping and gardens are also planned.

Valdez was born in Craig, Colorado. She moved to Denver in the mid-1960s, and the Bellevue-Hale

CELEBRATE PRIDE IN DENVER

There are numerous Pride events taking place in the Mile High City throughout June — everything from 21+ shows to family-friendly live entertainment. Here are some suggestions.

Family Fun Day: PRIDE

June 11, noon to 2 p.m. Girl Scout DreamLab, 63 N. Quebec St. tinyurl.com/GSCOFamilyFunDayPRIDE

Queeridescence: A Prismatic Masqueerade

June 15, 7-10 p.m. (doors open at 6:30). GrantHumphreys Mansion, 770 Pennsylvania St. tinyurl.com/Queeridescence

We Are Here. The Drag Guide to Pride

June 15 and 16, 8 p.m. show (doors at 7 p.m.) both nights. The Perplexiplex at Meow Wolf Denver, 1338 First St. meowwolf.com/events/ denver

Melodies of Pride

June 22, 7 p.m. City Park, 2001 Steele St. mhfb.org

Pride Shabbat at JCC

Denver

June 23, 6-8:30 p.m. (free Kabbalat Shabbat 6-7 p.m., Shabbat Dinner 7–8:30 p.m.). StaenbergLoup Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St. tinyurl.com/PrideJCCDenver

Denver PrideFest 2023

June 24-25, various events will take place all day at multiple locations. denverpride.org

Rainbow Family Party

June 25, 3-5 p.m. (storytime starts at 3:30 p.m.). Children’s Library at Central Library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway tinyurl.com/RainbowFamilyParty

To find a list of the entertainment and attractions for Pride on South Pearl, visit southpearlstreet.com/pride-on-south-pearl.

queer community, and plays a pivotal role in statewide initiatives to reduce harassment and discrimination.

Pride on South Pearl is a family friendly event with activities for people of all ages. Attendees can participate in an educational Pride ag scavenger hunt, prepare for e Center on Colfax’s

neighborhood in the mid1970s.

As a professional, Valdez wore many other hats. She retired from a teaching career of more than 20 years with Denver Public Schools in 1990, and served as a part-time teacher at Emily Gri th Technical College until 2014. Valdez also em-

Denver PrideFest 2023 — which takes place June 24-25 — with tie dying at the Second Star to the Right bookstore, and dance the night away at the DJ Dance Party with DJ Cyn.

“We encourage the community to come dressed for a good time and demonstrate their support for

braced being a landlord and an adventurer of road trips with her daughter, Sherri.

Valdez’s most memorable trait was her amazing ability to connect with students and their families, neighbors and her tenants. She would go to the former Annie’s Café on Fridays to visit with friends and neighbors. And Valdez

Pride,” said Jody Fidler, event organizer and a South Pearl Street merchant.

Pride-goers can also engage with two of Denver’s most notable drag artists, Alice Glamoure and e Pie Queen herself. Alice Glamoure will be leading Drag Queen Story Time and e Pie Queen will do a song

particularly enjoyed meeting newcomers to the neighborhood and keeping in touch with many of the neighbors who moved away.

“It was an honor to know and work with Marvia for over 30 years. Her compelling enthusiasm for the betterment of our neighborhood remains an inspiration,” said

e freedom of creative gender expression through drag has been under re in recent months with some states restricting drag performances in public spaces. Denver, however, has generally been a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Gov. Jared Polis recently signed HB19-1129, which prohibits mental health care providers from engaging in conversion therapy with a patient under 18 years of age; and HB19-1039, Jude’s Law, which allows for easier change of gender markers on identi cation documents.

ough Colorado has several laws supporting the LGBTQ+ community, some Coloradans are concerned about HB23-1135, a 2023 State House Bill that increases the penalty for indecent exposure in view of a minor under 15 years of age from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony. Opponents of the bill have some concern that it could lead to restricting drag shows in Colorado. e bill is currently waiting for Polis’ signature.

“Everyone should be able to live their life freely and fully without being threatened,” e Pie Queen said. “Visibility is the best way for people to get over their fears. If someone told me in the ‘80s that we’d be at this point now, I would have laughed. We’ve gone backwards, but here in Denver, it seems to be embraced, thank goodness.”

Ray Allen, a long-time friend, neighbor and BHNA board member. “Marvia’s passion was to know and help others, and to contribute to our neighborhood. e Lindsley Park Shelter, Marvia’s vision, will keep her memory alive and be a community space to foster friendships among our neighbors.”

Chocolatina Q. Dessert, The Pie Queen of Denver COURTESY PHOTO

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

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

June and July

Denver Municipal Band: free concerts in the park

Time: Varies.

Location: Multiple.

Cost: Free.

e Denver Municipal Band is putting on many free concerts in the park throughout Denver this summer. ese are the June and July concerts:

June 17: Platt Park, 5-6:30 p.m. (DMB Brass Quintet and neighborhood celebration)

July 4: Wash Park Boathouse, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (DMB Brass Quintet & Piano Concert and neighborhood picnic); Washington Park, 7-8:15 p.m. (DMB Concert Band traditional patriotic concert)

July 7: Cheesman Park, 7-8:15 p.m. (DMB Concert Band)

July 8: Southmoor Park, 7:30-8:45 p.m. (DMB Concert Band)

July 9: Levitt Pavilion at Ruby Hill Park, time is TBD (DMB Concert Band)

July 16: Washington Park, 6-8:45 p.m. (Colorado Honor Band and DMB Concert Band)

July 22: Harvey Park, 7:30-8:45 p.m. (DMB Concert Band with neighborhood festival and reworks)

More information/reservations: denvermunicipalband.org

Photo courtesy of the Denver Municipal Band.

Sundays June 4-Aug. 6

City Park Jazz

Time: 6-8 p.m.

Location: Pavilion in City Park, 2001 Steele St., Denver.

Cost: Free.

City Park Jazz is a concert series now in its 37th season. ey are free, family-friendly concerts that feature local musicians performing jazz, blues and salsa. Food trucks will also be available for food purchases. e events are put on by City Park Jazz, a volunteerrun, Denver-based nonpro t.

More information/reservations: cityparkjazz.org

e 2023 City Park Jazz T-shirt design. Sales bene t City Park

event and a photo or event logo. Deadline is the 20th of each month for the event to be listed the following month. Submissions can be emailed to Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

For more Mile High Happenings, visit lifeoncaphill.com or washparkprofile.com.

May 3-Aug. 27

Molly Brown House Museum: The World isChanging

Time: Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Last entry is at 4 p.m.

Location: Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver.

Cost: Guided tours are $16-$20; Explore On Your Own are $12-$16. Members and children 5 and younger are free. Colorado residents receive $2 o all ticket purchases.

e “ e World is Changing” exhibit at the Molly Brown House Museum explores the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, which the Browns attended. e exhibit includes unique original artifacts from the fair. Margaret at the World’s Fair Guided Tours take place at 1 p.m.

June 9 and 10

Denver Chamber Music Festival

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Location: Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver, 2344 E. Iliff Ave.

Cost: $30 general admission, $50 for VIP seating and reception. Student dis-

May 18-Aug. 5

MSU Denver’s Center for Visual Art: I Do/We Do/You Do

Time: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Open until 8 p.m. on First Fridays.

Location: MSU Denver’s Center for Visual Art, 965 Santa Fe Drive, Denver.

Cost: Free.

Jazz. Shirts will be available for purchase at the Board of Directors booth at any of the concerts, while supply lasts. Image courtesy of the City Park Jazz website.

e “I Do/We Do/You Do” exhibition features the work of art educators and their re ections on the intersections of teaching and art making practices. Artists include invited national artists, a collaboration among an art educator research group, and a juried selection of Colorado art teachers.

More information/reservations:

Sundays and ursdays. Coinciding with the exhibit are Under the Lens events, which cost $22 for members and $25 for the general public. ese are: Food at the World’s Fair on June 27, Innovations at the World’s Fair on July 25, and Representation at the Fair on Aug. 22.

More information/reservations: mollybrown.org

Image courtesy of a press release.

count tickets are available for $10. These two concerts are part of the Denver Chamber Music Festival’s third season. On June 9, the concert is “Schubertiade,” which will celebrate Franz Schubert. The concert on June 10 will be “Folk Inspirations,” which will feature Gabriel Fauré’s Piano Trio, Béla Bartók’s 1st String Quartet, and Antonín Dvo ák’s Piano Quintet.

More information/reservations: denverchambermusicfestival.org

msudenver.edu/cva

KSMoCA, “On Moonless Nights: A collaboration between Chitra Ganesh and students from Martin Luther King Jr. School” 2017. Image courtesy of a press release.

June 11-Oct. 1

Justin Favela: Vistas in Color

Time: Varies.

Location: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St.

Cost: Included with admission.

“Justin Favela: Vistas in Color” is a site-speci c work created for the Denver Botanic Gardens. e oor-to-ceiling desert landscape mural is made of piñata tissue paper and spans the entire ellipse-shaped Bon ls-Stanton Gallery. Inspiration for the mural comes from images of desert landscapes across the U.S. and Mexico, including some from the artist’s own road trips. Favela is a Las Vegasbased Latinx and rst-generation American artist, and has had work exhibited internationally and across the U.S. More information/reservations: botanicgardens.org

Image: Justin Favela, Valley of Oaxaca, after José María Velasco, 2018. Photo courtesy of the Berman Museum of Art, via press release from the Denver Botanic Gardens.

June 13

June 17-18

City Park Alliance Golf Tournament

Time: 6:15 a.m. registration open, 8 a.m. shotgun start.

Location: City Park Golf Course, 3181 E. 23rd Ave., Denver.

Cost: Begins at $175 for a single registration to $700 for a foursome registration. Sponsorships also available.

is is the third annual year for the City Park Alliance’s Golf Tournament. e City Park Alliance is a nonpro t dedicated to preserving and improving the park. Proceeds from the golf tournament bene t projects in the park, such as upgrades to the Mile-High Loop path, and supporting the First Tee youth program. e event also includes a post-tournament lunch and awards presentation.

More information/reservations: cityparkalliance.golfreg.com

Photo courtesy of Craig Howson.

June 15-19

Historic Denver’s Capitol Crossroads: A Citywide Scavenger Hunt

Time: Varies.

Location: Multiple venues in Denver’ Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Cost: $18 for adults, $12 for children. Member discounts apply. is scavenger hunt provides an opportunity for participants to follow a series of clues to discover and learn more about Denver’s key historic places in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. e scavenger hunt can be done on foot (or bike or roll) as an individual or in a group, but teams of four-to-six people are recommended.  e scavenger hunt happens annually, but each year, Historic Denver crafts a new route and new clues.

More information/reservations: historicdenver.org

Image courtesy of Historic Denver via press release.

Juneteenth Music Festival

Time: All day.

Location: Welton Street corridor in Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood.

Cost: Free general admission.

Denver’s annual Juneteenth Music Festival is a community event in honor of Juneteenth, the day when the last of the nation’s enslaved people learned of their freedom. e two-day event in Denver o ers a parade, vendor’s market, food and beverages, and lots of live music.

More information/reservations: juneteenthmusicfestival.com Logo courtesy of the Juneteenth Music Festival’s website.

June 22

Summer Solstice Gala 2023: From Action To Nourishment

Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: Space Gallery Annex, 95 S. Cherokee St., Denver.

Cost: Starts at $75. is fundraiser event o ers Colorado craft cocktails and tastings by the nest chefs and farmers in the metro area.

e evening will also have a silent auction, guest speakers and live music. All proceeds bene t Denver Food Rescue and support its mission to produce health equity in Denver neighborhoods. More information/reservations: denverfoodrescue.org Courtesy logo.

Honoring the lives of artists and creators

INDIGENOUS COMIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL COMES TO DENVER JUNE 9-11

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Marcos Garibay fondly remembers his grandmother’s ofrenda. It was a traditional ofrenda permanently in the home — his grandmother kept it on her bedroom dresser.

e ofrenda was covered with pictures of Catholic gures, dozens of candles and countless colorful plastic owers.

An ofrenda is an ornate altar often found in Catholic, Mexican and Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures. It honors loved ones who have died.

Even as a child, Garibay knew he would one day make his own ofrenda. And now an adult, Garibay has put his own, modern twist on

the traditional ofrenda — he has an entire wall in his Denver home dedicated to the memorial. Honoring his mother who he lost at a young age, Garibay’s ofrenda has photos of passed loved ones surrounded by vibrant, colorful frames. Silk and plastic owers also dot the wall and bright lights are strung throughout. He also has framed newspaper clippings that have detailed some of his most tragic losses.

As he grew to further embrace his Indigenous cultural traditions, Garibay cultivated a love for art and creativity. He now dedicates his life to art and to making positive changes within his community as the program director for the Denver-based after school lm produc-

tion company, Tomorrow Maker Studios.

“Celebrating Indigenous art is very important to me and my work because it’s a way to reclaim and honor something that was lost and taken from me,” Garibay said. “I grew up in a very culturally rich environment, but for the most part, most of the aspects of that culture are things that are a result of Spanish colonization.”

Spanish isn’t the language his ancestors spoke, and Catholicism isn’t the religion they practiced, Garibay said.

“ e architecture people typically associate with Mexico is that of European design, likely constructed out of my ancestors’ demolished buildings,” Garibay said. “Celebrating Indigenous art is one of the few ways that I have left to reclaim this

To learn more about the áyA Con Ofrenda at the McNichols Civic Center Building, visit mcnicholsbuilding.com/ exhibitions. For more information and a full schedule of áyA Con events, visit ayacondenver.art.

missing piece of my culture.” is June, the McNichols Civic Center Building will be host to an elaborate ofrenda created by Garibay and his creative partner, Adrianna Baez.

“We are using EVA foam, cardboard, real moss, plastic owers, several di erent lights, paint, a few di erent textiles and PVC piping to construct our ofrenda,” said Baez. “ e design work took about a week, and we are hoping to construct it in about two weeks. We have already

SEE FESTIVAL, P13

Grupo Huitzilopochtli performs in 2019. While the schedule is still being finalized, it is expected the dance group will also perform at this year’s áyA Con event, which takes place June 9-11. COURTESY OF VIKI EAGLE

Marcos Garibay COURTESY PHOTO

Marcos Garibay’s home ofrenda dedicated to his mother. COURTESY PHOTO

begun constructing some of the components so that assembly will be easier, and we will have a larger crew to help with construction at the McNichols Civic Center Building.”

e ofrenda will be on display June 9-15 and honor the lives of artists and creators who were lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. Garibay and Baez’s ofrenda is in uenced by Mayan architecture and is topped with a skull inspired by Cizin, the Mayan god of death and earthquakes. In conjunction with Garibay and Baez’s ofrenda, the public is invited to bring photos of people they have recently lost and place them on a community altar.

e ofrenda is a part of Denver’s Indigenous comic and art festival called áyA Con, which takes place June 9-11. It is a celebration of indigeneity, hosted by and highlighting North American Indigenous creators. is all-inclusive familyfriendly festival features comic creators, bead artists, musicians, digital illustrators, drag ashion performance, designers, Indigenous dancers and more. áyA Con is a

collaborative festival with events taking place at several locations in Denver. e ofrenda, art and select performances will take place at the McNichols Civic Center Building. Panels, art making and community booths with interactive activities will take place at the Denver Art Museum. e Levitt Pavilion will also be hosting Rez Metal night, a free concert with a lineup of ve Indigenous heavy metal bands.

“Come to áyA Con to build connections, celebrate the di er-

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“ is is something that all true artists can relate to. It’s what connects us. ey will never have a chance to nish the projects they were in the process of bringing to life,” said Garibay. “My hope is that when people see the altar, they will discover some of these amazing artists and look into their body of work. is will allow the artists and their work to continue inspiring the living and lling their lives with beauty.”

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‘The design work took about a week, and we are hoping to construct it in about two weeks. We have already begun constructing some of the components so that assembly will be easier, and we will have a larger crew to help with construction at the McNichols Civic Center Building.’

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LETTER

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Please join us for delicious food, a silent auction and a mission-based program — all to support survivors, who deserve to know that they can feel safe from harm and know that they’re valuable to the world. Tickets can be purchased at https://p2p.onecause.com/samplingforhope2023. We hope to see you there!

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SIXTH AVENUE BEAUTY SALON

BIKE TRAILS

FROM PAGE 5

for him to make new friends, de-stress and get a workout. It also reminds him of his childhood.

“It’s the feeling of when you’re a little kid and you’re going fast and you’re like ‘this is awesome.’” Chen said.

“It still feels like that. at sense of freedom.”

Harvey said he got into biking after he was injured from MMA competitions and decided to switch sports. He participates in various races.

“I was able to actually race with bikes and can also stay t,” he said.

Benefits of friendship

While the biking brings the group together, the camaraderie keeps them pedaling. Schultz, Chen and Harvey all talked about the importance of keeping up with each other, not just on the trail.

Each friend rides on their own and sees the bene ts of being alone. But with the group, they push each other to go faster and farther and have a chance to connect over a topic each is passionate about.

After each ride, they stop at a brewpub or a bar, with Chen’s recommendation for one with a food truck.

“ at’s when we can catch up on trips and things happening with the family and what new gadgets people have,” Chen said. “ at kind of stu .”

progress toward expanded access to a ordable housing, economic justice and sustainability. I hope you will support the next generation of leaders as you have me, even if you don’t always agree, as no citywide elected can with every constituent they represent. But you’ve stayed in dialogue with me all the same. ank you for an amazing 12 years.

An eye on the future

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

A woman’s place is in the kitchen –xing the pipes, of course. Or maybe doing plumbing repairs in the bathroom, or perhaps, xing a client’s HVAC unit.

Emily Gri th Technical College in downtown Denver has been educating people for more than 100 years. Recently, it created a special focus to attract female students to study careers in the trades.

ese female students were in the spotlight on May 9, when the Emily Gri th Foundation hosted an inaugural event at ReelWorks Denver called A Celebration of Women in Trades. It was a sellout with 256 attendees, and proved that more women are entering the elds that men have historically dominated.

“It was incredible,” said Robin Chalecki, president of the Emily Gri th Foundation. “We have not done a fundraiser lunch for a couple of years, since COVID. I wanted to host an event that really highlighted our students in the best way.”

Chalecki credits Emily Gri th students for their initiative and willingness to invest in themselves and their futures.

“Our students are so incredible, so entrepreneurial in spirit, investing in themselves to make their lives better,” she said. “It’s students that know the path they are taking.”

Emily Gri th has an 82% completion rate for its students, an 85% placement rate and a 99% success rate when it comes to students earning their licenses. More than 400 employers have hired Emily Gri th students.

Sarah Flores graduated from Emily Gri th last year with a certi cate

in HVAC while also working full-time as a service technician for Timberline Mechanical Systems in Boulder, where she’s worked for four years.

Flores served in the Marines and earned a bachelor’s degree but decided against going into teaching because of a lack of jobs.

Her father was a second-generation plumber.

“I thought I’d go back to what I knew, which is plumbing,” Flores said. “Trades will always be a high-demand, steady job. I could get hired just about anywhere. ere’s a high demand for my skill set, particularly since I have both a plumbing and HVAC background.”

In the long view, Flores would like to get a managerial job or go into engineering.

Catrina Peralta is studying CAD-BIM, which stands for computer aided drafting and building information modeling, at Emily Gri th and will nish her studies in April next year.

As the fourth child in a family of nine kids, she’s been working since she was 12 and has honed good work habits.

“I had to work really young to help out the family,” said Peralta, who is 36.

She describes computer programming as “all these di erent tools to build a building — anything from ground up, designing windows, doors, xtures, where electricity is run.”

Peralta has a job, and is taking courses 10 hours a week in person and the rest online.

“ at’s pretty much why I chose Emily Gri th. ey’re exible,” Peralta said.

She’s also looking into internships through Emily Gri th. Peralta hopes to be in a management position by age 40 “and to learn the eld the best I can.”

e May 9 event included a panel of three women who work in trades — one from the automotive repair program, another from the welding program and the third is an apprenticeship instructor at Emily Gri th. ey discussed why they entered these mostly-male elds.

“Our panelists were just fabulous,” Chalecki said. “ ey spoke about their journeys, why they came into nontraditional trades, why women should come into these elds — and the audience reacted positively to this.”

e event also included demo stations where attendees could learn more about industries that Emily Gri th students are studying, and students showed o what they learned from their classes.

Demo stations included water quality management, welding, and health sciences programs. One woman demonstrated how HVAC works. Auto repair students had an auto body repair simulator, and also demonstrated how to paint cars.

“We (still) have a ways to go get more women” in these elds, Chalecki said, adding that getting the message out that they have support is important.

But “more people in general are understanding the value of a trades education,” Chalecki said. “ at will mean that more women will arrive as well.”

Emily Griffith Technical College celebrates women entering fields traditionally held by men

Sarah Flores is a 2022 graduate from Emily Gri th Technical College’s HVAC program. COURTESY PHOTO