Life On
September 2020
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CAPITOL HILL A HOT-DOGGIN’ GOOD TIME Oscar Mayer Wienermobile visits the Denver Zoo
TEEN TALK Gen Z discusses Afrofuturism with community leaders
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DENVER’S TEE TIME Redesigned City Park Golf Course reopens
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CELEBRATING FRIENDSHIP Denver Art Museum’s powwow to be presented virtually
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2 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2020
Business Matters Christy Steadman | csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com Editor’s note: Business Matters is a monthly column featuring business news in the Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas, which is roughly central-north and south Denver. As businesses continue to weather the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colorado Community Media urges you to reach out to your favorite local businesses to find out their reopening status, or to check if they are operating differently upon reopening. If you are a local business that would like to announce any updates to your operations, email Christy Steadman at csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com.
NEW OPENINGS AND REOPENINGS Copper Door Coffee Roasters Copper Door Coffee Roasters has opened a new coffee shop at 1085 York St. in the Freyer-Newman Center of the Denver Botanic Gardens. Copper Door Coffee Roasters is a woman-owned company that is “committed to diversity, inclusion and community,” states its website. Copper Door coffee was established in 2006 by Hannah Ulbrich. The Denver Botanic Gardens location is the company’s third in Denver. The others are located at 900 W. First Ave. in The Yard, which is in the Art District on Santa Fe; and 7581 E. Academy Blvd in Lowry. Copper Door Coffee is also available wholesale, and offers free delivery in the Denver area. To learn more about Copper Door Coffee, visit https://copperdoorcoffee.com/.
Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge A new Pan-Latin restaurant that specializes in cuisine with South American, Japanese and Chinese influences has opened in Cherry Creek. Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge is located inside the JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek at 150 Clayton Lane. The name Toro is a “play on words,” translating to `tuna’ in Japanese and `bull’ in Spanish, states a news release. The menu features “the vibrant flavors and convivial dining culture of Central and South America, artfully blending Pan Latin and Asian flavors into creative, shareable small plates. Toro Latin Bar & Kitchen Cherry Creek will feature menu items unique to the location, including a ceviche bar,” the news release states. Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge is a concept of Denver’s own Chef Richard Sandoval, who owns and operates more than 45 restaurant concepts across the globe. Cherry Creek’s Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge is the sixth Toro location worldwide and the sixth Richard Sandoval concept in Colorado, according to a news release. “Together with the strength of our communities and tireless frontline, we have come through one of the most difficult times in history. I am so proud to have an incredible team and family beside me who have been working on opening our restaurants back up, cautiously and thoughtfully while incorporating the highest level of health and safety standards,” Sandoval said in the news release. “It is our pleasure to welcome you back over the coming days and weeks and hope to lend you some happiness, ease and comfort with our shared celebration of bold Pan-Latin flavors, outstanding service and memorable experience.” To learn more about the restaurant, visit www.torodenver.com.
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Denver’s Chef Richard Sandoval recently opened a new Pan-Latin restaurant called Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge inside the JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek at 150 Clayton Lane. The restaurant specializes in cuisine with South American, Japanese and Chinese influences. COURTESY PHOTO Pizzeria Locale Pizzeria Locale, a pizza eatery that has three established locations in Denver, opened a new location on Aug. 20 at 895 N. Albion St. in 9+CO, a new work-live-play development at East Ninth Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. Pizzeria Locale specializes in pizza inspired by the streets of Naples, Italy, and features a signature, four-ingredient dough that is fermented overnight and hand-stretched to order. “9+CO is a bustling community, which we are thankful to join during a challenging time,” said Pizzeria Locale’s brand manager Chris Donato in a news release. “There are already a number of wonderful local businesses open in the area and we are excited to share our Neighborhood Neapolitan pizza with our new guests.” Pizzeria Locale got its start in Boulder in January 2011. Its 9+CO location joins its others in Denver at 550 Broadway in the Speer neighborhood, 7505 E. 29th Place in the Central Park neighborhood, and 3484 W. 32nd Ave. in the West Highlands neighborhood. To learn more about the pizzeria or to place an order, visit www.pizzerialocale.com.
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Buffalo Exchange The Buffalo Exchange has cut ties with its Colorado locations because of recentlysurfaced employee complaints that include “allegations of sexual assault, underage drug and alcohol use, fraud and theft,” the Denver Post reported. According to the Denver Post article, the accusations are levied against Patrick Todd Colletti, who was the Colorado franchise managing partner in the six-partner group. The accusations are being investigated by the Denver Police Department and the FBI, the Denver Post states. The Buffalo Exchange is a buy-sell-trade clothing retailer headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, with franchise locations in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Its website confirms the permanent closure of its three Colorado locations — 1813 Pearl St. in Boulder, 226 E. 13th Ave. in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, and 51 Broadway in Denver’s Baker neighborhood. Fooducopia Washington Park restaurant Fooducopia
has closed its doors, according to a July 30 Facebook post. The restaurant located at 1939 E. Kentucky Ave. served “local, organic, and seasonal produce and high-quality artisan foods,” states its Facebook page. “From the bottom of my heart, it has been my great pleasure having Fooducopia. I will always treasure my time getting to know all of you,” the owner posted on Facebook. “You were my favorite part of owning a restaurant. I smile when I think about all the wonderful memories.” Milo’s Sports Tavern A neighborhood bar and restaurant in southeast Denver that operated for nearly 20 years announced its closure on Facebook on June 15. Milo’s Sports Tavern, 6495 E. Evans Ave., attribute the closure to hardships brought on by COVID-19, according to a Facebook post by the owner. “I think we all realized something in quarantine. We miss social interaction, we miss the human touch, we miss our friends and our neighbors, we miss our communities,” wrote TC Clark, who owned Milo’s Sports Tavern for about 11 years. “I’m sorry we couldn’t bring that back, but thank you for bringing that to us for all these years. It’s been a wonderful ride and we couldn’t have had it without you Denver.”
MILESTONES/CHANGES/OTHER The Denver Box A new program to support local chefs and restaurants, farmers and nonprofits launched in August. Called The Denver Box, it is a new program by The Lion Project. The Lion Project is a Denver-based organization with a mission “to accelerate nonprofit growth through video creation and production and service projects,” states its website. Each month, The Denver Box will partner with a different local chef and restaurant that sources its ingredients from Front Range purveyors. Each box will contain a curated meal that feeds four people. Cost is $100 per box — $50 of that goes to the restaurant and the other $50 is donated to a local nonprofit. “This summer, our small nonprofit, like so many others, faced some significant SEE BUSINESS, P3
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challenges: how to keep doing our important work, how to support local businesses who have supported us, how to support our community and overcome fundraising challenges,” said Zak Ferry, executive director of The Lion Project, in a news release. “The Denver Box is a way for us to support local restaurants and workers while also raising funds needed to stay afloat. We hope people will join us as we support Denver through food, community and stories.” The inaugural The Denver Box took place in August. It was in partnership with Ash’Kara, a restaurant that features Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine in Denver’s Highland neighborhood; and benefitted Spero Recovery, an Evergreen-based “peer-run, peerled residential recovery program for men and women who are uninsured or have limited financial means,” states a news release. The September The Denver Box will feature Tap & Burger, a restaurant with three Denver locations — Highland, Sloan’s Lake and DTC. It will take place on Sept. 14 to kick off the Denver Broncos NFL season. It will again benefit Spero Recovery. To learn more about The Lion Project, visit https:// thelionproject.org/. For announcements on The Denver Box, or to place an order, visit The Lion Project’s website, and select the link to The Denver Box from the homepage. Rise Comedy Rise Comedy, 1260 22nd St. in Five Points, announced a name change in a news release sent out on Aug. 18. Formerly called Voodoo Comedy, the comedy club opened in 2011, states the news release. Current majority owners Nick Armstrong and Josh Nicols acquired the theater in January 2019, states the news release. “We think everyone can benefit from what we have to offer,” said Nicols in the news release. Nicols also serves as Rise Comedy’s artistic director. “We aren’t afraid to listen, get educated and make changes to be the best home for fans and students of comedy. Our mission has always been about positively impacting
Josh Nicols and Nick Armstrong are the current majority owners of Rise Comedy, a comedy club located at 1260 22nd St. which recently changed its name. As the club awaits a safe re-opening for live, in-person events, it is offering a variety of online comedy classes. COURTESY PHOTO our community, whether it’s through personal growth, laughter or community.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rise Comedy is offering online comedy classes in improv, stand up, sketch and corporate trainings; as well as classes by master instructors who have been on critically-acclaimed television shows such as Modern Family, Key and Peele, and Parks and Recreation, states the news release. The theater plans to re-open for live shows and classes once it is safe to do so. “We have a duty to elevate the voices in our community and bring levity to our patrons so that we can all rise from these struggles,” said Armstrong in the news release. He is a Los Angeles-based actor and comedian. “We’re a passionate and caring community. Comedy has always been about evolving and so are we.” To learn more about Rise Comedy, visit www. risecomedy.com.
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Denver Mayor Michael Hancock assists Denver Human Services and the Denver Dream Center with distributing emergency food supplies to Denver residents and community agencies on Aug. 21. The Denver Dream Center, a nonprofit, launched its Dream Pantry Food Fridays program for the months of August and September to distribute meat, cheese and fresh fruits and vegetables at the Pepsi Center each Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. There are no eligibility requirements or applications, but residents should select a food pick-up time through the Denver Dream Center website at www. denverdreamcenter.org. To learn more about additional emergency food access locations across Denver, call 2-1-1. COURTESY OF DENVER HUMAN SERVICES
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September 2020
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WE’RE UNIQUELY US, SO YOU CAN STAY UNIQUELY YOU.
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Common Ground, the second exhibit that Denver’s Walker Fine Art has showcased since it reopened, explores nature, unity and healing. COURTESY PHOTOS
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New exhibit focuses on feeling of natural world By Clarke Reader Special to Colorado Community Media
People are coping with the loss of the summer of 2020 in many ways, but there’s a reason that so many are finding their solace in the natural world - there’s often a comfort and peace in nature that’s difficult to replicate. But Common Ground, the current exhibit at the Walker Fine Art gallery, gets wonderfully close to recreating that feeling. “These works are more about capturing a feeling than a specific place,” said Bobbi Walker, owner of the gallery. “Visitors have been surprised at how this exhibit slows time down a bit while they’re here.” Featuring the work of Elaine Coombs, Carol Browning, Theresa Clowes, Cara Enteles, Mona Ray and Derrick Breidenthal, Common Ground is on display at Denver’s Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th Avenue, Suite A, through Sept. 19. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. In the works on display, guests view pieces in a variety of mediums - including in markmaking, gestural painting and sculptural construction - that evoke familiar scenes without being specific. It’s easy to think one has shared the very view the artist has conjured, no matter where the viewer comes from. “My art is not a window but a vessel that contains my dreams, experiences, emotions and spirit. The paintings pull me in to the vast landscapes of color, pattern and shape,” wrote Browning in her artist statement. “I often think of my paintings as visual symphonies on canvas, an expression in mark-making that emphasize the rhythms of life.” As gallery manager Libby Garon explains it, the vividness of the colors and familiarity they evoke serve as balm for those who see them. “The title ‘Common Ground’ is a play on words. While this is a contemporary landscape exhibition, the title is about interconnection and unification. We believe art has the power to do that,” she added. “The works allow us to see the world through the eyes of creatives, and it’s a very healing place to be. We want to contribute to people’s healing in any way we can.” Common Ground is the gallery’s second exhibit since its phased reopening, and so far, people have been eager to get back into the gallery. The opening for Common Ground sold out, and Walker hosted a very successful
The work on display at Walker Fine Art’s Common Ground exhibit evokes the universality and calmness of nature. The pieces create a sense of familiarity without relying on photo-realistic creations.
LEARN MORE For more information on the gallery and its exhibitions, visit www. walkerfineart.com. event that gathered collectors for an evening focused on how collecting artwork can evoke a similar feeling of traveling. Whether that’s being swept up in a narrative, or the dynamic composition of a piece, they think art can take viewers somewhere. And the gallery is open to the public, plus Walker and Garon have kept their art consulting services going and available. For those who aren’t yet interested in going to the gallery but still want to experience the works, Garon and staff have worked to create a dynamic online experience. There are video tours and spotlights of the artists which provide insight into their inspirations and work styles. It’s an immersive experience and very visually welcoming. “We’re learning and improving, and with each exhibit the online version gets better,” Garon said. “We’ve taken lemons and made lemonade by really pushing forward our digital presence.” While the world still works on the pandemic situation, Walker Fine Art is dedicated to avenues that allow people to receive inspiration and comfort from the artists they’re working to showcase. The early successes serving as guideposts as the situation develops. “I’m still riding high on the magic of the gatherings we’ve had,” Walker said. “While everyone is slowing down, it’s a good time to tell people the story of art.”
September 2020
It’s tee By Joe Carabello
Special to Colorado Community Media
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nother gem was added to Denver’s portfolio of parks and public facilities with the reopening of City Park Golf Course. A soft opening of the course took place on Aug. 20. Attended by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Executive Director of Parks and Recreation Happy Haynes and other dignitaries, they hit ceremonial opening shots at City Park’s historic, reimagined golf course. “Now, over a century after the first opening, we get to add that rich history of diversity and inclusion at this historic golf course,” said Hancock. The facility opened to the public Sept. 1. Not only is the golf course spectacular, the clubhouse and the stormwater management system were designed and engineered to serve the community with distinction and utility. By synchronizing these three projects, the city scored a rare and coveted albatross — golf jargon for three shots under par on a given hole. Lesley Thomas, city engineer, spoke about the considerable benefits of the stormwater project. It will resolve the issue of chronic surface flooding in neighborhoods north of the course, which inspired the rebuilding project. A retention pond capable of holding more than 67 million gallons of water, along with channels for moving the water in or out of the pond, is deftly utilized as a water feature for holes in the southwest corner of the property. The great plains cottonwood trees framing this section of the course remain as sentinels, casting familiar shadows to those who have played the course for decades. City engineers designed and built a filtration system for removing minerals, sediment and debris from the water as it is sent to its ultimate destination — the Platte River. Much of the filtration system utilizes natural features like grasses lining the channels. The course is routed so that both the front-9 and the back-9 start and end near the clubhouse, which has been thoughtfully moved to the middle of the property, at its highest elevation. The 11,315 square-foot clubhouse competes with the golf course as the crown jewel of the project. Soaring floor-to-ceiling, west-facing windows provide iconic views of the downtown Denver skyline and mountain ranges. The large, west-facing patio provides the same dramatic views. The clubhouse bar and restaurant can be divided into two sound-proof rooms for private functions by using utilizing built-in, high-tech movable walls. The state-of-the-art commercial kitchen can cater parties as large as 200 people. The clubhouse is also home to the course’s golf shop, staff offices and a conference room;
time
in Denver
and a basement serves as cart storage, washing and battery recharging operation, as well as rooms for golf club repairs. First Tee’s offices and classroom are also located inside the clubhouse. First Tee is a nonprofit organization that teaches children core values and life skills through the game of golf. The four-hole First Tee children’s course, named in honor of longtime instructor and City Park fixture Chubb Harden, was relocated from the southwest corner of the course to a convenient section north of the clubhouse. Tom Woodard, currently the Director of Golf for Foothills Recreation District, was the head professional at City Park from 1987-1989, and director of Denver Golf from 1997-2006. Having first set foot on the course as a 10-year-old, Woodard parlayed his experiences at City Park golf into an Evans Scholarship at University of Colorado-Boulder, twice earning All-Conference honors on his way to a first team All-America recognition in golf. He played on the PGA Tour for nearly three years, and his lengthy list of accolades include induction in the National Black Golf Hall of Fame in 2012. “When Happy Haines informed me of plans to close City Park for renovations, I was skeptical,” Woodard said. “There were rumors of developing the land for housing, but when she informed me the budget was over $46 million, I felt confident the city was committed to a first-rate project.” He added that he has played golf all over the world. “I can assure you that it’s a rarity to find a championship golf course in the middle of a city,” Woodard said. Scott Rethlake, Denver’s director of golf, summarized the initial operating logistics for the balance of the 2020 golf season. “There will be limited play while maintaining the health of the turf grow-in,” Rethlake said. The earliest tee times will be 11 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends. Intervals between starting times will be stretched from traditional 10-minute intervals to 15 minutes. Riding carts will be prohibited this season, but pull-carts are allowed. The 320-yard deep driving range will utilize synthetic turf mats until spring 2021. A large, undulating practice green is open, but the chipping green with sand bunker is requiring more time to complete its grow-in. One of the most impressive design considerations is the variety of tee boxes, providing accessible and fair golf for players of all abilities. The front tees dramatically shorten the course, but the thrills and challenges approaching, surrounding and on the surface of the greens, remain the same as those playing the championship tees. Ed Mate, executive director and CEO of
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Life On Capitol Hill 5
City Park Golf Course opens to the public
The City Park Golf Course redesign integrates water features to help mitigate and reduce flood risks in surrounding neighborhoods. PHOTO BY JOE CARABELLO Colorado Golf Association, was introduced to golf at City Park, competing there for East High School while earning his Evans caddie scholarship. He said the course was not golf ’s birthplace, but his golf birthplace. “It showed me that golf does not see color,” Mate said. “Green is a common denominator
LEARN MORE To learn more about Denver’s City Park Golf Course, visit https://www.cityofdenvergolf.com/city_park/. for all who are smitten.” For Denverites, green is the new gold.
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September 2020
Celebrating friendship through song and dance Denver Art Museum’s annual powwow takes place virtually Sept. 12
IF YOU GO
By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
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uring the 1918 global pandemic, a new dance was born among Native Americans. Today called the jingle dress dance, its origins came about when Native American women would put jingles on their dress and dance. As they danced, the jingles would ward off bad spirits and illness, as well as create healing, said Erlidawn Roy, a resident of southwest Denver who is part of the Meskwaki, Ojibwe, Isleta Pueblo and Laguna Pueblo tribes. Another dance that Coloradoans may be familiar with is the men’s fancy dance. This one came about during the times of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show — roughly 1883-1913. William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody asked the Native American dancers who accompanied him on his U.S. and European tours to create a dance that was fast-paced and vibrant, that would wow an audience, Roy said. These dances are only two of many that people can learn about and witness through a live-streamed experience of the Denver Art Museum’s 31st annual Friendship Powwow. This year, the virtual Friendship Powwow takes place beginning at 11 a.m. Sept. 12. “Indigenous arts have been a part of the Denver Art Museum since the 1920s,” said John Lukavic, the Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Native Arts at the Denver Art Museum. “Denver is on indigenous land (and) the cultures are thriving here in the metro area. The people participating in this powwow are your neighbors.” The Denver Art Museum’s Friendship Powwow started in 1990, and was the first program the museum implemented once funding started
A woman dances during last year’s Denver Art Museum Friendship Powwow. coming in from the voter-approved Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Lukavic added. “It’s truly a celebration of friendship between the local Native American community and the Denver Art Museum,” Lukavic said of the powwow. “We’re excited to be able to have the powwow this year.” With it being a livestreamed event, there are new experiences that people may not be able to experience if they were attending it in person, Lukavic said. One is the exhibition dancers. All of these dancers will be local to Colorado, and the emcee, Denver local Steven LaPoint, will describe the dance style, and perhaps provide a bit history behind each dance, Lukavic said. An additional, unique experience, will be the dancer interviews — this will be a rare opportunity for people to learn about the dancer’s personal regalia, and how it came to be, Roy
PHOTO COURTESY OF DENVER ART MUSEUM
said. This year is her third to serve as a coordinator for the Friendship Powwow. Something else that people enjoy about attending a powwow is the opportunity to try the traditional food, Roy said. To incorporate that into the virtual powwow, the owners of Denver-metro’s Tocabe — a Native American food restaurant — will be giving a frybread demonstration. The Friendship Powwow will also include the dance competition. This year, the museum issued a national call for dance submissions in 14 different categories — including teen, adult and golden age — to compete for prize money. There is even a tiny tot category, though they will not be competing for prize money. The top three entries in each dance category will be streamed throughout the powwow event. Viewers will get to watch the competitors
The Denver Art Museum’s 31st annual Friendship Powwow takes place beginning at 11 a.m. Sept. 12. The event is expected to last about four hours, and includes a master of ceremonies, Native American dance performances, a frybread cooking demonstration, artist vendor spotlights and more. This year’s event is virtual, and can be livestreamed for free on the museum’s Facebook page and YouTube account. To learn more about the Denver Art Museum, visit https://denverartmuseum.org/.
dance in sync, and the winners will be announced at the end of the program — which is expected to last about four hours. Traditionally, powwows started as ceremonial dances for harvest, spiritual and healing, Roy said. Then, in the 1970s, Native Americans were permitted to perform publicly, in front of spectators, she added. “That’s the powwow we see today,” Roy said. Usually, powwows take place every weekend, or every other weekend — if not in Denver metro, then in other nearby cities where dancers would travel, Roy said, who is 33 and has been dancing since she was a toddler. But because of COVID-19, there are not many opportunities for powwows. But the Denver Art Museum’s Friendship Powwow is one of the few. “It’s a way to connect,” Roy said, “and share our songs and dances with each other.”
An artist and a survivor is remembered Daisy Coleman took her own life on Aug. 4 By Joseph Rios jrios@coloradocommunitymedia.com
There’s a chance you’ve seen or heard of Lakewood resident Daisy Coleman if you have access to Netflix. Coleman, 23, is known for telling her story as a sexual assault survivor in the Netflix documentary “Audrie & Daisy.” In the film, Coleman details her allegations of being sexually assaulted by then 17-year-old Matthew Barnett at a Maryville, Missouri party in 2012 when she was 14. Coleman was bullied after the incident and was forced to move out of Maryville. Barnett told police that he had sex with the inebriated Coleman, and was charged with felony sexual assault, but the case was eventually dropped. Barnett would eventually plead guilty to a lesser charge of child endangerment after renewed public interest in the case forced it back open. Coleman’s family said that the plea deal for lesser charges was due to local political connections in his family, BBC reported. Coleman went on to help found SafeBae (Before Anyone Else) in 2015, a nonprofit that works to pre-
Daisy Coleman, far left. Coleman helped cofound SafeBae, an organization that works to end sexual assault in middle schools and high schools. The tattoo shop she worked at described her as a kindhearted individual who cared deeply about her art. COURTESY OF SAFEBAE vent sexual assault in schools. But on Aug. 4, Coleman was found dead, after taking her own life. And even though she’s been a face of sexual assault and has advocated to prevent cases in schools, the tattoo shop she worked at for the past eight months doesn’t want the public to forget the artist that she was. “That was the main thing,” said Jillian Chavez, owner of Phoenix Tattoo Company at 3680 Morrison Roadin Denver where Coleman worked at before her death. “I know a lot of people talk about SafeBae and how she was on Netflix — but I think a lot of it was like yeah, that was a bad time for her, and she was
an advocate for that — but her art is being overlooked. That was her main passion.” Nemo Jones, a tattoo artist at Phoenix Tattoo Company, said Coleman was talented at creating anime artwork and was good with colors. He said whenever she came into the tattoo shop, she was always joking. He described her as kindhearted and creative. “That was one of our family members. All we have is good memories of her,” said Jones. “When I heard she passed, it broke my soul. The last thing I remember is that we tried to figure out an anime design she could (tattoo) on me, because I wanted her work. We never got to finish it.
It really hurts, but we’re taking it day by day.” Chavez said people from different states have been calling the shop and messaging it, offering their condolences. She added that a girl who had never met Coleman traveled from Albuquerque to leave flowers at Coleman’s booth where she did tattoos at because of the impact she had on her. Coleman’s booth remains untouched while Phoenix Tattoo Company created a mural honoring her that hangs in the shop. Outside of tattooing, Coleman enjoyed making music. Chavez described her music genre as “punk rock hip hop.” “She was really bubbly, outgoing and really strong willed. When she came to work, it was more of a genuine time,” said Chavez. SafeBae has reached at least 5.5 million people through its sexual assault prevention materials, according to its 2019 annual report. In 2019, the nonprofit carried out a consent summit in Maine where more than 500 students gathered to learn about preventing sexual assault. “I think the thing that was unusual about Daisy was that she was so beautiful on the outside, so people were drawn to her in that sense, and adding a pile of tattoos on that drew attention to her from her exterior. But what I think brought it to the next level was her inside and her beliefs, looking at the world,
ABOUT SAFEBAE SafeBae (Before Anyone Else) was cofounded by Daisy Coleman in 2015. The organization is teen-led and focuses on educating students in middle school and high school about dating violence, sexual assault, affirmative consent, survivor self-care, Title IX rights, healthy relationships and more. The organization estimates that it has reached at least 5.5 million people and has presented at over 100 schools, conferences and events. Its goals are to raise awareness about sexual assault in schools, provide students and sexual assault survivors about their rights and resources for healing, promote consent education and more. Learn more at safebae.org
HOW TO GET HELP If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or use the online Lifeline Chat, both available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. helping to prevent what happened to her to other people (and) her art,” said Shael Norris, executive director of SafeBae.
Life On Capitol Hill 7
September 2020
Hot diggity-dog! Oscar Mayer Wienermobile brings extra smiles to Denver Zoo visitors By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
T
he Oscar Mayer Wienermobile made the Denver Zoo one of its Colorado stops during its annual tour this year. It was at the zoo from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug. 19. Zoo attendees stopped to get their photo taken with the iconic vehicle, and the Hotdoggers, aka brand ambassadors, gave out freebies including stickers, coupons and the collectable Wiener Whistle. The Denver Zoo was one of about six locations in Colorado that the Wienermobile made an appearance. It made its way to Colorado after visiting Nebraska, and was heading to Wyoming after all its Colorado stops.
Barb and Mike Mulkey of Denver’s West Highland neighborhood get their picture taken with their grandchildren, Ted, 3, and Grace, 4, in front of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at the Denver Zoo on Aug. 19. PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN
The Merson siblings, who range in age from 8-14, of Denver’s Lowry neighborhood blow their Oscar Mayer Wiener whistles during the Wienermobile’s visit to the Denver Zoo on Aug. 19. Though the whistles can be found online, the only way to receive one in person is to visit the Wienermobile at one of its tour stops.
Baylie Martin, 7, of Thornton gets her photo taken with a hot dog cutout while visiting the Denver Zoo on Aug. 19. The Denver Zoo was one of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile’s Colorado stops.
F U N FACT SAY E R
Oscar Mayer Hotdoggers Relish Rachel Aul and Ketchup Katie Ferguson stand in front of the iconic Wienermobile during its visit to the Denver Zoo on Aug. 19.
ABOUT
O S CA R M E L I B O M R E WIEN
THE
There are six Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles that tour different sections of the U.S. annually, year-round. Wienermobiles can be tracked on various social media outlets, and online at www.oscarmayer.com/ wienermobile.
The Wienermobile is 27 feet long, 11 feet high and eight feet wide. With its six-speed automatic transmission, it can safely travel as fast as highway speed limits.
The Wienermobile was designed in 1936 to transport the company’s spokesperson — and as a way to get people to smile during the Great Depression.
PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN
Hotdoggers are the people who drive the Wienermobile, and serve as brand ambassadors. The Hotdoggers program — a paid, year-long program — began in 1988. It is open to any recent college graduate, and provides valuable real-world experience, particularly for those who earned a degree in marketing, public relations, advertising, communications or similar fields.
Wiener Whistles came about in 1952, and since, have become a collector’s item for many. They are not sold in stores, and most people who own one received it by visiting an Oscar Mayer Wienermobile at one of its tour stop locations.
8 Life On Capitol Hill
LOCAL
September 2020
VOICES
A reporter’s struggle with COVID-19 GUEST COLUMN
Joseph Rios
J
uly 29 was the 10th day I had been feeling sick with COVID-19, and by that time, I had all the symptoms you’ve read or heard about. I had a fever. I could feel myself losing my breath if I did something as simple as make my bed. I had a cough, and I could barely walk around my tiny apartment or walk outside to go throw out the trash. But it wasn’t until July 29 that I really realized that I was sick with COVID-19. I was watching the Colorado Rockies play against the Oakland Athletics, and I saw the cardboard cutout fans placed in the stands of the ballpark and the players and coaches in masks. I heard the artificial crowd noise at the game, and it may sound goofy, but watching the Rockies that day is when I started to mentally feel like I had the virus. Watching the “new normal” Rockies game with all of its changes and precautions to protect people from the virus drove home the fact that I was sick with a deadly virus that has been the cause of at least 167,000 deaths in America. It made it more real than my July 25 positive COVID-19 test, it made me fearful, and it made my anxiety about my illness worse.
There is a big difference between having COVID-19 and reading or hearing about it. I had spent every week since the pandemic started writing about the virus, and even interviewed people who were sick with it — but I still didn’t realize how mentally challenging it would be to have COVID-19. You start to wonder if your symptoms will ever go away. I worried most about all of the people I had come into contact with before I tested positive. I thought about my coworkers and tried to remember everything I could’ve touched in my office to warn them. I thought about my 65-year-old father who is high risk and whom I had seen only a few days before I had symptoms. It’s hard having thoughts rush through your mind about the idea that you could have infected someone with a deadly virus that we don’t have a cure for. If I had gotten my father or any of my family or friends sick, and something bad happened to them, I don’t know how I could have lived with myself. I don’t want you to have those thoughts. I don’t want you to have to worry about getting your friends or family sick.
A
were shot and three killed. A week ago, gunfire erupted in Athmar Park inuring a three-year-old, 11-year-old, 12-year-old, and two 17-year-olds. In total, nine people were injured while enjoying a day in the park. These young people will forever live with the physical and mental scars of this violence. This is an unacceptable legacy to carry into adulthood from such a young age, and as a community we have a responsibility to do better. Violence is connected to mental health, access to healthy food, livable wage jobs, affordable housing and widening inequities within the education system. All of these stressors have increased significantly in 2020 and play out both in the streets and within homes across Denver. Domestic violence issues are compounded by the tightening economy, mandatory time at home, strained hours and increased demands on workers. I spoke with Margaret Abrams, executive director of the Rose Andom Center, who highlighted the complex and interrelated issues people are facing. “Folks are not only struggling with the issues around not being in a safe relationship or having recently left a violent relationship, but they’re now just struggling to meet basic needs in terms of housing and food and kids,” Abrams said. “That’s why on our website, we’ve tried to post information about food banks and emergency SEE ORTEGA, P9
FROM THE EDITOR Editor Christy Steadman’s column will be back next month.
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CAPITOL HILL
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Joseph Rios is a reporter for Colorado Community Media, covering Englewood and Jefferson County.
It’s a short timeline to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
‘We have to persist’
s we seek to find enjoyment or peace in the last weeks of summer, I sometimes forget for a few moments the tragedies GUEST of this year COLUMN — a year of unprecedented loss of more than 160,000 Americans dead due to COVID-19. However, the scope of this year’s Councilmember difficulty Deborah Ortega doesn’t begin or end with COVID. The strife and stress caused by the pandemic, recession, joblessness, civil unrest and a charged political climate is sparking unprecedented violence in our city. This has been the most violent summer Denver has witnessed in a decade. More than 46 people were killed in Denver by the beginning of July of this year. In 2018, the next deadliest year in the last decade, that number wasn’t reached until the end of August. I remember with sadness the summer of violence in Denver in 1993 and the toll it took on our communities, the lasting trauma, and the efforts to stem the bloodshed. We have to do better this time. Along South Federal Boulevard this past weekend, eight people
Most importantly, I don’t want you to get COVID-19. It is scary when you’re lying in bed with the virus, and you can feel yourself having trouble breathing. It’s scary when you can barely walk because you’re so sick, and it’s scary not knowing what kind of impact COVID-19 will have on your long-term health. It took me 16 days to fully feel like I had recovered from the virus. I can’t move around as fast I used to, and I feel out of shape after being sick for so long, but I’m thankful I can carry on with my life and that I didn’t get anybody sick that I know of. I had thought I was doing everything right to prevent myself from getting sick. I religiously sanitized my hands whenever I had a chance. I wore a mask everywhere I went, I stopped visiting and going out with friends —but I still got it. I think that shows how easily anyone can get it and is why it’s important to take all the precautions you can, because even when you do take those precautions, you can still easily get the virus.
O
ur forests are on fire across North America, including the section of the Rocky Mountains we are all stewards of. Having ENVIRONMENT burned WITH EAN 130,000 acres, the Pine Gulch fire at the time of this writing is the secondlargest fire by acreage in Colorado’s known Ean Thomas Tafoya history. Supercharged by climate crisis — drought, record high temps and beetle kill have brought the perfect firestorm. These fires threaten homes and watersheds, and are pumping so many particles into the air that this, combined with our toxic pollution, has registered Denver within the top 10 worst air quality in the world as of Aug. 25, according to IQAir, an online, free, real-time air quality information platform. High temperatures combined with nutrient pollution are leading to massive toxic algae blooms. From the alpine lakes in the Gunnison Valley to the urban Sloan’s Lake in Denver, we are experiencing an alarming pattern of toxic algae and wildlife decline as a result. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), algal outbreaks can severely sicken
people. Health effects vary depending on the kind of bacteria in the algae, but symptoms are pretty nasty and include skin irritation, rashes, blisters around the mouth and nose and other problems. Pets, in particular, can be sickened or die if exposed to algal outbreaks. Climate Action and nutrient pollution must be addressed to ensure clean water for all — including our children, pets and wildlife. According to NASA, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase along current trajectories throughout the 21st century, there is an 80% likelihood of a decades-long megadrought in the Southwest and Central Plains between the years 2050 and 2099. Our current heat wave is record-breaking, but I need to imagine 110-degree heat waves for two weeks. We often discuss the increase in Celsius, but I believe we should be talking in the terms that we as Americans use. The worstcase scenario is regions across the globe may see 12-degree Fahrenheit increases in high temperatures. Who lives and who dies? Who works outside? What crops survive? Who can afford the energy costs to cool their homes? How hot will the schools be for our children? I know this is scary, but we cannot be paralyzed by fear. We must take immediate action as Denverites to do our part, and likely a little more for those who can’t or won’t do their part to meet this short timeline for greenhouse gas emission reductions. We must transform ourselves and our systems to protect
the next seven generations. The Denver Climate Action Task Force released recommendations to transform several sectors of our economy this summer. It calls for a green stimulus that empowers the community to work towards climate justice. This report estimates that taking action and investing $3 billion over the next decades into climate action will save us $20 billion in future disaster recovery costs and other savings. This figure doesn’t account for the increased quality of life for all as public and environmental health is improved. The U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis has released a report on how federal programs and dollars can bolster state and local efforts to change our ways and prepare for the worst. This fall, we expect Colorado to release its Climate Action Plan to Reduce Pollution, which was mandated by HB19-1261. The next steps will be figuring out how these plans can work together and swiftly to reduce pollution. Plans are great, especially ambitious ones, but without funding and political will, these roadmaps to a more equitable future will not be implemented. This election and every election for the foreseeable future, I implore you to vote for climate action, support sign-on letters, make phone calls and pound the pavement because climate justice is racial justice, as we need everyone to join the global movement. Ean Thomas Tafoya is a climate and government activist. He can be reached at @BelieveEan on Twitter.
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Life On Capitol Hill 9
September 2020
Perennial planting in the fall
T
here is something about breathing in the cool, crisp air of late September mornings, wearing light sweaters, sipping on warm seasonal drinks and enjoying gentle warm colors of reds, GUEST yellows and oranges COLUMN that make autumn my favorite time of Brooke Palmer the year. Among the many wonderful perks of the season, it is also the perfect opportunity to make perennial additions to your garden. If adding to your gardens in the fall before the first frost seems intimidating, don’t let this happen - there are a surprising number of benefits to planting perennials this time of year. Cooler air temperatures of autumn is easy-going for both gardener and garden By the time autumn comes, the temperatures have dipped down from the oftentimes scalding heat of late spring/summer. This can be pleasant for you, the gardener, and the plants, as these mild temperatures will allow them adequate time to establish without high-temperature stress. Not to mention you will likely bypass the nasty hailstorms of spring that can damage your young plants — and your determination.
Sporadic weather can make for drastic changes to autumn scenery, but will not always influence your recent plantings.
Soil temperatures still warm for healthy roots As we know in Colorado, the weather can be rather sporadic. We can be enjoying a pleasant 75-degrees one day, then get blasted with a snowstorm the next. It happens every year, but again, don’t let Colorado’s intense weather fluxes intimidate you. Despite our intermittent weather, often enough the soil is still warm from summer to allow roots to establish. Also, there is no need to worry too much about above-ground frost. Although the frost will stop the growth of the plant above ground, it will not necessarily kill the plant — roots will continue to grow and should be able to establish properly before the soil freezes solid, no matter what is happening with the air temperature. Sporadic weather can give drastic changes to autumn scenery but will not always influence your recent plantings.
the past season are still visible. Were there empty patches in your garden that can be filled next year? Is there a place that could use seasonal interest or want to add a specific texture? You may be able to better visualize these types of considerable changes before you cut plants back and forget by the time spring comes. These are only a few of numerous benefits to fall plantings. I like to plant woody plants and goodsized herbaceous perennials in the fall, usually in bare root form (i.e. cleaning off all the soil from the roots before planting). Don’t forget that these plants have just finished a growing cycle, and although they may look a little bushed as you plant, they should come back looking great come spring. Giving them this extra time to establish will ensure larger, healthier plants next spring and summer. Whatever you decide to add this fall, I guarantee you will see sweet luscious success in the next growing season.
Planting in fall helps the gardener plan for the next growing season At this point in the year, observations of
Brooke Palmer is a horticulturist in greenhouse production with the Denver Botanic Gardens
Ortega FROM PAGE 8
resources that the city has put together. We also try and coordinate a lot with our partner agencies, and have been hearing similar things from them as well about the complexity of cases and victims that are reaching out with a lot more needs.” This means that meeting the basic needs of our community must be foremost in addressing rising violence. We should use data available to identify where folks have lost employment. We must provide food where there is food insecurity and hunger. Childcare is increasingly difficult for families to find, especially as school starts back up while classrooms are closed. Let’s be creative with how we solve these problems. For example, can we connect folks who lost employment with training and resources to make homes or shared community spaces in their neighborhood childcare facilities? We know the health impacts of COVID impact minority and low-
As the fall colors come, autumn plantings may come as well.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BROOKE PALMER
income neighborhoods disproportionately — so too do these radiating community issues related to the pandemic, including the rise in violence. While I take heart in what I’ve witnessed in our community during this pandemic — neighbors, organizations and city entities stepping up to share the burden of new responsibilities and challenges, we have to persist. We must work together towards our shared goals of a safer more equitable city. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out to the Rose Andom Center at 720-337-4400 to be connected to resources. Please also be in touch with my office if you would like to share problems you’re seeing in your community or ideas for solutions. We can also help connect you with community resource officers or human services personnel within the city. Deborah Ortega is a councilmember at-large on the Denver City Council. At-large council members represent the city as a whole. She can be reached at ortegaatlarge@denvergov.org or 720-337-7713.
“How You Can Put An End To Back Pain Even If It’s Been Years of Misery… All From The Comfort Of Your Home” By Leading CO Back Pain Doctor of Physical Therapy, Brooke Olsen Denver - If I were to get bad back pain again, here’s what I would do differently… First, I wouldn’t wait and hope it just goes away. That only made it worse. I wouldn’t just try to stretch it or get adjustments on it. I definitely wouldn’t get an injection (very dangerous long term). So what would I do? Hi, my name is Dr. Brooke Olsen, DPT. I’m a national back pain expert. I’ve made a career for myself helping hundreds of active adults end their back pain naturally. But this wasn’t always the case. Early on, I had a large bulging disc that caused shooting pain down my leg on and off for 5 long years starting when I was only 18 years old. I had so much pain when trying put on my shoes or simply go for a walk around the park. I tried what felt like literally everything to help and it just wouldn’t go away. You can imagine the frustration and hopelessness that set in. I asked my colleagues for help, but most of what they tried didn’t change it for long or it did nothing for me. When it got really bad and I still had to work, I took Advil, and sometimes wish I had something stronger. (I hate pills by the way, so that’s really saying
something). Desperate for a return to my normal life, I set out on a journey. I traveled the country, in search of learning from the best and brightest. I took many courses, and eventually found a mentor who had some answers. I learned that in order to fix back pain permanently and naturally, which is the holy grail, it’s really not that hard. The secret is fixing the root cause, which is the thing that’s causing your back to hurt in the first place. Most treatment options just focus on relieving the pain where it hurts, without ever questioning why it hurts and what other areas could be affecting it. So if I ever got bad back pain again, I would immediately start fixing the root cause of my pain, rather than waste time on temporary band-aid fixes. If you are wondering how you find what your root cause is with your back pain, and how you can fix it once you find it… you can join me on a free back pain webinar training that will show just that. There is no cost to attend, and you can watch from the comfort of your living room. Just go online to this link
www.ThePhysioRevolution .com/CHReader and I’ll see you on the webinar! We only have room for 50 people before we have to take down the replay, so don’t wait and miss it!
10 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2020
All the flavors to entice kids. All the nicotine to keep them hooked. E-cigarette makers and vape shops are enticing kids with flavors like cotton candy, gummy bear and bubble gum. And nationally, over 5 million kids are using these flavored e-cigarettes. Vape shops and tobacco companies say their products aren’t ending up in kids’ hands, but that’s just not true. Many retailers still sell to minors, and many of them in Denver even illegally sold products during the COVID-19 shutdown violating emergency orders. Let’s stop pretending vape shops and the industry care about public health or the health of our children. It’s time to stop the sale of flavored tobacco products to protect our kids. Take action now by visiting FlavorsHookKidsDenver.org to tell City Council Member Chris Hinds to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.
Paid for by Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund
Life On Capitol Hill 11
September 2020
Parading around town D
By Christy Steadman
csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
enver Days is a time to get to know neighbors and build community. This year, the event was reimagined. Rather than encouraging neighborly gatherings and block parties because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Denver Days consisted of a small parade each night Aug. 1-9 in all 11 city council districts. The parades featured Denver’s Brothers of Brass band, muralist Pat Milbery and local organizations, unique to each community. Denver Days got its start eight years ago by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, and the annual event takes place every first week of August.
A group with the Denver Preschool Program walk along the parade route near Civic Center Park for the Denver Days parade on Aug. 7. PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN
A woman holds a Denver Days parade sign as the parade makes its way along the parade route near Civic Center Park on Aug. 7.
The Denver Fire Department’s Engine 1 makes its way along the route near Civic Center Park for the Denver Days parade on Aug. 7.
The Brothers of Brass perform along the parade route near Civic Center Park on Aug. 7.
Denver muralist Pat Milbery paints a Love this City canvas during the Denver Days parade near Civic Center Park on Aug. 7. Milbery participated in all of the parades, and created a canvas unique to each city council district.
The Denver Public Library makes its way along the parade route near Civic Center Park for the Denver Days parade on Aug. 7.
12 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2020
MORE SAFETY. LESS STRESS. PROTECTED LANES MAKE DENVER SAFER FOR ALL OF US. Today in Denver, there are more people than ever driving cars, taking buses and riding bikes, walking to parks, going jogging, and pushing strollers. So it’s important we all support the new protected lanes that are making the Mile High City safer, smarter and more connected. By designing the street better, we gain a whole lot more in safety. Plus we get more control, more separation and protection, more peace for all of us, and more connections to the people, places and spaces we love in our city.
Support safer streets at
Life On Capitol Hill 13
September 2020
‘They learn their voice is important’
Youths talk with community leaders on the topic of Afrofuturism
LEARN MORE To learn more about PlatteForum, its ArtLab or other programs, visit platteforum.org/ Learn more about RedLine Contemporary Art Center at www. redlineart.org
By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
T Jojo Valdez, 19, of Denver was one of six PlatteForum ArtLab interns to participate in this year’s Conversations with GenZ on the topic of Afrofuturism. COURTESY OF ESTHER HERNANDEZ
Zarion Crews, 16, of Denver was one of six teens to speak with community leaders on the topic of Afrofuturism during the Conversations with GenZ discussion. COURTESY OF MATTHEW PEVEAR
he six youths who participated in the Conversations with Gen Z forum may be teens, but the discussion with the community leaders on Aug. 8 was certainly at the adult level. “They (the community leaders) valued our opinions and listened,” said Zarion Crews, 16, of Denver. “Just having conversations with people older than I am helps develop ideologies.” Conversations with Gen Z is an opportunity for PlatteForum’s ArtLab interns to speak with community leaders on a variety of contemporary issues. Conversations with Gen Z happens every year as part of RedLine Contemporary Art Center’s annual 48 Hours of Socially Engaged Art & Conversation Summit. PlatteForum is a Denver-based, nonprofit arts, youth development and artist-in-residence program. Its ArtLab is a “year-round, out-of-school paid internship program for a cohort of 17 high school youth from historically marginalized populations that integrates the creative process and art-based learning with academic, personal and professional skill development,” according to program literature. RedLine is also a Denver-based nonprofit. It serves as a “contemporary art center and artist residency that fosters education and engagement between artists and communities to create positive social change,” as stated on the website.
Both organizations are located in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, and serve the metro-wide community. This year’s theme for the 48 Hours summit, as well as the topic for the Conversations with Gen Z, was Afrofuturism & Beyond. The youths participating in the forum got to speak with Dr. Christopher Bell, an associate professor of media studies in the Department of Communication at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs who specializes in the study of popular culture; Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver; and Toluwanimi Obiwole, a Nigerianborn, Colorado-raised multidisciplinary artist, healer, educator and organizer. Afrofuturism is loosely defined as “a movement in literature, music, art, etc., featuring futuristic or science fiction themes which incorporate elements of Black history and culture,” according to Oxford’s English Dictionary online. With the panelists, the youths were to discuss “Black thought/philosophy, inclusivity and representation in media and the arts,” said Esther Hernandez, creative programming manager at PlatteForum. They were charged with coming up with all the questions on their own, and, she added, leading the conversation. “It’s really important for youth to talk with community leaders about current issues. It can affect change,” Hernandez said. She added that the hope is, following the conversation, that the youth will be able to create the world they want to live in. “Having this experience
gives them (the youth) the ability to go forward in their future. They learn their voice is important.” She added that the community leaders were also genuinely interested in the conversation, and seemed to enjoy discussing the topic with the teens. It was valuable to “be able to see and understand different peoples’ perspectives on Afrofuturism,” Crews said. This was the second time he had participated in the Conversations with Gen Z, which is voluntary for ArtLab interns. “Afrofuturism has always been relevant, but now more than ever, it’s in the limelight,” said Jojo Valdez, 19, of Denver, who participated in the Conversations with Gen Z for the fourth time. “We as Gen Z need to know what’s going on in the world. We can’t make a difference if we don’t understand what’s happening.” The panelists hold a variety of different — but each important — roles in the community, which made the conversation even more valuable, Valdez said. “Art is a universal form of communication,” Valdez said. “That’s why it’s so important to talk with community leaders. It’s valuable to learn how other people view Afrofuturism.” Afrofuturism is very much a part of today’s youths’ lives, said JC Futrell, director of education at RedLine. “Our young people have grown up with this culture” of Afrofuturism, Futrell said. “It is their norm.” Being a generation that’s post-Black Panther Party, young people today have been influenced by figures such as Kanye West, who is an American rap artist; and former U.S. President Barack Obama, Futrell said. It is important for youth to be able to engage with leaders who they can identify with, Futrell said. Because “one day,” Futrell said, “they will become the future leaders.”
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14 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2020
Owners on demise of a Colorado dining landmark After 38 years, favored power eatery felled by impact of COVID-19 By Jennifer Castor Rocky Mountain PBS
Formed on a foundation of friendship and the love of good food, after 38 years, Denver’s landmark Racines restaurant has closed its doors for good. It was a favored spot for power lunches and after-work beverages. On a typical day you might find politicians cutting deals alongside reporters meeting with sources and colleagues celebrating milestones.
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MORE ONLINE Watch a Rocky Mountain PBS video interview with the owners of Racines, and see a gallery of photos depicting the history of Racines and its sister restaurants. Visit tinyurl.com/pbs-racines. The owners’ transition into retirement had been in the works for a while, but wasn’t supposed to happen until January of next year. COVID-19 quickly changed the plans. There were no long goodbye for owners, staff or the regular diners. That’s not stopping owners Lee Goodfriend and David Racine from taking a moment to thank their supporters. Goodfriend and Racine met in 1975 and have been working together ever since. “That’s the year we first met at Zach’s restaurant at 1480 Humbolt Street. I was a bartender and Lee was a waitperson,” said Racine. Along with a few other friends and business partners, the two opened three restaurants around town in the decades to follow. In 1979, Goodfriends opened on Colfax Avenue in Denver. “We mortgaged everything we had which wasn’t so much. We put the TVs and the stereo system on my Sears credit card. I mortgaged my car which had been paid for and we all did stuff like that. That’s how you did it back then,” said Goodfriend. In December 1983 the group opened Racines, originally located in the heart of the Golden Triangle neighborhood at Ninth and Bannock. They had a very welcoming philosophy, something they were known for and worked well in all of their locations. It was simple. “Everybody could come to the restaurant. It didn’t matter. Construction people, theater people, business people. We were trying to create regular clientele, people who would come
Painting PAINTING
Owners Lee Goodfriend and David Racine are interviewed in the lobby of their restaurant. COURTESY OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS
here more than once. I think over the years we became successful for that,” said Racine. “Denver wasn’t very diverse back then and I’m not sure anybody even knew what a gay person was,” Goodfriend said. “We found that this is how we were both brought up; to be open and inclusive and we just applied that to our business.” It’s a philosophy, they say, that has worked for 38 years. In 2004, Racines relocated to its current location at 650 Sherman St., in a building the partners built and own, near the governor’s mansion and the studios of several Denver TV stations. Along the way, there was another location to complete the trio of restaurants the group of friends would own. Dixons in Lower Downtown opened in 1997. “My favorite memory was Dixons during
the Democratic Convention (in 2008). The energy downtown, I’ve never seen it like that since. The 16th Street Mall, there were a huge amount of people there and it was so neat. I saw a ton of politicians and celebrities all over the place. It was one of my highs,” said Goodfriend. “And the low was laying off 125 people on March 16th of this year,” she added, recalling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “It never even occurred to me that something like this could happen. “Even that day, David and I had discussed if we should stay open, thinking, ‘OK it will be closed for a few weeks or a couple of months.’ We never thought it would be like this. It’s been very interesting. It’s just gone,” Goodfriend said. SEE RACINES, P15
Life On Capitol Hill
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commercial Property for Rent
PublIc NOTIcE NOTIcE AS TO PROPOSED buDGET AND NOTIcE cONcERNING buDGET AMENDMENT NOTIcE IS HEREbY GIVEN THAT THE PROPOSED buDGET fOR THE ENSuING YEAR Of 2021 HAS bEEN SubMITTED TO THE cOlfAx buSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRIcT (“DISTRIcT”). SucH PROPOSED buDGET WIll bE cONSIDERED AT A MEETING AND PublIc HEARING Of THE bOARD Of DIREcTORS Of THE DISTRIcT TO bE HElD AT uMb bANk, 1635 E. cOlfAx AVENuE, DENVER, cOlORADO, AT 9:00 A.M. ON TuESDAY, SEPTEMbER 8, 2020. NOTIcE IS fuRTHER GIVEN THAT AN AMENDMENT TO THE 2020 buDGET Of THE DISTRIcT MAY AlSO bE cONSIDERED AT THE AbOVEREfERENcED MEETING AND PublIc HEARING Of THE bOARD Of DIREcTORS Of THE DISTRIcT. A cOPY Of THE PROPOSED 2021 buDGET AND THE AMENDED 2020 buDGET, If REquIRED, ARE AVAIlAblE fOR PublIc INSPEcTION AT THE OffIcES Of clIfTONlARSONAllEN llP, 8390 E. cREScENT PkWY., SuITE 300, GREENWOOD VIllAGE, cOlORADO. ANY INTERESTED ElEcTOR WITHIN THE DISTRIcT MAY, AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO fINAl ADOPTION Of THE 2021 buDGET AND THE AMENDED 2020 buDGET, fIlE OR REGISTER ANY ObjEcTIONS THERETO.
Hampden Center SPACE FOR LEASE
730, 750, & 770 W Hampden Ave., Englewood, CO 80110 The Hampden Center is a commercial office/medical complex in the heart of the Englewood Business District situated between Santa Fe and Broadway on Hampden Avenue with easy access to the RTD and Light Rail station. With our competitive market rates starting at $19 psf, full-service gross and class A general contractor our custom tenant buildouts are second to none and offer a truly personal tenant experience. The Hampden Center offers a great value for all tenants with numerous dining and retail options within walking distance, easy free parking and more!
For current suite availability and more leasing information please contact Omni Development: Tristan Sedbrook: tsedbrook@omnidev.net - Mobile: (720) 421-4971 Jared Kelleher: jkelleher@omnidev.net - Mobile: (303) 868-3056
DATED: AuGuST 25, 2020 cOlfAx buSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRIcT bY: /S/ ANNA jONES, DISTRIcT MANAGER lEGAl NOTIcE NO. 80646 fIRST PublIcATION: SEPTEMbER 2020 lAST PublIcATION: SEPTEMbER 2020 PublISHER: lIfE ON cAPITOl HIll
SERVICE DIRECTORY ADVERTISING CALL 303-566-4091
Life On Capitol Hill 15
September 2020
Denver housing market breaks historic records GUEST COLUMN
Tom Snyder
T
he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives and world in all manner of ways, and the affects keep rolling. As a real estate professional, back in midMarch I had no earthly idea what this would all mean for our Denver market. But now, five months later, the jury is clearly in — at least for the relative short-term. Rather than COVID-19 sending our market into a tailspin, it has had the opposite affect and turbo-charged it, sending things into never-before-seen territory, at least by some historic metrics. Whether this is good or bad likely depends on your perspective. If you are a home owner and value climbing property values and equity, then good times are rolling. If, however, you are one of many buyers hoping to get in on the market and take advantage of low interest rates, then it can feel you’re stuck on the outside looking in. Unlike many aspects of the economy, our housing market never really took a hit in the first place. In April, when the stay-at-home order caused the market to hit pause for a month, home values remained stable. Since that time, the market `recovery’ has looked like a rocket taking off and that recovery has had legs extending through August. A number of factors are driving
Racines FROM PAGE 14
The COVID-19 pandemic may have cut short their goodbye plans, but certainly not the memories. Goodfriend and Racine talked of the shock of the past several months. They also shared uplifting stories about the good and strength that exists in the community. Food from the Racines freezer and pantry were donated to two local nonprofits: We Don’t Waste and SAME Café. The sale of the Racines building is expected to be complete in January 2021. Between now and then, the partners will continue to empty
this. First and foremost, the number of listings, people putting their homes up for sale, is way down from over a year ago. Down in fact 36.6%. Conversely, in July, the number of homes under contract is up 17.2% over a year ago. Confused? Think feeding frenzy. There are fewer homes on the market, but virtually everything that is put out for sale is quickly sold, which is not normal. I mentioned those historic records — well, there are a few going on. First, the number of active homes for sale is riding along at a 10-year low. Ten years ago, you remember, was the last recession. What was different then is there were not a lot of buyers for those listings. That is what is dramatically different now. Those limited listing are getting grabbed up at a historic rate best measured by the average days-onmarket it takes to sell a home, which has been hovering right at 20 days — a historic low. Less surprising are home values have hit record highs with the average price of a single-family home in the city of Denver now standing at $680,000. That, by the way, is about double the average value of homes during the last recession. What’s the driver to all this? Perhaps the least obvi-
the space and look for buyers for their restaurant equipment. After that, look for Goodfriend as a volunteer at SAME Café. Racine said he plans to take an RV road trip and maybe go to see his mom, pending COVID-19’s departure. “I don’t think anyone could have had better guests from all walks of life than Racines, Goodfriends and Dixons had. I mean it’s been unbelievable. We are lucky, lucky people,” said Goodfriend. “It’s been a great life,” said Racine. Both were smiling. This story is from Rocky Mountain PBS, a nonprofit providing news and information across Colorado over the air and online. Used by permission. For more, and to support Rocky Mountain PBS, visit rmpbs.org.
ous and most impactful has been the stay-at-home directives. There has been a shift in the market. People staying home working has been a boon to the housing market and a bust for commercial properties. With tons of workers staying home, office space has sat largely empty or with greatly reduced workforce. Want to lease some office space? Great time to do it! Living and working from home, with no end in sight, has spiked interest in homeownership. Secondly, as throwing gas on a hot fire, interest rates have been at historic lows. In that sense, there has never been a better time to buy — if there were only something to buy. You get the quandary. Where are we going? Well, nothing like a bunch of political turmoil and economic uncertainty to shake things up a bit. With the election on the horizon and no clear sign of COVID-19 letting up, this picture could certainly change. One thing about the real estate market is it is always in the process of shifting. So, if you don’t like what you see, just stay tuned and things will undoubtedly change.
Tom Snyder is the owner and managing broker of Snyder Realty.
The original Racines location on Bannock Street.
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16 Life On Capitol Hill
September 2020
Telling the story of Denver through architecture Denver Architecture Foundation’s Doors Open Denver to take place virtually By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Everybody lives in a space that was created by somebody. “Everybody works in a space that was created by somebody,” said Dennis Humphries, principal with RATIO, an architecture firm that has an office in Denver. “Everybody worships in a place that was created by somebody. Everybody attended a school that was created by somebody.” Architecture has a great influence on all of us, Humphries said. And the more people who learn about architecture, the better our buildings will be, he added. “It’s exciting to see people learning more about their city, and what makes Denver so special,” said Humphries, who is co-founder of the Doors Open Denver event. “We have so many wonderful treasures here.” Doors Open Denver is an event put on by the Denver Architecture Foundation, which is a local nonprofit organization. In its 16th annual year, the 2020 event features three weeks of online tours, highlighting 12 of Denver’s unique spaces. It takes place Sept. 28 through Oct. 15, with one Insider Tour offered Monday through Thursday during those dates. Each tour will allow time for a question-and-answer period. “While the timing, duration and scope of the event has changed,” said Pauline
Herrera, executive director of the Denver Architecture Foundation, “what hasn’t changed is a focus on offering Insider Tours that provide exclusive access to — and unique information about — historic buildings, new buildings and everything in between.” Doors Open Denver always has fresh offerings each year, and this year is no different, Herrera said. The foundation made sure to present a diverse mix of cultural, commercial, private, civic and educational buildings, including a mix of historic, modern and contemporary architecture. Some of them are beloved spaces people may be familiar with, others are exclusive to the Doors Open Denver event, and still others are brandnew, meaning they’ve never been part of Doors Open Denver before, Herrera said. “You’ll learn more about one place during a tour than you probably ever thought you’d know about it,” said Lauren Sherman-Boemker, lead volunteer for the Denver Architecture Foundation. “We try to cater the tours to people with all sorts of backgrounds and knowledge.” Along with the Doors Open Denver event, the Denver Architecture Foundation has also launched its audio tours — a project that has been in the works for about two-and-a-half years, Herrera said. The audio tours are free and can be done in a safe, socially-distanced way. Interactive and engaging, two audio tours, featuring 24 sites combined, are currently available — Downtown Denver: A Game of City and Empire Builders and Civic Center Park: A Speerian Play. “Through learning about architecture, you learn about the history and culture of a place,” Herrera said. “This is the story of Denver.”
The Freyer-Newman Center at the Denver Botanic Gardens is a new tour that people can experience virtually during this year’s Doors Open Denver, an event put on by the Denver Architecture Foundation. PHOTO BY SCOTT DRESSEL-MARTIN/COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS
GO ON A VIRTUAL TOUR The Denver Architecture Foundation’s Doors Open Denver 2020 takes place virtually Sept. 28 to Oct. 15. Registration opened on Aug. 31. This year’s Doors Open Denver will highlight 12 of Denver’s unique spaces, featuring one Insider Tour each day, Monday through Thursday. Each tour will allow time for a question-and-answer period. A full list of tours is available online. Cost is $7 for Denver Architecture Foundation members and $9 for non-members. Doors Open Denver’s annual Y/OUR Denver Photo Competition is also happening this year. Entries
Argonaut Has It!
will be accepted online throughout the Doors Open Denver three-week event timeline. The corresponding exhibit of top entries will open to the public virtually in December. Denver Architecture Foundation also recently launched its free Audio Tours. Two tours are currently available. They are Downtown Denver: A Game of City and Empire Builders and Civic Center Park: A Speerian Play. To learn more about the Denver Architecture Foundation and these programs, or to register for a Doors Open Denver tour, visit https://denverarchitecture.org/.
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