Life On Capitol Hill 0121

Life On LifeOnCapHill.com

January 2021

Founded in 1975

CAPITOL HILL PROVIDING THE ART EXPERIENCE

Artists, galleries offer new ways to support the arts in 2021 and beyond

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Virtual exhibit of 2020 Y/OUR Denver Photography Competition available through March

AN INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY

‘PEOPLE RECOVER IN COMMUNITY’

Emily Griffith Technical College implements new student lifecycle system

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26 nonprofits receive Caring for Denver grants

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DENVER IN PHOTOS

2 Life On Capitol Hill

January 2021

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 Taki Takos Westword reported that Taki Takos has moved into the Dive Inn at 1380 S. Broadway to run the bar’s kitchen.

Though the Dive Inn closed temporarily on Nov. 19 because of dine-in restrictions due to COVID-19, Taki Takos has been offering takeout and delivery, according to the taqueria’s social media accounts.

Cluck Chicken, which moved into the Dive Inn in 2017, outgrew the space and is moving to 1384 S. Broadway.

Taki Takos’ co-owner Mario Vargas opened his own restaurant in Capitol Hill, Zocalo Restaurant & Bar, in 2010, Westword reported. A second Zocalo opened at 2200 S. Broadway in the Rosedale neighborhood in 2012. Both locations closed in 2014. The Capitol Hill location, 12 E. 11th Ave., is now home to the Old Santa Fe Mexican Grille; and the South Broadway location is now home to The Post Chicken & Beer-Rosedale.

Some of Zocalo’s most popular items, such as the carnitas tacos, are included in the Taki Takos menu, in addition to tiki-inspired items such as fish tacos, Westword reported.

To view a full menu or to order Taki Takos, visit https://takitakos.com.

CLOSINGS Tooey’s Off Colfax Tooey’s Off Colfax, a live music venue/ dive bar located at 1521 N. Marion St. in the southwest corner of Denver’s City Park West neighborhood, has closed.

The news first spread among Denver’s local musicians through word-of-mouth and hearsay on social media. Tooey’s did not make a post announcing the closure on its Facebook page, but by Dec. 11, local musicians, people involved with the variety of other events hosted there, former employees and the venue’s regulars were posting various farewell messages on Facebook.

“COVID has ... taken its fair share from our city,” one post reads. “This one is the icing on the cake, however. Tooeys, you will be missed by all who had good times under your roof. Another one bites the dust and Denver will never be the same.”

Tooey’s opened in 2008 as “a secret speakeasy,” Westword reported in a Dec. 13 article with the headline, “Tooey’s Off Colfax is music scene’s latest COVID-19 closure.”

Board Game Republic Board Game Republic, a bar/restaurant that featured more than 750 board games as entertainment for guests, has closed. It was located at 900 W. 1st Ave, Ste 130, in Denver’s Baker neighborhood.

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Poison Politix, a local punk rock band, performs at Tooey’s Off Colfax, 1521 N. Marion St., in October 2014. Tooey’s, a live music venue/dive bar, opened in 2008 and closed in December.

COURTESY PHOTO BY SHANNON DOAH

An Oct. 19 post on the venue’s Facebook page states that “the uncertainties due to COVID” brought about the decision not to renew the venue’s lease.

According to a message on Board Game Republic’s website, it operated for about 4 ½ years before the closure. The message thanked patrons for their support through the years.

“While we are sad to go, we would like to focus the light on the upside of what Board

Game Republic was about, which is the amazing diversity that comes together to play games... and which builds such a wonderful community. Games see no differences between their players. They bridge the generation gaps, the economic and social gaps, the racial gaps, and cultural gaps. So thank you all for coming to play games and continuing to narrow those gaps that exist in the world!”

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Life On Capitol Hill 3

January 2021

‘Denver’s outgrown us’ El Chapultepec’s owners and friends explain the demise of another old school Denver landmark

El Chapultepec co-owner Angela Guerrero listens to her sister and co-owner Anna Diaz talk about the reasons for the family deciding to close the landmark jazz club on Market and 20th streets on Dec. 8.

By Hart Van Denburg, Denverite

T

PHOTO BY HART VAN DENBURG/CPR NEWS

he neon signs were dark, the photos of historic jazz figures were off the walls, and the bar was being taken apart on Tuesday afternoon at El Chapultepec. The owners had gathered out front to tell supporters and reporters why the iconic Denver nightspot was closing.

Yes, the coronavirus pandemic played a role. One of the Pec’s longtime familiar musicians, Freddy Rodriguez Sr., even died of COVID-19 earlier this year. But the family says the pandemic was really just the last nail in the Pec’s coffin.

“There are so many things that led to this decision,” co-owner Anna Diaz said.

The arrival of nearby Coors Field and the delivered-on promise of redevelopment in the neighborhood felt, in retrospect, like the beginning of the end.

“Jazz musicians and blues musicians, they shouldn’t have to time their sets around baseball innings and when the crowds are going to get out and be wild. They should be able to play their music, and the crowd should just be there to enjoy them,” Diaz said. “The employees and our musicians, our customers, we shouldn’t have to be worried about our safety when it’s time to leave.

“Denver’s outgrown us.”

El Chapultepec started as a Mexican restaurant and takes its name from the famous park in the center of Mexico City (translation: grasshopper hill). Jerry Krantz had worked at the Cantina and married into the Romano family, who owned the place. When the family

was ready to move on in the 1960s, Krantz took over ownership and built it into a legendary and notably unpretentious jazz room.

“There was nothing around here,” said pianist Freddy Rodriguez Jr., whose father first played sax at the Pec in 1980. “Things were completely different. Nothing around here. Just a few guys laying on the street, just the Pec and a couple of restaurants. They had mariachi music in here before my dad came along” and asked for a gig.

“Let’s try it,” Rodriguez said Krantz told his father.

“And that’s all we played here was jazz. Old jazz. Straight ahead jazz for years and years and years.”

Over the years, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, all of the Marsalis brothers, all of the Tonight Show band, Tony Bennet, even ZZ Top stood on the Pec’s tiny stage.

And the side door by the stage along Market Street was where aspiring players would hang out in the hopes they might get called to jam with the bold-face names.

Bassist and jazz musician Andrew Hudson recalled one of his earliest sit-ins with the house band, and how he lost his way in the middle of one tune. Soon enough he felt the drummer’s stick tap the top of his head.

“I turned around, and he had this look, like ‘not in my church, you don’t,’” Hudson said.

This was back before Coors Field and the endless development of places to eat, drink and live in what

became the Ballpark neighborhood. The north side of downtown Denver pretty much came to a darkened end at 18th Street.

“But you knew when you saw the Cantina sign, that’s where the auction was, that’s where jazz was, that’s where you were welcome,” said KUVO general manager Carlos Lando on Tuesday. “It didn’t matter where you came from, what your lot in life was, if you had enough money to buy a beer, and you wanted to enjoy some music, you were welcome. And you’d be in there, rubbing elbows with the mayor, with a senator, with a famous musician, or a famous celebrity or movie star. Whatever.

This was the place where everybody came to kinda let their hair down and unwind, and be part of a scene.”

“Denver’s different than it used to be, and 20th and Market is different than it used to be,” Diaz said as she held back tears. “The Pec is not for sale. The business is not for sale. We’re not interested in selling. And the decision is final. There’s not going to be a GoFundMe that’s going to reverse our choice.”

The family never owned the building, but because the structure has been deemed historic, the iconic Cantina sign won’t be taken down. Instead, it will serve as another reminder of what used to make Denver Denver.

This story is from Denverite, a nonprofit Denver news source affiliated with CPR News. Used by permission. For more, and to support Denverite, visit denverite.com.

Helping small businesses survive pandemic City and new startup partner to provide free e-commerce platform

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

A new Denver-based startup called Shop Sidewalk Inc. and the city’s Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) have partnered to provide locally-owned brick-and-mortar businesses a free e-commerce platform to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Business FROM PAGE 2

Devour The 303 Devour The 303, a restaurant located at 1135 E. Evans Ave., which is in the bordering corner of Denver’s Platt Park, Rosedale and University neighborhoods, announced on its Facebook page that Dec. 8 was its last day of operations.

According to the post, the restaurant, which served American-style cuisine, was open for

A news release states that “the pandemic has driven a significant amount of consumer activity online as customers look for safe, contactless ways to shop for items while mitigating the spread of COVID-19. As a result, many brick-andmortar retail stores without effective online sales channels have seen significant losses in revenue.”

Shop Sidewalk’s e-commerce platform makes use of geolocation and is designed to help potential customers find and purchase products in close proximity to their neighborhood, in addition to providing an online presence for Denver businesses that currently have little to none.

“We are excited to partner with Side-

about two years.

Moe’s Original BBQ - Denver The Moe’s Original BBQ located at 530 Broadway in the northwest corner of Denver’s Speer neighborhood closed on Nov. 10.

The Englewood location, 3295 S. Broadway, which is roughly 3 ½ miles south of the Denver location, will remain open. This location boasts catering and takeout, an outdoor patio, a full bar with beer on tap, a bowling alley and a stage for live music. Learn more about this location: https://

walk to help Denver retailers access and improve their use of online sales channels that enables them to generate revenue, while operating within public health and safety guidelines,” said Eric Hiraga, executive director of DEDO, in a news release. “Micro and small businesses are the backbone of our local economy and we want to continue offering all the support that we can, to not only survive this crisis but to thrive long after this has passed.”

The news release says all small brickand-mortar retail businesses within the city of Denver are encouraged to sign up for Shop Sidewalk’s free e-commerce marketplace. The news release adds that

moesdenver.com/englewoodbbq-restaurant-sports-bar.

According the Moe’s Original BBQ’s website, the eatery got its start in 1988 by four friends attending the University of Alabama. The love of the mountains brought the friends to Vail, where they refined their cooking skills and the concept that would eventually become the franchise that Moe’s Original BBQ is today.

There are now Moe’s locations across the U.S. - there are approximately eight in Colorado, not counting the Denver location that recently closed - and a loca-

specific outreach efforts “will focus on small businesses in neighborhoods where some of the city’s most underserved communities are experiencing rapid socioeconomic changes and are the most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“It is critical to make sure that our local retailers are able to access customers online, and have a platform to compete with other online options,” said Lizzy Lee, CEO and co-founder of Sidewalk, in the news release. “Sidewalk’s platform gets local businesses online, helps customers find and buy local, all while strengthening our community and local economy.”

To learn more, visit www.shopsidewalk. com.

tion in Mexico City.

Learn more about Moe’s Original BBQ at https://www. moesoriginalbbq.com.

MILESTONES Bruz Off Fax Bruz Beers celebrated the oneyear anniversary of opening its second tasting room on Dec. 21.

Called Bruz Off Fax, it is located at 1495 York St., which is in the northeast corner of Denver’s Cheesman Park neighborhood.

Bruz Beers got its start by cofounders Charlie Gottenkieny

and Ryan Evans on June 10, 2016, at 1675 W. 67th Ave. This location boasts the brewery and the Brewery Tasting Room.

Bruz Beers specializes in brewing “traditional Belgian-style beers and innovative Belgianinspired brews,” states its website.

Bruz Off Fax and the Brewery Tasting Room are currently open daily for patio dining and takeout, featuring Bruz Beers, pizza from Rocky Mountain Pizza Company and a different food truck each day.

Visit www.bruzbeers.com to learn more.

4 Life On Capitol Hill

January 2021

Best in Show: “Crossed Paths” by Scott Wilson.

Best Exterior: Reconstruction of Denver Art Museum by Faina Gurevich.

COURTESY PHOTOS

EXPLORING DENVER

Best Detail: “Denver Series #72” by Rodney Gene Mahaffey.

THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHS

Y/OUR Denver Photography Competition on view virtually through March 1

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

T

he digital exhibition of the 2020 Y/OUR Denver Photography Competition is available for viewing through March 1.

It is available on the following websites: Denver Architecture Foundation, www. denverarchitecture.org; and Colorado Photographic Arts Center, www.cpacphoto.org.

The exhibit consists of 30 photographs, all by local photographers of varying skill levels, that depict Denver’s “vast and unique architecture” and includes “all forms of architectural imagery — black and white, color, exterior, interiors and detail images,” states a news release.

Put on by the nonprofits Denver Architecture Foundation and the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, Y/ OUR Denver Photography Competition is a corresponding event to the Denver Architecture Foundation’s annual Doors

Open Denver. Doors Open Denver is an event during which the general public can access a variety of the city’s unique spaces. This year, the 16th annual Doors Open Denver, took place virtually Sept.

28-Oct. 15.

This is the third year for the Y/OUR Denver Photography Competition, and 225 entries were submitted to the competition. The 30 finalists part of the exhibition were juried by Samantha Johnston, executive director and curator of the Colorado Photographic Arts Center.

The four competition winners are: • Best in Show: Crossed Paths by Scott Wilson • Best Exterior: Reconstruction of Denver Art Museum by Faina Gurevich • Best Interior: Belly of the Cathedral

by Edward Huang • Best Detail: Denver Series #72 by Rodney Gene Mahaffey “In a time when we are practicing safe social distancing and finding ourselves at home more than usual,” Pauline Her-

“... our community can enjoy the beauty of Denver remotely through the Y/OUR Denver digital exhibition.”

— Pauline Herrera, executive director of the Denver Architecture Foundation

rera, executive director of the Denver Architecture Foundation, said in a news release, “our community can enjoy the beauty of Denver remotely through the Y/ OUR Denver digital exhibition.”

Best Interior: “Belly of the Cathedral” by Edward Huang.

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Life On Capitol Hill 5

January 2021

Individualizing a student’s educational journey Emily Griffith Technical College implements its new student lifecycle system

LEARN MORE

csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Emily Griffith Technical College is a nationally accredited public college founded in 1916. It serves about 8,000 students annually through 25 career training certification programs, 13 apprenticeships and an adult education and English language program.

To learn more about the college, visit EmilyGriffith.edu.

Being a first-generation college graduate, Erin Pepper started a trend in her family.

After she earned her bachelor’s degree, she went on to earn a master’s degree.

While Pepper was working toward her master’s degree, her father was then inspired to go back to school to earn his associate’s degree.

And now, the trend has been passed on to Pepper’s three children. Her oldest son graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2019.

Her middle son will be starting college in 2021. And her youngest son, a freshman in high school, recently decided he is going to pursue an engineering degree and will soon start looking into colleges.

Pepper is passionate about helping students achieve their academic goals and recently assumed a role as the vice president of finance and operations at Emily Griffith Technical College, 1860 Lincoln St. in Denver.

“If you even have a thought (of pursuing higher education), reach out,” Pepper said.

“We will partner with you and meet you for the rest of the way.”

Pepper, who has held professional roles in education since 2006, is one of three recent new hires at Emily Griffith. The other two are Randy Johnson, who is the college’s new

executive director; and Joshua Jones, who serves Emily Griffith as manager of the college’s new Navigation Center.

Johnson comes to Emily Griffith after serving Denver Public Schools since 2008. With DPS, he was most recently the regional instructional superintendent for schools in the central region of Denver.

Jones has been involved with higher education for nearly 15 years, having worked at Elsmere Education, which is a Denverbased educational consultant; and as the senior director of admissions at the former Art Institute of Colorado.

“Emily Griffith is a very impressive school,” Johnson said. “We serve a lot of students, and we’re looking at how we can serve students better.”

All three of these team leaders - Pepper, Johnson and Jones - will play an important role with the college’s new student lifecycle system, which helps students successfully navigate their schooling, education and career.

“We’re here to help them,” Pepper said of Emily Griffith’s students. “We understand that it’s an educational journey.”

Expecting the student lifecycle system to be fully implemented in January, its focus is on the whole student, Jones said.

By Christy Steadman

A group of students practice on a dummy for hands-on learning as part of the Certified Nursing Assistant program at Emily Griffith Technical College.

COURTESY PHOTO BY MARK WOOLCOTT/EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE

The student lifecycle system can be explained as a six-step process that helps guide students through their entire academic career and beyond. The six steps are: recruitment; triage, which helps students learn what resources are available; career and education exploration; career planning; education; and career placement.

“It starts with that initial conversation,” Jones said, “and moves forward from there.”

The new system places great focus on the middle steps, which helps ensure each student’s experience is individualized, Jones said. For example, one of Jones’ responsibilities will be overseeing the Career Navigators in the Navigation Center. The Career Navigators “will help students choose a career path and a program within that path,” states a news release.

“The Career Navigators make sure the students’ stories are heard,” Jones said.

In addition, students will work with Career Coaches to help connect them with career and job opportunities once they complete their program, states a news release.

Numbers from 2019 reveal that Emily Griffith sits at 86% for program completion and 81% for job placement, Johnson said.

“This lends to our slogan, `the engine that powers Colorado’s workforce,’” Johnson said. When you talk about education, he added, “you’re talking about peoples’ lives.”

Pepper agreed.

“Making education affordable and successful for all students who want to seek higher education,” she said, “can change the trajectory of their family’s lives.”

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6 Life On Capitol Hill

January 2021

Keeping Denver’s buildings safe and sanitized Local janitors rally to celebrate reinstatement of cut hours

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Magda Astudillo, who has been a janitor in Denver’s buildings for 20 years, participates in a car rally organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 in downtown Denver on Dec. 9 to celebrate a full reinstatement of hours previously cut by Commercial Cleaning Systems, which is a cleaning contractor in the Denver metro area.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

Janitors are on the frontlines of the pandemic, keeping the buildings clean during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

“Janitors in our city will continue to do what it takes to keep our communities safe during the pandemic,” said Patricia Robles, vice president of property services for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105, in a news release. Robels has been a janitor in Denver’s buildings for 30 years. “With a vaccine on its way, it’s imperative that we maintain the high level of trust our community has in knowing that the buildings where we work and patronize are safe and sanitized.”

On Dec. 9, SEIU Local 105 organized a car rally in downtown Denver to celebrate an agreement with Commercial Cleaning Systems — a large cleaning contractor that serves the Denver-metro area — to fully reinstate janitors’ hours.

The rally was originally planned to be in protest to Commercial Cleaning Systems abruptly cutting the workers’ hours during the pandemic and just before the holiday season, states a news release from SEIU Local 105 announcing the event.

The reduction of hours affected hundreds of Denver’s janitors - some got their hours cut and others were laid off, said Eva Martinez who has been a janitor in Denver’s buildings for 26 years. This reduc-

tion in hours not only affected the workers’ income, but also their health insurance, Martinez added.

But a janitor’s responsibility of properly sanitizing surfaces and work areas to ensure the public’s safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t go away — in fact, they were tasked with the same amount of work, but less hours to do it, states the news release.

“Today we’re relaying the message that Commercial Cleaning Systems did the right thing” by reinstating the janitors’ hours, said Magda Astudillo who has been a janitor in Denver’s buildings for 20 years.

According to the SEIU website, Local 105 represents more than 8,000 people who are employed in healthcare, janitorial, security and airports throughout Colorado and the southwest U.S. Internationally, the union consists of 2 million people throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, states the SEIU website.

In May, SEIU Local 105 organized a car rally in downtown Denver during contract negotiations, which happens every four years. On topic this year was personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves and masks for janitors; proper cleaning and sanitizing disinfectant; wages; and maintaining health-care benefits, said David Fernandez, a spokesperson for the SEIU. They did receive their PPE, Fernandez said, and there was an agreement reached to extend the current contract to June 2021 which is when negotiations will take place again.

“We want this dialogue to continue so we can keep our city safe,” Astudillo said, “and so that our janitors and essential workers are being treated with respect.”

A few hundred of Colorado’s janitors participate in a car caravan on Dec. 9 organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 to celebrate an agreement with Commercial Cleaning Systems that fully reinstated workers’ hours previously cut by the cleaning contractor.

Cesar Hernandez, who has been a janitor in Denver’s buildings for 10 years, holds a sign during a Dec. 9 car rally organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 to celebrate an agreement with Commercial Cleaning Systems that fully reinstated the workers’ hours.

A Denver-based brass band collective called No Enemies performs during the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105’s car rally celebration of the janitors’ reinstated hours.

People hold a sign on Broadway during a rally organized by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 105 on Dec. 9, during which hundreds of Colorado’s janitors celebrated a full reinstatement of hours previously cut by the cleaning contractor Commercial Cleaning Systems.

Life On Capitol Hill 7

January 2021

Opportunities to experience art abound Galleries, artists come up with innovative ways to support the arts through the pandemic

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Years ago — when he was in college — Doug Kacena read somewhere that only about 25% of Americans visit art museums or private art galleries.

Still, Kacena, owner/curator of K Contemporary art gallery, 1412 Wazee St., in lower downtown Denver, believes that people want to be able to experience art.

The COVID-19 pandemic hampered the public’s ability to access the art experience.

But galleries have come up with innovative, creative ways to keep the public engaged.

And because now art can be experienced in more ways than ever before, it’s likely that these creative solutions will go on well past 2021.

Daisy Patton’s art was displayed as part of #ArtFindsUs, a mobile exhibit implemented in a partnership between Doug Kacena’s K Contemporary art gallery and the nonprofit COURTESY PHOTOS Athena Project.

Shelley Schreiber teaches ceramics at the Art Students League of Denver, 200 Grant St.

Bringing the art experience to the people

When galleries had to close, “artists had every one of their shows canceled for an entire season,” Kacena said.

This created a nearly overwhelming amount of live-stream and social media videos of art being created at home, as artists felt the urgency to get something in front of people, Kacena said.

Although it’s great that technology can assist in providing people an experience with the arts, Kacena said, the amount of videos —and having to choose which to follow — during the shutdown was a lot for the average consumer and even the most experienced art enthusiasts.

Kacena then asked: “How do we take a mindful approach to all this?”

Both for the public’s enjoyment and to support the artists, Kacena realized that more than ever, there was a need to bring the art experience to the people.

He wanted to find a viable way to accomplish that need and thought of the billboard trucks and how they were effective for advertising campaigns. So he made a few phone calls and was able to get a billboard truck to launch a mobile art exhibit that made its way around the city. Kacena then formed a few partnerships with other organizations, and around Juneteenth — which was June 19, 2020 — put on another mobile event that, in addition to the art on the billboard trucks, featured Cleo Parker Robinson Dance and musicians who were supposed to perform at the Five Points Jazz Festival. Athena Project, a nonprofit that empowers women in the arts, got involved and during the summer, a few more #ArtFindsUs events took place.

“Art is an activator for experience” and “a catalyst for conversation,” Kacena said. “I want to spark that conversation.”

Heading into the New Year, K Contemporary opened two exhibits on Dec. 19. As of Now III celebrates the gallery’s threeyear anniversary, and Possibilities features blank canvases placed around the gallery to encourage people to commission their own unique artwork.

“We’re asking people to say, `I want to bring something beautiful to the world next year,’” Kacena said.

Support the arts however you can

Shelley Schreiber is a ceramics artist of southeast Denver who has been teaching at the Art Students League of Denver, 200 Grant St., for about 15 years.

There are many different reasons that people like to take art classes, Schreiber

Bill Sotomayor is a geomechanical abstract artist. His first local show will take place in January at RPO Framing and Gallery, 1588 S. Pearl St.

said. For some, it’s to mark something off a bucket list, and for others, it’s the sense of community. Some people take classes to learn a new skill and others do it to enhance a technique, Schreiber said.

The Art Students League closed in March, and reopened in September for limited inperson classes that can’t be done virtually, such as ceramics and printmaking. Classes such as drawing and painting are still being offered virtually.

What has been hardest on the students is having restrictions on their time in the studio, Schreiber said. The students are used to being able to come in whenever they want and have unlimited access to the studio, she added.

“But, everybody’s really thankful that they can come in at all,” Schreiber said. “Artists are struggling. Just being able to do their art is a big deal right now.”

Schreiber believes, however, that when the opportunity comes, people will go back to visiting galleries and museums on a regular basis, taking art classes and attending art fairs and festivals.

But in the meantime, it is important to support artists in whatever way you can, she said. Schreiber suggests viewing art in the avenues available to you, whether it be in-person or virtual.

“Figure out what you like,” she said, “and follow that.”

Also, ask questions, Schreiber added.

“And if you love it, purchase it,” she said.

‘It’s not the art that sells, it’s the individual.’

Bill Sotomayor, a geomechanical abstract artist who lives in Capitol Hill, gave up his corporate job in November 2000 to pursue a career in the arts.

“Never do you understand what a ‘starv-

Bobbi Walker, owner of Walker Fine Art.

ing artist’ is until you’ve lived it,” Sotomayor said.

He opened a gallery in northwest Denver, but that didn’t work out, he said.

“I realized I wanted to be the artist, not in the business of art,” Sotomayor said.

Sotomayor started creating the geomechanical abstract art he currently focuses on about 10 years ago.

“I love abstraction because it comes straight from who I am,” Sotomayor said.

“It’s not the art that sells, it’s the individual.”

Sotomayor believes that people in the Denver metro area do support the arts, and that once people get more comfortable with going out again, Denver’s art scene is going to “go straight up.”

“People are anxious to get out of their home and see new things,” Sotomayor said.

Sotomayor is looking forward to 2021 and feels honored to be RPO Framing and Gallery’s first artist exhibit. Robert Platz and his wife Julie Lizak took over the business — formerly called Old South Frame and Gallery — at 1588 S. Pearl St. in Denver’s Platt Park neighborhood on Sept. 1. Both Platz and Lizak are artists themselves and they envisioned the gallery highlighting their work and that of other local artists.

Additionally, Sotomayor’s show at RPO Framing and Gallery, which takes place through January and will be following COVID-19 restrictions and social distance precautions, will be his first with his geomechanical abstract art in a Colorado gallery.

Though “people are hungry to engage with others face-to-face,” Sotomayor said, “the pandemic has opened an avenue to do things differently.”

Namely, Sotomayor has gained a worldwide following on his social media accounts where he regularly posts updates on how he creates his art.

Denver’s art scene in the future

Aside from art galleries — which is a retail business — not being able to host in-person events with the artists during the shutdown, many artists were closed out of their studios, said Bobbi Walker, owner of Walker Fine Art, 300 W 11th Ave., in Denver’s Golden Triangle.

Galleries came up with creative ways to market the exhibitions and artists virtually, and what came out of that was a silver lining for artists, Walker said.

“The pandemic allowed us the opportunity to emphasize the artist’s story behind the art,” Walker said. “People were able to slow down and take in the story.”

A person can now customize how they experience art, which creates an even more robust experience for the viewer, Walker said. For example, Walker Fine Art has an online viewing room for every exhibit on its website that includes virtual tours and artist-collector dialogue. The dialogue includes getting to hear the artist speak about their artwork, why collectors collect and the concept behind an exhibit from the curator, for example. The gallery will also be implementing a Zoom panel discussion, which will be available for its upcoming exhibit, Upon Closer Reflection, available to view beginning Jan. 15.

Pop-up and mobile art exhibits like #ArtFindsUs and the new hybrid experience of in-person and virtual viewing are something that Walker believes will likely carry on through 2021 and beyond.

And, of course, it’s up to the community to keep the arts vibrant in Denver.

“The community needs to rally around the arts,” Walker said. “Arts and culture is critical to our understanding of humanity, and artists play a role in creating the dialogue.”

8 Life On Capitol Hill

LOCAL

January 2021

VOICES

A thank you for all the ‘rich experiences’

D

FROM THE EDITOR

Christy Steadman

ec. 15 marked my one-year anniversary as editor of the Washington Park Profile and Life on Capitol Hill newspapers.

I’ll admit I wish I knew the beat a little better than I do now - small things, like knowing the best places to park. But considering I didn’t even know what an RNO (Registered Neighborhood Organization) was just 13 months ago, I feel I’ve come a long way.

I’ve lived in the metro area for about 20 years and have always frequented Denver. But there’s nothing like getting to know a community as intimately as a reporter can.

Honestly, it has been a strange year to learn a new beat. COVID-19 has precluded covering most

events, but through various phone interviews and courtesy photos, I’ve still had the privilege of getting to know some amazing people and learning about some really great organizations.

That boils down to why I’m a journalist in the first place: I love telling peoples’ stories. And I love being able to learn something new from every interview.

The awfulness of COVID-19 aside, in a way I feel a kinship with the Denver beat has formed in the light of the pandemic’s darkness. A togetherness created because we learned how to navigate these strange times, cope with the hardships and adapt to new lifestyles — together.

Something I will always remember emanated from the loyalty of readers. In my August column, I wrote

T

Life On

CAPITOL HILL

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prohibits such changes other than during a January timeline.

Furthermore, we don’t have a policy approach under the law that can single out one industry from all others that will be required to implement the wage increase.

I don’t believe the state legislature would consider exploring flexibility on this matter until after Jan. 1 when they go back to their annual legislative session. To reiterate, until that time, which is after the scheduled increase in the city’s minimum wage, we do not have flexibility to make any changes or re-calibrate future tiered increases. However, we should look at mid-year data to see what affect this has had on businesses and employees.

In the meantime, instead of pursuing last-minute changes to the already-adopted minimum wage law, Denver should navigate a balanced COVID-19 recovery that supports businesses, fosters job creation, bolsters economic activity and protects vulnerable workers and their families. I voted in favor of the minimum wage increase and I recognize that an increase to the minimum wage is critical to help folks in our city keep up with the costs of living. I also encourage the city to continue its commitment to funding and resources for small businesses, to continue supporting restaurants with permitting and funding for outdoor spaces, and making additional emergency funding available for the small business emergency relief fund.

Supporting local businesses in our community is more important than ever before.

As you are able, please take your commerce to treasured neighborhood restaurants and unique, local, retail stores. You may need a jacket and to sit nearby a heat lamp, but there are delicious meals and thoughtful gifts to be had all around Denver.

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.

SEE EDITOR, P9

An update on where we stand with environmental policy

Ensuring the survival of small businesses in Denver

hroughout the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the foreseeable future, Denver’s small businesses face unprecedented challenges. These businesses have stepped up for our GUEST community during the COLUMN pandemic, providing continuity of services and employment during dire personal and financial difficulties. Unfortunately, many have had to shutter their doors and/or lay workers off. I have so much gratitude and respect for the Councilmember efforts businesses are Deborah Ortega undertaking to remain open and will continue to work for relief at the city level and push for necessary aid at the state and federal level.

In November 2019, Denver City Council passed Council Bill 19-1237. This law aimed to address growing issues of wage inequity by raising the minimum wage from $11.10/ hour to $12.85/hour starting Jan. 1, 2020; $14.77/hour on Jan. 1, 2021; and to $15.87/ hour on Jan. 1, 2022. After 2022, the minimum wage will be adjusted according to the Consumer Price Index. When that bill passed, we had no idea about the looming crisis that would threaten the existence of so many Denver businesses.

I realize what an increase of the minimum wage at this time may mean for small businesses, particularly restaurants. However, until the state makes changes to HB-1210 that permits municipalities to regulate the minimum wage on more ad-hoc timeframes, I don’t see any options for flexibility on Denver’s scheduled increases. I did explore whether there was support on council to consider an amendment to push back the first tiered wage increase to mid-year, however, there wasn’t support to extend for a full year and the aforementioned state law

about needing to put air in my tires and how difficult a task that had become during a national coin shortage. A number of readers from Life on Capitol Hill and Washington Park Profile coverage areas responded via email with tips and locations on where to get a free air check and top off my tires. It was so rewarding to read those emails - not only because with my car luck, I’ll likely be in need of the helpful advice someday while on the job, but also because of the response to sharing my personal experiences. Before the monthlies, I had never written personal columns, so until then, I wasn’t sure if anybody read the column, much less enjoyed it.

T

he New Year is a time for reimagining your routine and your goals, and for an update on where we stand with environmental ENVIRONMENT policy across the globe and in our WITH EAN backyard.

December marked the anniversary of the signing of the Paris Accords, which for the first time, united the globe in reducing carbon emissions.

Ean Thomas Tafoya Unfortunately, President Trump removed us from the accords, but president-elect Biden has vowed to return to the table in leading the world on solutions to stave off the worst impacts of the climate emergency. This return has provided us with the opportunity as a nation to step up with more ambitious climate goals, because the science says it is the only path to carbon reductions that can solve the problem.

Let’s also take a moment and highlight the United Nations Green Climate Fund. It is a global environmental justice fund to provide assistance to nations that did not cause the problems and need support in ensuring they are prepared for emergency, and share in the just transition’s economic benefits. I hope you can join me in asking Biden to expand contributions to this fund because America is responsible for a huge share of the cumulative carbon in the atmosphere.

Biden has been hard at work select-

ing his cabinet picks to implement his Build Back Better strategy. I had a chance to meet with presidential transition members for the major offices that interfaces with environmental issues. Though branded differently than the Green New Deal, this is an ambitious public works and interagency effort to a clean future. It is easy to see the influence that the Bernie Sanders campaign had in the shaping of this agenda. A pick that brings me hope is Rep. Deb Haaland, D-New Mexico, becoming the first Native American to serve as the Secretary of the Interior.

Breaking this glass ceiling empowers me and other indigenous people to fight harder to restore a healthy relationship with the natural world that places health, safety and purity of the environment above profits for polluters.

At the state Capitol, we are expecting a showdown between legislators and a community that is beyond their breaking point. Following hard-fought wins in 2019 and 2020, an analysis conducted by environmental advocacy groups shows just how far off track we are in meeting targets. We need aggressive and radical systems transformation. Will Gov. Polis step up and be this leader? Will utilities like Xcel stop threatening efforts that clean our air and reduce emissions?

As bureaucrats argue over jurisdiction, authority and funding, the people are being left out to dry. COVID-19 has exposed a system that disenfranchises and discriminates against our neighbors. We need leadership that will lift frontline communities SEE ENVIRONMENT, P9

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Life On Capitol Hill 9

January 2021

A

Sleeping beauties — dormant seeding

s we live with, work with and observe plants, we come to recognize that these other beings have lives and plans of their own, often acting in ways far beyond what we expect or GUEST accept. Gardeners can COLUMN act to restrict these Kevin Williams non-human intentions. We weed, deadhead, divide, prune, shear, till, broadcast chemicals and break our bodies and spirits against the waves of life that yearn to fill the earth that we are surrounded by.

Still, despite our efforts, plants want to live. They’re smart, adaptable creatures.

They’re survivors. And to more effectively partner with plants to build gardens, we need to understand their ways and mechanisms of living.

Seeds and the act of seeding are some of the most powerful tools that we can use in garden building. Think about the unexpected plant that pops up in your lawn, hell strip, sidewalk or perennial bed. Chances are it arrived as a seed. Was it a weed or a welcomed surprise? Can you imagine a garden full of welcomed surprises? By partnering with the process of seeding, we can influence our garden design and composition, while also allowing plants to determine where they want to live and grow.

Winter is a perfect time for adding many wildflower and grass species to our gardens through sowing. In the wild, seeds don’t sit patiently in small packets waiting to be sown or grown in a greenhouse — seeds remain in the environment, waiting for the right conditions to support their germination. This waiting period is referred to as dormancy, the time when a seed is not actively attempting to germinate, or is being restricted from germinating. For many species, especially those that evolved in cold, temperate environments, winter conditions help break the dormancy of seeds. Freezing, thawing and winter moisture can split open protective seed coats, break down germination inhibiting chemicals inside the seeds and draw seeds deeper into the soil, readying them for the moisture and warmth of spring.

To winter sow your garden, first buy

Environment FROM PAGE 8

like Globeville, Elyria and Swansea that are in government-sanctioned sacrifice zones.

Join them in fighting back against this system — I know they would love the support.

Here in Denver, things are in high gear

Editor FROM PAGE 8

Within the first month or two of starting this position — pre-pandemic times — I had lunch at the former Tom’s Diner with a longtime Denver resident who was formerly involved with Life on Capitol Hill. We talked about future stories and she shared some insight on what readers might like. About midway through lunch, I witnessed some people come in specifically to pick up the newspaper’s latest edition at the restaurant’s rack location. I remember thinking how cool that I was the new editor of a newspaper that people enthusiastically read each month.

More recently, a Washington Park Profile reader emailed me to inquire about

Seeds spread over soil.

PHOTOS BY KEVIN WILLIAMS

seeds. Then prepare your winter bed by removing unwanted plants and debris, and give it a light raking. You want to ensure that the seeds contact and stick to the soil. However, if your bed is prepared, but there’s snow on the ground, feel free to sow directly on the snow or between snowfalls since the seeds will stick to the snow and be nestled onto the ground as the snow melts.

In a bucket, mix the seeds with moist sand, sawdust, rice hulls, garden soil or some sort of organic filler to help with even distribution. Broadcast the mixture throughout the desired area and lightly rake the area again to settle the seed. And wait until spring.

Heavy seeding will create a seed bank in the soil rich with plants that are compatible with your garden vision. These intentionally-sown species will begin to compete with the undesirable species that might otherwise fill those spaces, allowing you to feel more joy at the surprises in your garden and more appreciation for the lives of the plants that surround you.

— Kevin Williams is a horticulturalist with the Denver Botanic Gardens

A mixture of grass and wildflower seeds.

after the passage of 2A, which is a sales tax for climate action that sets aside half of the estimated $40 million a year back to pollution-impacted communities and those vulnerable to the negative impacts of the climate crisis. This year, the newly created Sustainability Advisory Council will be hard at work deciding just where these funds will go. Local efforts around the globe are exactly what we need. We need

the efforts of the U.N. Green Climate Fund and our own 2A funds to undo the harms from the past and to seek an equitable and just future. It takes people working together at every level.

This is our year to emerge from the darkness of COVID-19. While the stock market may have seemed to have recovered, we know that the success of Wall Street doesn’t translate to main street. Whether you call

additional information about a story I wrote in the December edition. He happened to be a journalist himself an editor for the former Rocky Mountain News. I got him the information he requested and we chitchatted about being a journalist for a while. Our conversation concluded with him saying: “You may not get rich, but it is a rich experience.”

And what a rich experience it has been.

In a few more years, I will celebrate a decade as a full-time journalist. Perhaps when that time comes, I will write a column that shares all those rich experiences with you.

But for now, a note of gratitude to all those I have interviewed in the past year and the experiences that were had - albeit socially distanced and/or virtual.

And to the wonderful readers.

You are why we do this.

it Build Back Better or a Green New Deal, we have a moral and economic directive to take the climate crisis head on. We have a workforce and society that is primed for the transformational change so many seek.

Let’s do this!

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 11

January 2021

26 nonprofits receive Caring for Denver grants Funding will support mental health, fight against substance misuse in community

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The goal is to do more to support mental health and the fight against substance misuse in the Denver community.

In November 2018, Denver voters approved a mental health funding sales tax that puts $0.25 per $100 spent into a community fund for mental health and substance misuse issues. Tasked with prioritizing those funds was the newly formed Caring for Denver Foundation.

The foundation got to work and engaged with more than 1,600 Denver residents and identified four areas that have the most immediate needs.

They are: youth; alternatives to jail; care provision to ensure more people in Denver have access to resources, support and services at the time they need it; and community-centered solutions that make use of “community knowledge, strengths and resources to foster local connectedness and support,” states a news release.

Throughout 2020, Caring for Denver announced funding for various contemporary issues, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to criminal justice concerning response to mental health and substance misuse crises.

In early December, Caring for Denver made another announcement that more than $5.6 million in funding will go to 26 local nonprofits — each led by a person with lived experience or by community members the organization serves.

“People recover in community — rarely do they recover in isolation,” said Lorez Meinhold, executive director of Caring for Denver, in a news release.

“We’re incredibly eager to partner with the community on solutions that meet people where they are and reinforce their strengths.”

These particular grants “prioritize access, cultural relevance and community collaboration. Grantees will provide supports accessible in places and spaces people live, know, visit, learn and trust,” states a news release.

“The mental health crisis in Denver, alongside the entire nation, has only been exacerbated by COVID-19 — from the fear of getting the virus to the lack of physical contact with our friends and family.

This virus is taking a toll on all of us,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver, in a news release. Herod serves as Caring for Denver’s board chair. “Caring for Denver funding will be transformative for tens of thousands of Denverites by providing tools and opportunities for the community to connect and cope together safely.”

CARING FOR DENVER GRANTS To learn more about the 26 organizations receiving funding through the Caring for Denver Foundation, visit their websites below: BENEFITS IN ACTION www.benefitsinaction.org THE CENTER FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH caahealth.org CENTRO HUMANITARIO www.centrohumanitario.org CHARG RESOURCE CENTER www.charg.org CLEO PARKER ROBINSON DANCE cleoparkerdance.org COLORADO ARTISTS IN RECOVERY www.coloradoartistsinrecovery.org COLORADO GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY senioranswers.org COLORADO VILLAGE COLLABORATIVE www.coloradovillagecollaborative.org D3 ARTS www.d3arts.org DENVER CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER www.denvercac.org DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY FRIENDS www.dplfriends.org THE DON’T LOOK BACK CENTER thedontlookbackcenter.org

ENVISION: YOU www.envision-you.org THE GATHERING PLACE tgpdenver.org LA COCINA www.lacocinahome.org MIRROR IMAGE ARTS www.mirrorimagearts.org MONTBELLO ORGANIZING COMMITTEE www.montbelloorganizing.org PLATTEFORUM platteforum.org PROJECT HELPING projecthelping.org SISTERS OF COLOR UNITED FOR EDUCATION socue.org SOBER AF ENTERTAINMENT www.soberafe.com SOUL 2 SOUL SISTERS soul2soulsisters.org THE STORYTELLERS PROJECT www.storytellersproject.com THINK 360 ARTS FOR LEARNING think360arts.org ViVe www.vivewellness.org YOUTH SEEN youthseen.org

SPOTLIGHT ON THE NONPROFITS Project Helping volunteers gather for a photo while volunteering at the Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster in summer 2019.

PlatteForum’s ArtLab interns practice printmaking in 2018. They learned the skill through resident artist Mackenzie Browning.

COURTESY OF PROJECT HELPING

Project Helping

Justin Kruger found that volunteering was a great way to help with his personal struggles with mental health.

“The more I did it,” he said, “the more I wanted to share that with other people.”

About that time, roughly 10 years ago, Kruger started Project Helping and about three years later, it got its nonprofit status.

Project Helping is a Denver-based organization that connects people with volunteer opportunities. The idea is to focus on the mental well-being of the volunteer, Kruger said. Volunteering can provide a person with a 26% positive increase for how they rate their mental wellness, Kruger said.

Many of the approximately 5,000 people who volunteer with Project Helping annually didn’t necessarily have volunteering as part of their lifestyle before, Kruger said. Project Helping serves as an entry point, Kruger said.

“Our mission is to help people,” he said. “And right now, we need that more than ever.”

Project Helping has a network of about 40 nonprofits across the metro area where people can volunteer. Prior to the pandemic, about 700 volunteer events were planned for 2020.

Only some of the planned in-person volunteer events were able to take place in 2020, Kruger said, so Project Helping ramped up its at-home volunteer

opportunities in the midst of COVID-19.

Called Kynd Kits, they are projects available at a nominal cost for both individuals or groups, and are delivered directly to home or office. All supplies are included in the delivery, including instructions on putting the kit together. There is a variety of Kynd Kits causes to choose from — Healthcare Provider Gratitude Kit, Teen Mental Health Care Kit, Meals on Wheels Care Package, Dignity Bags for Homeless, are just a few examples.

Typically — except currently because of the social distance and gathering restrictions in place for COVID-19 — space allows for 10-12 people per inperson volunteer event. Therefore, even pre-COVID-19, there was usually a waitlist for many of the in-person volunteer experiences, Kruger said. Project Helping plans on using its Caring for Denver grant money to increase the amount of spots available for the in-person volunteer opportunities. Those, however, are contingent on COVID-19, Kruger said, adding that if increasing spots for inperson is not viable, Project Helping will invest more into the Kynd Kits.

“We’re hard-wired as human beings to want to help others,” Kruger said. “When we struggle (with mental health), it may be because we’ve lost sight of being able to help others. Project Helping makes it really easy for anyone to find a way to help others.”

COURTESY OF PLATTEFORUM

PlatteForum

It is the youths who do all the hard work.

“We just get the roadblocks out of the way,” said Kim Estes, executive director of PlatteForum.

PlatteForum is a Denver-based, nonprofit arts, youth development and artist-in-residence program with a social justice component. Its ArtLab is a year-round, paid internship program for a cohort of about 18 high school youths from historically marginalized populations. Programming integrates the creative process and art-based learning with academic, personal and professional skill development.

There are three main goals that PlatteForum strives for with its ArtLab interns, Estes said. In addition to social-emotional health and mental wellness, they are: making sure the teens graduate from high school on time, ensuring they are set up for success for their post-secondary endeavors, and teaching them to use their voices in the community for positive change.

“Teens have a unique perspective,” Estes said. “Their voice matters.”

Something that PlatteForum noticed when COVID-19 hit was that the social-emotional impact of the pandemic has been particularly tough on teens, Estes said.

To address that, PlatteForum partnered with two other local organizations to launch a new after-school program with its Caring for Denver grant money. The two partnering organizations are Denver Digerati, which is a nonprofit that specializes in the exhibition and education of digital motion art and animation; and Youth Seen, a nonprofit that fosters and empowers the social and emotional well-being of LGBTQI youth and their families.

The program is envisioned to take place weekly at the schools. PlatteForum will lead the lessons and workshops virtually so that all the schools’ cohorts, each consisting of about 15-17 youths, can participate at the same time. It is also planned to have all the cohorts get together periodically, but that is contingent on COVID-19.

Having the three partners in the endeavor will address the whole child, Estes said: PlatteForum for the arts, Denver Digerati for the digital skills and Youth Seen for the social and emotional wellness.

“Nothing is more important than making sure every student gets a good education. But that looks different for every child,” Estes said. “Having well-educated and successful youth adds to the overall betterment of the community.”

12 Life On Capitol Hill

January 2021

Pop Culture Con canceled for 2021, still connects with community Staff report Fans of superheroes, science fiction, elven kingdoms and anime are going to have to wait longer than they were hoping to meet some of their favorite creators and other fans in person — after canceling this year’s Denver Pop Culture Con, Pop Culture Classroom has made the decision to cancel the event for 2021 as well.

“Considering the financial impacts on our organization from canceling the 2020 event and uncertainty about public gatherings in 2021, we didn’t see a realistic option,” explained Adam Kullberg, interim executive director of Pop Culture Classroom. “We want to do right by our creators, vendors and the community, because they’ve all been so supportive of us.”

While this news is disappointing, it doesn’t mean the organization will be quiet until the next con — Pop Culture Classroom has been working hard during the pandemic to provide pop-culture-based learning and entertainment options for fans of all ages.

Over the summer the nonprofit launched PopStream, a YouTube channel featuring comics conversations, workshops, discussions on films and more. It has also hosted digital boot camps on subjects like Dungeons and Dragons, and PopRun, a virtual 5k. Most importantly, it has continued to work with children and students all over the state. It even provides a food pantry at its headquarters in Denver’s Valverde neighborhood.

“We’re shifting our efforts to focus on our core educational mission, which includes community education, professional development and creative community connections,” Kullberg said. “We’re continuing our efforts to work with schools, libraries, community centers and we’re getting lots of interest from folks like teachers and librarians.”

Like so many nonprofits and arts organizations, revenue losses have been severe, leading to layoffs in addition to programming changes — the cancellation of both cons eliminated 90% of Pop Culture Classroom’s funding for its nonprofit work.

As such, Kullberg said donations are needed to keep Pop Culture Classroom and its efforts going.

The organization is also searching for educational partnerships with schools and groups that have similar goals.

“Our virtual programming has been really successful, and we’re eager to harness that energy and provide new opportunities along our channels,” he said. “We want to show how pop culture can be a way to bridge gaps and help teach things like critical thinking. We’re going to continue to tell our story, just not in the ways people might be familiar with.”

From left, JayJay, Paisley and Craig Dechant, of Brighton, attended a previous year’s Denver Comic Con as members of the Belcher family from “Bob’s Burgers.”

Justin Baca came as Gandalf, and his two children, Marcus and Eric, as FILE PHOTOS BY CLARKE READER hobbits during a previous year’s Denver Comic Con.

Three-year-old Greyson Cabrera from Aurora had his first experience as a cosplayer at Denver Pop Culture Con in 2019. He also had the chance to meet some of his favorite heroes, like SpiderMan.

The LAB area for children and teens was a popular place for hands-on activities, including Lego building, costume building and interactive photography.

With “Back to the Future’s” Christopher Lloyd and Tom Wilson on hand as marquee guests at the 2019 Denver Pop Culture Con, there was plenty of 1980s nostalgia to go around. One of of the most popular photo opps was a DeLorean straight from the classic film.

Entire groups of family and friends get in on the cosplay act at Denver Pop Culture Con in 2019.

Life On Capitol Hill 13

January 2021

Powered By Off-Center seeks proposals for a fully-funded theater production Staff report The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is seeking project proposals for new theatrical experiences as part of its Powered

By Off-Center program.

Powered By Off-Center began as an artist residency program, and has now become a new opportunity for Colorado-based artists

to develop and produce a full production.

One project will be selected to receive a fully-supported world premiere production in June 2021.

Colorado artists of all disciplines are invited to submit a proposal. Off-Center is open to a range of different art forms and artistic experiences, but an eligible project must: • Be theatrical at its core — containing a

narrative thread, but not necessarily linear or verbal.

• Culminate in a live performance.

• Put the audience at the center of the story.

• Be created and produced in three months within a $10,000 production budget.

• Run at least one month and accommo-

date at least 1,000 audience members total.

• Be COVID-safe — either outdoors and socially distant with the possibility of masks required, online/virtual or a hybrid of both.

Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. Jan. 17.

To learn more about the Powered by Off-Center program or for more details on submitting a project proposal, visit www. denvercenter.org/about-us/off-center.

PlatteForum announces open call for Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Denver Staff report PlatteForum, a Denver-based nonprofit youth development and artist-in residence program, has partnered with the New York Foundation for the Arts to launch the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program in Denver.

The program will provide one-on-one mentoring, group learning and nationwide networking events; as well as opportunities for established, professional artists to act

as mentors. It will be facilitated by Eriko Tsogo, a Mongolian American cross-disciplinary artist based in Colorado.

The program will begin in February and conclude in the summer of 2021, culminating with an art exhibition hosted by PlatteForum.

Applicants to be an immigrant artist mentee should currently live within the seven-county, Denver-metro area, but either the artist or their parents were born outside of the United States. Refugees are welcome

to apply.

Students enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program may not apply unless they will be graduated before the program starts. It is open to artists from all disciplines, including performing, literary, visual, multi-disciplinary, and folk and traditional arts.

The Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Denver is a competitive program and free of charge to accepted participants.

Deadline for applications is Jan. 13.

Local Focus. More News.

To learn more about PlatteForum, visit its website at http://platteforum.org.

For more information on Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Denver or to receive updates on the program, sign up to be on PlatteForum’s email list or follow PlatteForum on social media. Additional questions about the program and/or inquiries about applying to becoming a mentor may be addressed to PlatteForum’s creative programming manager Esther Hernandez at ehernandez@platteforum.org.

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14 Life On Capitol Hill

January 2021

C R O S SWO R D P U Z Z L E

2020: A wild ride for Denver real estate

T

he year 2020 will be remembered for many things — some good, a lot not-so-much, and then some just plain fascinating. Put the Denver real estate market down in that last category, as it was a wild and unexpected ride out there.

When COVID-19 hit, no one knew what affect it would have on the housing market but now the stats are in and the picture is clear. Perhaps, courtesy of the virus and spending seemingly endless days staring at the four walls of our homes or apartments, many concluded now was the time to make a change. A little cabin fever, combined with interest rates that hovered between 2% asnd 3% drove record numbers of people into the market. That enthusiasm, however, ran up against Denver’s ever-tight housing market, creating happy sellers, frustrated buyers and unprecedented appreciation.

If you were already one of the fortunate to own a home in Denver, the benefits to selling did not necessarily outweigh the downsides like having to join the ranks of buyers yourself. The result was that we had a very typical number of homes placed on the market this year. What was untypical was the demand for those homes. A full 70% of those homes sold for over asking price and half of those sold in a matter of days with multiple offers. It was not uncommon to see homes all throughout Denver — not just in the traditionally “hot” neighborhoods — have more than a dozen offers, frequently pushing prices up between 5% and 10% over asking. Stunning. Imagine being a buyer making an offer on a $600,000 home, offering $50,000 over that and still losing out, and you get a taste of what buyers were up against.

Overall home prices jumped about 10% in value in 2020, but those numbers don’t tell

the whole story. Take the traditional bungalows that dot most all of our neighborhoods and probably represent the most sought-after home type in Denver.

The typical bungalow shot up in value over 20% — an amount I’ve never seen in my 20 years in this business. Homes over a million dollars, which often is a slower segment of the market, saw an increase in the number of sales of 20%. Neighborhoods that only a few years ago had never seen a milliondollar sale now were having dozens.

One segment of the market underperformed, however, and that was condo sales.

It would seem the pandemic understandably made the idea of living in more dense surroundings less appealing. The market for condos was fairly flat compared to a year ago, with sales volume down 6% and, depending on the area, prices either fell — as much as 13% — or remained largely unchanged.

How you view all this of course depends on your perspective. Denver certainly has a growing shortage of affordable housing, and that is a problem. The passing of ballot measure 2B Department of Housing Stability certainly is a step in the right direction, but more will have to be done to address the growing imbalance in our housing market.

What will the new year hold? No one knows for certain, but likely a return to a more normal market is in store as COVID-19 hopefully fades into the history bin.

Stay tuned.

GUEST COLUMN Tom Snyder

Tom Snyder is the owner and managing broker of Snyder Realty. Statistics used for this article were derived from Recolorado data during the period of Jan. 1, 2020 to Dec. 20, 2020.

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Life On Capitol Hill 15

January 2021

SUSTAINABLE TAKEOUT

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

When owner Tricia Maher and general manager Sam Maher opened their Mediterranean-inspired, plant-forward restaurant called Somebody People, their goal was to operate as sustainably as possible.

“We always wanted to be a zerowaste restaurant, first and foremost,” said Sam Maher said.

Somebody People, 1165 S. Broadway, opened in September 2019. Customers were encouraged to bring their own containers for their leftovers, but the restaurant had compostable containers for those who did not have their own.

At the time, Somebody People didn’t do a lot of takeout.

The COVID-19 pandemic “completely changed the way we operate,” Tricia Maher said.

The restaurant implemented its to-go system in April during the first shutdown, and launched its in-house delivery service in December.

But the Mahers did not begin these operations without considering the toll that takeout — and the surplus of single-use packaging that comes with it — would have on the environment.

So with every takeout order, Somebody People now offers reusable tiffins for purchase, which customers can keep and reuse, or 100% compostable packaging.

A third option lets people exchange the tiffin they’ve already purchased

WHAT DOES DENVER OFFER? To learn what programs the city and county of Denver has, visit the city’s website, www.denvergov. org, and click on “Waste and Recycling Services.”

Somebody People restaurant leads effort on reducing waste with reusable tiffins for to-go orders

THREE EASY STEPS TO HELP REDUCE WASTE WHEN ORDERING TAKEOUT Lauren Olson, zero waste manager at World Centric, believes small steps go a long way when working toward reducing waste. Here are three of her suggestions: 1. Cut back on plastic cutlery. Ask restaurants to not include plastic cutlery with takeout orders when you are taking the meal home and can use your own silverware.

2. Use cloth napkins. Rather than using paper products that would be thrown out after each meal, use washable cloths as dining napkins. Alternatively, purchase compostable paper products.

from Somebody People. The exchanged tiffins are commercially cleaned and sanitized at the restaurant prior to the next use.

“Hopefully, consumers and restaurants are aware of the waste that is being generated during this time, and in general,” Sam Maher said.

Tricia Maher added that Somebody People is going to continue to offer the tiffins and operate as sustainably as possible well after the pandemic. She and Sam Maher would happily lead the effort of forming partnerships with other restaurants to get involved with the reusable tiffin system, they said.

“Everywhere is seeing a huge increase (in waste) with the takeout we’re consuming,” said Lauren Olson, zero waste manager at World Centric. But, “a lot of customers are also interested in reducing their ecological footprint.

They’re more conscious about what

3. Compost and recycle. If a person is not able to start their own compost, look into the options offered by the city. Also, educate yourself about recycling to double check what products are recyclable and to ensure they go to a recycling center rather than a landfill.

World Centric has a variety of educational tools and resources to help people live more sustainably available on its website. Visit www.worldcentric.com and select the “Activism” tab to learn more.

they’re bringing into their home.”

World Centric is a California-based manufacturer of compostable restaurant-ware, including 100% compostable containers made from renewable fibers.

Olson added that World Centric started selling products in Colorado in 2013, and today, hundreds of restaurants in Colorado are using World Centric products.

“Progressive cities like Denver want to see their city at the forefront of waste management,” Olson said.

It is wonderful to see people supporting their local restaurants by ordering takeout during this pandemic, Olson said.

“But it’s also a great time to think about your waste,” she added. “World Centric really believes in sustainability, and we encourage whatever small steps that people can take.”

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16 Life On Capitol Hill

January 2021

Black American West Museum to celebrate Dr. Justina Ford Free live-stream event to honor Colorado’s first Black female physician

By Christy Steadman csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com

The Black American West Museum is inviting the public to celebrate Dr. Justina Ford with a free live-stream event on Jan. 22.

Ford was Colorado’s first licensed Black female physician, best known for her obstetrics and pediatric work. However, because of her race and gender, she was denied access to practice medicine at local hospitals, and until her death in 1952, Ford’s home in Five Points served as her medical office.

Ford treated anyone who needed medical care, and many of her patients were those who faced discrimination at city hospitals because of race and/or economic class. She would accept services and food items in lieu of payment, and “when she did a house call to a home that was lacking in food or heat, she often sent a basket of groceries or coal following her visit,” states a news release.

Ford’s home eventually was moved and now hosts Black American West Museum, 3091 California St. Ford was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1985.

The live-stream event celebrates Ford’s 150th birthday and the issuance of a mayoral proclamation naming Jan. 22, 2021, as Dr. Justina Ford Day. The two-hour event will showcase birthday greetings and interviews from Ford’s remaining patients and community organizations; as well as performances such as a reenactment of Ford’s only known interview and the first-ever public display of her handwritten letter to the Colorado Medical Society that documents her delivery of 7,000 babies in her 50-year career.

The broadcast is sponsored by Denver Community Media with financial support from the Bank of Colorado and US Bank.

The live-stream takes place at noon on Jan. 22. It is free and will be available on the Black American West Museum’s website, www.bawmhc.org, and Denver Community Media on Comcast Channels 56, 57 and 881 HD.

Dr. Justina Ford.

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