The Denver North Star December 15 2023 Online Edition by DenverNorthStar

Your Guide to Community, Politics, Arts and Culture in North Denver DenverNorthStar.com PUBLISHERS NOTE Help The Denver North Star reach our year-end fundraising goal and secure a $5,000 matching grant. PAGE 2

Volume 5, Issue 3

| December 15, 2023-January 14, 2024

South American Refugee Crisis Comes to North Denver

ALWAYS FREE!

Regis GLOBAL Inclusive Students Reflect on Campus Life By Kathryn White

L COMMUNITY Community Mourns Peter Damian Arguello PAGE 3

COMMUNITY Hit-and-Run Crash Kills Beloved Blue Pan Pizza Server PAGE 4

ENVIRONMENT Ready, Set, Count: Birders Gear Up for Audubon Christmas Bird Count PAGE 5

HISTORY Looking Back on an Icon: Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café PAGE 7

THE GRAY ZONE Chronicles of Failure: Your Faceplant Resume PAGE 9 Postal Customer

PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Hundreds have taken up camp along West 27th Avenue between Zuni and Alcott. By Cassis Tingley

he corner of Zuni and Speer has become a option but to move onto the street. microcosm of the intensifying Venezuelan Eduardo Moncerrat, a 21 year-old migrant humanitarian crisis, the American immifrom Venezuela, plans to do just that. As a young gration system fiasco, and local politics here in man traveling alone, he has six days left of his 14 Denver. Over 200 refugees and migrants, primarallotted days in the Quality Inn. ily from Venezuela, have set up camp outdoors “If I can’t find work, I will find a tent and live along West 27th Avenue. here like everyone else,” he said, gesturing to rows Inside the neighboring Quality Inn, migrant of tents lining both sides of the street. families and individuals eligible to be sheltered by THE REFUGEES the city stay in hotel rooms, receive two meals a Most of the refugees and migrants staying day and are assured housing for 14 days if they’re in and camping outside the Quality Inn are traveling by themselves or with other adults and from Venezuela. 37 days if they have kids. Services, whether they Today, widespread blackouts, out-of-control be clothing donations, a list of community nonprofits or housing help, must come through the inflation and rampant government corruption city and their partner nonprofits, Papagayo and have resulted in many Venezuelans facing financial ruin, violence and extortion. Since President ViVe Wellness. Nicolás Maduro took power in 2013, approximate“After that time frame, [the migrants] are being ly 7 million Venezuelans have fled the country in exited to the street,” said Andrea Ryall, who has been search of safety and staorganizing advocacy efforts. bility abroad, with at least “We don’t believe that they are being set up in a way to Today, widespread blackouts, 500,000 seeking asylum in the U.S. since 2020. be exited anywhere else.” out-of-control inflation and Edwin Contreras, 35, As of earlier this month, the City of Denver had rampant government corruption left Venezuela after being told he had to pay a weekly served more than 30,000 have resulted in many $100 vacuna, or “vaccine” migrants out of the city to ensure his safety, to an reception center since last Venezuelans facing financial infamous organized crime December. City spokesruin, violence and extortion. person Jon Ewing said that group in Venezuela. about 7,000 migrants in“The one time I didn’t dicated on arrival that they did not want to stay have it, they came and almost killed me,” said in Denver and were provided with a bus ticket to Contreras. “They said I had 15 days to pay or they another city; approximately 7,800 migrants have would kill me … I didn’t have any other options.” been sent to Denver on buses chartered by TexLike Contreras, Jessica Romero, 23, came to as government officials. So far, the city has spent the U.S. after her husband faced extortion and more than $33 million on the support effort. violent threats this past spring. In Romero’s case, Ewing said migrants released from shelters the threats came from the local colectivo, far-left have access to “any reparamilitary groups with ties to the Venezuelan sources available to any government and operate throughout Venezuela. PRESORTED other person [experiencAfter traversing Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, STANDARD ing homelessness] in DenNicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, all U.S. POSTAGE ver.” But without work aulargely on foot, Romero arrived in Juarez and was thorization, the money for granted entry into the U.S. in El Paso. The journey Denver, CO a deposit or a first-month’s through Mexico was the worst, she said. Permit No. 2565 rent, and English language EDDM See REFUGEE, Page 10 skills, many have no other

PAID

ast year, The Denver North Star introduced readers to Jen Anderman and Regis University’s new GLOBAL Inclusive program, an academic experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It’s a one-, two-, or three-year program designed with the Jesuit principle of cura personalis (care for the whole person) in mind. Students take specially designed and integrated courses and are supported by peer mentoring, academic success coaching, career services and a dedicated dorm setting for those who live on campus. Anderman, who was excited and a little nervous about heading off to college last year, is back at Regis for her second year of the program. We visited her on campus recently and met up with all 18 GLOBAL Inclusive first- and second-year students, as well as the staff who support them, Dr. Jeanine Coleman, Lauren Gray and Morgan McNeill. Students were energized by college life and eager to share about their experiences on campus, in the dorms and in their classes. And since many across North Denver have the possibility of college on their minds this time of year, we invited the students we met to write and draw about how college life is going for them and to offer advice for those thinking about college for themselves. We found their responses insightful and inspiring, and have selected a sampling of what they contributed to share with our readers. MASON RICE, FIRST-YEAR STUDENT Student government is a unique club that listens to the whole student body and helps the student body by organizing and hosting events and discussing issues occurring on campus. People on the student council will brainstorm ideas for how to help students in general. I got elected to be in the student government at Regis University on my first run because of my background. What is it like to live in the dorms? Only one word comes to mind when it comes to living in the dorms with people you don’t even know all too well: MAYHEM!!! There are many people in the dorms. So many people that arguments on certain subjects during conversations can quickly put you on other people's bad side. So, it's important to get to know other people so that in the future you and that person can find common ground on things you both like and start building your friendship and seeing where the friendship takes you. HILARY OLIVARES, INTEGRATED UNDERGRADUATE CLASSMATE I have admired that our campus is welcoming of everyone and anyone of all backgrounds. Because I myself don’t have a disability, I don’t face challenges in my day-to-day life. Getting to be in a class that partners with the GLOBAL Inclusive Program has been an honor because I get

See REGIS, Page 11

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of $10,000. Please consider including The Denver North Star in your year-end giving. Our costs, like most small businesses, have increased dramatically. As other local businesses have struggled, advertising revenue has also decreased. While we have stabilized some costs since we wrote to you in September, we need your help to meet our fundraising goal. We have three easy ways for you to contribute: • If you want to contribute by check, please use the form on this page. Checks may be a bit of a hassle, but it does mean 100% of your donation goes to us without fees. Please mail your check to: The Denver North Star, P.O. Box 11584, Denver CO 80212. • Contribute online using any major credit card. Visit DenverNorthStar.com and click on “Make a Contribution” in the lower right corner. You can enter any amount into the cart - just don’t forget to finish the checkout process! • If you’re a Venmo user, scan the QR code included on this page to donate via Venmo on your phone. We’re @denvernorthstar. However you choose to give, thank you for caring about keeping high-quality community journalism here in North Denver. And, happy holidays. David Sabados is the publisher of The Denver North Star and its sister publication, the G.E.S. Gazette.

ack in September, we updated the community that the paper has been struggling financially. Thank you to everyone who doDAVID SABADOS nated, offered ideas or just offered up kind words of support. We truly appreciate all of you. Today, I wanted to share an update, and again ask for your help. As you might know, we publish both The Denver North Star here in NW Denver and The G.E.S. Gazette, which serves the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods. This month, we made the decision to stop publishing a print edition of the Gazette and convert it to an online-only publication, in large part to reduce our overall costs. We have no plans to do the same with The Denver North Star and will continue to produce a physical paper, but we do need your help. We’re honored to once again be the recipients of a $5,000 matching grant from the Colorado Media Project. In order to receive the funds, we need to raise at least $5,000 from the community. This is the fifth year they’ve chosen us in a competitive grant process that recognizes locally owned publications that are producing high-quality journalism. So far this month, we’ve raised about $2,400 and have an overall fundraising goal

PLEASE SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM As a free community newspaper, The Denver North Star is funded through advertising, the occasional grant, and contributions from community members like you. As a community-minded newspaper, we keep our ad rates the lowest in the city to support our local businesses. Contributions and grants make up 10% of our annual income and every penny goes to support publishing costs. Your contribution ensures this paper can continue serving NW Denver. Thank you.

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The Denver North Star

/// COMMUNITY ///

Community Mourns Peter Damian Arguello

uding The nd giving.By Kathryn White hock and sadness rippled across Wheat sses, have Ridge and North Denver when local ocal businews outlets began reporting that Peter g revenue stabilizedDamian Arguello, a beloved father, husband, n Septem-friend and businessman, was shot and killed fundrais-Wed., Nov. 29, in what police said was an ys for youattempted robbery. An outpouring of remembrances has circueck, pleaselated in the community ever since. ge. Checks Customers, neighboring business owners, but it doesfriends and family visited a storefront memoation goesrial to remember Arguello, bringing flowers, ease mailnotes and candles. A vigil on Dec. 2 in front of nver Northhis shop drew hundreds. 4, Denver Peter Damian Fine Jewelry and Antiques, on West 38th Avenue between Upham and using anyTeller streets, was a hub for people on the hunt Visit Denclick on n” in the enter any t forget to

for classic and vintage treasures, or for those looking to sell theirs off. The shop carried everything from old pocket watches and jewelry to records, record players and even a pinball machine. Arguello, known for both his expertise and warmth, was always ready for a conversation about his treasures — and yours. Conversations often lead to deeper topics about the people who’d owned specific items and the histories they carried. “You thought you were gonna go in there for 10 minutes, 15 minutes,” Curt Hjelle, a friend of Arguello’s, said. “Two hours later, you walked out a completely changed person. He was very deep, very spiritual. But never in a defensive way somehow.”

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Within hours of Arguello’s death, flowers, notes and candles in his memory began appearing in front of his shop, Peter Damian Fine Jewelry and Antiques, on West 38th Avenue between Upham and Teller streets.

The Denver North Star

PHOTO TAKEN FROM PETER DAMIAN FINE JEWELRY AND ANTIQUES FACEBOOK PAGE

Peter Arguello (center) at a ribbon-cutting celebration at his shop. Many North Denverites, like Hjelle, knew Arguello in other ways: through Academia Ana Marie Sandoval elementary school or through local baseball teams that Arguello’s son, now in college at CU Boulder, played on. And then there were the poker games. Arguello and other Sandoval dads used to hang out and shoot the breeze in the sunshine of the school playground after dropping their kids off for the day. One thing led to another and the men, as many as 20, began getting together to play poker. They’ve played every couple of months for years, moving around from someone’s garage, to restaurants, to various homes. “This next one,” Hjelle said, “we were going to play in January or February was gonna be in the shop. We were all excited about that because we like to listen to records.” Amy Marshall met Arguello through Sandoval elementary school as well. Arguello’s wife, Teresa Casillas, was a pivotal member of Amigos de la Academia Sandoval, the school’s nonprofit fundraising arm. “I can’t think of a conversation I've ever had with Peter,” Marshall said, “where it didn't somehow turn to Diego. Whether it was in the shop or out at a flea market, every conversation

would somehow come back to him. He was absolutely in love with his child. His face would light up.” Marshall set up a GoFundMe for Arguello’s family “to assist Teresa with the funeral expenses, and more importantly to ensure that Diego can continue his education at CU Boulder, a dream Peter had worked hard to make a reality for his son.” “He and I were always just honest with each other,” Hjelle said. “Honest about the tough parts of life, the great parts of life. He had an appreciation for how much work went into making a family or making a community. And he never judged anybody.” Arguello was laid to rest Dec. 11 at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery. The GoFundMe can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/peter-arguello. Editor’s note: CBS News Colorado reported that on Friday, Dec. 1, police located a red pickup truck sought in connection with the case. The truck was found on fire outside a tire store at Smokey Hill and Buckley in Aurora before 6 a.m. As The Denver North Star went to press on Dec. 12, Wheat Ridge police had not released information about a suspect.

December 15, 2023-January 14, 2024 | Page 3

/// BOOK REVIEW ///

‘The Scenic History of Denver Cemeteries’

otable historian of Denver’s seamy and sordid is back, this time digging into where the bodies are buried. In Volume 1 of a three-volume series, Dr. WENDY THOMAS Phil Goodstein takes a look at “The Scenic History of Denver Cemeteries: From Cheesman Park to Riverside.” Join him on a stroll through these historic cemeteries to see how they reflect Denver’s cultural and political history. Denver’s first cemetery, Mount Prospect, was designed to be a romantic park cemetery, a place for families to visit their dearly departed while enjoying picnics and afternoons away from the city. The plan and the reality soon diverged when maintenance was neglected, families dumped their loved ones' remains without purchasing plots and those prospecting for gold (as in jewelry, teeth, etc.) as well as thrifty medical students found the resources abundant at Mount Prospect. With the further decline of the cemetery, it eventually became Cheesman Park, where an estimated 2,000 bodies still remain. The volume is also filled with stories of the cemeteries’ residents. One of the more memorable is that of a saloon operator whose mausoleum served many purposes – except the one for which it was intended. Upon his death, it was discovered that he was a bigamist and his vengeful and scorned wives refused to raise the funds needed to inter him in the mausoleum. Instead, Denver Police were known to use the structure as a holding cell where the inebriated could sleep it off, the Denver coroner occasionally used it to hold bodies found in

See BOOK REVIEW, Page 8

/// COMMUNITY ///

Hit-and-Run Crash Kills Beloved Blue Pan Pizza Server By Allen Cowgill

ust after midnight on Nov. 18, Nick Cordova was commuting home from his job as a shift manager at Blue Pan Pizza on his prized, red, gas-powered scooter. Cordova was traveling southbound on Speer Boulevard near Grove Street at the small intersection northwest of Walgreens when the driver of a white Chevy Trailblazer traveling in the opposite direction on Speer hit and killed Cordova, then left the scene of the crash. Denver Police said that “the driver fled the scene of this crash without stopping, rendering aid, or leaving information required by law.” A $2,000 reward is available for information that may lead to the arrest of the suspect. Anyone with information can call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. They can remain anonymous and still receive the award. The vehicle involved in the crash has front-end damage and a missing bumper. Sara Walter, general manager at Blue Pan Pizza at West 32nd Avenue and Perry Street, described Cordova as a caring individual. “He really wanted to connect with every single person that he came in contact with,” Walter said. “He would always go out of his way to find out what you liked, and would always ask about it, or figure out a way where he could connect with you on that one thing.” Walter said that Cordova was just a cool person and coworker. She said he had a love of sneakers and watches, and could pull off wearing a crocheted shawl like no one else. He was a musician and was working on training his voice. Walter recounted that he would sing his entire shift and that you could tell where he was in the restaurant at any time by listening for his voice. Cordova also had a big heart, said Walter. He volunteered at a local animal shelter, hanging out with dogs. And he loved riding his scooter.

PHOTO BY ALLEN COWGILL

Mourners and safe streets advocates gather Dec. 7 to remember Nick Cordova.

PHOTO BY ALLEN COWGILL

A poster taped to a pole outside of Blue Pan Pizza on West 32nd Avenue with details on the crash that killed Nick Cordova.

Walter and Cordova began working together during COVID. She said he had a soothing

and calming speaking voice. She recalled that he connected with customers over the phone during the heart of the pandemic, when that was the primary form of communication between the restaurant and customers. “He was such a caring person,” Walter said. “To lose him in that kind of uncaring and unfeeling way is just really brutal. To honor him and who he was as a person, I just really would like whoever is responsible to really own that. Because we really lost someone special.” On Dec. 7, an afternoon vigil was held at the location of the crash. Friends of Nick Cordova gathered with neighborhood residents to remember his life and ask city officials to build safer streets. The organizers of the event, Safe Streets Denver, asked that the city "urgently implement engineering changes to this stretch of the road to slow down drivers." Cordova was the 74th person killed in crashes on Denver streets in 2023, another near-record year for traffic fatalities in the city. He was 46.

/ / / A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M N E T / / /

Carstens Reconciles with Change in ‘Getting Over Vivian’ By Kathryn White

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ill Carstens, longtime “Letters to Miss Jill” columnist for The Denver North Star, has turned her writer’s observations to her own life in the new memoir “Getting Over Vivian.” The book’s opening chapters describe Carstens’ life growing up with her brother Kyle on Vivian Street in Wheat Ridge. Middle class and carefree, young Carstens filled her time with art projects, appreciating the wildlife that frequented the empty fields neighboring their home and excursions into the city led by her dad to enjoy what Denver of the 1970s and ’80s had to offer. The family drove West 26th Avenue from suburbia into the city so often that Carstens’ dad pointed her in its direction when she was learning to navigate Denver on her own. And it was on West 26th Avenue, when Carstens came upon the rubble that had once been the original La Loma restaurant, that readers first encounter the themes of the memoir: how loss and loss of place impact how we come of age and perhaps even who we are as a larger community. Carstens intertwines reflections on losing her family home on Vivian, and other milestone experiences in life, with the appearance and disappearance of her beloved “third places” in downtown and North Denver. “Getting Over Vivian” takes readers through Denver’s economic ups and downs, as Carstens experienced them, and to plac-

es that will feel familiar to readers who have lived in the area a while — El Chapultepec, Wynkoop Brewing Company, Common Grounds coffeehouse and more. In the chapters “The Pink Desk” and “The Red Schoolhouse,” we learn how Carstens became Miss Jill, the early childhood educator who believes we “rarely master subjects, but rather we ideally question them, test them and ponder them, get to know them.” “And with fate sprinkling its dust of destiny,” Carstens writes, “at one point Mom found a charming 1880s wooden school desk that at first glance I would not have cared for, its worn natural wood seemed plain to me. Then she worked her magic and painted it a wonderful frosty pink, just like her lipstick.” Change became so much a part of Carstens’ experience that when, in adulthood, she found herself at a place she and her brother had known as The Pillow Factory, she “was stunned but overjoyed that one of our special childhood places was still standing and remained firmly situated on our map of family places. I felt a pang of sentimentality, if not a vehement sense of ownership for this part of Denver that reached deep into the vault of my memories.” “Getting Over Vivian” is a story of family, love and loss set against a backdrop of familiar Front Range settings. And it’s a story about a changing place and the people who live, or lived, there.

The Denver North Star

/// ENVIRONMENT ///

/// COMMUNITY ///

Ready, Set, Count: Birders Gear Up for Audubon Christmas Bird Count

For All Writers: Denver Women’s Press Club Hosts Open Mic Jan. 12

By London Lyle

n Jan. 1, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird count will occur for the 123rd year. Participants will meet in the parking lot just north of the City of Cuernavaca Park at 8:30 a.m. and progress along the South Platte River to Riverside Cemetery. First, they will walk through Commons Park to Confluence Park in Cherry Creek, then drive to Globeville Landing Park. The plan is to stop at the Kind Coffee Shop on 15th Street around 9:45 a.m. for refreshments and then continue to Carpio Sanguinette Park. Weather permitting, the birders will N COWGILLthen make their way to Riverside Cemetery. "All but the most stalwart birders will be done in by 1:00 p.m.," according to a flyer. called that There will be a celebratory chili supper to the phonecap off the adventurous day, a longstanding when thattradition that has been on hold for the past cation be-couple years due to the pandemic. Birders will be able to compare notes and make an overall . Walter said.tally, which will be entered into the National ng and un-Audubon Society's database. honor him In years past, the highest bird count in the ally wouldMiddle South Platte consisted of 29 different own that.species and over 2,000 individual birds. Out of 14 total segments, 87 species and 30,000 birds cial.” held at thewere counted. k Cordova Many experienced birders can be found ents to re-in Bluff Lake, often called the "bird bed and ls to buildbreakfast." These birders are typically able to event, Safedistinguish some of the harder-to-identify "urgentlybirds. These include various species of sparhis stretchrows and other birds that don't sit still long enough for the average birder to identify. killed in According to Casey Davenhill, who has 3, anotherbeen running the bird count for the past ies in theseveral years, birders of all levels of experience, not just the "bird nerds," are welcome to participate. Denver Audubon's section of the count is from the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River out to the Denver-Adams county line to the Riverside Cemetery. Some of the bird species Davenhill expects to see are raptors, kestrel and Cooper hawks, water ouzels (also known as American dippers) and even bald eagles. Dippers are some of the most exciting birds to watch this time of year. About the size of a starling and typically found in the mountains, water ouzels’ habitats are right along the waterways, and they feed underwater. The dippers will perch on a rock until they spot their meal, and then they will hop down, dive underwater and pop back up. "They're really cute," Davenhill remarked. Bald eagles are often spotted around Cherry Creek Reservoir and around the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

But during the winter, birds love having access to nonfrozen water. Installing a heated birdbath is almost guaranteed to attract feathered friends. – Casey Davenhill "The beauty of birding near the river in the winter is the open water. What we see a lot of are waterfowl, including mergansers, goldeneyes and bufflehead ducks. Winter birders tend to want to check out the open water and see what birds they find there," Davenhill said. As for seasonal bird tips this time of year, Davenhill recommends investing in a heated bird bath outside your residence. Birds can usually find food on their own, and bird feeders run the risk of attracting other hungry wildlife. But during the winter, birds love having access to non-frozen water. Installing a heated birdbath is almost guaranteed to attract feathered friends. While buying a brandnew heated bird bath can be costly, there are affordable alternatives. Heated inserts can be purchased for existing bird baths, or a bowl of

The Denver North Star

By Mary Lou Egan

tart the New Year by nurturing your creative side. Have you been jotting down parts of poems, beginning lines of a novel or short story? Perhaps you have dialogue from a play that could use some feedback. You’ve been meaning to develop your talent, and this is an opportunity to share your work. The Denver Women’s Press Club invites members and non-members alike to Open Mic from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 12, at their historic clubhouse at 1325 Logan St. Free parking is available in the lot to the north.

A family of owls perched on a tree.

PHOTO BY RICHARD KERSCH

A snow goose is spotted among several geese at the lake.

warm water can even be placed outside every morning. Davenhill said the trail is fun for everyone to enjoy, not just birders. Birds can be seen year-round from the well-maintained parks along the trail and throughout the length of the river due to their proximity to rich vegetation and water. Fancy binoculars and a background in birding aren’t necessary to spot them. But for beginner birders, the Audubon bird count can be a great place to start. "We're casual. We try not to freeze to death and just try to have a good time," Davenhill said.

Grab a free drink and a snack, then take the mic to read something rough, explore an idea or share a published piece. Grab a free drink and a snack, then take the mic to read something rough, explore an idea or share a published piece. Feeling timid? Bring a friend or cheer on those who read. This is a friendly and supportive environment. Drinks start to pour at 5 p.m. The mic opens at 5:15 and closes at 6:45. Sign up with Dianne Blomberg at the clubhouse from 5-5:15. Time yourself to 4 minutes, 45 seconds. You will be stopped at exactly 5 minutes. There is no advance list. First come, first served. Don’t be late. Spots fill quickly. This is one New Year’s resolution you’ll be glad you kept. Connect with fellow writers and stoke that creative fire.

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/// GUEST COLUMN ///

Tierra Colectiva and GES Coalition Intend to Purchase Vacant Land for Food Forest By Ana Varela

he GES Coalition held a food sale by the Navegadoras, another group center Dec. 2 to raise funds to acquire a of the GES Coalition that keeps neighbors vacant plot of land in Swansea. The informed through flyers, events and word property, located at 4790 Josephine St., if of mouth. The day was also an opporacquired by Tierra Colectiva Community tunity to come together with neighbors, Land Trust, would transform into a food partners and friends to collectively bring forest and community space and would be green and community-owned spaces to purchased in collaboration by the GES Co- the neighborhood. alition, Tierra Colectiva and Tierras Verdes. Thanks to our supporters, we’re going to The GES Coalition is a community orga- be able to make this otherwise abandoned nizing group for health and housing justice. lot into an approximately 10,000-squareSince 2015, we have supported neighbor-led foot community-serving space. While Tierinitiatives that directly combat environ- ra Colectiva’s original hope was to acquire mental injustice and disthe property before the end placement. The GES Coaliof the year, we still need to Tierra Colectiva is a raise additional funds to tion's Tierras Verdes group center (an organized com- community land trust reach the asking price for mittee of vision-aligned the property. In the meanneighbors) identifies open, that directly combats time, the land trust has a vacant or available parcels purchase agreement with displacement in to purchase for community the property owner until GES by preserving at least the end of February benefit and greening. Run by neighbors and 2024. affordable home supported by GES Coalition You can sign up for ownership staff, Tierra Colectiva is a the next Tierra Colectiva community land trust that home-ownership orientaopportunities for directly combats displacetion, scheduled for Jan. 11, the community. ment in GES by preserving 2024, at bit.ly/tierracolectiaffordable home ownership va or call 720-432-1188. To opportunities for the community. So far, 13 learn more about GES Coalition, please visit local families and individuals were able to linktr.ee/gescoalition or send us an email stay in the GES neighborhoods and stabilize at info@ges-coalition.org. To support the their housing by purchasing a home in the food forest project, please go to https://bit. Tierra Colectiva Community Land Trust. ly/GESCforest and stay updated with us on The 4790 Josephine plot would be the first Facebook and Instagram @gescoaltion. property preserved as open land by Tierra Colectiva. Ana Varela is an Elyria resident and the The Dec. 2 fundraiser allowed neighbors communications director for the Tierra Coland supporters to purchase homemade ta- ectiva and GES Coalition. You can contact males, enchiladas and champurrado made her at ana@ges-coalition.org.

/// GUEST COLUMN ///

Inner Workings: Your Local Loo Connector, the RNO

By Susan Hennessy

s community groups diminish due to time constraints and increased work duties, many of us long for a sense of connection. Your local Registered Neighborhood Organization (RNO) may be the conduit for getting into the mix. An RNO is typically comprised of volunteers with its own bylaws and a focus on being a conduit of communication for a localized community. RNOs are encouraged to interact with city council offices, which in turn often include more than just one RNO. Easily accessed and always available, your local RNO can be where you go to get answers to both atypical and typical questions. For example, what do we do about trees that are dying in a park near my house, graffiti at the outdoor city basketball courts, or the weird road construction at my corner? A well-functioning RNO is a great way to become informed and involved in your neighborhood on your terms. As a volunteer, you can apply your unique skill set to the greater whole of the RNO’s goals. It should be fun! It should not be a chore. Perhaps you can assist remotely, creating a newsletter or updating the website; be a link to your local school; or help plan events. The best volunteer can simply say yes to a neighborhood cleanup, flyer distribution or help with a tree planting. RNOs have members – residents and merchants – who may or may not pay a fee to participate. Highland United Neighbors, Inc. (HUNI) operates with the understanding that everyone in the HUNI “footprint” is a member, and based on the work that we do, that member can choose to support us with a small donation. The overhead for an RNO is minimal, so the majority of the funding goes towards events or efforts that the RNO supports based on the community’s input. RNOs are not all alike. And they are not government agencies with sway in resolving issues related to governmental departments. RNOs are advisory in nature and are a wonderful landing place for initial conversations

about getting issues resolved. Over time, an RNO can gain the respect of city departments and council offices, such that their “advice” is valued and solicited. For HUNI in the Potter Highlands / LoHibusinesses neighborhoods, this has held true with ourresidents, long-standing Planning and Community De- This is velopment Committee. This thoughtful groupWest 23rd of neighbors brings extensive expertise in ar-home to A chitecture, urban planning and real estate as itner space reviews new development proposals, planningTejon Dru and transportation initiatives brought by the1999 to 20 city, residents and developers. Martha Eu The true essence of why one would par-a coffee sh ticipate in their local RNO is how it makes you feel, like a contributing member of this local experience. Through HUNI’s annual Highland HUNIween Parade, Fourth of July Parade, monthly HUNI Hours and our recent 160th Anniversary of Potter Highlands, we saw participants from ages 1 to 91. We are familiar faces, engaged and sharing in this pocket of our larger landscape. It feels like family. Building through volunteerism requires an organization to recognize that everyone will do what they can based on the time and bandwidth available. RNOs are groups of folks who care and commit to what is needed. There is always too much work to be done. So, when you reach out to your local RNO, sign up for what you can do and deliver on that. Remember, the better you perform, the more work people want to sign you up for! It’s up to you to remind yourself and others that expecting too much is a recipe for burnout. The key to a “humming” RNO is the collective of volunteers and the team they are able to build together. Susan Hennessy is a NW Denver enthusiast of story journeys through theatre, opera, improv, people, parenting, wifi-ing or just being around at the choice moment, mostly through laughter. She has been involved in HUNI for the past four years.

/ / / T R A N S P O R TAT I O N / / /

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Construction Begins on Federal Boulevard Improvements

section of North Denver’s most deadly road is getting an upgrade. In November, Denver began work on Federal Boulevard upgrades between West ALLEN COWGILL 23rd Avenue and West 27th Avenue. The project is expected to last until fall of 2024. Upgrades will include bulb outs, which shorten the crossing distance for pedestrians; upgraded pedestrian ramps; improved stormwater infrastructure; and a HAWK pedestrian and bike crossing signal at West 25th Avenue and Federal Boulevard. HAWK crossings, nicknamed after “high-intensity activated crosswalk” signals, allow pedestrians and cyclists to press a button that activates a blinking light to stop oncoming traffic. The project will also include improvements to West 25th Avenue between Federal Boulevard and Eliot Street to make the street more friendly for pedestrians. It includes a chicane, which is a curved section of road intended to slow down drivers, and planter boxes that help improve water quality by filtering water that drains through them. The project is funded by the Elevate Denver Bond and a Colorado Department of Transportation Safer Main Streets Grant. Federal Boulevard’s crash rate is 20 times higher than the average urban street in Colorado. The roadway is owned by the Colorado Department of Transportation. The speed, volume of cars, design of the road, and high concentration of pedestrians and transit users have contributed to making the street one of the

PHOTO BY ALLEN COWGILL

Construction work continues on Federal Boulevard at West 25th Avenue on Dec. 4.

deadliest in the state. The project comes as Denver struggles to reach its Vision Zero goal to reduce deaths due to traffic crashes to zero by the year 2030. Since 2015, according to Denver’s Vision Zero dashboard, there have been nine fatal crashes on Federal Boulevard. The majority of those killed have been people walking. The section receiving improvements as part of this project did not have any fatal crashes, but it has had two serious bodily injury crashes since 2015. Also in the plans for Federal Boulevard are future safety improvements that will add a handful of medians in the road between Interstate 70 and West 52nd Avenue and between West 29th Avenue and West 33rd Avenue. Allen Cowgill is the City Council District 1 appointee to the DOTI Advisory Board, where he serves as the board secretary.

The Denver North Star

/// HISTORY ///

al Looking Back on an Icon: Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café

s our Northside has evolved we are losing many r time, an of the iconic institutions partments that marked us as a com“advice” is munity of diverse people. REBECCA A. HUNT What replaces the old nds / LoHibusinesses becomes the norm for the new with ourresidents, and memories of earlier uses fade. munity De- This is true of the block at the corner of tful groupWest 23rd Avenue and Tejon Street. Now it is rtise in ar-home to Ash’Kara with Señor Bear in the corestate as itner space that once housed Gerald Natale’s , planningTejon Drug Company drugstore. Then, from ght by the1999 to 2005, Lucía Guzmán and her wife, Martha Eubanks, ran Lucía’s Casa de Café, would par-a coffee shop that was a gathering place for w it makes ber of this NI’s annuFourth of rs and our ter Highges 1 to 91. nd sharing dscape. It

equires an ryone will and bandfolks who d. There is So, when ign up for t. Rememmore work up to you at expectnout. The collective are able to PHOTO BY OSCAR AGUIRRE

enthusiastThis neighbor and his son deliver food opera, im-for the feast in 2014. just being ly through HUNI for

community activists. Guzmán was also an activist and later a state senator representing the Northside. But before that, the building became Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café, a place that was legendary in the neighborhood. Rosa Linda Aguirre arrived in 1969 from Monterrey, Mexico. She came from a family in which her sister owned a restaurant. But she never thought that she could do it as well until she met Virgilio (Virgil) Aguirre, who immigrated in 1961 from Michoacan. After they were married, Virgil worked at the concrete plant in Chaffee Park and Rosa Linda looked for ways to supplement their income as they raised their growing family that eventually included five kids. All of those children, but especially eldest son Oscar, helped out in the restaurant over the years. An opportunity came up to buy the building at the corner of Tejon and 23rd. As she worked out how to launch her project, she got a lot of negative reaction from people who did not think that a Mexican immigrant woman could make a go of a restaurant, especially since she did not have any experience. When she bought the building in early 1985, she got a loan at a 23% interest rate with a balloon payment that came due in December of that year. Since she had just opened the restaurant in January, that was a big risk to take. Rosa Linda told me, in a recent interview, that she prayed a lot about finding the money for the loan and pledged that if she succeeded she would give back by feeding a good meal to seniors, those who were disabled and anyone else who needed help. Not long after the café opened, a man walked in and said he was there to try the best burrito in Denver. She was perplexed until she saw an article in Westword that described a conversation with a local artist who said that the new restaurant had outstanding food. After trying the burrito, Westword editor Patty Calhoun gave Rosa Linda’s burrito the 1985 Best of Denver award. By December

PHOTO BY OSCAR AGUIRRE

Rosa Linda (left), Debbie Ortega and a friend prepare the turkey for the feast in 2014. the flood of sales raised the money to make the payment. The first year the restaurant served free meals to 175 people on Thanksgiving. By 2008 they were serving at least 3,500 and by 2015 that number had risen to 5,200-6,000 per year. Soon community members, friends and family were working together to put on the annual feast. A years-long partnership with the Highland United Neighbors, the Registered Neighborhood Organization for Highland, brought in turkeys and other supplies in the weeks before each Thanksgiving. Local politicians and many others helped cook and serve food. In 2015 Virgil and Rosa Linda took their first vacation in years. They came back and announced that they were ready to retire. Since none of the kids were able to take over the café, they determined that it was time to close. It was a hard decision for them and for the neighborhood. Rosa Linda and Virgil still live in their

house next to their building, which they still own. Oscar recently moved back to Denver and started the Tejon Food Company based on his mother’s recipes. Her chorizo and her red salsa mata gringos are being served in area restaurants including El Noa Noa on Santa Fe. Oscar is thinking of trying to have a pop-up version of the café, serving some of Rosa Linda’s favorite recipes. If you are interested in learning more about Rosa Linda, visit the city’s I Am Denver documentary series at https://denvergov.org/Community/Neighborhoods/Office-of-Storytelling. An article about Lucía Guzmán was printed in the November 2021 North Star. Dr. Rebecca A. Hunt has been a resident of North Denver since 1993. She worked in museums and then taught museum studies and Colorado, Denver, women’s and immigration history at the University of Colorado Denver until she retired in 2020.

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RECYCLE YOUR TREE

Dropoff Locations & Times

Dropoff Locations & Times:

Dec. 1-31, 2023

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The Denver North Star

Jan. 2-31, 2024

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December 15, 2023-January 14, 2024 | Page 7

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y mom was having a bad day. She had waited months to get her car scheduled for repairs ERIKA TAYLOR after being rear-ended at a stoplight. She had nervously wound her way across town, missed her turn, found her way back, stomped through the snow and gone inside. Only to discover that she had mistakenly been scheduled for an estimate (which had already been completed weeks earlier) and not the repair. She explained that between the tire pressure warning light on, headlight not working, inability to lock the doors and the bashed-in backside, she just didn’t think she should be driving her car. The receptionist politely insisted the next available repair appointment was months away. To say my mom felt defeated is a grave understatement. She asked the receptionist as calmly as she could if at least some air might be put in her tire. At that point the last thing my mom wanted to do was stay there, but she handed over her keys and sat down to wait. She texted me at this point to let me know what was happening. I did my best to buoy her, but I could tell she was on the brink. About 20 minutes later she called me, crying. My first thought was that she had tried to drive and, as upset as she was, had gotten lost or, worse, been in another accident. She collected herself enough to say, “I'm OK.” Turns out she was far better than just OK. My mom had handed her keys to a smiling young man who disappeared with her car. He returned quite some time later and motioned for my mom to join him outside saying, “I’m sorry that took a little longer than I'm sure you expected. I got your tire all fixed. I hope it’s OK that I went ahead and popped a new headlight in too.” She was stunned. She hadn’t even realized anyone heard her telling the receptionist how upset she was about driving around with that light out. She knew only then how nervous it had been making her. Driving at night has become challenging for her even under the best circumstances, and having the light out made her feel even more vulnerable. She stood there silently with tears running down her face, unable to even thank him. When she finally could speak and asked what she owed him he said, “You have such a nice smile. That’s all the payment I need.” The tears when she called were of relief. And amazement at the difference one human can make in the life of another with just one small act of … yes, you know the word … kindness. We are surrounded by need. Many needs are complicated and overwhelming. Impossible for any one of us to mitigate on our own. But many of the things we need are

Book Review Continued from Page 4

the Platte while they awaited autopsies and at various times it was a base of operations for both a bootlegger and a lady of the evening. Not exactly the dignified eternal rest he imagined. A little closer to home, Joseph Granville Brown made a name for himself working for the Rocky Mountain News, managing the newspaper collection for Denver Public Library and overseeing the relocation of the Eugene Field house to Washington Park. Despite his contributions, Brown fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War and supporters of the rebellion erected a headstone and a Confederate flag celebrating his service, shedding light on his politics and adding an element of notoriety to his legacy.

tiny. Micro-kindnesses that ANYONE can offer at ANY time. Making eye contact with a fellow human and saying, “hello.” Holding a door. Writing a note. Letting someone merge in traffic, inviting a coworker to coffee, thanking a bus driver, taking your sick neighbor’s dog for a walk… My holiday hope is that we will all look for opportunities to practice not only offering these tiny acts, but noticing them. It’s so easy to keep track of the unkindness. The slights stick with us while we ignore the stranger who bids us, “good day,” or the driver who stops to let us cross the street. When we do this, we are missing a chance to bolster our health. Study after study have shown that sharing kindness can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem and happiness. Practicing kindness can increase our sense of connection and purpose, both of which are proven to compress morbidity and reduce our chances of premature death. One study led by Kelli Harding, MD, MPH, found that of 13,000 adults observed, those who had the highest sense of purpose had a 46% lower risk of premature mortality. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found that when we help others, it can promote changes in the brain that are linked with reduced stress and nervous system regulation. A study published in 2019 in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology showed that just a six-week workshop on cultivating kindness through meditation helped protect telomeres. Telomeres, part of DNA, play a role in cell growth. The length indicates how our bodies are aging. While protecting telomeres may not let us live forever, it is extremely helpful to our overall health. Jeffrey Brantley, MD, coauthor of that study, said participants who did a more general mindfulness meditation did not show the same health benefit in terms of telomere length. It was only seen in those who were specifically focusing on kindness. So when I say that noticing and practicing kindness may save your life, I am not exaggerating. Not everyone can take an unsheltered family into their home this holiday season, or provide car repair to a woman who is at the end of her rope. But every single one of us can notice all the ways our fellow humans are kind in their daily lives and look for ways we can provide that bit of connection in return. I can’t think of a better wish for this season and all year long than this. Erika Taylor is a community wellness instigator at Taylored Fitness, the original online wellness mentoring system. Taylored Fitness believes that everyone can discover small changes in order to make themselves and their communities more vibrant, and that it is only possible to do our best work in the world if we make a daily commitment to our health. Visit facebook.com/erika.taylor.303 or email erika@tayloredfitness.com. With irreverence and humor, the author explores both the heartwrenching and sordid with equal aplomb. Photographs of memorable monuments pepper the narrative, and discerning readers will find a nod to our neighborhood library’s namesake in the volume. Check out a copy of “The Scenic History of Denver Cemeteries: From Cheesman Park to Riverside” at a Denver Public Library branch near you and join us at the Smiley Branch Library on Saturday, Jan. 13, from 2-3:30 p.m. as Dr. Goodstein tells tales from the graves of Denver’s famous and infamous. Copies of his books will be available for purchase at the event and can be signed by the author. Wendy Thomas is a librarian at the Smiley Branch Library. When not reading or recommending books, you can find her hiking with her dogs.

The Denver North Star

/ / / T H E G R AY Z O N E / / /

THE GRAY ZONE: STORIES CONNECTED TO NORTH DENVER’S OLDER ADULTS

Chronicles of Failure: Your Faceplant Resume

bout a decade Having lived almost six decades, my ago, I hit a pro- personal failure list is long. There are the fessional wall. schools I didn’t get into. The jobs I applied Burned out and de- for and didn’t get. The people I dated and pleted, I applied for a didn’t marry. OK, that last one is more of a new job. The interview bullet dodged, but the point is that examinstarted with the softball ing these experiences can prevent us from ANNE BUTTON question: Why this job and why you? traveling down the path to failure again. It’s the most basic question, one I’ve Creating a failure résumé is simple: Look asked many times from the other side of back at your life and write down your bigthe interview table. Yet I scrambled to gest failures, the uglier the better, but toss come up with an answer beyond, “Getting in some meaningful micro-failures too. And then instead of (or maybe after) feelout of my rut.” I bombed it. ing sorry for yourself, take time to analyze Years later, it still embarrasses me. But why you failed along the way and what you here’s my takeaway. Had I gotten the job, I got out of it. Of course, some faceplants are probably would have blithely patted myself purely negative, but that’s rare. on the back for what went right. My failure And sometimes it really isn’t a failure made me examine why I was so woefully at all. Getting rejected only to later get a unprepared. Turns out I didn’t really want better offer? That’s more like closed door, the new job, I just wanted out of my old one. open window. Our résumés, and the We often repeat the stories we tend to share same failures multiple The failure résumé about ourselves, are sometimes. That’s worth noticthing of a triumph pareminds us of what ing. In his 2022 book “The rade: the jobs we’ve held, Power or Regret: How success really is: the awards we’ve won, the Looking Backward Moves ways we’ve distinguished Us Forward,” Daniel Pink the end result of a ourselves. What they don’t writes that creating his lot of failures, and include are all the things own failure résumé helped we applied for and were him realize he’d repeatednot something that ly made variations of the rejected from, our projappears fully formed same two mistakes. Once ects that didn’t get off the ground, our brilliant ideas he recognized that, he took and all at once. that went nowhere. steps to change those beThose setbacks, while haviors. painful in the moment, are valuable in a The failure résumé reminds us of what different way. success really is: the end result of a lot of As Thomas Edison said, “I have not failures, and not something that appears failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that fully formed and all at once. won’t work.” It reminds us that redemption lies not Our flops are the dark horse in the race in perfection but in the messy, stumbling to success. journey toward a slightly better version So what if instead of ignoring our pre- of ourselves. vious missteps, we created a résumé of It also encourages us to take ourselves our failures? less seriously and embrace the absurdity of I wish I had invented this concept, but it all. In the grand comedy of life, the best no. In 2010, British academic Melanie Ste- punchlines often come from the most unexfan wrote an article in Nature about keep- pected moments of failure. ing a record of the grants and fellowships Like in the case of Haushofer, the former she’d applied for and didn’t get, to remind Princeton professor. His failure résumé lists others in academia that everyone has set- what he calls his meta-failure: “This darn backs. Johannes Haushofer, a professor CV of Failures has received way more attenthen at Princeton, took it a step further, tion than my entire body of academic work.” publishing his CV of failures on Twitter in Anne Button has lived in North Denver 2016. It went viral. While it can be fun to wallow in our dis- for nearly 30 years and raised two kids in the appointments, feel sorry for ourselves or neighborhood. She is the founding director overshare our regrets, that’s not the point of of the CU Denver Change Makers program, the failure résumé. which helps older adults chart new paths. It’s to acknowledge that failure is an inev- She can be reached at Anne.Button@ucdenitable part of learning. ver.edu.

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December 15, 2023-January 14, 2024 | Page 9

Refugee

Continued from Page 1 “They kidnapped girls, they robbed my husband at gunpoint and took our money,” Romero said. “Crossing the Mexican border we learned that we have to keep fighting for our lives … if we have a family, if we have kids, we have to fight for them too.” From El Paso, where she gathered chile peppers for several weeks, Romero and her family traveled to San Antonio before leaving for Denver in search of better work. When she and her husband first arrived, he found a job and the family moved into an apartment. But after the first snowfall, Romero said, the work stopped. As her husband had already sent his salary back to his family in Venezuela, they couldn’t make rent and were forced to move into the Zuni encampment; the Romeros have applied for housing assistance from ViVe Wellness but are still waiting to hear back. THE ENCAMPMENT Like most of the migrants at the Zuni encampment, the Romeros now have a tent, tarp, air mattresses, bedding and winter clothing. Volunteers from the community stop by to bring hot meals for lunch, and neighbors have set up a free community closet in a church several blocks to the north. Romero enrolled her daughter, who is 8, in a nearby elementary school. These initiatives are not managed by the city. They’re the work of the Highland Moms, a neighborhood organization of moms and community members which, until last month, was a forum for parents in North Denver to discuss and organize local events and happenings. This changed when Andrea Ryall stopped by the Quality Inn to drop off bananas for Mutual Aid Monday in early November. Instead of a clear drop-off location and outreach workers, Ryall was met with a crowd of kids and moms, many without shoes or coats. She was shocked. “That first night,” Ryall recalled, “I did the most radical thing for me. I put a mom in my car and took her and got her dinner because she looked me dead in the eyes and hugged me and said, ‘My kids haven’t eaten today, can you please help?’” THE MOMS After the banana incident, Ryall took to Facebook to rally her counterparts to respond to the international crisis that had landed squarely in their neighborhood. Less than a month later, the Highlands Moms & Neighbors - Venezuelan Migrant Support Facebook group has more than 2,400 mem-

PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Refugees and migrants stand in line for volunteer-organized assistance at West 27th Avenue and Alcott Street, Dec. 10. bers and sees hundreds of posts each day, them here,” Ryall said. “Whatever services ranging from coordinating furniture drop- [the government] has, they have to start taking it to the people.” off to advocating for specific families. Ewing said that, in addition to stretching A team of 26 moms have delegated responsibilities into four prongs: immediate funding and staffing to its limits, the city physical needs, resource navigation, ad- has been focusing its resources on housing vocacy and communications. Tasks range families, not individuals. from navigating legal clinics to organizing “We have not actually discharged a family meals at the camp. There are spreadsheets since Nov. 17,” said Ewing. “At the moment, detailing specific family needs, donation we’re in conversation of next steps.” and volunteer opportunities, resources for Despite the city’s promise that it ended migrants, a directory of bilingual transla- the discharge of families in mid-Novemtors, donation drop-off locations, housing ber, there have been numerous reports options, available furniture and house- on the Highlands Moms Facebook group wares, and local business donors. of families being kicked out of shelters “The activity, and for violating shelter the spontaneity, and rules, often around “I did the most radical thing accepting food and the outpouring and self organizing … is donations from for me. I put a mom in my incredibly dynamic,” non-city entities. car and took her and got her Ryall pointed out said Rudy Garcia, who describes himthat several families dinner because she looked self as a longtime were still living in me dead in the eyes and Northside resident. tents over ThanksGarcia periodically hugged me and said, ‘My kids giving. “Volunteers were stops by the encamphaven’t eaten today, can you out there at one ment to help migrants with moving please help?’” – Andrea Ryall, o’clock in the morning, on Thanksgivand finding odd jobs. Volunteer with Highlands ing night, looking “It’s like nothing I’ve for kids in tents and seen since the ChiMoms & Neighbors cano movement in counting them and the ’70s.” calling in favors to While Ryall is proud of the community house them,” she said. mobilization, the scale of their work makes Ewing went on to call the effort to house her wonder: where is the city? solo migrants “multipronged,” saying “the “We want face-to-face meetings and true outreach teams are out there, the nonprofcommunication because we're doing the its are out there every day.” These “outreach boots-on-the-ground work, but what we're teams” are part of Denver’s street outreach doing isn't sustaining a long-term life for collaborative, one aspect of Denver’s housing stability initiative. Neither Contreras nor Giovany Gonzalez, an asylum-seeker from Maracaibo, Venezuela, had met with or heard of city employees at the Zuni encampment when The Denver North Star met with them. “It’s the community that’s been helping us, not the government,” said Gonzalez. “The only thing [the government] has done is allow us to stay here.”

PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Migrant families and individuals eligible to be sheltered by the city stay in the neighboring Quality Inn and receive two meals a day and other city services.

Page 10 December 15, 2023-January 14, 2024

THE WORK PERMITS The city, the moms and the asylum seekers all agree on one thing: the asylum seekers and migrants need employment. “People are finding jobs immediately,” said Ewing, “but often it’s day labor stuff.” Gonzalez, Contreras, Romero and Moncerrat have been looking for work for weeks, even months, without success. Romero has experience working in beauty salons doing nails and hair but is also open to cooking, cleaning and any other work she can find. The men were seeking any kind of manual labor, including construction, drywall, even fishing and welding. “Many people have supported us,” said Gonzales. “But I think that with just one opportunity to work, we could solve all of these issues that we’re facing right now.” Ryall acknowledged that while the com-

munity can put together donation drives and hot meals, it is not a sustainable solution to what is becoming a long-term problem. “They need more than boots and jackets and shampoo and lunch, they need to be able to start a life,” Ryall said. Work authorization for asylum seekers is tricky. The Biden administration granted all Venezuelan asylum seekers who arrived in the U.S. between March 8, 2021, and July 31 Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a blanket legal status afforded to all Venezuelans regardless of individual circumstances. However, Venezuelans who entered the country after July 31 are subject to the asylum application process, which can take months to complete. Venezuelans covered under TPS are eligible to apply for work authorization, while general asylum seekers are eligible to apply only after they’ve been seeking asylum in the U.S. for over 150 days. Migrants who were paroled into the U.S. using CBP One™, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection mobile app, are also eligible. However, to stay in Denver shelters, migrants must have arrived in the U.S. within the last 30 days. This means that many of the migrants at the Zuni encampment have been in the U.S. for a much shorter period of time and are not eligible to apply for work permits. For migrants who may be eligible for work authorization, the application comes with a $410 fee. Ewing pointed out that the federal government offers fee waivers to make work authorization more accessible; however, to qualify for a fee waiver, the applicant must show that their income is under 150% of the federal poverty line, that they are participating in a means-tested government benefits program, i.e., Medicaid or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or that they are suffering from financial hardship. Asylum seekers in Colorado are not eligible to apply for means-tested government benefits programs until their asylum case is approved. While they can technically show financial hardship through pay stubs, bills, or bank statements, this evidence can be difficult to collect and must be translated to English to be considered valid by the federal government. In addition, while instructions to complete the fee waiver are available online in Spanish, the waiver itself is only available in English and must be printed out and mailed to a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, posing yet another barrier to applicants living on the street. Ewing emphasized that all work authorization is handled by the U.S. government and is out of the city’s hands. “The federal government has to expand this work authorization because, what else are we gonna do?” Ewing said. “The only other option for these people is to go work Jen Ande under the table, and I’m sure many of them Regis law will go do that because they want to provide for their families, but … that’s how people get exploited. That’s how people get underpaid.” Alongside mayors from Chicago, Houston, New York and Los Angeles, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston requested additional federal funding for Denver’s response and the expansion of work authorization to “anyone with an Alien Registration Number” from President Joe Biden last October. The president has not responded. “We don’t want to go at governmental pace here,” Ryall said. “The winter is coming … what next?” “Even I can see that if we already had better policy and safeguards in place to protect Colorado citizens from homelessness,” Ryall said, “if we were not sweeping camps on a regular basis and leaving people with absolutely nothing, if we were setting them up to not be on the street … we would not be in this crisis. … You throw more people into that failure, [and] that's where we find ourselves in a straight-up humanitarian crisis.”

The Denver North Star

Regis

sity is Dr. Bryan Hall because we talk about different philosophers. My favorite class is philosophy because we talk about different cultures and people of the world from Plato to John Locke. The advice I want to give to future students is to be yourself and have fun at college. I know it can be very changeling and very hard. You got this. I believe in you that you can do amazing things.

Continued from Page 1 to learn more about the lives of those who have a disability. I love how everyone in my first-year writing class isn’t afraid to be themselves and how we acknowledge that we have different needs and ways of learning. My biggest takeaways from this class have been watching documentaries such as “Crip Camp” and reading essays on visible and invisible disabilities in the book “Disability Visibility.” Regis has made the space around us inclusive for everyone, allowing the proper accommodations for those in the GLOBAL Inclusive Program. Interacting with students that are a part of the GLOBAL Inclusive Program has been really fun and wholesome. JEN ANDERMAN, SECOND-YEAR STUDENT My favorite professor this year, besides Dr. Jeanine Coleman, would have to be Dr. Raul Dominguez. He’s my choir teacher and he gave me a shot to sing when no one else at Regis could. He makes music fun both for me and my fellow choir ladies. My other favorite professor is Dr. Jeanine because not only is she the founder of our wonderful program but she also is teaching a special education class this fall. The dorms can be fun. There are a lot of fun neighbors around me so that way I am never alone here at Regis. They have community assistants and community developments assistants, and even our student president lives in our same building on the same floor as all of us. They do have fire drills late at night so we’ll know just what to do in case there is an emergency.

PHOTO BY JENSEN SUTTA PHOTOGRAPHY

Regis GLOBAL Inclusive students enjoy campus life at Regis University. One of the most important things about being a second-year student is that we all have internships. My internship is very understanding of me and about how I’m in college, so I only work two hours a week. STELLA CAHALAN, PEER MENTOR During my first few months as a peer mentor, I have been surrounded by love and compassion and thoroughly look forward to my time with the GLOBAL Inclusive students. They have taught me just as much as I have taught them. Higher education is very beneficial to those with intellectual disabilities, just as it is for me. For students in the GLOB-

PHOTO BY JENSEN SUTTA PHOTOGRAPHY

Jen Anderman (center) tosses for the “swish” in a game of cornhole on the Regis lawn.

AL Inclusive Program, the social aspect of college is a meaningful and crucial part of their days. Interacting with typical college students in and out of the classroom puts huge smiles on their faces. They are proud of themselves and all they achieved to get to Regis. Being a peer mentor has allowed me to meet many Regis students I would not have met otherwise. A student with disabilities deserves the same resources, support and guidance throughout their college experience as any other student. Exposure to individuals different than ourselves can change our outlook on life. Each college student struggles with different aspects of independent living. It can be easy to support those who have the same challenges as ourselves. Universities would look different if more students embraced helping those who look and act different than themselves. Working as a peer mentor was a very natural decision for me as someone who is passionate about supporting those with disabilities in education and disability ministry. To all who are worried about interactions with students that do not look “normal,” I want to tell them that these students are some of the kindest, funniest and most caring people I have ever come across. Their contagious energy for life and each other keeps me engaged and ready to work with them every day. Caring people are at the core of the solutions that are needed on college campuses for students with disabilities to thrive. Yes, we need more ramps. Yes, we need more modifications inside of the classroom. But ultimately, we need more empathetic and courageous students on campuses, willing to be the helping hand in someone else’s day. ANDREW REGAN, FIRST-YEAR STUDENT My favorite professor here at Regis Univer-

SCHUYLER K., FIRST-YEAR STUDENT The advice I would give to first-year students is to keep your head up and keep an open mind. It is really important to learn that your choices ref lect on your actions. You do not want to look back at your life with regrets, like I have. Being in college is a fixed point in your life. This is your pathway to adulthood. Talking about adulthood and adaptation is a big part of this. Because this is really preparing yourself for jobs and knowing what sort of responsibilities and resources there are in the working field. It is a really good idea to get to know different people so you can expand your friendships. I have made many friends at Regis University. It is nice to live on campus because of opportunities to walk around and get to know the campus. Living in the dorms is nice. You get a room with either yourself or with a roommate. There are f laws in both. The f law with being on your own is that you have to be responsible for your own possessions. But you get the freedom of when you go to bed because sometimes if you have a roommate that can be rocky. Because both of you have to agree on the time when you go to sleep.

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