Life on Capitol Hill April 2024

Colorado Community Media owner purchases printing press, o ers lifeline to local news

BY SUZIE GLASSMAN SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Colorado Community Media’s two dozen newspapers will get a much-needed lifeline in the form of a printing press, allowing it to bring printing needs inhouse while reducing costs and providing a longer-term solution for other publishers along the Front Range.

e National Trust for Local News, which owns Colorado Community Media, purchased the press after raising $900,000 in grant funding toward the project. e donations came through the Colorado Media Project and its coalition of funders: the Bohemian Foundation, Gates Family Foundation and the Colorado Trust.

Amalie Nash, head of transformation for NTLN, said the hope is to start printing CCM’s newspapers on the press, located in northeast Denver, by the end of May. By summer, the Trust plans to o er printing services to other

newspapers seeking a more affordable solution.

e e ort to buy the press began after Gannett Publishing Co., which owns the USA TODAY Network, announced it was closing its plant in Pueblo last August. With few places left to turn, more than 80 Colorado publications that relied on the Pueblo press, including those at CCM, scrambled to nd alternative solutions.

“We were faced with a decision point and had to gure out where to print instead,” Nash said. “So we started seeking bids and trying to gure out how we were going to continue to provide print products that people want.”

CCM wasn’t alone. e Colorado Media Project, a nonpartisan philanthropic initiative dedicated to supporting and sustaining local news, surveyed publishers impacted by the Gannett press closure and found that one publication was forced to close. Several others were wrestling with whether to go digital-only, and

at least three publishers of multiple papers opted to consolidate titles.

In October, e Colorado Sun reported that the ndings of a working group on the future of printing in Colorado, published by the Colorado Press Association, Colorado News Collaborative and the Colorado Media Project “underscored the blow of the Pueblo closure and highlighted the nearly exhausted printing capacity statewide and ‘unsustainable’ cost increases. e report voices concern that continuing those trajectories could lead to the demise of a ‘sizeable number’ of publications.”

Nash said CCM ultimately chose to contract with e Denver Post for printing, but did not consider it a long-term solution.

“Since the National Trust for Local News purchased Colorado Community Media in 2021, our printing costs have gone up 60%,

THE BERLIN

Learn about the lessons of courage, perseverance and the triumph of human spirit. THE BERLIN

SUPPLIES FROM THE SKY SUPPLIES FROM THE SKY

The National Trust for Local News, owner of Colorado Community Media, is aiming for a May start to printing its newspapers. COURTESY OF IMPRESSIONS WORLDWIDE

Potential changes coming to sidewalk fee ordinance

BY ALLEN COWGILL THE DENVER NORTH STAR

A committee has proposed several major changes to Denver’s Ordinance 307, known also by its original campaign name, Denver Deserves Sidewalks.

e original ordinance, passed by voters in November 2022, called for sidewalk fees based on a property’s linear footage of sidewalk. Councilwoman Amanda Sandoval initiated a change to the ordinance that, in October 2023 after discussion and concerns about postponing implementation, was unanimously supported by City Council. Fee collection has been delayed until July 2024 in order for a committee to make recommendations to address concerns such as residents on corner lots being charged higher-than-average fees and the burden of fees on lower-income residents.

e rst major change proposed by the committee is a at fee structure. Residents in single-family homes, or in a multifamily residence on a single parcel, would pay about $148 per year.

Multifamily residences with more

NEW PRESS

which was obviously very signicant for an operation of this size,” said Nash, adding that “we started having discussions around these larger commercial printers closing and the fact that there aren’t very many options in the Front Range.

So, we asked: what if we came up with an option. What would that look like?”

NTLN began researching, talking to funding partners, and putting together a plan to buy a press.

“It’s heartening to think that we have an opportunity that helps us regulate our press costs better and that we have a real opportunity to help the media ecosystem in that way,” CCM Publisher Linda Shapley said.

While the print newspaper and magazine market has steadily de-

than one home on a parcel would pay about $28 per year per unit.

e second major recommendation is to enact discounts for incomequali ed homeowners. ese would mirror instant rebates currently offered on solid waste collection. ose rebates start at 50% o for residents at 60% or less of the area median income (AMI) and go up to a 100% rebate for residents that are at 30% or less of AMI.

e third major recommendation is to give Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) exibility on the original nine-year timeline due to increases in construction costs.

Denver City Council will consider recommended changes to the ordinance in the coming months.

Allen Cowgill is a member of the Ordinance 307 Committee and is the City Council District 1 appointee to the DOTI Advisory Board, serving as its board secretary. is story was published through a story share agreement with e Denver North Star, a monthly publication covering north Denver.

clined since the mid-2000s, it’s still projected to earn $123.5 billion in the U.S. this year. Many communities still lack reliable internet access, and some people continue to prefer printed news, according to Nash.

And getting a paper copy to commemorate an event is still meaningful for many. Recently, parents whose children were featured in a bilingual newsletter dedicated to Commerce City reached out to Shapley, asking if there were printed copies available.

“You can show the story on your phone or a computer, but it’s just not the same,” she said.

At the same time, CCM has focused on its digital transformation, relaunching its websites last fall and introducing new newsletters. Shapley said it’s important to give people news in all the formats they want it.

“As much as people talk about how print is going away, the fact of the matter is that it’s still here, and it needs support,” Shapley said.

Guadalupe Hernan-

“Amor de Madre” by Guadalupe Hernandez. Hernandez is the current resident artist at the Art Students League of Denver. He will have an exhibition of his paintings and papel picado art running from April 26 to June 1.

Story on page 12.

COURTESY OF GUADALUPE HERNANDEZ

Historic steam power plant sits at the nexus of Denver’s changing energy infrastructure

In the midst of adaptive reuse negotiations, remediation work continues as the future of Zuni Generating Station remains unknown

BY MERYL PHAIR

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e rusted pipes, walkways and cross beams of the Zuni Generating Station give passersby at the intersection of Zuni Street and West 14th Avenue in Denver a brief look into history. While the steam power plant by the South Platte River is no longer in use, it was once essential to the growing energy needs of Denver’s expanding neighborhoods.

In 2020, the site was selected for demolition by Xcel Energy with plans on installing a new substation, equipment that transmits electricity to consumers. With Denver’s ambitious climate goal to achieve 100% electri cation by 2030, more infrastructure will be needed to accommodate an expanding electric system.

For residents in the nearby Sun Valley and La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhoods who are experienc-

ing rapid redevelopment through Denver Housing Authority projects as well as the proposed development of the Stadium District, communities want their voices heard when it comes to redevelopment. Plans to keep the over 120-year-old Sun Valley site alive as a community space have ignited adjoining neighborhoods that advocate for a more sustainable future for the shuttered energy facility.

“ e idea of adaptive reuse is appealing,” said Jeanne Granville, president of the Sun Valley Community Coalition, who said ideas for the space have included everything from a community hub with meeting places and o ces to a public marketplace for local businesses and

retailers. “To make it a viable project that also bene ted the community with employment opportunities and community space, it’s going to take some doing and the right partner to make it happen.”

e site would likely only be viable for commercial reuse instead of residential, Granville said, as the residential standards required for a marketplace would need a higher level of decontamination, a process known as remediation.

Considered a sustainable approach, adaptive reuse helps conserve resources and minimizes the environmental costs of constructing new buildings. Locally in Denver,

SEE POWER PLANT, P5

POWER PLANT

other adaptive reuse projects from old buildings have included REI in Highland, e Source in RiNo, Cerebral Brewing on East Colfax Avenue and Pancratia Hall on the former Loretto Heights College campus.

e Sun Valley neighborhood currently faces environmental issues such as soil contamination from industrial infrastructure, and community members see the reuse of the power plant as a contribution to the revitalization of the area. Granville said considering the site’s long history with climate justice, reuse could turn an environmental polluter into an asset.

“While the steam plant provided a source of energy for heating and electri cation, there was fallout in the air that people have had to live with for generations,” said Granville. “Xcel wants to be a leader in that space and adaptive reuse could be a way for them to show how they can evolve to embrace more environmentally-conscious practices.”

Amid the push for reuse, the defunct power plant was placed on Colorado’s Most Endangered Places list in February. Compiled by Colorado Preservation, Inc., the organization seeks to preserve historic sites that face a signi cant risk of being permanently lost.

“When we think of preserving places, we usually think of museums or signs that say ‘don’t touch,’” said Katie Peterson, director of Colorado Preservation’s Most Endangered Places Program. “We strive to rede ne this perception of preservation by nding a place for historic resources that meet our constantly changing world. e Zuni power plant is a great example of that.”

e plant has been a xture of west Denver since March 1900 when Charles F. LaCombe and a cohort of bene ciaries opened the LaCombe Power Plant.

“It’s a Denver monument because it broke the monopoly that Denver Gas and Electric had on the city’s energy infrastructure at the turn of the century,” said Peterson.

Peterson added that the site is a remarkable piece of history, especially considering the descendants of many of the power plant workers still live in the community today.

LaCombe’s ownership of the electric power plant was short-lived.

e plant was sold to Denver Consolidated Gas and Electric Company within a year due to legal and nancial troubles. During the 1910s and 1940s, it underwent several additions to meet growing energy needs and was eventually renamed the Zuni Station. Xcel Energy, formerly Denver Gas and Electric, made use of the plant until 2019 to provide steam heat to downtown Denver.

Granville said ideas for repurposing the site had been swirling since and the community had proposed ideas to Xcel, receiving some interest. When the site was slated for demolition in January 2021, community interest began to form in earnest.

In November 2021, members of Denver City Council in a signed letter requested that Xcel Energy halt the demotion to provide time for conversation within the community about potential uses of the site.

ere was also concern from the community that remediation would continue to the point where the building could no longer be repurposed, Granville said.

Xcel agreed to pause any work that would impact the structure of the property, altering its original remediation plan. While negotiations continue between the city and community stakeholders, remediation does as well.

“Folks will still see work being done on the plant as well as the property just south of the building itself and that’s to bring the property to industrial use grade as was approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC),” said Grace Lopez Ramirez, Xcel’s Denver area manager. “By remediating

to industrial use and not impacting the structure, we’ve focused more on the surgical abatement, mainly of the removal work of asbestos.”

Remediation work will continue through the summer, but as far as a longer timeline for what’s next, things are still left to be determined. While the community backing for adaptive reuse is strong, the site faces signi cant challenges in being restored to a community function, said Ramirez.

For example, Lopez Ramirez said, there are logistical challenges such as the north wall of the old historic building that engineers have said will be complicated to maneuver a crane necessary to remove the turbines at the top without damaging the structure. e south wall, which is all equipment, presents an additional hurdle in removing that equipment without impacting the wall’s structure. Giant turbines also sit in the basement and considerations for how to remove those without damaging the building would need to be made. Since the city was built up around the plant, considerations would also need to be made for the nearby RTD light rail tracks, the South Platte River and the tra c congestion any construction on the plant would cause.

“We’re the utility company so our role is not necessarily to further develop the property,” said Lopez Ramirez.

Xcel has only been approved by the PUC to bring the plant to an industrial grade, and the company’s costs are socialized within its customer base throughout the state of Colorado. “Any additional cost to

remediate the property would need to be borne not by our Xcel Energy customers, but by whoever would like to reuse the building,” said Lopez Ramirez.

Despite the challenges, conversations continue and questions about funding and a development partner remain. Xcel is still considering its options.

“Our conversations continue with the city and community stakeholders,” said Lopez Ramirez. “We want to be good neighbors and do right by the community. We heard loud and clear that they’d like to see community bene t come from the property but that’s a big umbrella and there’s a lot of di erent options that are still viable for reuse.”

One example may be to reuse the property for thermal energy, which a team of graduate students from the University of Colorado Boulder recently won an award for researching.

E orts continue from the community as well. A letter sent to Mayor Mike Johnston and Denver City Council in November 2023 – signed by more than 30 community partners – urged the City and County of Denver to exercise its right of rst refusal to pursue taking ownership of the Zuni Steam Power Plant under Xcel Energy’s Franchise Agreement and work with the community to identify a potential development partner.

With recently being named one of Colorado’s most endangered places, there’s hope more can be done. e listing by Colorado Preservation, Inc. won’t provide any additional protection but the interest from historic preservation organizations, including signi cant advocacy from Historic Denver, provide more leadership and information about the process of preservation.

“It validates the community’s belief that adaptive reuse is the way to go, and these buildings have a real historical signi cance and value to the community,” said Granville. “We’re looking forward to working with the city and the larger community to envision a commercial and community use for this building.

“It validates the community’s belief that adaptive reuse is the way to go, and these buildings have a real historical signi cance and value to the community,” said Granville. “We’re looking forward to working with the city and the larger community to envision a commercial and community use for this building.”

The Zuni Generating Station has withstood 122 years of history in the Sun Valley neighborhood.

PHOTO BY MERYL PHAIR

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Cats aren’t trophies

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of Life on Cap Hill.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

Hexagon Illusion

To solve this maze, start at either ‘S’ found in the top left and right corners, and mazeout to either ‘W’ for win found in the lower left and right corners.

In today’s busy and stressful world, it’s easy for women to neglect caring for themselves due to career, family and societal demands. It’s crucial to remember that self-care is essential for self-preservation. By making their wellbeing a priority, women can enhance their lives and become the best versions of themselves.

Only 32% of women take time to practice self-care, which is a smaller percentage than men. Yet, self-care is crucial for managing stress, and lower stress levels means higher life satisfaction and happiness, according to the National Institute of Health. High stress levels can lead to depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, weight gain and more. Furthermore, according to a Yale study, stress reduces your lifespan. However, regulating your emotions through selfcare can manage stress’ impact.

So, what exactly counts as self-care? It is any act of looking out for your own physical, mental or emotional well-be-

I am a graduate of Denver East High School and my husband comes from a farming family in Rocky Ford. As natives from very diverse parts of the state, we equally love and appreciate Colorado’s wildlife.

We’ve been joining other citizens, out every week gathering signatures for a ballot measure to ban trophy hunting mountain lions and fur trapping bobcats.

Whether it’s at a school track meet, walking in Wash Park or at my beloved neighborhood co ee shop, I nd that 99% of the folks I approach do not know about this ugly, dirty little secret of feline trophy hunting and fur trapping in Colorado.

It’s crazy to think that trophy hunters are today allowed to pay $8,000 to guarantee a head and hide of our mountain lions. ese are native animals who have done nothing wrong and hurt no one. Out tters sic a pack of dogs into nature to nd any random lion; GPS signaling dog collars bring the shooter over to kill the cat once it is stuck in a tree with nowhere to run.

It’s really hard to watch the videos online posted by trophy hunters, but I suggest everyone do this to see what this is really all about.

Fur trappers live-trap and bludgeon bobcats to death, then skin them to sell their pelts to Russia and China.

Kittens are being orphaned, as Colorado Parks and

SEE LETTER, P7

The Importance of self-care in women

WOMEN’S WELLNESS

and take breaks throughout the day. Vacation time is important, even staycations can make a di erence.

Dr. Terry Dunn

ing. Self-care requires checking in on how you are doing daily. It is more than expensive beauty treatments or vacations and anyone, even with limited time, can practice. Self-care is having regular doctor visits, exercising and eating healthy foods. Here are some ideas from Foothills Urogynecology: Learn to say “no” to reduce your stress

Take a hot bath Get a massage Spend time in nature Meditate Bake something healthy Take time to read or color Take a break from social media Get plenty of sleep Keep a gratitude journal Take a nap Relax and watch a movie Attend therapy as needed

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is an act of self-care. Make sure to set boundaries to protect personal time

Financial self-care is another important component of self-care. According to Bankrate, about 46% of women feel stressed when faced with expenses. is highlights the importance of budgeting and smart money management. A good rule of thumb is the 50-30-20 rule, with 50% of earnings going to needs, 30% to wants and 20% to savings, according to the United Nations Federal Credit Union.

With the harmful e ects of stress, selfcare isn’t a luxury but a necessity for women. e majority of women who don’t practice self-care need to start prioritizing themselves to live their best lives.

Dr. Terry Dunn is the owner of Foothills Urogynecology, a Denver-based practice specializing in women’s health. To learn more, visit www.urogyns.com.

25 years since Columbine

Look online mid-April for an in-depth report

April 20 marks 25 years since the massacre at Columbine High School. e event stopped the country in its tracks and still impacts people today, especially at a local level. Colorado

Community Media will publish an in-depth report examining how Columbine changed us: on both a personal level and concerning school security and media coverage. Look online at coloradocommunitymedia. com for the report, which will include insight from survivors, local o cials, current students and educators, experts and more mid-April.

FROM PAGE 6

Wildlife biologists report, “research in Colorado and elsewhere shows mountain lion kittens can go 12 days or more before seeing their mother return.” Letting babies starve to death is just not OK by any civilized and modern standard of wildlife ethics.

CPW has o cially stated their position as “neutral” on this speci c measure. Once recreational fun killing ends, CPW will be empowered to handle individual

cats who (rarely) get into trouble. is is the only true way to manage lions. Selectively.

California has not allowed this activity for 50 years. It is time we did the same.

Our main opposition is the Colorado Trappers and Predator Hunting Association, backed by Safari Club and members who think lions and bobcats exist to kill for their amusement and cash.

Coloradans have a real chance to be good stewards of nature and stand up for the wildlife of Colorado. Please join me. We have to get 125,000 signatures by July. Learn more at catsarenttrophies.org.

Julie Marshall, Denver

Boxer Kenny Hill helps mentor ght Parkinson’s one jab at a time

Denver’s Tao of Boxing gym helps people combat symptoms of the disease

BY CHRISTY STEADMAN CSTEADMAN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Kenny Hill was a troubled youth as he was growing up in Kansas. But one day, he met a man who turned his life around.

Butch Dillon and Hill got acquainted through the Boys & Girls Club, and the friendship grew when Dillon gave Hill an hourly gig detailing cars.

“He got me out of trouble,” Hill said of Dillon. “He inspired me to do better.”

Dillon and Hill remained close, the former serving as an adult role model and o ering advice as the latter grew up and eventually moved to Denver, earned a college degree and started a business.

In 2011, Hill was able to return the favor. Dillon had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. So Hill — a lifelong boxer who has garnered many accolades including threetime junior Olympic champion, a three-time Silver Glove champion and a Golden Glove champion — didn’t waste any time helping his friend in the best way that he knew how.

“Boxing is the No. 1 exercise that combats the movement symptoms,” Hill said.

Hill traveled to Indianapolis to get certi ed to coach people with Parkinson’s disease through a nonpro t called Rock Steady Boxing, which exists to “improve the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease through a non-contact, boxingbased tness curriculum.”

Hill got Dillon set up with all the equipment, and every month, Hill designs a new boxing-based exercise routine for Dillon’s Parkinson’s symptoms.

“Taking instruction from Kenny (Hill) is just a joy,” Dillon said, adding that Hill is both enthusiastic and patient. “It has done wonders for living with Parkinson’s.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive and degenerative brain disor-

der that a ects a person’s muscle movement. While the disease itself is not fatal, its complications can be serious and greatly diminish quality of life. e most obvious motor, or movement, symptoms include tremors, slowing and sti ening movements.

“Half of boxing is footwork,” Hill said. is means participation in boxing can help with posture and balance. And likewise, using the arms for the punches and jabs in boxing also helps with the rigidity symptoms.

Aside from the movement symptoms that come with Parkinson’s, those living with the disease also suffer a wide range of non-movement symptoms that can include cognitive changes such as problems with attention, and mood disorders such as depression, anxiety and apathy. Boxing can help with some of the mood disorders – particularly depression -- because it provides people living with the disease with an outing.

“It gets them out of their head for a bit,” Hill said. “Someone is ghting the battle of their life, but they still leave here with a smile on their face.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 50%-80% of those living with Parkinson’s will eventually experience dementia as the disease progresses.

Boxing can also help with this, as the memorization work of learning a series of combination punches targets the cognitive symptoms.

“When they come in, they have doubts that they can do things, but when they walk out the door, they’re believing they can do them,” said Ryan Ehtessabian, Hill’s business partner. “It’s the little things – walking a dog or grocery shopping. ey can maintain an active lifestyle, even though they’re battling Parkinson’s symptoms.”

Tao of Boxing

Hill, 42, has been boxing since he was a young child. Being smaller in stature than the rest of the kids his age – he is 5-foot and 6-inches as an adult — Hill got bullied and picked on in school. So his dad got him involved with boxing.

“It ended up being the best thing for me,” he said.

Hill had dropped out of school as a youth, but with the mentorship he received from Dillon, he eventually moved to Colorado and pursued higher education. While in college, he obtained a job at the YMCA in downtown Denver and worked his way up, eventually founding its boxing program and becoming the program’s rst Black director. Later, he obtained a job as the boxing director of the Denver Athletic Club.

Hill, now a master trainer and box-

ing coach — who trains UFC ghters, professional boxers and amateur boxers alike — opened Tao of Boxing, 4416 E. 8th Ave. in Denver, in 2015. e gym had been o ering the Parkinson’s and cancer boxing training for a while, but was able to get the nonpro t arm, Movement by TOB — which provides boxing training for people living with Parkinson’s and cancer – o the ground in March 2021. It is governed by a vemember board, and the nonpro t status allows Movement by TOB to accept donations so that it can provide the training for Parkinson’s and cancer patients to those who need it at low or no cost.

“I’ve been given an opportunity,” Hill said. “I have the skill set, and I want to help others. Being able to better their lives goes a long way.”

Ehtessabian, who has been with Tao of Boxing since 2018, recently moved to California and is opening a Tao of Boxing in Orange County. His grandfather had Parkinson’s disease when he died, and Ehtessabian expects Movement by TOB to be implemented in California as well.

“Boxing brings out a level of challenge,” he said. “And the bene ts that come from that are incredible.”

Dillon couldn’t be prouder of his friend Hill, he said.

Living with Parkinson’s disease for about 13-14 years now, Dillon continues to do the boxing-based exercises that Hill designs for him about four times a week.

“Boxing is a wonderful combination of training and friendship,” Dillon said.

Hill agrees.

“It’s about giving people a path,” Hill said. “Not my path, but their path.”

Editor’s note: April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. To learn more about the disease, visit the Parkinson’s Foundation’s website (a national organization) at parkinson. org or the Parkinson Association of the Rockies at parkinsonrockies.org.

To learn more about Tao of Boxing, visit taoofboxing.com. To learn more about the gym’s nonprofit arm, Movement by TOB, visit movementbytob. org.

Kenny Hill of Denver, left, and Butch Dillon of Kansas in a 2014 photo. COURTESY OF KENNY HILL

Earth Day and Arbor Day are in April. How can Denver residents get more trees into their neighborhoods?

City focuses investments on low tree-canopy neighborhoods

BY NATALIE KERR SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

When Denver resident Jenn Greiving moved from Platt Park to Overland in 2018, the di erence in greenspace and foliage was immediately noticeable. Even now as she looks out the window of her home in southeast Overland, she doesn’t see many trees.

“I see older historic homes, but trees have been removed or trees have been relocated, and there’s just not a lot of tree canopy,” Grieving added.

Denver’s urban tree canopy is inconsistent across the city, providing lots of tree cover and shade in some neighborhoods like Washington Park and City Park, but leaving adjacent neighborhoods like Overland and Five Points with low tree canopy and thus hotter daily temperatures. In areas with less tree cover, residents can also experience worse air quality, lower mental health, poorer health outcomes and less community engagement.

Low tree canopy areas

While standards for quantifying high versus low tree canopy areas can vary, the city of Denver aims for a minimum 15% tree cover, said Mike Swanson, city forester.

According to the most recent measurements from 2020, some central Denver neighborhoods have high canopy percentages, with Capitol Hill at about 20%, Cheesman Park at 30%, and Country Club with the highest of any Denver neighborhood at 37%.

But nearby neighborhoods like LoDo have as little as 3%, and Auraria at 7%.

e same measurements from 2020 show that some south Denver neighborhoods have generally high canopy percentages, with University Park at about 30%, Washington Park at 27% and Belcaro at 31%.

However, nearby neighborhoods like Baker and Overland have as little

as 8%.

measure, the resilience, age and condition of existing trees is also necessary when considering the quality of an area’s tree canopy. Planting trees that are appropriate for the available space and the regional climate can a ect whether trees will grow to maturity and provide shade to the neighborhood, Swanson added.

“Some neighborhoods have a lot of canopy, but the makeup of the canopy is not sustainable,” Swanson said.

Disparities in tree canopy lead to ecological di erences between neighborhoods, like fewer pollinators, higher likelihood of ooding and less biodiversity, but it also has socioeconomic impacts, said Kim Yuan-Farrell, executive director of e Park People. People tend to spend more time and money in business districts lined with trees, have faster recovery times from illness when they have views of green

spaces and get more daily physical

“Trees are also such a powerful point of community building and community engagement,” YuanFarrell added. “When people mobilize around planting activities, it builds social fabric. And in an age when we’re on our screens more and more disconnected, that is a powerful thing.”

Di erences in tree canopy also derive from socioeconomic factors. Historically, neighborhoods with lower tree cover received less investment into green infrastructure like parks.

at coincided with residents in those areas also experiencing higher poverty rates from decades of disinvestment and racist policies, when banks in the 20th century refused to give loans to residents in lower-income areas or ethnic enclaves.

Areas with lower tree cover and greenspace tend to also have lower property values, leaving residents

vulnerable to urban renewal displacement.

“ ere’s been a pattern of folks who don’t have much political clout, much power, being relegated to those areas of town that also don’t see much investment,” Yuan-Farrell said. “Some of those have been very deliberate policies and practices like redlining and others have been market forces. It’s a layered and complicated history.”

In Overland’s case, areas of the neighborhood with lower tree cover are industrial and highly developed, said Greiving, who currently serves as president of the Overland Neighborhood Association. She notes that one of those areas, northeast of Evans Avenue and Santa Fe Drive, was previously occupied by the Shattuck Chemical Company, which was declared an Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site in 1983.

“ ere’s been a lot of remediation, obviously, but not a lot of remedial tree planting,” Greiving said. “Now you have a lot of apartment development and mixed apartments and retail. at corner of Overland is pretty warm.”

But sometimes planting more trees isn’t feasible because of existing development. In Auraria, for example, the college campus, sports arenas and parking lots create challenges to planting trees.

“ ese are long term discussions and paradigm shifts of what Denver residents and what Denver politicians and leaders truly want out of the city,” Swanson added.

Closing the gap

City departments like the O ce of the City Forester, nonpro ts like e Park People and local organizations like neighborhood associations are all taking steps to address the disparity in tree canopy across the city.

e City Forester is in the process of creating and releasing an Urban Forest Strategic Plan that will set goals for the city to increase and improve tree canopy, to engage in community involvement, education and outreach e orts, and to evaluate and incorporate best management practices into Denver forestry, Swanson said.

The Park People and local organizations like neighborhood associations are all taking steps to address the disparity in tree canopy across the city. COURTESY OF THE PARK PEOPLE

Music lovers: April is the month for you. Ranging from Bach to mariachi, the month provides opportunities for a unique concert experience. But if live music is not your thing, this month also features the Women+Film Festival and the Mile High Asian Food Week.

Escape to the forests in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

e University of Denver’s Lamont Opera eatre and Lamont Symphony Orchestra is presenting its production of the Shakespeare classic, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Benjamin Britten. Performances take place April 25-28 at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Ili Ave. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit liberalarts. du.edu/lamont/opera-theatre.

a month-long celebration. How it works is throughout April, many local cultural institutions and organizations – e Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the Denver Art Museum, the Cly ord Still Museum, History Colorado, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Public Library and Denver Zoo, to name just some of them – o er special activities and Science and Cultural Facilities District Free Days for kids and families. A full itinerary was not available by press time, but the MCC will be releasing it on its website by early April. To learn more about this year’s Día del Niño events, visit mccdenver.org/dia-del-nino.

that date, the collection will also be performed on April 27 and 28 at the Lakewood Cultural Center. Tickets cost $25-$35 with discounts for seniors, students and children. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit balletariel.org or call 303-945-4388.

Celebrate children during Día del Niño Día del Niño, or Children’s Day, originated in Mexico. Today, it is celebrated in many communities across the U.S. Don’t be fooled that it’s only one day, because Denver’s Mexican Cultural Center puts on

Ballet Ariel is wrapping up its 25th anniversary season this month with a presentation of a collection of three performances. Ballet-goers will see “American in Paris,” “Appalachian Spring” and dances from “Le Corsaire.” A full description of each of the three performances can be found on Ballet Ariel’s website. In Denver, the dance collection presentation will be performed at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance eater, 119 Park Ave. West. For those unable to make

Women+Film Festival

Denver Film’s annual Women+Film Festival takes place April 10-14 at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave. is year’s event boasts a lineup of about 13 feature lms plus shorts. It will also feature an Opening Night reception, a Women in Film & Media Mixer, panel discussions, Film & Flow Yoga and a marketplace featuring gifts, artwork, crafts and novelties from local, woman-owned businesses. Full festival passes are $75 for Denver Film members and $85 for the general public, and individual lm tickets cost $15 for Denver Film members and $18 for the general public. A full lineup can be found on Denver Film’s website. Also this year, Denver Film will honor Emmy Award-winning television, lm and theater actress and singer Hannah Waddingham with the Women+Film’s 2024 Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award. is luncheon

event – A Conversation with Hannah Waddingham – takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 16 at the Denver Art Museum’s Sturm Grand Pavilion, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy. Tickets for this are purchased separately from the Women+Film Festival, and range in cost from $150-$250 with table and sponsorship opportunities also available. To learn more about the lm festival and the luncheon, or to purchase tickets, visit denver lm.org.

“Guadalupe in the Guest Room” Firehouse eater Company is presenting “Guadalupe in the Guest Room,” a play by Tony Meneses and directed by Melissa Lucero McCarl, through April 20. is play takes on the human emotion of grief, but it is a comedic approach as it tells the story of how a son-in-law and his motherin-law connect through watching Mexican telenovelas together, despite culture and language barriers. is Firehouse eater Company performance takes place at e John Hand eater on the CFU Lowry Campus, 7653 E. 1st Place in Denver. Learn more or purchase tickets online at rehousetheatercompany. com.

Photo: e cast of “Guadalupe in the Guest Room.” Photo courtesy of Soular Radiant Photography.

Photo: A child holds a project created at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science during a previous year’s Día del Niño. Photo by Chris Schneider.

The Silver Anniversary Dance Collec-

Photo: Ballet Ariel dancers. Photo by David Andrews.

Photo: Hannah Waddingham will be honored with the Women+Film’s 2024 Barbara Bridges Inspiration Award on May 16. Photo courtesy of Matt Holyoak.

Capitol Hill Concerts: Jayme Stone’s Folklife

e Capitol Hill Concerts is presenting Jayme Stone’s Folklife at 7 p.m. April 13 at First Unitarian Society of Denver, 1400 N. Lafayette St. is concert will feature Stone and a gathering of musicians that have cultivated a versatile musical collaboration ranging from vibrant sea island spirituals, Creole calypsos and stomp-down Appalachian dance tunes. Capitol Hill Concerts has a mission to o er high-caliber, musically-diverse, family-friendly concerts, while also supporting local nonpro ts. A portion of the proceeds from this show will bene t the Westwood-based and Latina-led nonpro t, Re:Vision. Tickets cost $20-$25 for general admission. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit capitolhillconcerts.com.

Photo: Jayme Stone. Courtesy of Shervin Lainez.

the professional musicians that accompanied Hernán Cortés. It wasn’t until the 1950s and ‘60s that it became known in the United States. Today, it is a popular musical form known across the globe, and thanks to Denver’s Latino Cultural Arts Center and Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Music Department, we have a unique opportunity to experience it rsthand. e 2024

Viva Southwest Mariachi Conference takes place April 19 and 20 on Denver’s Auraria Campus, 855 Lawrence Way. e conference portion o ers workshops and masterclasses for musicians of all ages, but there’s plenty of community events as well.

Viva Southwest is partnering with Empowered, which is a nonpro t arts and education consulting group, to invite the community to the Festival Garibaldi, which takes place from 5-10 p.m. on April 19. is is a free, family-friendly celebration that will feature food trucks and at least 25 performances showcasing traditional music and dance, including local mariachis and folklórico groups. e conference’s Mariachi Cobre Concert takes place from 7-9 p.m. April 20. (Mariachi Cobre is considered a mariachi ambassador to the world, as the group has performed for millions at the Epcot Center at Disney World in Florida since 1982.) is concert is a ticketed event, and its proceeds bene t mariachi education locally and beyond. Learn more or purchase tickets at lcac-denver. org/vivasouthwestmariachi.

Photo: Disney’s Mariachi Cobre will be performing in Denver on April 20. Photo courtesy of Mariachi Cobre.

tional and charitable funding for the students, faculty, sta , alumni and programs of Emily Gri th Technical College. Learn more at egfoundation.org.

Mile High Asian Food Week

What better way to experience a culture than to eat its food? e 2024 Mile High Asian Food Week takes place April 28-May 4. is culinary event provides the opportunity to experience the variety of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Paci c Islander cuisines found right here in Denver. All of the participating restaurants are AANHPI-owned and serve authentic AANHPI foods and beverages. During Mile High Asian Food Week, the participating restaurants will be o ering special discounts, secret menu items, specialty menus and other perks. To learn more, visit milehighafw.com, and to check out some of the participating restaurants, visit milehighafw.com/ restaurants.

Experience authentic mariachi Mariachi is a Mexican musical tradition, with some history accounts tracing its roots back to the 1500s when Native people merged their musical traditions with the European instruments brought by

A Celebration of Women in Trades

e community is invited to the Emily Gri th Foundation’s second annual A Celebration of Women in Trades event, which takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 24 at ReelWorks Denver, 1399 35th Ave. is event o ers the opportunity to engage with Emily Gri th students working toward entering a profession in the trades, visit trades showcases that highlight the Emily Gri th programs and participate in panel discussions led by in trades industries. ere will also be food tasting stations with cuisine prepared by students, alumni and local restaurants. Tickets begin at $150, and it is recommended to purchase early as last year’s event sold out. Proceeds bene t the Emily Gri th Foundation, which provides educa-

Photo: Mile High Asian Food Week o ers a unique opportunity to taste a variety of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Paci c Islander cuisines. Photo courtesy of Urban Burma.

Rocky Mountain Deaf Festival

e Rocky Mountain Deaf School is putting on the second annual Rocky Mountain Deaf Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 27 at RMDS, 10300 W. Nassau Ave. in Denver. (RMDS is a Je co Public School with a Denver address – it is located near Denver’s far southwest Mar Lee neighborhood.) e entire community is invited to the event, which will feature vendor booths, kids’ activities and American Sign Language entertainment. It is free to attend. To learn more about RMDS, visit rmds. je copublicschools.org. For more information on the Rocky Mountain Deaf Festival, contact the school at

720-961-9200 VP or 303-984-5749 V or info@rmds.co.

A Harpsichord Showcase: Bach and Beyond

Augustana Arts and the American Guild of Organists Denver Rocky Mountain Chapter have teamed up to present A Harpsichord Showcase: Bach and Beyond. e concert takes place at 7 p.m. April 19 at the Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda Ave., in Denver. e concert will feature lead harpsichordist Jerimiah Otto, this program will include J.S. Bach’s concerto for four harpsichords and a variety of other works by Bach, Couperin, Mozart, and Soler for harpsichords, organ, and strings, plus an original composition for four harpsichords by Otto. An informal harpsichord walk-and-talk and a reception will follow the concert. Tickets can be reserved through Augustana Arts at augustanaarts. org, which o ers a pay-what-youchoose ticketing model. To learn more about the American Guild of Organists Denver Rocky Mountain Chapter, visit agodrmc.org.

Photo: A harpsichord showcase takes place on April 19 at Denver’s Augustana Lutheran Church. Photo by Kent Mueller.

PLAN AHEAD: Maria Schneider Orchestra

e seven-time Grammy awardwinning Maria Schneider Orchestra is coming to Denver. Schneider’s recent accolades include being named NEA Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2019, and her latest album, “Data Lords,” won the Grammy for Large Jazz Ensemble Album in 2021. e Maria Schneider Orchestra will perform in Denver at 7:30 p.m. May 3 at the Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts on the University of Denver campus, 2344 E. Ili Ave. To purchase tickets, visit newmancenterpresents.com.

Guadalupe Hernandez creates papel picado art during residency in Denver

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

Guadalupe Hernandez was born in 1993 in San Miguel de Allende, which is located in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. At 5 years old, he and his family relocated to Pleasanton, Texas, a town south of San Antonio.

But each winter celebration season, they would return to Mexico to attend weddings, baptisms and ornate parties. It was during these trips that Hernandez recalls seeing rows and rows of colorful pa-

“Quetzalcoatl y el Sol” by Guadalupe Hernandez. COURTESY

pel picado hanging across rafters. He remembers seeing the ornate papers swing around the nativity during Christmastime. He vividly remembers it hanging along storefronts and streetlamps during festivals.

It was these childhood memories, and his desire to connect to his home country, that led him to explore the traditional Mexican handicraft of papel picado.

“I began creating papel picado in 2020 during my graduate school program at Houston Christian University. I incorporated it into my thesis exhibition,” said Hernandez. “I began to create the images that were in my paintings. As I dove deeper, I fell in love with it and its history.”

“My

ARBOR DAY

e city forester, in conjunction with the Denver O ce of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resiliency, received a federal grant to bolster education e orts and encourage residents to plant trees on their private property. Part of the grant will also go towards helping residents in underserved neighborhoods maintain existing trees and remove hazardous trees as part of its Forestry Neighborhood Enhancement Program.

E orts like this help reimagine what an urban forest can look like in a place like Denver, where the climate can be challenging for trees, Swanson said.

“You’re basically renewing Denver’s urban forest that started back

in 1880 or 1890,” Swanson said. “ is is a huge responsibility as a resident and as city forester. I truly believe it’s everybody’s responsibility to help out each other.”

Grieving often hears from residents in the neighborhood association about challenges they run into if they want to plant a tree, like cost, not knowing how to maintain their trees or what the requirements are for planting trees, or not having time to apply for a tree permit.

“Sometimes that can be a little intimidating for neighbors, or it slips to the bottom of their to-do list,” she added.

e city could help make the process easier by requiring new developments to have more trees and green space, distributing more information about tree maintenance and incentivizing planting trees on private property through discounted water bills, Greiving suggested.

Celebrating Earth Day and Arbor Day with tree plantings

Earth Day, on April 22, and Arbor Day, on April 24, usher in several tree planting opportunities for Denver residents.

e Park People’s Denver Digs Trees distribution event is on April 20 at Sloan’s Lake Park and the City Park Greenhouse. During the event, those who applied for a tree in the fall will receive a discounted tree sapling, and help transporting and planting the tree on their property if they need it. On the same day, e Park People o er an Earth Day tree sale, where fruiting, ornamental and shade trees are available for anyone to purchase. Interested parties can apply to be a volunteer at either event.

Overland Neighborhood Association’s annual seed giveaway is also on April 20, and its plant giveaway is on May 18, both hosted at e Table

Public House.

e Park People also have resources to help residents successfully plant and maintain trees on their property, including written guides and free tree planting and care workshops.

Participating in a workshop can help residents correct any misconceptions about planting trees on their private property, like the worry that it will require a lot of water or that trees aren’t good for a dry landscape like Denver.

“People raise the really valid question of, ‘Denver wasn’t originally densely forested, like some parts of the country back east, and so should we be planting trees?’” Yuan-Farrell said. “ e answer there is de nitely yes. Our built environment, our city, isn’t natural in that same way, but trees provide a really important way to balance our built environment of our urban communities here.”

Papel picado is a Mexican folk art tradition that involves a series of chiseled cuts and punches into delicate tissue paper. e remaining paper and associated negative spacing creates an ornate design.

“When I started to look online, I realized that a lot of the available papel picado was mass produced,” Hernandez said. “After this realization, I began to experiment with paper cutting.”

Hernandez, a longtime painter, creates large-scale papel picado that mirrors his previous paintings. Simple traditional designs typically take him three to four hours to make, while portraits that are more intricate can take him up to 200 hours to complete.

“I have a lengthy artistic process when I make picado papel. I start

with a painting, and from there, I draw inspiration for the paper designs,” Hernandez said. “To make papel picado, I layer sheets of Kozo paper (Japanese ber-based paper). It is super thin and has beautiful texture. Because of the bers, it holds up to many intricate details and abuse of punching through the paper.”

Hernandez is the current resident artist at the Art Students League of Denver. He began his stint at ASLD in October 2023 as a Visiting Artist of Color Resident. He is the third participant in this residency program. His residency will culminate with an exhibition of his paintings and papel picado works at the ASLD, which opens on April 26 and runs through June 1. An opening reception will take place from 5:308 p.m. on April 26. e ASLD o ers free entry to its exhibits, and the opening reception is free and open to the public.

ASLD launched its Visiting Artist

Series in 2003, and added a residency program with a focus on artists of color in 2021. is program was developed out of a desire to concretely combat the inequity of opportunities for artists of color and thereby enrich Denver’s art scene. e program, which has featured ceramicist Kevin Snipes and photographer/ lmmaker/dancer Natalia Roberts, provides resources – including studio space, housing and a stipend for arts materials –nancial support, and enough time to immerse oneself in the community while also creating a meaningful body of work.

“ e world of artist residencies is historically inaccessible and even unwelcoming toward artists of color,” said the ASLD’s executive director Rachel Basye. “ASLD utilizes the tools and resources we have available to concretely combat the inequity of opportunities for BIPOC artists. By encouraging racial equity and diversity, we are

helping to create a thriving arts ecosystem and enriching Denver’s art scene.”

In addition to his papel picado works, Hernandez focuses his artistic practice on the immigrant experience that re ects on his own life. His exhibition series is based on the experience of his four older brothers who worked tirelessly to provide for him and his family. It will also explore how immigrants are oftentimes viewed as labor, taking on hidden jobs within elds like construction and the service industry.

“I want to bring attention to the artisans who have been working to produce and preserve this art form. Unfortunately, without any history or context, it has become just a product to most people,” said Hernandez. “One of the biggest reasons why I make art is representation. It’s important for people to have artists represented that look like them.”