Washington Park Profile 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%,

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

“La Pesqueria” 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 16.

COURTESY OF GUADALUPE HERNANDEZ

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

ria 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%.

While total canopy is important to 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.

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

Washington Park Veterinary Clinic

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 Aura-

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 exercise.

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

SEE ARBOR DAY, P5

ARBOR DAY

“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.

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.

SEE ARBOR DAY, P7

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.”

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.”

Ryan Ehtessabian, left, and Kenny Hill demonstrate how boxing can help alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

PHOTO BY CHRISTY STEADMAN

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

BOXING

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

ARBOR DAY

“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

director. Later, he obtained a job as the boxing director of the Denver Athletic Club.

Hill, now a master trainer and boxing 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 ve-member 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

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.”

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 benets 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.

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries

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

Email letters to csteadman@ coloradocommunitymedia.com

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

To solve this maze, start at either ‘S’ found in the

and maze-out

ISTAFF 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 indepth 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.

The Importance of self-care in women

n 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-

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

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

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.

Hexagon Illusion

top left and right corners,

to either ‘W’ for win found in the lower left and right corners.

WOMEN’S WELLNESS

Dr. Terry Dunn

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Support future generations by phasing out new oil drilling

As a grandparent, I’m concerned about what the future holds for my grandchildren’s generation. How will climate change and pollution impact their lives? What can I do to help?

e good news is that there are practical things each of us can do to make a di erence. For example, I will be encouraging my state legislators to support S24-159, the “Mods to Energy and Carbon Management Processes” bill. It would phase out new fracking and oil drilling in Colorado by 2030, and would be a significant step towards ensuring a safer, healthier future.

Why is this bill so important?

• Improving our health. Phasing out new fracking and oil drilling will reduce harmful pollution from oil and gas extraction. Fossil fuel pollution is linked to premature deaths, heart and lung disease, neurological issues and gastrointestinal problems. It accounts for a major part of our ozone problem. Phasing out fracking will bene t our health, both now and for generations to come.

years.

Currently located at 400 S. Williams St., WPELC is in its nal school year at Wash Park United Church of Christ. A new property to house the school has been identi ed in Platt Park, but it comes with its own challenges. e new space requires signi cant updates and must comply with a myriad of complicated code and licensing requirements to provide a safe and appropriate school environment. With this comes excessive costs that a small, nonpro t cooperative will struggle to meet.

• Slowing climate change. Colorado is already seeing the e ects of climate change, including excessive heat, drought and res. ese threaten our economy, safety, and quality of life and will get much worse unless we take action now. is bill would help slow climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas.

Please contact your state legislators and tell them you support this bill. Type “Colorado Legislator Lookup” in your search engine and it will take you to a page where you can get names and contact information.

Gail Nordheim, Denver

Help the Washington Park Early Learning Center relocate

Mandatory relocation is a signi cant challenge and has understandably created anxiety and concern among parents of current students who have come to love and rely on the support of WPELC. As our neighborhood continues to see change and growth, this positive evolution is also coupled with the loss of business and community trademarks. WPELC was founded by a group of parents in 1973 who wanted to share in the joy of early childhood education, develop a support network of likeminded individuals and keep the neighborhood feeling like just that: a neighborhood.

In order for WPELC to successfully move and open its doors to future generations of preschoolers, we are seeking monetary support from the same community that has continually wrapped its arms around us during di cult times of transition. Donations can be made by visiting Washington Park Early Learning Center’s Colorado Gives page at the following website: https://www.coloradogives.org/story/QJVY5G.

Washington Park Early Learning Center has been an educational landmark of the Wash Park community for over 50 years, serving its youngest neighbors from down the street and others throughout the Denver area. WPELC is a welcoming, community-based cooperative preschool that thrives on relationships, connection and a play-based model of education. Recently, WPELC was informed that it will need to relocate due to the sale of the property that has housed the school for the last 10

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

Taxpayers who make a qualifying monetary contribution to promote child care in Colorado may claim an income tax credit of 50% of the total qualifying contribution. To learn more, visit https:// tax.colorado.gov/sites/tax/ les/ Income%2035.pdf.

For additional information on the school’s relocation and how to support it, contact director Kristi Franko at kristi@wpelc.org.

e Washington Park Early Learning CenterRelocation Committee: Kristi Franko, Kelly Strong and Lisa Hollerbach

Cats aren’t trophies

I am a graduate of Denver East

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.

Spring cleaning: TULA organizing tips

SLIFE BALANCED

pen overnight. Organizing requests and projects hands down almost always take longer than you think. Depending on the area to be organized, make sure to schedule a couple of hours each day to work on getting the area organized.

pring is in the air, and for many that tends to instigate an overwhelming desire to start fresh, clear space, clean and, of course, organize. In fact, TULA’s requests for organization in the spring nearly double: Organize my closet, our pantry, my kid’s dresser, my spice drawer, under my sink, my garage, my o ce... and on and on. ere is no doubt that order and understanding of where things are brings a huge sense of relief to our clients, and TULA assistants are always happy to help. And for those who plan to tackle spring organizing on their own, here are our top six tips for making organization projects a success.

3. TAKE INVENTORY

Go through everything in that particular area. Take everything out. Sort the items as keep, donate and sell. For closets, if you haven’t worn the item in two years, it’s time to give it away. You likely won’t even notice it is gone. After you’ve removed these items, take a look at what remains and make sure everything that is left makes sense in that space. Consider: is there another place where you’ve got more room to keep it, or another area where it would be more easily accessible for its purpose? For example, does it make sense to keep wrapping paper in the pantry or is there a better place for it?

1. START IN ONE PLACE

In most cases, our clients have a list of several areas in their home they want to get under control. Our advice is to start with one. Maybe it’s the space you and your family are in the most often, maybe it’s the drawers you avoid opening because they give you anxiety each time you do, or maybe it’s the room that everyone sees as soon as they walk in your home. Whatever your priorities, select one area and stick to it. When you start many projects at one time, it becomes harder to actually complete one and you lose focus. When you are able to focus on one area, you’re able to cross that o your list (our favorite thing to do), which can motivate you to keep going.

rst by type and then secondarily by color, makes it very easy to nd what you are looking for – and even what you didn’t know you were looking for. When you’re able to go to a color category to match with your out t, you’re able to nd options that you didn’t remember you even had.

6. VISIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

When you can, use transparent containers or those that can be easily labeled so you can read or see the contents of the containers. Additionally, make sure that the items you need most often are the easiest to access, and place the items you

don’t need to get to as often on a higher shelf or in another area.

Know that no matter what the project is, the organization process will almost always reach an ‘ugh, why-did-I-start-this’ moment. But don’t worry, take a deep breath, and tackle one step at a time. When your physical space is uncluttered and you know where everything is, it’s amazing how much mental space that can clear up at the same time.

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway are Denver residents and co-founders of TULA Life Balanced. Learn more about their business at tulabalanced.com.

@ Broadway & Yale

4. DON’T OVERLOOK UNDERUSED SPACE

Under the beds, behind the doors and above cabinets are all often overlooked opportunities to create more space. Go “up,” by creating storage space between cabinets or shelves and the ceiling, and store things that you don’t use as frequently up high.

5. ORGANIZE WITH COLOR

2. GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME

Don’t expect organization to hap-

Whether you’re working to organize the family room, nd just a little more order or wanting to go full on Home Edit, there is no doubt that using color sorting enhances efforts (and appearance). Assign each family member a di erent colored container to keep their belongings in, and keep them responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Organize projects, bills and other important papers by function and color in your home o ce. Organizing clothes

Storytelling songwriter

david wilcox fri. 4/5

marty o’Reilly w/ spinster sat. 4/6

willy porter thu. 4/18

tinsley ellis

missy raines & allegheny sun. 4/21

Virtuosic bluegrass

Bluesy roots & Americana ray bonneville and seth walker

Presented by KGNU tinsley ellis

Blues-immersed troubadour fri. 4/26 fri. 4/19

Mary Flower & Sam Broussard

Soul roots & reggae rhythms

Rock-based songwriter cas haley sat. 4/20

Americana songwriters See

Virtuosic roots & blues sat. 4/27

Megan Trask and Cody Galloway my

When you can, use transparent containers.

SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

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.

LETTERS

FROM PAGE 9

Kittens are being orphaned, as Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists report, “research in Colorado and elsewhere shows mountain lion kittens

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Colorado Community Media welcomes letters to the editor. Please note the following rules:

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 mem-

• Email your letter to csteadman@coloradocommunitymedia.com. Do not send via postal mail. Put the words “letter to the editor” in the email subject line.

• Submit your letter by 5 p.m. on the 20th in order to have it considered for publica-

bers 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

tion in the following month’s newspaper.

• Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

A writer from the 19th century, Susan Fenimore Cooper, agreed about this freshening bene t of “the great spring house cleaning.”

In her 1850 novel “Rural Hours,” she described the spring cleaning process, which some researchers say was common in those days to rid homes of dust and grime from a long winter. Wood and coal-burning stoves were common, which left layers of lth to be cleaned come spring.

“Topsy-turvy is the order of the day,” Cooper wrote, describing curtains and carpets hanging out of doors, beds in the hallway, chairs upside down and the ceiling “in possession of the white-wash brush.”

But despite calling house cleaning one of “the necessary evils of life,” Cooper highlighted its mental reward.

“It must be confessed, however, that after the great turmoil is over — when the week, or fortnight, or three weeks of scrubbing, scouring, drenching are passed, there is a moment of delightful repose in a family,” she wrote. “ ere is a refreshing consciousness that all is sweet and clean from garret to cellar; there is a purity in the neighborhood.”

Cooper’s experience is backed by experts, like Dr. Jaya Kumar, the chief medical o cer at Swedish Medical Center, who says cleaning can have a positive impact on one’s mental health.

Kumar said some studies have shown that having a clean space can help reduce anxiety and stress, improve concentration and make people sleep better.

“For some people, the act of cleaning helps them destress,” she added. “It’s like a focused work — when doing something, it helps them destress and let go of other thoughts.”

Health and cleanliness

Kumar said cleaning also provides physical health bene ts, especially in the spring.

“You’ve accumulated dust, mold, mildew and dander all over your house because you haven’t ventilated much — everything is closed during winter,” she said. “All of that kind of piles up and causes allergies, asthma and respiratory prob-

lems, and that process of cleaning would help with some of that.”

Having a lot of clutter in the house can also create opportunities for accidents, Kumar said, so picking up and organizing one’s home can keep it safer.

“We, at the hospital, really see a lot of elderly falls,” she said. “I can’t tell you enough how important it is to have your house decluttered when you have elderly (individuals) around.”

Kumar said the trauma center at Swedish Medical Center receives many older patients su ering hip fractures from trip-induced falls. Reducing clutter also reduces opportunities for kids to ingest or choke on objects, she said.

Beyond eliminating dust and clutter, Kumar said cleaning is important to maintain a germ-free environment.

“Just having those high-touch surface areas clean by wiping away (germs) will be helpful,” she said, especially with the u, RSV and COVID going around.

e cleaning process also requires movement, which can be good exercise and boost endorphins, Kumar said.

“If you are doing rigorous cleaning, like mopping, vacuuming — even if you do it for 30 minutes, you’ve burnt around 100 calories,” she said.

When cleaning, Kumar said it is important to be careful about what products a person uses. Some cleaning agents can cause nose and throat irritation or respiratory problems, she said.

People can check the safety of products on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Safer Choice” website, she said. Also, it’s important to ventilate while cleaning.

Some shops, like Re llary in Parker, center their business around providing clean products that are non-carcinogenic and not bad for the planet. Adrienne Grolbert started the low-waste, re ll company in 2022, where she sells household and cosmetic cleaners.

“Our take on cleaning is that it shouldn’t be bad for you, or for your house or for the planet,” she said. “All of our household cleansers and our laundry detergents, dish soaps and everything else you need to keep a tidy home fall into that.

ey don’t have nasty ingredients, they’re not going to cause you cancer, they’re not going to kill the sh.”

A sparkling kitchen after Bucket & Shine employees finished cleaning it.

COURTESY OF BUCKET & SHINE

Preserving a traditional Mexican craft

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 papel 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.”

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.

dency 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.

“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 5:30-8 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 resi-

“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.”

The exhibit featuring Guadalupe Hernandez will take place from April 26-June 1 at the Art Students League of Denver, 200 Grant St. To learn more about the Art Students League of Denver, visit asld.org. To learn more about Hernandez and his work, visit guadalupehernandezart.com or on Instagram: @lupehernandez_art.

Guadalupe Hernandez during his residency at the Art Students League of Denver. COURTESY OF ART STUDENTS LEAGUE OF DENVER

Dresses made of paper to hit the runway

The 2024 Denver Paper Fashion Show takes place

April 18

BY BRUCE GOLDBERG

SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Mark Hollenbeck, an art teacher at Lutheran High School in Parker, has a lot to look forward to when the curtain rises April 18 on the 18th annual Paper Fashion Show at e Sports Castle in Denver.

After all, he’ll coach the same team members that took second place at last year’s show. Also, Hollenbeck has two other groups competing this year.

“I try to give them as much freedom as I can to do their designs,” said Hollenbeck, a 30-year veteran of Lutheran who has helped to guide the creation of numerous dresses. “ en we talk through how realistic it is to make these out of paper. I encourage them to make 10 to 12 designs.”

ere will be about 35 designs hitting the runway this year. e participants use paper donated by Neenah Paper and CTI Paper USA, with coordination by Kelly Spicers Paper.

A panel of Denver-area designers, artists and creative workers will judge the show. Fashions are made almost entirely from paper

– no more than 90% in each case.

e other 10% is glue, staples, yarn – anything to tie it all together.

“I always had an interest for fashion,” said Gianna Tarka, who is in her second year of medical school but still makes the time to help create show designs for this event. “I’ve sewn Barbie clothes. I started designing through the high school in 2015.”

is year’s show theme is “Cabaret,” and Tarka and her partner wanted to choose a fruit-oriented sub-theme that would stand out. ey picked pomegranates.

“So we’re concentrating on the gem-like qualities of the fruit and the bold red shades of the color,” she said.

Tarka enjoys the camaraderie and party atmosphere of the show. And if a dress gets torn at an inconvenient time or place in the show?

“Everybody really helps each other,” said Tarka, who has participated in this event since 2015, with a few exceptions.

Some of the graduated students who have participated in the show have wound up in the business world and in professions as art directors, new media personnel, print designers, writers, illustrators, photographers, videographers, animators, educators and more.

“It’s the largest paper fashion show in the United States,” said Jennifer Lester of Philosophy Communications in Denver, an event

backer. “We sell out, attract more than 1,000 people. It brings in great people from the community and di erent generations to work for something that night.”

What should a seriously creative person know before they plunge into the crowded world of design?

“First knowing that failure is OK and something you can recover from,” said Tarka, whose sister also has participated in the show. “Next, I’d say your techniques are going to change every single year. I don’t think I’ve done the same techniques, even between years. Give yourself grace. It’s a bit of a learning process.”

“It’s a very inclusive community, so there’s a lot of transgender people,” said Lisa E ress, president of the One Club for Creativity Denver. “ e drag community has been a big part of the show for many years.”

Twenty percent of the proceeds will go to Downtown Aurora Visual Arts, which provides art education and after-school arts programs for urban youths. e event has raised more than $66,000 for DAVA since it started in 2004.

e ONE Club for Creativity Denver, a 501(c)3 organization, also is a bene ciary. It produces workshops, competitions and industry events to help future generations in advertising and design professionals.

Tickets cost $35 for general admission, and from $105 to $135 for VIP. To purchase tickets, visit

paperfashionshow.com or EventBrite. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. e show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Model Rebekah Mansfield on the 2023 Denver Paper Fashion Show runway with Lutheran High School’s design titled Pétale d’Amour. The designers, Caley Kenney, Stella Bertsch and Sonja Thoresenwon second place for this design last year. This year’s event on April 18 boasts about 35 designs, all made out of paper. PHOTO BY BLU HARTKOPP

Apprentice of Peace opens new youth center

BY JO DAVIS JDAVIS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

e Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization Center recently opened the doors of a brandnew youth center and headquarters at 2245 Curtis St., Suite 200, in Denver. e youth leadership and wellness organization has been serving the Denver Metro area for the last 10 years.

About 100 people attended the recent grand opening of the center in Denver. e celebration included wellness demonstrations, Tai Chi, Zumba, nunchuck demonstrations, live music from Los Mocochetes and several food trucks to feed the crowd.

“We are excited to open the doors of our new youth center, which represents the culmination of 10 years of dedication and support from our community,” said D.L. Pos Ryant, the executive director of AOPYO. “ is space will provide a safe and welcoming environment for young people to learn, grow and thrive, and will also serve as a behavioral health hub for families in Denver and surrounding areas.”

Ryant was joined by co-founder Ronnie Qi and community organizer Andre Carbonell in cutting the ribbon on the new center. According to Ryant, the partnership with the City of Denver will allow the center to extend space and services to the youth in Aurora, Denver, Je co and surrounding areas.

“As AOPYO celebrates its 10th year of empowering youth and families, the opening of this center marks a signi cant milestone in the organization’s mission to engage the community through a holistic approach, centering mental health and youth leadership develop-

ment,” Ryant said.

According to the announcement, the new headquarters and youth center will include:

• e “home” base of AOPYO’S youth programs, community classes and events;

• Multipurpose rooms for workshops, classes, career resources, arts and cultural events; and

• A dedicated wellness area.

According to the announcement, the center will o er youth and families in the Denver metro area, “access to behavioral and mental health counseling and therapeutic services through a partnership with Center for Trauma Resilience and Paragon Behavioral Health. AOPYO plans to o er enrichment programs, language immersion classes and somatic healing workshops.”

According to the Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization, the goal of the programming is to take a holistic approach to helping the area youth. e leadership classes and mental health services come together with the wellness, career and arts to help the teens today. is includes arming them with the tools and skills needed to engage their peers and their communities.

“We will be looking to further engage with the community in a broader sense through movement classes and language learning, community market exhibitions and educational opportunities to create a vibrant environment where creativity, learning and connection can happen,” Ryant said.

e organization will continue its 10th anniversary celebration at an evening gala event on Friday, May 10 at the Museum of Nature and Science. For more information, visit AOPYO. org.

The ribbon cutting at the new Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization Center in Denver. Pictured is co-founder Ronnie Qi (far left), community organizer Andre Carbonell (second from left), and co-founder D.L. Pos Ryant (far right).

COURTESY APPRENTICE OF PEACE YOUTH ORGANIZATION

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 experiencing 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 Com-

munity 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, 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.

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

PHOTO BY MERYL PHAIR

“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 shortlived. 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.

CLEANING

Grolbert sells many cleaners, including single-ingredient cleaners like vinegar, baking soda and citric acid, in customizable quantities so people can re ll containers to reduce the use of plastic. She also sells reusable cleaning tools to replace single-use sponges and paper towels.

Cleaning the mind and heart

Beyond physical cleaning, some say springtime o ers an opportunity for re ection and self-care.

JaLisa Williams, a social worker, clinician and Metro State University of Denver professor, said a lot of people notice that their homes get messier when there is a lot on their minds. is shows how our internal experience can be replicated in our external environments, she said.

e spring re ects the start of the new year in many cultures, Williams said, including communities that follow the astrological calendar. As the new year begins, it’s a good time to re ect on and cleanse mental and emotional spaces, she said.

“We’re going into this new year, but you still have a lot of old mental and emotional baggage,” she said. “So, how do you actually create a full balance, so you can come in actually clean and ready to enter the new year and to be lled with other things?”

Williams recommends rest as one way to “clean” the internal space.

“If our brains are always going, our bodies are always trying to go, we are unable to actually tap into what is happening in our internal space,” she said.

Mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation tai chi and walking are also great ways to empty the mind and cultivate inner peace to approach change and hardship, she said.

“I think self-care has been a hot topic concept for the last few years, and I think (we’ve) wrapped it up into facials and vacation,” she said. “But in reality, that self-care is very deep work. When we are thinking about how can we integrate mindfulness, it’s because we’re trying to create this sense of peace or empowerment, so then we can actually navigate the things that are pressuring us.”

Cultivating a community you care about — and leaning on it — is another way to clean your inner self, Williams said.

“Are these people bringing out the best in me? Am I bringing out the best in them?” she said.

PRECISE REPAIR, GENUINE CARE

In some cases, cultivating a “clean” community for a person could mean having hard conversations, letting relationships go or showing appreciation, Williams added.

For those who choose to clean

their homes this spring, Williams said to take it space by space, room by room, be gentle with yourself and lean on community members for support if needed.

A person wipes down a bathroom sink.

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POWER PLANT

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 is bordered by the South Platte River and the RTD light rail tracks. COURTESY OF COLORADO PRESERVATION