DUS July 2011

MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Volume 25 Number 4

PUBLISHER Rosalind J. Harris

July 2011

GENERAL MANAGER Lawrence A. James FEATURES EDITOR Tanya Ishikawa

COLUMNISTS Regina Lynch-Hudson Earl Ofari Hutchinson Soul Watson

FILM and BOOK CRITIC Kam Williams

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rachel Phillips-Cox Charles Emmons Charis Garrett Ashley Knight Sheila Smith Lisa Walton ART DIRECTOR Bee Harris

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Gillian Conte - The Creative Spirit Jody Gilbert - Color Graphix PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Cecile Perrin

ADVERTISING SALES CONSULTANT Rodney Sturgeon CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Cecile Perrin Pat Duncan WEB SITE ADMINISTRATOR ConnectMe/SpectrumTalk Tanya Ishikawa DISTRIBUTION Glen Barnes Lawrence A. James Ed Lynch

The Denver Urban Spectrum is a monthly publication dedicated to spreading the news about people of color. Contents of the Denver Urban Spectrum are copyright 2011 by Rolado, LLC. No portion may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

The Denver Urban Spectrum circulates 25,000 copies throughout Colorado. The Denver Urban Spectrum welcomes all letters, but reserves the right to edit for space, libelous material, grammar, and length. All letters must include name, address, and phone number. We will withhold author’s name on request. Unsolicited articles are accepted without guarantee of publication or payment.

Write to the Denver Urban Spectrum at P.O. Box 31001, Aurora, CO 80041.

Office address is 2727 Welton St., Denver, CO 80205.

For advertising, subscriptions, or other information, call 303-292-6446 or fax 303-292-6543 or visit the Web site at www.denverurbanspectrum.com.

Every month, I find space that takes me to another place – a place of peace, joy, and happiness. I go there each month as we prepare to spread the news about people of color. I go seeking grace and return with gratitude. And this month was no different, although my grace was abundant and my gratitude was magnified.

I participated in the Juneteenth Parade and while riding in the car, I was given a poster by a young boy. It was an illustration about the upcoming Colorado Black Arts Festival by Denver artist Jess DuBois. I was grateful to receive it as it was only fitting to complement our cover this month as we enjoy “Summertime in the Rockies.”

Also at the Festival, I was very happy to see journalist Sheila Smith back in the Mile Hi City - but especially happy when she took on an assignment to write about the head chef at 8Rivers LoDo Caribbean Restaurant.

It may be a tough time for journalists but we were blessed with two very shining stars who shared their talents with us this month. Lisa Walton wrote about the 25th anniversary of the Colorado Black Arts Festival and Charis Garrett shared how you can get up close and personal with the impeding entertainment at the Genuine Jazz Festival.

Indeed, there is a lot to enjoy during this summer but the biggest celebration lies with Denver’s new mayor. Rachel Phillips-Cox talks with Mayor-Elect Hancock about his journey to becoming Denver’s next 45th mayor.

I am grateful also for our journey. And as we near our ¼ of a century of spreading the news about people of color, I am grateful that you choose to take this journey with us. So, take a moment and find your space and enjoy these stories and more within the pages of this publication.

Peace and blessings…with gratitude, Rosalind J. Harris Publisher

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sugar From Brown Suga

Editor: We want to extend our thanks to you for your support. The promotional ad you put in your newspaper really helped our attendance, thank you. If there is something we can help with in the future please do not hesitate to ask.

I will share another one of his quotes: “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” As I cannot stand by and accept others sitting in the seat of God and judging anyone by color, religion, ethnicity, etc., I cannot stand by and ignore this. MLK, Jr. teaches me not to.

Kicking Big Thanks To DUS

Disappointed With US

Susan (just a white, suburbial housewife who dreams of coexistence...maybe I’ll see some of you at the upcoming Pride Fest)

Neambe LeadonVita & Ietef Vita Going Green Living Bling/Brown Suga Youth Festival Denver, CO

Editor: I felt it necessary to inform you as the publisher, that although I have enjoyed reading the Urban Spectrum the past few years, the June 2011 issue will be the last edition I choose to read. My choice is due to an article that was published toward the back of this edition titled “Why Homosexuality Is Wrong.“ As a black, gay man, I am absolutely appalled that your paper would publish an article that is full of complete misinformation. It furthermore disturbs me because your paper caters to our population which has been entrenched in hatred, bigotry and discrimination since the earliest founding of this nation.

I may be only person, but I know that I cannot continue to support an organization that does not see me as a truly valuable and equal member of society.

Editor: Colorado Hawks Soccer wants to thank the Urban Spectrum for printing the article regarding Hawks Soccer. We have received such positive feedback and support.

Isaac Hawkins CHS Director Denver, CO

Saddened By The Spectrum

Editor: I was deeply saddened to find that a publication promoting a celebration of diversity would support such ignorance and show an example of hypocrisy in action. Please understand that the University of Colorado Denver currently utilizes a textbook which supports in basic neuroscience that indeed same-sex preference is neurological, basically how a person is born. How sad that your publication has chosen to support Mr. Childress, an obviously ignorant (meaning void of knowledge) man. Shame on a man who abuses the absolutely beautiful teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote his uninformed opinion and shame on a publication which would support this.

Kendall V. Bridges Artistic Director, Mosaic Youth Chorus Denver, CO

Reader Appreciates Article

Editor: I thank you for publishing the article “Why Homosexuality Is Wrong.”

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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It should make us all want to cry because so many of our people have fallen for the trick of the enemy (devil). In the bible, God told Jonah in Jonah 4:11 “And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, who cannot discern between their right hand and their left – and much more livestock?”

It is not for anyone to judge anyone, but inform them of what thus says the Lord your God. Homosexual behavior is prohibited in scripture (Lev. 20: 13) and was a major cause of the divine judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19: 4-5, 12-13). Apostle Paul listed homosexuals among “the unrighteous” who would not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6: 9), and declared that God’s wrath stands against such behavior, whether practiced by men or women (Rom. 1: 26-27).

Many suffer from sexual identity crisis, but we can’t mistreat our brothers misguided. I have a few gay friends and relatives and I don’t bite my tongue or sugar coat the truth as Rev. Childress doesn’t. Truth is conformity to fact or actuality; faithfulness to an original or to a standard. God proclaimed that he is “merciful and gracious, long suffering and abounding in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34: 6). He is a God of truth....without injustice” (Deut. 32: 4) All of His paths are” Mercy and Truth (PS.26: 10).

Truth is a moral and personal characteristic of God, (Isaiah. 5:16) “His law is truth” says (PS.119: 142,151).

Without love we are nothing (1 Cor. 13: 3). We are called not to only love our neighbor and our brother, but also to love our enemies (Matt. 5: 44).”

Rev. Clenard H. Childress, Jr., is breaking it down about the evil ways our people have chosen to follow.

Don’t hate. He states the facts as Continued on page 30

Michael Hancock’s Road To Becoming Denver’s 45th Mayor “I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.”

D

By Rachel Phillips-Cox

– Langston Hughes

espite an economically disadvantaged upbringing Denver Mayor-elect Michael Hancock set out early in life knowing where he wanted to go – a career in politics.

Hancock can even recall the exact moment when the thought came to mind. “Believe it or not, it was former First Lady Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No to Drugs” campaign.

We were walking door-to-door trying to recruit kids to the campaign.” During one campaign walk, Hancock thought, “I like this politics stuff,” as it allowed him to engage with people.

His vision was confirmed during 6th grade when his teacher noticed something special in him despite his acting out in the classroom. During one incident, Hancock recounted, “My teacher gave me an ultimatum...get involved with student government or go to the principal’s office.” Hancock recalled that he got involved with student government because his teacher made him; however, he would not let her know that he kind of liked it.

When Hancock turned 13 years old, he thought, “I think I can do this as a career or this is something that I want to do in life.”

Recently, Hancock saw his 6th grade teacher and told her that making him get involved in student government was, “The moment that changed my life because she could have easily taken me down to the principal’s office and thrown me under the bus.”

Hancock looks back on his challenging upbringing as a blessing in disguise. He candidly admitted that, “The challenges I faced growing up taught me a lot about myself although I did not realize it at the time that they were teaching me anything.” He added, “Those challenges taught me that perseverance and faith…which I still use today get me through the tough times.”

Hancock also disclosed that he persists in “Having hope and belief that it might be tough, but we will get through this; and not overreacting or becoming too emotional as a result of situations.” Hancock elaborated,

Photo by Pat Duncan

“When you face tough times and things come out right, you tend to adopt this internal hope that ‘no matter what I face I can get through anything.’” Hancock looks back on his past now and thinks that even though it did not seem very fun, it was really a blessing that made him stronger and taught him things about himself that he did not know.

Along with the blessing of tough times that strengthened Hancock’s character are the people during his youth that pushed and encouraged him to excel. Hancock acknowledged that, “My mother was my greatest mentor in my life as I witnessed her perseverance to make ends meet for her and her 10 children.” He also credited his uncle for, “Teaching me how to be a man and showing me how to treat people with kindness and respect.”

Hancock believes that we motivate our youth by living and being the example for them. Hancock explained, “I can tell my son and daughters about the difficulty I faced growing up, and when they complain, I tell them they do not know the real meaning of tough times.” He further explained, “They have never experienced tough times. Just because the soda that you want is not cold, try not having a soda or not having anything to eat...I’ll show you tough. Or when they say they’re hungry and there’s nothing to eat because everything is frozen…I wish I had something frozen that we could thaw out to eat when I was growing up.”

Hancock understands that today’s kids are different, so to him, we have to lead our youth demonstrating to them that, “Just because something goes bad or wrong in your life, it does not mean it’s the end of the world.

Tomorrow does come.” Not only does Hancock pay it forward with his kids, he has mentored countless youth and emerging leaders in the Denver community. Hancock spent the last four years mentoring Chris Herndon, who was recently elected to fill Hancock’s vacant District 11 Denver City Council seat.

A Divine Plan

There are days in our lives in which we believe that everything seems to be going according to a divine plan and we feel that our moment has arrived.

Hancock is living his moment now.

“We all have seasons and you wake up one day and realize that your season has arrived,” he commented. He feels that he has been given a special opportunity to lead the city of Denver.

He advised, “You must do the best that you can when your season has arrived, because there will come a day when people will forget about Michael Hancock. Therefore, don’t forget to bless others while living in your season.”

Hancock was a well-received city council member with his many efforts to improve District 11 during his two terms in office. Hancock noted that his greatest achievements included, “Raising awareness to building great schools to build better neighborhoods;

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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bringing infrastructure into neighborhoods that include Northfield Mall in Stapleton; the massive parkway that is underway around the Montbello Recreation Center; and developing strategies to fight foreclosures.” Hancock hopes that Herndon will continue his effort to build more infrastructure in Green Valley Ranch.

During the 2011 mayoral campaign, Hancock’s opponents attempted to attack his ability to lead the city when they claimed that the city council passes laws, but lacks the skills to implement them. Until Hancock, no other city council member won a Denver mayoral election. Hancock’s ability to lead was shown in his previous managerial roles at the Denver Housing Authority and the Urban League of Denver. During Hancock’s tenure as the youngest president at the Urban League, he developed a strategic plan to lead fundraising efforts to quickly turn around the organization’s budget downfalls. When Hancock was reminded how his first check at the Urban League bounced, Hancock chuckled, “It’s funny now, but it sure wasn’t funny then.”

Hancock perceives himself as an inclusive and visionary leader. “My biggest skill is to surround myself with people who can grab a hold of my vision and take off in that direction to achieve set goals,” he asserted.

Despite the negative campaigning against Hancock during the mayoral race, he remained focused on leading a campaign that was positive and focused on the office. “Being at peace in knowing that this was my appointed time to be in the place that I was destined allowed me to run a campaign that I could be proud of,” he maintained. “Throughout the campaign, my attitude was that even if I lost I would be satisfied in knowing that I ran a positive campaign that was not sidetracked by engaging in negativity.”

While on Denver City Council, “The public is allowed to sit in and react to some of the toughest decisions that the council has to make,” he said.

“Being in a fish bowl and having to deal with some of the public’s reactions to some decisions, prepared me for the negative effects in my campaign for the mayor’s race.”

Hancock’s tenacity in maintaining a positive and straight-forward campaign is credited with securing his huge victory over Chris Romer.

Hancock stated, “I was filled with numbness at not only winning the election – but winning by a huge margin.� The excitement of winning picked up each day as the reality set in that he had actually won the race, he commented, but the celebration for the mayor-elect, his family, and supporters was short lived as his attackers took the cruel accusations to another level post-election, by seeking to destroy his personal character. The spiteful allegations that alleged Hancock’s involvement in an escort service were later to be confirmed as unfounded and untrue. The clearing of his hame was a little too late as the allegations put a damper on the celebratory spirit. “My family was robbed of their excitement,� he affirmed. “It’s disappointing knowing that they cannot get that back.�

Despite the cruel setback, Hancock continues to remain focused on preparing for his role as mayor after he is sworn in on July 18. Keeping in step with his “We are all Denver� campaign, Hancock’s transition team implemented the DenverForward transition, a community-wide effort to unify Denver, shape the new administration, recruit great leaders, and launch his plan for his first 100 days in office. “People support what they create and the citizens of Denver are the major stakeholders of the city,� he asserted. “My administration will be one that represents all of Denver. We want to include the entire community in the transition process to ensure our administration and the people of Denver move forward together.�

Nearly 350 people out of more than 700 people that signed up were were selected to serve on various committees that range from aviation to children’s affairs.

Changes On The Way

Among the significant changes Hancock intends to greatly benefit the city is a change in leadership at the Denver Police Department and the development of a police force that gets out of their squad cars and engages in conversations with residents.

Hancock emphasized that, “A handson approach with residents not only provides a sense of safety, but also develops relationships with the community.�

Hancock also intends to take a multi-layer approach to stimulate the city’s economy by growing small businesses and leveraging assets to retain jobs. The mayor-elect plans not only to fulfill his campaign goals, but also to address the concerns voiced to him by those he met on each doorstep during

his campaign. This includes a Denver resident who has lived in the same house for 35 years. Hancock recounted how she “told me that for the first time, she does not feel safe on her block because she does not know her neighbors.� He intends to loosen city regulations to allow residents an easier process to apply for block party permits. Additionally, Hancock intends to address Ms. Garcia’s and many other parents’ concerns that their children have to take several buses to attend a school because their neighborhood schools are not delivering a quality education.

Hancock is ready to create landmark improvements in Denver, simi-

lar to those who came before him.

Former Denver Mayor Frederico PeĂąa made his mark by leading the effort to build Denver International Airport.

Former Mayor Wellington Webb led efforts to revamp the Central Platte Valley in lower downtown and supported the affordable housing ordinance. One of Hancock’s priorities includes creating a comprehensive strategy that will serve and prepare children at every stage, from cradle to college, to compete in a global world. “When a community offers great schools, everything else falls into place‌infrastructure and increases in property values,â€? he explained, adding that he wants to ensure that

when his season as Denver mayor ends, people will remember his fight to ensure that every neighborhood has excellent schools.

There is growing excitement in the Hancock household as the mayor-elect prepares to step into the role that he dreamed of more than 30 years ago.

Hancock’s wife Mary, a talented and well-known singer, is beginning to look at the impact that she can make in the Denver arts; his older daughter is engaged in her college studies; his son is proud of his father; and his youngest daughter is busy tending to her social calendar and looking for that perfect dress to wear to her father’s inauguration.

When life accidentally happens Insist on Denver Health #FTU 4VSWJWBM 3BUFT JO UIF /BUJPO 'BMMT t .PUPSDZDMFT t #JLFT t #SPLFO #POFT t $PODVTTJPOT 4QPSUT *OKVSJFT t )PSTF CBDL 3JEJOH t "DDJEFOUT

EFOWFSIFBMUI PSH * based on the Clinical Outcomes Report produced by University HealthSystem Consortium Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Super Master Chef DONALD JAMES: Serving Up

But for James it’s less about cooking Caribbean dishes and more about mastering the seasonings to bring out the rich flavors that take you to the islands.

“We have a special jerk seasoning rub that we use and Scott has it specially shipped in from Jamaica,” James said. At least 14 different spices make up the rub.

This summer, James helped incorporate a fresher menu consisting of jerk salad and different vegetable dishes.

One new specialty is the new “curry itale” dish of squash, broccoli, okra and zucchini sautéed in curry seasoning and served over a bed of fresh spinach that is any vegan lover’s treat.

James, however, is still attached to his favorite dish of jerk crab legs.

Looking back, there was a hint of a culinary chef in the making when James was a young boy.

“At an early age, I used to love to watch mom cook for the holidays. The spread

Positive Vibrations

By Sheila L. Smith

Y

Photos by Cecile Perrin

dishes that further add to the restaurant’s Caribbean or Jamaica, mon, to get a ambience.

“I just love the taste of the island cuisine. theme of the restauJust ask Donald James, head chef at rant,” said head chef 8 Rivers Modern Caribbean James (no relation to Restaurant in LoDo, the lower downowner).

“My expectatown area of Denver, about how he tions were to come in creates such mouthwatering West and use my abilities Indies delicacies.

Smoked Jerk Chicken There is the Caribbean catfish topped and grow with the comwith mango and pineapple and smoked pany.”

Signature Dish! The original Boston Bay Recipe James, 35, takes his food would jerk chicken that sets off a firecracker of served traditionally w/ rice n’ peas, responsibilities very seriously. be so flavor on/for your taste buds. Not to fried plantain and chef choice He not only has input into the much I mention the jerk Alaskan king crab legs, vegetable menu, production and preparation of would often get stewed oxtails and curry dishes that the food, but makes sure everything is multiple plates even though it was my send you into a tantrum of flavorful running smoothly in the restaurant. first serving.

The “homemade, familyecstasy with each bite.

He also has an assistant sous chef and style buffet” always set curiosity in While 8 Rivers opened in LoDo in six other people helping whip up my mind and I often questioned, 2008, James only started as head chef a “Mama, how did you do that?” As my few months ago and is already adding those island viands of delight.

He admits that creating the differtastebuds took over my mind, I his signature culinary skills to a new, ent dishes is a combination of ideas thought to myself, “This is what I improved menu. and food presentations by the staff, want to do...I want to create food from He works closely with the owners and they discuss what they didn’t like my soul. I want to be a chef.” of the restaurant, Scott Durrah and his and did like to be menu worthy.

In 2002, James attended Aramark wife, Wanda James, to create different Culinary School in Lincoln, Neb. He then went to work cooking for the Food Banks of the Rockies “Safe Café Program” that provided meals for the Boys and Girls Club of Denver and other youth programs.

From 2003 to 2006, he was the sous chef at the Cherry Creek Retirement Village.

Soon afterwards, he had the vision to take his culinary dreams to another level by starting his own catering business, Stick It To Me Catering, which specialized in skewered food items.

While trying to build his own catering business, he was no stranger with Owner Wanda James (3rd from left) and Chef James (far right) with 8Rivers co-workers cooking under the mentorship of Chef ou don’t have to go to the

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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8 Rivers Modern Caribbean Restaurant 1550 Blake Street, Denver, CO Open: Sunday, 4:30 - 9 p.m.; Monday-Thursday, 4:30 - 10 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 4:30 - 11 p.m.

• All day Happy Hour and Live Entertainment on Sundays •Two for One Dinner Specials on Tuesdays For reservations: 303-623-3422

www.8riverslodo.com

Joseph at Peoria Bar and Grill in Montbello from 2008 to 2010.

Another golden opportunity happened when the doors opened at 8 Rivers for James. He doesn’t hesitate to credit his mother, Bee Harris, publisher of the Denver Urban Spectrum, for being the one to introduce him to the restaurant’s owners.

Owner Wanda James agrees that her new head chef has been an asset to the restaurant. “Donald’s presentation of food has been fantastic. People love the flavor that he brings to the food.”

She added, “He is going to be a big part of what we do here. He is just wonderful.”

She is even more excited about her customers being happy with 8 Rivers and Donald James helping make that happen. He helps promote the live band entertainment on Sundays, twofor-one dinner specials and other events that are making the restaurant an even more viable hot spot to be at in the downtown area, she said.

As James, a father of two sons and a soft spoken man of stature, moves from the beyond the kitchen out into the dining area of the restaurant, he always greets and meets the customers with a smile.

He has arrived in being part of the 8 Rivers experience of funky sounds of reggae playing in the background and bold writing on the restaurant’s wall staring back at you that says, “Positive Vibrations Man. That is what makes this work!”

Summer’s Seasonal Injuries Can Be Avoided From your Denver Health Physicians

Along with fun and sun, sum-

mer often brings injuries that can be serious, but are preventable.

Fireworks

Fourth of July celebrations have the potential for serious injuries. More than half of all fireworks-related injuries involve children. Hospital emergency rooms see numerous injuries involving burns on the hands, fingers, eyes and head each Fourth of July holiday. Sparklers cause the most injuries for children under the age of five, as young children lack coordination to handle them safely. The safest way to prevent fireworks-related injuries is to leave fireworks displays to the trained professionals.

Heat stroke

Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature.

The body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. With heat stroke, the body’s temperature can rise to 106°F or higher within 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided quickly.

During heat waves, drink lots of water, be aware of the amount of time spent in the sun, use sunscreen and avoid strenuous outdoor activities.

Warning signs of heat stroke include extremely high body temperature, above 103°F; red, hot, dry skin; no sweating; rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion and/or unconsciousness.

If these warning signs appear, call 911 and begin to cool the victim. Get the person to a shady area. Immerse him/her in a tub of cool water or shower, spraying or sponging with cool water. Continue cooling efforts until his/her body temperature drops to 101°F or 102°F. Infants, young children, senior citizens, those with mental or physical illnesses especially heart disease or high blood pressure, and people working outside are at highest risk for heat stroke.

Children, adults and pets should never be left alone in a closed, parked

car, even for a minute. Heat stroke can happen quickly, and the consequences can be deadly.

Dehydration

Dehydration is caused by losing too much fluid through sweating, not drinking enough water or fluids, or vomiting and diarrhea. When severe, dehydration is a life-threatening emergency.

Children risk dehydration due to their smaller body weights and higher turnover of water and electrolytes, as do the elderly and ill people.

Symptoms of dehydration include dry or sticky mouth; low or no urine output; not producing tears; sunken eyes; lethargy and possibly even unconsciousness with severe dehydration.

Drinking fluids is usually sufficient for mild dehydration. Drink frequent, small amounts of fluid rather than large amounts all at once. Sports drinks or freezer pops are also effective. Avoid using water as the primary replacement fluid in infants and children.

The best defense is prevention.

Drink fluids regularly, regardless of your activity level – do not wait until you are thirsty. Do not drink liquids with caffeine, alcohol or large amounts of sugar as these actually cause you to lose more body fluids.

Snake Bites

If a poisonous snake bite is suspected, remain calm, reassure the victim and call 911 for immediate, rapid and safe transport to the closest hospital.

Immobilize the affected area. If bit on the arm, make a sling. Do not use a tourniquet. If the victim is bit on the leg, splint the leg and have the victim lie flat with the affected area positioned at, or below, the level of the heart. Avoid ice or cold application, and do not cut or incise the wound to suck out the venom, as this may cause more injury to the victim and can release poison into the mouth of the person helping the victim.

When hiking, always wear at least ankle high shoes or boots. Do not blindly stick hands or feet into woodpiles, deep grass or crevices. Be particularly aware around rocky, sunny areas for snakes. Stay far away from snakes, as they can jump half the length of their body when striking.

Rattlesnakes are indigenous to Colorado. Denver Health’s Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center (RMPDC) handles more than 50 calls about snake bites each year.

For more information about snakebites, call the RMPDC at 1-800222-1222. The center is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Where can Colorado jazz fans

enjoy great music, wine and relaxation all in one week-end? At the 27th Annual Genuine Jazz & Wine festival at the Copper Mountain Resort of course!

This year’s event, featuring international and national artists will be Friday through Sunday August 26 through the 28. The line-up for this year’s event includes vocalist Julius, neo-saxophonist Eric Darius, guitarist Stanley Jordan, and others.

Vocalist Julius Williams, known simply as Julius will be a featured vocalist at this year’s event. Julius is a seasoned vocalist who has been performing for almost 40 years entertaining audiences in Vegas, Paris, Toronto and Nigeria among other places – nationally and abroad.

Known as “the man with 1000 voices,” Julius’ musical capabilities transcend through several genres.

Audiences can expect to hear sounds as funky and memorable, like songs

by Frankie Beverly & Maze to smooth and silky songs by Luther Vandross.

As a matter of fact, Superstar by Vandross is Julius’ favorite song to perform. When performing, Julius also performs several of his own original songs including the People All Over The World and the recently penned I Gotcha Bak – both of which will keep audiences entranced.

Julius, who recently made Denver his home, states that he looks forward to working and performing with the other musicians at Genuine Jazz & Wine as they are seasoned and very talented musicians. He says that music inspires him and is truly therapeutic for him as it is his passion in life.

Fans can expect a show that is as fun to engage in as it is to listen to.

Julius is an entertainer to the core who will keep listeners entertained from beginning to end. His joyful and energetic spirit along with his harmonious and enchanting voice is sure to leave any jazz fan feigning for more.

“There is a beauty in seeing fans enjoy themselves. If they can’t get the best of me, I won’t go on stage,” said Julius.

Get Up Close And Personal

With Jazz At Genuine Jazz

By Charis Garrett

Julius

Photo by Pat Duncan

is energetic and innovative to say the least and is sure to have the audience grooving in unity.

Equally matching the talent, skill and exuberant spirit of Julius and Darius is innovative guitarist Stanley Jordan, also a featured musician at Genuine Jazz & Wine. Jordan has been captivating jazz fans with the execution of his “touch” technique to playing the guitar since his debut in 1985.

Jordan started his musical career when he was age 10 playing an original composition at his piano recital.

For him, it was at that moment when he realized that playing music is what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

“I love performing. Music has an amazing power,” said Jordan.

Event attendees can expect to be the first to hear new music from Jordan’s new album, “Friends” slated for release September 27. Jordan says that this album is unlike any of his other releases as he is using new instruments and methods on his recordings. “Friends” also features guest performances from many of jazz’s greatest musicians.

Jazz enthusiasts are sure to have a good time at this year’s Genuine Jazz & Wine festival.

Attendees have the pleasure of enjoying a beautiful mountain resort as well as the music and presence of their favorite jazz musicians.

Copper Mountain has gorgeous scenery and lodging and it is only an hour away from Denver.

People might encounter one of their favorite stars while riding a bike, s3rolling along the stream, chatting at the coffee shop or during an autograph, CD or photo session.

Creators of the event say that their vision is to honor and preserve the artist–fan connection in jazz, while giving fans a relaxing mountain get away close to home at an irresistible price. Concert attendees can expect a surprisingly affordable and relaxing and scenic resort with a weekend of spectacular shows where they can say hello to their jazz heroes.

Editor’s note: For tickets, information, lodging and schedules, visit www.genuinejazz.com or call (970) 418-2121.

Stanley Jordan

Eric Darius

“Contemporary Jazz is the genre that has embraced my music but I see myself as a musician and composer first. I play jazz, R&B, reggae, hip hop and gospel. As I continue to evolve and grow, it’s the journey to explore new things that keep me excited and hungry to do what I do,” said Darius.

Darius began his musical career at the age of 11 when he was chosen to perform among other young jazz musicians with Sonny LaRosa and America’s Youngest Jazz Band. He began dabbling with composing at age 13 citing Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hanock as his biggest influences.

Darius’ music is the audio equivalent of the perfect summer night. The sounds he produces are warm, inviting, delightful and timeless. His music

Mirroring Julius’ multi-genre musical capabilities is neo-saxophonist Eric Darius, who is also a featured musician at Genuine Jazz & Wine. Darius has been serenading jazz listeners with his contemporary style and approach to music since he burst on the scene at age 17.

The talented musician and composer has shared the stage with everyone from Prince to Wynton Marsalis to Brian McKnight. This is not to overshadow the fact that Darius is a charttopping artist himself, who bridges the gap between R&B, funk and jazz into a style known as contemporary jazz.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Remembering A Colorado Business Legend June 8, 1929 - May 12, 2011

g

he end of a journey . . .

For many years, Alvin S. Smith used the words “Success is not a destination, but a Journey” as the motto for Al Smith Chevrolet-Oldsmobile, Inc., a successful dealership he owned and managed in Brighton, Colorado for more than 20 years until his retirement in 1998.

His journey began with very humble beginnings in East St. Louis, Illinois where his role models were his parents and his grandmother. Graduating from East St. Louis Lincoln High School, his grandmother encouraged him to always hold his head high because he was indeed – “somebody.” In the late 1940’s, Black men had to move through this world with confidence if they were to succeed. He attended Tennessee State University’s School of Business, with an emphasis in accounting. He was a staunch supporter of education. He later enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed in France.

Alvin had more than 30 years of automotive industry management experience in Los Angeles prior to opening his dealership in Colorado. In 1976, he attended and graduated from the University of Detroit/General Motors Corporation Dealer Operator Management Program at the Dealer Development Academy.

Respected in his field, he was a mentor to many of his colleagues and other industry professionals around the country.

Committed to the community, he also provided support to various community organizations which included the Urban League of Metro Denver, Northeast Denver Women’s Center, the Front Range Community College Foundation, Rocky Mountain Jr. Achievement Inc., the Denver Urban Spectrum, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo and the Adams County Rodeo. He also developed and participated in educational programs that provided middle and high school children opportunities to shadow professionals while the students explored opportunities in the automotive industry.

His 53 plus years in the automotive field brought him recognition multiple times for outstanding business achievements. Black Enterprise (B.E.) magazine, a publication which recognizes America’s largest and most successful Black-owned companies annually paid tribute to his accomplishments in 1995, 1996 and 1997. He was also recognized for several years by the Colorado Business Magazine and was ranked among the

top 100 minority-owned companies in Colorado.

Other articles have appeared about Alvin in USA Today, the National Automotive News, the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News and the Brighton Blade.

Alvin was an active member of the National Automobile Dealers Association the National Minority Automobile Dealers Association. A proud Mason inducted in 1962, he was a member of the Free and Accepted Prince Hall Mason’s of St. John Number 5 Lodge in Los Angeles, California where he served a General Chairman. He also was a member of Willard A. Allen Lodge Number 102. In 2003, under the leadership of Mayor Wellington Webb, Alvin was a member of a Denver business delegation that went to South Africa to promote Colorado businesses. This event was one of the highlights of his life.

In 1996, Alvin S. Smith was featured in the Denver Urban Spectrum as one of the top 10 African Americans Who Makes A Difference.

On the personal side of his journey, Alvin loved music, hunting, playing cards and dominoes. And for those who witnessed it, he especially loved dancing and was considered a “smooth operator” on the dance floor.

And, you could always find him on the dance floor at many community and social events. Even though doctors felt that exercise was important with his battle with cancer, Alvin loved to exercise and went to the gym six days a week.

On May 12, 2011, Alvin S. Smith lost his battle with cancer and leaves behind his wife and business partner, Martelle Chapital-Smith. Monetary gifts may be donated to the Center of African American Health at 3601 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Denver, CO 80205 in his name.

During his lifetime, Alvin wanted to be remembered as “a man of integrity – a quiet, not a boastful, man – who took on life’s challenges and left a legacy for his people.” And a man who loved life!

On May 23, 2011, two proclamations were read at his “home going celebration” – one from the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the other from the City and County of Denver signed by Mayor Guillermo V. Vidal proclaiming May 23, 2011 as “Alvin S. Smith Day.” So, at the end of his long journey, Alvin S. Smith will be remembered exactly as he had hoped.

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Sade Marks Triumphant Return To U.S. With Sold-Out Opening Night S

ade made their return to U.S. shores on June 16 when they opened their 54-date North American tour with a jubilant, sold-out performance at Baltimore’s 1st Mariner Arena.

Their first tour in over a decade, the 120-minute set featured all of Sade’s best known songs, including their recent Grammy-winning hit, Soldier of Love.

Directed by longtime collaborator Sophie Muller and with production and lighting design by Baz Halpin, the tour is groundbreaking from a visual perspective. With a 23’ x 52’ high resolution LED screen behind the band, and enormous projection screens all around the stage, beautiful, larger than life images accompany the music which has made Sade one of the most adored and enduring live bands in the

world. The result is a visually stunning setting in which to hear one of the world’s greatest bands on tour for the first time since 2001.

John Legend, the acclaimed singer, songwriter and pianist who is opening for Sade on all of the dates, treated fans to a long list of his well known songs. Legend is a nine-time Grammy Award winner. His most recent work with the Roots on WAKE UP! won awards for Best R&B Album, Best R&B Song (Shine) and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance (Hang On In There) at the 2010 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Ceremony.

The tour continued on to Pittsburgh on June 18 with a performance at Consol Energy Center and includes multiple nights in Atlanta, Chicago, Oakland, Los Angeles and Anaheim before finishing in mid-September.

Known for their one of a kind timeless sound, Sade has enjoyed phenomenal success both internationally and stateside throughout the span of their 27 year career. Since the release of their debut album, “Diamond Life,” in 1984 the band has seen all five of their studio albums land in the Top 10 on

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Billboard’s Top 200 Album Chart selling a total of more than 55 million albums worldwide to date. They’ve been nominated for American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and have won four Grammy Awards – first in 1986 for Best New Artist, then in 1994 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for “No Ordinary Love,” again in 2002 for Best Pop Vocal Album with Lovers Rock and most recently in 2011 for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group for “Soldier Of Love.” The band also recently released The Ultimate Collection, a 28-track, 2CD set of their best known songs.

SADE will perform at the Pepsi Center on Thursday August 11.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at www.TicketHorse.com, The Pepsi Center Box Office, the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park box office and at all metro Denver Dick’s Sporting Goods stores.

Ticket Center hours may vary. Contact retailer to confirm hours of operation.

To charge tickets by phone, call 1-866461-6556 or visit www.livenation.com.

Tickets are $149.50, $99.50 and $49.50 RES plus applicable service charges.

Summertime in Colorado provides a backdrop for people in the

community to enjoy beautiful weather and benefit from being outside and active. The Center for African American Health is encouraging everyone in community to do just that by taking part in the first annual Destination Health 5K walk and run on July 30 in Denver’s City Park.

Encouraging a healthy lifestyle is part of the Center’s goal in providing opportunities for people in the community to better manage chronic disease and adopt healthy lifestyle choices. Statistics show that the African American community has a disproportioned number of people who are diagnosed with chronic diseases, some of which can be prevented by incorporating healthy eating habits and exercise into their lifestyles. The Center works collaboratively with more than 80 churches and other community groups in providing chronic disease management classes, prevention and nutrition information as well as other programs focusing on prostate cancer, breast cancer, heart health, diabetes and others.

Historically, the Center hosted an annual dinner, but this time they are walking down a different path. “We decided to move away from an annual dinner and create an event that better

Walk the Talk!

Join the Center for African American Health at the First Annual Destination Health: Walk/Run/Learn

By Ashley Knight

aligns with the Center’s mission,” says Board Member and Former Denver Bronco Haven Moses. Lucille Johnson, Director of Health Initiatives for the Center adds, “We also want to encourage a healthy lifestyle and create an event that gets people of all ages in our community outside and active.”

Participants of all ages are invited to either walk or run the 5K. If some

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are not that ambitious, there is a “senior shortcut” and a “mocha mile fun run” which provide an opportunity to participate at a more manageable pace. Familiar faces who will be onhand include CBS4’s Gloria Neal serving as the event’s Mistress of Ceremonies. “We need to do less talkin’ and more walkin’!” says Neal.

“That’s why I’m involved and am delighted to be a part of an event that encourages everyone in our community to take a step toward a healthier lifestyle,” Cha Cha from Denver’s old school station Jammin’ 101.5 will also be on hand keeping the event festive with listeners.

After reaching the finish line, it doesn’t stop there. With more than 50 organizations participating in the Health Learning Expo, people of all ages will have the opportunity to learn about resources and programs that will help them adopt healthy practices in their everyday life. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to bring children as there will be special activi-

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ties in the Health and Safety area, which is being sponsored in part by the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Following the awards ceremony, participants will be invited to enjoy the smooth sounds of Denver’s own Mary-Louise Lee Band, who will be performing jazz and R&B hits dating from the 60’s up to the present.

For those who want to warm up before the walk, the Center will host a pre-event stretch and Zumba exercise at 8 a.m. Registration for the event begins at 7:30 a.m. The 5K walk/run and Senior Shortcut will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Mocha Mile Run at 9 a.m. An awards ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. recognizing some of the participating teams as well as those who finished the race first in each age division.

All registered participants will receive a Destination Health t-shirt and a free pass to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Registration fees range from $30 for individual adults to $25 for children under 12, seniors over 50 and team members.

On the day of the event, on site registration will be $35 per person. Early registration either on-line at www.caahealth.org or by picking up an entry form at various barbershops, salons, churches, restaurants and other retail outlets is encouraged.

Editor’s note: For more information about the Center for African American Health and the Destination Health event or to register, visit www.caahealth.org or call us at 303-355-3423. This event is supported by lead sponsor, Eli Lilly & Company; volunteer sponsor, Key Bank; Stage and Entertainment sponsor, Colorado Access; Senior Shortcut sponsor, The Piton Foundation; Children’s Health & Safety Area sponsor, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science; Healthy Snacks and Refreshment sponsor, the Colorado Health Foundation; and supporting sponsors LiveWell Colorado, The Colorado Trust, Rose Community Foundation, COPIC, and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce. Media sponsors include CBS4, Denver Urban Spectrum, and Jammin’ 101.5.

Independence Day Comes For Southern Sudan

It’s Independence Day! On July 9,

By Charles Emmons

the world will welcome its newest nation, The Republic of South Sudan.

After over 50 years of a civil war of identities, steeped in religious, ethnic and tribal conflicts, a January 2011 referendum passed by 98 percent of South Sudanese, makes South Sudan Africa’s 52nd country. Southern Sudan will finally be a self-governed and selfdetermined nation. Southern Sudanese are elated.

“A nation had been born and everyone seems to be happy. It was what we had longed for. We got the right that we had fought for,” said Bol Abiar, 24, a Sudanese expatriate.

Abiar, a Lost Boy, arrived in Denver from Kenya in 2007. In the1980’s, thousands of Sudanese boys fled Sudan in the face of war and genocide, leaving their childhoods, families, and future livelihoods behind. Virtually orphans, they trekked thousands of miles across Africa, taking care of each other, banding together, like the Lost Boys in Peter Pan. Crowded in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya, a fortunate 3500 young men, at the prompting of the U.N. started coming to the United States in 2001.

Having come to the United States and Canada as children and adolescents, just after 9-11, many have grown into mature, educated young men, ready to return to Southern Sudan and foster its re-vitalization.

Daniel Majok Gai, Bol Adiar’s brother,

arrived in Denver in 2001, and is the Sudan Program Director for Project Education Sudan (PES), a Denverbased Non-Governmental Agency (NGO). The University of Colorado Denver graduate returned to Southern Sudan this year to oversee the development four schools built in the villages of the Lost Boys PES. Television

journalist Tamara Banks introduced Majok Gai to the Denver community in one of her Studio 12 episodes on Channel 12. In her video broadcast, Gai fervently encouraged people, especially children in his village of Pagook that they must get an education.

Executive Director Carol FrancisRinehart and former Lost Boy Isaac Khor Behr established Project

Education Sudan in 2005. FrancisRinehart, a 25-year veteran in African refugee assistance, was struck by Behr’s story of loss, and facilitated assistance to Lost Boys in Denver with everyday needs, schooling, and employment. While traveling to South Sudan, she has re-united eight young men, including Behr, with their parents and or families. A former secondary educator, she was captivated by

the Sudanese desire for education and reading, but she saw no schools, and decided she had to build them.

“They said, ‘Education is their mother and their father, and that they would rather have a book than food’,” recalls Francis-Rinehart.

Education is key to the South Sudan’s re-vitalization of its economy and cultures. Up until 1992 Sudan had a reported literacy rate of less than 30 percent, and today only 1 percent of girls attend school. Two generations have been undereducated, and currently literacy is estimated at 73 percent.

Additionally infrastructure investment has been minimal. In a 2008 blog, former Lost Boy, Dominic D. Mathiang, noted that Southern Sudan covers over 355,000 square miles but only has four miles of paved roads.

“In general I think everyone needs an education for yourself, and then after that you can benefit your country when you have that knowledge of giving them your services that they need,” says Panther Kuol, another Lost Boy and current Metro State business student.

South Sudan’s needs are monumental. Besides primary and secondary education, clean water and healthcare remain priorities. Strong leaders must be developed in programs like the Leadership Institute of a New Sudan (L.I.O.N.S.), and they must work in concert with PES and other NGOs like CARE, and UNICEF in Sudanese localities. PES is developing four schools in partnership with the village leaders in Maar, Konbek, and Pagook. Each

school is developed with the needs of the locality in mind, with a clean water well and grinding mill to emancipate the girls.

Operation of a grinding mill for grain is an essential skill for women in South Sudan. Micro economies are being created around these schools through the ‘business’ operation of grinding mills and brick construction machines utilized primarily for the construction of schools. PES is developing in-service teacher training which is being deployed through innovative means like podcasts powered by solar cells, because of the lack of electricity. For the safety of the chil-

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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dren, dormitories are also developed to board them.

Small, but significant steps are being taken with their newly found freedom, which will take South Sudan leaps and bounds beyond its most dismal state. “All Southern Sudanese are planning toward receiving a new nation in the world and nourishing it like a baby,” said Majok Gai in an email interview. “We are all waiting for July 9, 2011 enthusiastically and eager to rule ourselves with freedom of speech, ownership of properties, equal rights and considerations for all citizens in South Sudan.”

The guns have been laid down, and government of the new democratic republicwith its representative government and constitution facilitated by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement will be a challenge given the devastation caused by decades of war and over a century of oppression. Dr. Robert Hazan, Professor and Chair of the Metro State College Political Science Department expressed dismay at the levels of violence that have been tolerated in the wars in Sudan, but he is hopeful that with peace in the country it will move forward.

“There are good wonderful people in Sudan, and it is not natural for them to be pitted against one another.

Africa is naturally multicultural with a richness of cultures. The borders are natural, and it is not the will of the people to have these imposed identities,” said Hazan.

After decades of conflict, peace must be a good fit or it is quickly discarded like a new jacket. With careful tailoring perhaps Sudan will wear its new garment until it becomes an old favorite.

Climb For Sudan Helps Project Education Sudan Raise $100,000

The plight of Sudan’s people has not seen much light. Darfur came to our attention because of Hollywood actors and activists. But you don’t have to be from Hollywood to care or show support. Metro State College of Denver graduates Joe Rogers and Nick Spivey will honor the journey of the Lost Boys by climbing all 58 of Colorado’s fourteeners within 70 days this summer starting July 2 through Sept. 9. Bol Abiar may join them when they reach Mt. Evans. “Everyone should have the chance to be educated, and this is our chance to raise awareness of those needs in South Sudan,” says Rogers. “That is why we’re doing what we love in climbing, but we are also raising awareness for this educational need.”

Helping Project Education through Climb for Sudan is simple. Visit www.crowdrise.com/climbforsudan and make a donation and support Project Education for Sudan by going to its Facebook page and

liking it.

The 7 Myths Of Separation I tell

MAN UP!

By Soul Watson

every couple who comes to see me that my goal is to change their paradigms: how they view their problems, themselves, their spouse, their parents, their kids, their work, their money, their perspectives of reality, etc. Most people who have gotten divorced did not really need to. They got divorced because they felt like they were out of other reasonable options.

In this article, I am going to discuss seven common myths that result in people ending up believing that divorce is their best option. So many times, in my experience, early in therapy, couples have gained new insight into their situations which have exposed these myths as what they aredestructive, incorrect ways of thinking. Once these thought patterns are challenged and changed, not only is the marriage saved, but, in fact, it begins the couple on an exciting journey of insight, growth, and hard work which ultimately results in a healthy, vibrant, lifelong, interdependent marriage.

Myth #1: “I am a victim of my spouse’s behavior. They have damaged the relationship and hurt me too deeply to ever even think about forgiving them.”

This one is at the top of the chart.

Imagine the surprise of these couples when they learn that, in fact, there are no victims in marriage. The selection of a marital partner is a matter of the heart. All of our hearts get damaged in some way and in various degrees during our childhoods. It might be a distant father, or a critical mother, or rigid discipline, or anxiety, or divorce.

It could be so many different things.

All families are perfectly imperfect.

Basically, what we do is instinctively draw to ourselves someone who will love us with the same type and quality of love that we received from our parents when we were growing up. As children, we construct psychological walls, which, while they insuDenver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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late us from our pain, also serve to bury our unresolved core issues. Our “victimizing” spouses are actually doing us a wonderful favor. They break down our walls, dredge up our deepest issues, and then present us with an opportunity for growth and proactivity. So, the daughter of a controlling, raging father marries a controlling, raging husband, and a man who was abandoned by his parents when he was a child is stung to his core when his wife abandons him by having an affair. Our marriages are about us, not our spouses. Our lives are about our choices. They are about what we settle for. If you have a victim mentality you can’t grow. All you can do is vent and be miserable. I have never worked with a couple where the responsibility for the marital issues was anything other than 50%-50%.

Learn why you settled for being loved so inadequately and fix that within yourself and transform your spouse as well. If your spouse is game to do the same, there is absolutely no need for a divorce.

Myth #2: Another huge myth responsible for countless divorces goes like this, “I’m not happy with my wife. It was a mistake marrying her.

I’m going to divorce her, then find somebody who I know will definitely make me happy some day. I’m sure she is out there. I deserve to be happy.”

If it were only true, it would be great. The downside with that logic is that the nature of the marital problem is misunderstood. Your spouse isn’t the problem. In an indirect, somewhat perverse way, they are actually a big part of the cure for the problem. The problem actually lies within us – our unresolved issues from childhood, our selecting and settling for inadequate love. We must first fix things deep within ourselves.

I tell people that they can learn the hard way, or the harder way. The hard way is opening up their core issues during an extended period of relationship therapy. The harder way is not learning from the past, not gaining insight into their own responsibility for their lives, and then repeating the very same dysfunctional relationship with a different name and face.

We never marry the wrong person.

We select exactly who we need to select in order to help us heal ourselves. We do this instinctively and unconsciously. On an unconscious level, we know exactly who we are selecting when we fall in love.

Divorcing and looking elsewhere is a nightmare of complications. It is not necessary. If we do the work that we need to do, and our spouse is willing

and able as well, we might as well stay with the one person we have children, history, and an estate with already.

Myth #3: Another one that I hear is that a couple divorces due to “irreconcilable differences.”

I was joking with a client recently saying that it is almost easier for multi-billion dollar companies to merge than it is for two people to get together and build a truly equal, interdependent, healthy marriage. It is difficult to mold two separate lives into a marriage. We have different family background sub-cultures, men and women are so vastly different, and many times there are differences in socio-economic backgrounds, religion, race, age, education, etc. And that doesn’t even account for all of our squirrelly psychological baggage. It is easier, in some ways, to build false, shallow, enmeshed relationships – less pain and hassle up front. The downside to that is that they do not last. An interdependent relationship is still fresh and passionate at age 65 as you walk hand in hand on the beach.

Differences are reconcilable; it is just deep, painful, irritating, hard work. It isn’t the work of cowards or weaklings. I frequently encourage couples to “stand in the box” and storm through issues. Almost any issue can be reconciled – infidelity, physical abuse, sexual abuse, alcoholism, abandonment, etc. You just need a couple of very patient fighters who are out of the victim paradigm. The stakes are too big to not be successful.

Myth #4: Another extremely frequently heard refrain is, “We just grew apart.”

That is what happens when a shallow, weakly built relationship is exposed to busy work schedules, financial pressure, childcare, and time.

When we aren’t deeply connected to each other’s souls, time can cause erosion that leads to quitting on the lifeless marriage. Frequently, these are

MAN UP!

couples who do not feel comfortable having conflict. Their unresolved conflicts stack up like bricks that form an unseen wall between them. This does not need to be cause for divorce, however. It is entirely fixable. As each individual pokes behind their walls for their deepest, real selves, then the real relationship begins to emerge and mature. As they learn how to fight, a spark starts to ignite. Issues begin to get resolved, and warm fuzzy feelings begin to come up instead of distance and coldness. Love is about choice, commitment, and doing what is right.

Myth #5: Once people are confronted with the obvious connection between their here and now marriage and their childhood relationships, I sometimes hear “I don’t get it. The past is the past. I can’t do anything about my childhood now. It is over.

Move on. The here and now has nothing to do with my childhood.”

The past is not the past. We marry our pasts. Sometimes we do it several times. We attract and settle for the same type and quality of love that we had as children. That is deeply wired into us. Usually this argument for not wanting to work on marital therapy in order to clear the way for a divorce is offered up by well-guarded individuals who do not have the strength or the courage to face the pain that dwells deep inside that has its roots in childhood.

Myth #6: A very common reason for divorce is that some outside force caused the break up. “He had an affair,” or “her mother-in-law broke them up,” or “money pressures caused it,” or “he was on the Internet.”

Affairs are a symptom of a broken marriage, not the cause of it. Beefs with in-laws are about our own lack of voice, lack of boundaries, our own not having left home psychologically or choosing to marry someone who hasn’t left home. Things like money or the Internet don’t cause divorces. They are

tools. They can be used for good or for bad. It is when our own personal issues intersect with outside forces that we become vulnerable. We are responsible. We make choices. No outside forces cause divorce. People choose divorce due to a lack of insight and understanding.

Myth #7: Perhaps one of the biggest reasons people divorce is due to hopelessness. They just don’t think it will ever get better. They question their partner’s willingness or ability to change.

People can and do change. They just need effective professional direction. They need a road map (a paradigm) that is proven and true. They need to be understood and not judged. They need to be heard. In such an environment, most people are willing to experience some initial pain and adjusting in order to avoid the pain of divorce. I tell my clients that you only really need three things in order to build a healthy interdependent marriage: (1) At some point having some chemistry or psychological connection; (2) Two people who are accountable, psychologically open, teachable and willing to roll up their sleeves and work hard; and (3) Timelots of time.

I hope this article has comforted those of you who have been disturbed about the pain, distance, and lack of fulfillment in your marriage. On the wall of the recreation center where I play basketball there is a poster listing the keys to a happy life. Number one on the list is marriage. Getting it right is so important to the rest of our mental health and happiness. There is hope. The key to your spouse changing for the better is you getting the focus of your unhappiness off of them and on to yourself in a proactive program for personal growth. I hope that this article also has disturbed those of you who have been comfortable or contented in an unhappy marriage, or those of you who are mistakenly looking for freedom and happiness in divorce court.

Editor’s note: Hasira Watson-Ashemu (HSoul) is a relationship coach and is a syndicated columnist in N. America, Europe and Africa. He is a radio host at 89.3 KUVO and the producer of Souliloquy, a two minute audio tape on topical issues of the week. He also has conducted relationship seminars and trainings for the past 15 years. You can follow him on his weekly BLOG at 1HSOUL.wordpress.com or contact him at HSoul8@gmail.com.

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Gil Scott-Heron Was More Than The ‘Godfather Of Rap’

The Gil Scott-

By Earl Ofari Hutchinson Heron that showed up at the radio studio in Los Angeles for the

scheduled interview with me in the mid-

1970s was not at all like the man I

expected. The Heron I expected was a

hard edged, posturing, rhetoric spout-

ing black militant. Instead Gil was soft spoken, had an easy laugh, and was

witty.

The interview was less an interview about his music and his recently released album Winter in America than his probing me about how conditions were for blacks in the city, police problems, and the organizations fighting for change. Heron was in Los Angeles on a performance

and promotional tour for the album. I even forgot for a moment that I was talking to one of the premier musical artists of the day but felt I was discussing the political and social issues of the day with a social scientist.

Nearly four decades later, it seems and sounds odd to read and hear the tributes and remembrances of Heron since his death that exclusively focus on two things. One is his fast paced, hard edged, take no prisoners signature single The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. The other is to label him “the Godfather of Rap.” Neither of these do justice to Heron. The spoken word “Revolution” was hardly the first or the hardest hitting musical homage to the spirit of black radicalism of the times.

In fact, by the time Revolution hit the airwaves in the early 1970s, black singers, jazz musicians, and spoken word poets had been pouring out incendiary black radical lyrics, sounds, and poetry for several years. The rap cadences were pronounced in many of their works. In the decades before the 1960s, legions of black jazz, bee bop, and blues singers “rapped”, scatted, and hooped in their songs.

The irony is that Heron took great pains to distance himself from many of the rap artists that purportedly were influenced by him. He decried their resort to shock, demeaning, and

COLORADO

ROCKIN’N’RHYTHM

JAZZ

BLUES MAHOGANY SOUL CHILD

R&B JUKE BOX

DENVER A FUNK ABOVE THE REST GOSPEL TRAIN

Musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron performs on stage in Circa 1977.

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

ALL BLUES

ORIGINS: ORGY IN RHYTHM

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THE RADIO SHOW

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degrading lyrics and words, and their lust for the bling and opulence, at the expense of socially grounded and edgy lyrics that blasted oppression and injustice.

Heron’s true importance and legacy was that he was the textbook liberated spirit, a musical social and political griot who refused to compromise or tone down his scathing political attacks on the establishment. Heron didn’t just hector, pick at and tweak the establishment to protest racism and the struggles against injustice. He was a thought provoking musical educator. And nothing was off limits. He railed at the pardon of Richard Nixon on We Beg Your Pardon. He lashed out at government lies, deceit and corruption in the Watergate scandal on H2O Gate Blues.

He was outraged at the murder of Jose Campos Torres, an army vet murdered by two Houston police officers, on Jose Campos Torres. He took a shot at the spending on space exploration with so many problems on Earth on Space Shuttle. He mocked America’s bicentennial hoopla in 1976 on Bicentennial Blues. He lambasted prison abuses following the Attica prison uprising on The Prisoner.

His landmark album Winter in America was at both a grim, bitter, look at racial and political oppression in America and optimistic call for the forces of hope and change to renew the struggle against it. His equally signature From South Africa to South Carolina forcefully and brilliantly linked the struggles of African and African-Americans against apartheid, racism, colonialism and neo-colonialism. To Heron, the struggles were one and the same. The oppressor was one and the same, and those struggling against it shared a common bond.

The other mark of Heron’s genius was that he did not just wage a bitter

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lyrical battle against the purveyors of oppression. He did it with style, wit and humor. There was a sort of impishness in his satirizing and poking fun at everyone from Nixon to the mainstream civil rights leaders of the day.

The humor in his lyrics was so infectious that even the Urban League’s Whitney Young would have had to chuckle at this line in the Revolution and “There will be no slow motion or still life of Whitney Young being run out of Harlem on a rail with a brand new process.” Or NAACP’s Roy Wilkins might have smiled at this line in Revolution, “There will be no still life of Roy Wilkins strolling through Watts in a red, green and black liberation jump suit that he had been saving for just the proper occasion.” Heron’s thunderbolts against oppression were rough, but one never got the sense that there was any meanspiritedness in them.

In later years, he battled his own demons, drug addiction, and incarceration, and for a long stretch disappeared from the musical scene. But he never forgot his mission. It was simple. He wanted to tell a story of injustice and those who waged that struggle against injustice. He had the great gift to tell that story with passion, toughness, beauty and humor. We owe him a deep debt of gratitude for sharing that gift with us. That indeed can’t be televised.

Editor’s note: Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. He is an associate editor of New America Media. He is host of the weekly Hutchinson Report Newsmaker Hour on KTYM Radio Los Angeles streamed on ktym.com podcast on blogtalkradio.com and internet TV broadcast on thehutchinsonreportnews.com.

Follow Earl Ofari Hutchinson on Twitter: http://twitter.com/earlhutchinson

Celebrating The Life Of A Black Panther

By Geoffrey Stoute

Enoch Pratt, 6, nephew of the late Elmer Gerard “Geronimo” Pratt, proudly holds a program from a memorial service for his uncle while standing next to the late Morgan City native’s photo.

Morgan City, La. – A natural born leader who overcame anything put in his path while always remaining humble.

That’s how family and friends remembered Morgan City native and former Black Panther Party member Elmer G. “Geronimo” Pratt, aka Geronimo Ji Jaga, during a memorial service Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.

Family and fellow comrades – including Victor Houston – who identified himself as one of the original Black Panthers, as well as Stuart Hanlon, an attorney who helped in the fight to overturn Pratt’s conviction, all spoke about Pratt during the service.

Pratt, 63, died June 2, from malaria at his home in a small village in Tanzania where he had lived for at least five years, sister Jacquelyn P. Brown said.

As per his wishes, he was cremated and his ashes were spread on Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

According to the Associated Press, Pratt was one of two men who authorities said robbed and fatally shot school teacher Caroline Olsen on a Santa Monica tennis court in December 1968.

He was convicted in 1973 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. No one else was ever arrested.

Pratt said he was in Oakland for Black Panther meetings the day of the murder. He said FBI agents and police hid and could have destroyed wiretap evidence to prove that, the AP reported.

Before his arrest, Pratt had risen to the top leadership of the Black Panther Party and served as a member of its Central Committee. He was a deputy minister of defense in the Los Angeles chapter.

His lawyers, who included highprofile defense attorney, the late Johnnie Cochran Jr., had said Pratt’s arrest was the result of a politically charged campaign by the late J. Edgar

Hoover and the FBI against the Black Panthers and other perceived enemies of the U.S. government, according to the AP. He was granted a new trial in June 1997 by Superior Court Judge Everett Dickey after authorities learned a key witness in the prosecution’s case had been an ex-felon and paid police informant. The new trial was granted because Dickey said the credibility of the witness, Julius Butler, who had said Pratt had confessed to him, could have affected the jury’s ruling if they had known of his dealings with law enforcement, the AP reported. Pratt was freed on June 10, 1997, at age 49.

He settled a false imprisonment and civil rights lawsuit against the FBI and city of Los Angeles for $4.5 million in 2000, the AP said.

During Saturday’s ceremony, Houston, who lives in El Paso, Texas, lauded Pratt’s resiliency to overcome anything put in his path.

The Morgan City native overcame two tours of duty in the Vietnam War as a member of the 82nd Airborne, rose to the rank of sergeant and collected two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star. During his time in Vietnam, he escaped death numerous times.

Later as a Black Panther, he survived a 13-hour gunfight with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Pratt persevered through 27 years of incarceration, including eight of those years in solitary confinement for a murder conviction that later was overturned.

Then, after he was released from jail, he dedicated his life to service, Houston said, using his settlement money to form the Kuji Foundation.

Through the foundation, he helped those in Ghana and Tanzania by having processed plants built to preserve one of the African staple food sources.

Houston said Pratt should be mentioned in the same category as Martin Luther King Jr. and is in higher esteem than President Barack Obama.

“I look at our President, Barack Obama, our first person of color (to hold the presidency),” he said.

“Although he ended white supremacy in the White House, he still doesn’t reach the prominence in my opinion of Geronimo Pratt.

“Although he’s the president and he works within the framework of this country, he doesn’t have the background of being a freedom fighter,” Houston added.

He noted that few white citizens were present for Saturday’s ceremony.

The few in the predominantly black crowd included Morgan City Utilities Director Bill Cefalu, St. Mary Parish (Louisiana has parishes, rather than counties) Councilman Gary Duhon,

Hiroji Pratt, son of the late Elmer Gerard “Geronimo” Pratt, receives an American flag in honor of his father's service in the Vietnam War during a memorial service in Morgan City, La. on Saturday. Geronimo Pratt served two tours in the 82nd Airborne and rose to the rank of sergeant. He earned two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star.

and Morgan City Councilman Larry Bergeron. They joined Black leaders, Parish Councilman Albert Foulcard, and Morgan City Councilman Ron Bias.

“All of Morgan City should be here today,” Houston said to applause “Black, white, all cultural (people), because Geronimo was not just a freedom fighter for Black folks.”

Saturday’s celebration was one of multiple that is scheduled. Others have been set for Oakland and Brooklyn.

While Cochran presented the case to free Pratt, Hanlon helped with the behind the scenes work to prepare for the trial.

Although Hanlon said racism and hatred surrounded Pratt, he never let it get to him.

Hanlon recalled when he first met Pratt, who was a prisoner at San Quentin State Prison, other prisoners tried to attack a prison guard. Hanlon said he witnessed Pratt jump on top of the prison guard to protect him – but to give the impression that he was attacking the guard – and in turn suffered stab wounds.

While Pratt and the prison guard kept quiet about the situation to protect Pratt, Hanlon said the government used this information against Pratt to keep him locked up.

Photos courtesy of The (Morgan City) Daily Review

Hanlon said Pratt would have been executed for his conviction of the Santa Monica murder if the death penalty had not been suspended in California.

“He is our Nelson Mandela,” he said. “It’s hard to talk about Geronimo without seeing that. There are certain people in this world, in our history, who are able to stand up and become a beacon to young people and all people alike – white and Black. He is one of those folks.”

Although Pratt had 27 years of life taken away from him, Hanlon said he never thought of Pratt’s life as tragic in any sense.

“His whole life was a triumph. It’s a triumph of the will of the human spirit and power of one person to make a difference and to stand up,” Hanlon said, adding that Pratt’s only crime was that he was a powerful African-American leader.

In his memory, Houston recommended a large statue be constructed in a Morgan City park and that a street be named after him.

“Geronimo, we’re going to miss you,” Houston said. “We love you.

The world ain’t gonna never forget you, brother. The struggle that you participated in continues.”

Editor’s note: Stoute is a reporter with The (Morgan City) Daily Review newspaper

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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25th Black Arts Fest Shares Gift of Black Art And Performance With Community

By Lisa Walton

The Colorado Black Arts Festival

(CBAF) will be celebrating 25 years of art, inspiration and community July 13-17 in Denver’s City Park West.

Over the last two and a half decades, the festival’s name, location, size, funding, attendance – and even the weather – have changed from year to year, but its mission and purpose has remained the same: to provide a venue for local Black talent, stimulate cultural awareness, cultivate harmony, pride, self-esteem and unity, and raise appreciation for the role that Black arts and culture play in the community.

“The festival does not belong to us,” says Roslyn Washington, media relations spokesperson, who has been involved in some way or another with the festival since its beginning. “It belongs to the community.”Indeed, the community is just as important to the festival as the festival is to the community.In 2006, co-founder and art director Perry Ayers said in an interview that he never wanted the festival to become predictable.

At 25 years old, the festival has remained a fresh and vibrant event, which is reborn every year with a new theme. This year’s theme is “Gifted and Black.” Washington attributes the festival’s constant transformation to passionate people in the community, who continue to come up with new ideas and make suggestions about what works and doesn’t work.

“I think the best thing to do is listen to our community,” says Washington, adding that the festival coordinators encourage the community to not only give input, but also donate to the best of their ability, whether it’s 5 cents or $5,000. “I believe in investing in something I believe in, and I hope the community does as well,” she says. “If 10,000 people give $5…we’re good.”

Funding is one of the biggest challenges of making the festival happen.

Washington says a lot of the times they get by on just the skin of their teeth. Even though the CBAF, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, is one of the few festivals of its size and magnitude with free admission, it does ask for small voluntary donations from attendees upon entry.

Over the years, the festival has had to downsize and change locations. In

1997, the festival was so strapped for funds that the coordinators considered not having it all. Not wanting to send the wrong message to the community, they instead devised ways to save on expenses. They moved the festival to East High School, where it stayed for several years, reduced the number of stages and vendor space, and cut back on staff. “It takes money to make it happen, but it takes passion and love to drive it,” Washington explains.

Regardless of the financial obstacles it

faces, community support and passion paired with creativity and adaptability has ensured the festival continues to inspire and cultivate pride, cultural appreciation and awareness.

This year, more than 80,000 people are projected to attend the festival’s Silver Anniversary event.

A Quarter Century Of Opening Up Opportunities For Black Artists

Since its rainy August 1987 debut, which boasted 2,500 attendees who congregated in a small lot in Five Points, the festival has grown to be one of the top five Black festivals in the U.S. It attracts patrons and artists from around the world with attendance numbers reaching more than 100,000. Recently, the festival changed its name from the Denver Black Arts Festival to the Colorado Black Arts Festival, to acknowledge its growth and recognize the participation of a broader group of people.

It all started in 1986 with a handful of artists, including co-founder, president and chairman Michael Wilhite, Ayers, and his brother Oye Oginga.

The founders felt that the lack of opportunities for local Black artists was detrimental to the survival of those who were compelled to do art. Additionally, they felt it denied the community of education, ideas, movement, voices, beauty, colors, and many other things promoted by the arts which contribute to pride and self-esteem.

The founders, coordinators and directors are a community of artists, family, and childhood friends, says Washington who has known Ayers since she was 4. All have grown into a family through the festival, which they spend a full year planning.

When this year’s festival is over, they will immediately start planning for the next.

The upcoming festival will be expanded from its usual three days to

five days for its 25th anniversary, and will include two days of pre-festival special events. On Wednesday, July 13, there will be a Salute to the Legends event, which will be an evening to celebrate past recipients of the “Louise Duncan Lifetime Achievement Award.” The award is given to someone in the community who has made a notable contribution in the arts and is named after jazz musician Louise Duncan, “Colorado’s First Lady of Jazz.” On Thursday, July 14, there will be a free film screening of Cabin in the Sky starring Lena Horne.

The three-day art festival begins on “Black Friday,” July 15, and Saturday, July 16 starts with the popular Boogaloo Celebration Parade. The parade, a timehonored tradition and an essential part of the festival, will feature floats, local sports and media personalities, and of course, performers.

Parade crowd favorite, the Over the

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Hill Drill Team, has been coming from Omaha, Neb. for several years to perform at the festival and march in the parade. Anthony Martin, 61, is a drummer on the drill team, which he describes as a family affair. His niece, Tasha Martin, is the team president, and his wife, the team’s self-proclaimed “water girl” during parades, fulfills a multitude of duties including costume sewing. Martin has been on the team since the early ‘90s, and shares the stage with his brother who is 63.

Being exposed and interacting with other Black artists, performers and culture at the festival in Denver is important to Martin. “It’s beautiful,” he says.

“I enjoy it….We don’t have a Black arts festival in Omaha.”

This year’s festival will include more than 75 vendors and food concessionaires. A “sensory buffet” will provide interactive activities for the young, the old and everyone in between. It will include the Opalanga Pugh Children’s Pavilion for Art and Learning, with activities led by community artists, the Butterfly Pavilion, Denver Nature & Science Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Wildlife Experience. Other festival features include the “Watu Sakoni” People’s Marketplace, a drum and drill team exhibition, community mural painting, and a sculpture garden.

Other festival highlights include various dance performances and an array of music, including jazz, blues, soul, hip-hop, gospel, world beat, and traditional African music performed by a full line up of 30 traditional and contemporary Black artists. The festival usually includes national headliners, popular recording artists, and celebrity appearances. Past appearances include the S.O.S. band, which performed at last year’s festival and Tichina Arnold from the TV shows, Martin and Everybody Hate’s Chris.

New to this year’s festival is a minimuseum of artifacts from past festivals. The museum as a new way to uphold the festival’s tradition of acknowledging and celebrating elders in the Black community. It will showcase pictures and artifacts of past recipients of the “Louise Duncan Lifetime Achievement Award,” who include the late Opalanga Pugh, internationally known storyteller, as well as choreographers Jo Bunton-Keel and Cleo Parker Robinson and gospel vocalist Johnnie Mae Stewart.

After a quarter of a century of contributing to the local arts and culture scene, the CBAF is an established Denver tradition, supported by the local and national community, and as Washington says, “built on love.”

Editor’s note: Check out more information about the 2011 festival at www.colbaf.org

The Greening Of Black America A

By Dr. H. Malcolm Newton

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s the United States economy nears the end of what has been the longest recession in post-World War II history, the fundamental question on the ground is: What will be the next impetus for innovation, a force that has commonly propelled the evolution of American economy from one generation to the next? Much like what information technology did for job growth during the 1990s, already some are hoping that the “greening of America” will offer a much needed boost to the African American communities across the country, as it pertains to job. However, the crucial question remains, Are African Americans prepared to meet the new demands for jobs in the green industry? Will African-Americans have the required proficiency in environmental competency and the new technologies that companies and businesses will require?

These are questions about education.

Our concern here is around the question of education and training in the renewable energy market and workforce. Colleges and universities, adult education centers, trade schools graduate business schools, and many other educational institutions are gearing up to prepare the green workforce for the tasks ahead. Van Jones (Green Job Economy) recognizes that we’re going to need hundreds of thousands of new workers, not just to install solar panels but to build wind farms, retrofit old buildings to be more environmentally friendly, and do the hundreds of other jobs that will be vital to the industry. Without relevant education, training, and certification programs, the green boom stalls before it even gets up and running. Many green versions of traditional trade jobs, like carpenters, welders, electricians, and plumbers, require the same or similar skills as those for non-green employment. But some green jobs will require special training or certification.

In the construction industry, for example, everything from site location to building design requires at least a

fresh way of looking at these basic roles, and perhaps additional skills and training. Knowledge of recycled, recyclable, and sustainably produced materials and their use, higher standards for insulation, nontoxic adhesives and paints, the installation of special windows and solar systems, green roofs, and geothermal heating and cooling systems are just a few examples. Many colleges and universities across the country have certificate and degree programs in sustainable building, including Colorado State University at Fort Collins.

Fortunately, just as the demand for green buildings is rapidly expanding, so too are the various levels of education and training in response to these new market realities. There are a growing number of universities, technical schools, and community colleges integrating renewable energy courses into their standard curricula, such as the two - year renewable energy technician option at Red Rocks Community College, now American Pathways University in Denver, Colorado (Associate Degree in Environmental Technology and Leadership) through the Denver Institute of Urban Studies and the Centre for Urban Research and Environmental Technology. Peterson’s Guide to Two-year Colleges list majors in various environmental and sustainability areas from environmental sciences to biotechnology.

GeoEnergy Consulting is sponsoring Renewable Energy Training through the Denver County Workforce Center. Denver Green Jobs Initiative has been a blessing to many urban people to gain new skill level in the green industry and preparing folks for careers in the green industry.

Denver Green Jobs Initiative has been a tremendous help in giving people the basic introductory level and prep for those who want to do more and take their new skills a step further in getting a degree in the some area of renewable energy industry. Virtually every four-year college and university offers either majors or interdisciplinary programs specifically related to potential green jobs. Every field from agriculture to zoology has a new consciousness about environmental protection and sustainability.

Further, CURE-T has a partnership with the Rocky Mountain Micro Finance Institute and Boot Camp to help individuals who want to start small “green” Businesses. There are classes available at the King –Trimble Center at 30th and Curtis Street in Curtis Park neighborhood. Free listings of classes are available to those who are serious about starting their own businesses.

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At the Denver Green Jobs Initiative, the best courses that we offer in nontechnical soft-skills are the Green Sales and Customer Service and Green Project Management and Administration classes taught by Engineer Instructor Carl Eloi. To take these and other classes at the Denver Green Jobs Initiative, orientation is held at 12:30 p.m. on Mondays. Be prepared to stay awhile for test, application and UA. Bring Colorado ID and SSN. While “Green Jobs” Training is what we do, we also offer opportunities for employment in the green industry.

While DGJI is only a place to receive the prepping and basics of renewable energy, AfricanAmericans should take advantage of this opportunity that will prepare them for higher learning in the industry at a local community college, even Colorado School of the Mines has a Renewable Energy Track. Now is the time, because community colleges, universities, technical training institutes, and other educational institutions are expanding the programs needed to equip the new green workforce with the knowledge and skills it will need to lead the way with business as ususual. They are proving that an employee in any field – including you – can be an agent of change for good, making money as well as a positive impact in the world and to bring transformation to your own community.

Editor’s note: Denver Institute of Urban Studies and The Centre for Urban Research and Environmental Technology is hosting the Urban Green Summit, August 26 and 27 at Johnson and Wales University Academic Center (17th and Quebec Street).

Keynote speakers are John Francis, III (the Planetwalker) and Phaedra EllisLampkins, CEO GreenForAll, Inc. For more information or to register, call 303562-6467 or 702-782-2041 or visit www.cure-t.org.

Art Gallery Hosts Show Featuring Carol Dallas

COMMUNITY NOTES

Great Western Art Gallery will host an art show featuring award winning pastel painter Carol Dallas. Her work, devoted to telling the story of everyday people who are invisible among us, will be featured at the gallery through July 30 at 1455 Curtis St. in Denver. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 303-3962787 or visit greatwesternartgalleryllc.com.

Light Up The Night – Fourth Of July Spectacular

Celebrate America’s Independence Day at Aurora’s annual “Fourth of July Spectacular,” featuring the metro area’s largest firework display on the west side of the Aurora Municipal Center at 15151 Alameda Parkway on Monday, July 4.

Hear live entertainment by the Spin Band at 5 p.m. Fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. There will be food vendors, face painters, balloon twists, a stilt walker and other entertainment. Tune your radios to Studio 1430 KEZW where the fireworks will be choreographed to classic beats.

For more information, call 303-7397756 or e-mail maddlema@auroragov.org.

Mother and Daughter Celebration Luncheon 2011

Join Lady Patricia Bradford and the Women of Purpose for a powerful demonstration of Vested Interest at a luncheon will be held July 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn Denver South/Meridian, 9290 S. Meridian Blvd. in Englewood. Tickets are $35 and $15 for 12 years of age and under.

For more information and to purchase tickets, email sg.empowerment@gmail.com or call 303-718-3963.

Blood Sweat & Tears To Perform Sunday At The Taste Jazz-rock band Blood Sweat & Tears will take the Main Stage Sunday, Sept. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the 28th annual A Taste of Colorado. The four-day, free admission, food, music, and entertainment festival will take place Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2 through Sept. 5, in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park.

Since 1968, Blood Sweat & Tears has had numerous hits, including “And When I Die,” “Spinning Wheel,” and “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.”

In addition to the Main Stage there will be four stages with rock, country, jazz, classic rock, blues, and ethnic

music and dance groups. More than 50 of Colorado’s favorite food establishments will be selling a wide variety of small portions to full meals, ensuring that there will be something for every palate. Festivalgoers can shop in more than 280 Marketplace booths for original arts and crafts, home and gift items, furniture, jewelry, imports, and more. There will be plenty of music, magic, clowns, and puppets on the KidzStage, and the KidZone features play equipment and hands-on craft activities.

For more information, call 303- 2956330 or visit www.ATasteofColorado.com.

DU Second Annual Carillon Summer Recital Series

The Carillon recitals will be presented on the Williams Carillon at the Ritchie Center on Wednesday, July 6 at 7 p.m. SW Corner of Buchtel and University Blvd. at I-25. The best listening place for the carillon is in the courtyard at the south end of the Ritchie Center. Recitals are open-air and will be played rain or shine. No tickets necessary.

E-Race Loneliness Race Planned

The E-Race Loneliness 5K/10K Race and Walk is scheduled for Sunday, July 31 in the City Park of Denver. Registration and check-in begin at 7 a.m. with the race and walk at 8 a.m.

Awards for best time in age categories and High Pledges will be given.

There will be fun activities for the whole family. The event benefits Bessie’s Hope, the only organization of its kind – bringing generations together in mutually rewarding relationships, while enhancing the lives of nursing home elders and at-risk youth. For registration and information, visit www.bessieshope.org.

Aurora Animal Shelter Experiencing Crowded Cat Kennels

The Aurora Animal Shelter, in an attempt to prompt more cat adoptions, is running a special through July 9. The price of a kitten or cat adoption will be discounted 50 percent. New adopters will also have the option of adopting a feline, and getting a second one free.

The Aurora Animal Shelter is located at 15750 E. 32nd Avenue. Kennels are open to the public to search for an adoption candidate Monday thru Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more information, call 303-3268292.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Two Denverites Named Man And

Woman Of The Year

T

By the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

he Rocky Mountain Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) named Quinn Washington and Marnie Miller, both of Denver, as the 2011 Man & Woman of the Year during the Man & Woman of the Year Grand Finale Gala held at the Denver Marriott City Center on May 20. Mike Landess, news anchor for Denver’s 7News, served as the evening’s emcee.

Washington and Miller were two of 10 candidates who participated in the annual fundraising campaign, which raised nearly $260,000 for blood cancer research and patient support services – a record amount raised in this campaign for the chapter.

As the individual man and woman who collected the most funds during the 10-week campaign, Washington raised more than $11,500 and Miller raised nearly $78,000. Miller raised a record amount; she is now the top earning Woman of the Year for the Rocky Mountain Chapter.

Washington is vice president of Blacktie Colorado and dedicated himself to the campaign to celebrate a friend who is a blood cancer survivor.

Miller, founder and president of Miller Housing Advisors, is a non-Hodgkins lymphoma survivor and stepped up as a candidate to raise money and create further awareness for blood cancer research and treatment during her campaign.

“Blood cancers cause the deaths of more than 50,000 Americans each year, many of them children,” said Rebecca Russell, executive director for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of LLS. “We are extremely grateful to Quinn and Marnie and our other Man & Woman of the Year candidates for their dedication and hard work in helping us raise funds for a cure so we can make these diseases a thing of the past.”

The other candidates included Denver’s Don Cooper, Richard Rizzo, Casey Rosen, Creigh Kelley of Englewood, Glynis Albright for Castle Rock, Megan McEwan of Centennial, Catherine Matous of Golden, and Kevin Wong of Highlands Ranch. All 10 candidates were inspired by the Boy & Girl of the Year, Addison Kleinhans of Broomfield and Grace Koontz of Westminster, who are both blood cancer survivors.

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Catherine Matous, Quinn Washington, and Marnie Miller

Fifteen-year-old Matous was the second highest fundraiser, collecting more than $53,000. She is also the youngest candidate to run for Woman of the Year in the history of the campaign, both regionally and nationally. Matous is a freshman at Golden High School and the daughter of Dr. Jeff Matous, medical director of the Colorado Blood Cancer Institute in Denver and a longtime LLS board of trustees member. Washington presented his Man of the Year award to Matous honoring her efforts as the youngest candidate and thanking her for her initiative to involve her peers in LLS’s mission.

Washington and Miller will go on to compete for the national title of Man & Woman of the Year for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

This year’s 2011 Grand Finale committee was chaired by Colorado philanthropists Cindy and Steve Farber and Tara and Kaily Smith along with their parents Iris and Michael Smith.

Funds raised through the campaign are invested by LLS in leading-edge research that investigates the causes of blood cancers and seeks better therapies. The funds are also used to provide patients, their families and friends with blood cancer information and services to help them cope throughout their journey.

Editor’s note: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, headquartered in White Plains, NY, with 58 chapters in the United States and Canada, is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. LLS’s mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $780 million in research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, LLS made 4.2 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

Editor’s note: For more information about blood cancer, visit www.LLS.org or call the Rocky Mountain Chapter of LLS at 800286-8159.

DOING BIZ IN... MONTRÉAL, CANADA

Photos supplied by Tourisme Montréal

(video games and e-commerce), photonics and the emerging Bio-ICT and Nano-ICT industries.¨ Jetsetter: Michael Banks is coowner of Les Passants du Sans Soucy Bed & Breakfast and was also past President of the SDC Vieux-Montréal, (Commercial Development Association of Old Montréal,). A visionary, he has been involved in the rejuvenation of the area of Old Montréal since 1986. His main interests are history, culture and the numerous activities going on in this historical neighbourhood.

Gettin’ Around: Getting around Montréal is easy. There’s an excellent

City Smarts: Montréal boasts of a downtown where people not only work but live, play and enjoy life with customary ¨joie de vivre.¨ A bustling metropolis of 1.9 million, Montréal combines modern facilities and attractions with old world charm.

There are more than 60 international organizations headquarters in Montréal, including the International Civil Organisation (ICAO), International Air Transportation Association (IATA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and some 60 foreign and 80 financial centres also have offices in the city.

The region of Montréal is renowned for its expertise in the aerospace industry, specifically in aircraft assembly, engine manufacturing, overhaul and repair. The life sciences represent a booming industry in Metro Montréal. In all, there are 630 companies, including 150 public and parapublic research organizations.

Greater Montréal is recognized as a center of creativity and excellence in digital technology. The region also excels in microelectronics and advanced materials, mathematics and modeling, computer and networking applications and services, multimedia

public transit system which includes a metro and bus service (http://www.stm.info/english/asomm.htm). You can also hail a cab on the streets. The vast majority of accommodations and attractions are within walking distance of the downtown core, or minutes away using public and private transport.

Survival Kit: Montréalers have a great sense of fashion. In late spring or summer Montréal can be surprisingly hot and humid, so dress accordingly.

Early spring and late summer, though, be sure to bring along something extra to pull on if it cools down during the day or later in the evening.

Fall/Winter: Montréal can be cold, but you’ll be fine as long as you’ve got warm, dry feet, so pack your boots, don’t forget your scarf, gloves, and especially a hat – it can make a big difference.

Catching Zzzs: The city offers 187 establishments counting more than 26,000 rooms. Fortune Magazine has awarded the Opus Montreal, the title of the top Business Hotel in the World.

Opus Hotel Montreal is conveniently located near both Montreal’s Convention Center and business district and restaurants and bars! For info:

Montréal, Canada

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Bateau-Mouche (cruises) at the Old Port of Montréal

514-843-6000, 10 Sherbrooke Street West, www.opusmontreal.com.

The Power Lunch: Le Montréalais is a two-level restaurant, including a bar section and is ideally located downtown. A favourite with the downtown crowd, it offers a tantalizing menu featuring sunny Mediterranean cuisine, such as fish and seafood pot-au-feu, succulent grilled meats like their calf liver and roast prime rib and luscious desserts in a lively bistro ambiance. For info: 514-861-3511, Ext: 2261, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, 900 René-Lévesque Boulevard West, www.fairmont.com Cultural Chow: Since 1996, Ferreira Café has been a great Montréal’s ambassador of Portuguese cuisine.

Ferreira Café is an ideal spot for anyone wanting to savour delicacies, such as oven roasted black cod with porcini powder served with mashed potatoes and grilled oyster mushrooms with a legendary 1991 barca Velha. For info: 514 848-0988, 1446 Peel Street, www.ferreiracafe.com.

Cyber Site: In Chapters Bookstore in downtown Montréal, their Starbucks’ Coffee area offers 2 hours of internet service if you purchase a 5$ gift card redeemable for a coffee. For info: 1171 Sainte-Catherine St. West, 514849-8825, open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Networkin’: Le Pois Penché is the latest see-and-be-seen restaurant ¨French Brasserie¨ style. After a hard day’s work sit down at the wood and polished brass bar to enjoy drinks and be tempted by their display of fresh shellfish piled high on crushed ice. For

info: 514-667-5050, Brasserie Pois Penché, 1230 de Maisonneuve St., West, www.lepoispenche.com.

To De-Stress: Scandinave Les Bains Old Montréal is my recommendation for those who crave uber-relaxation. This spa provides a soothing experience. Try the Scandinavian baths, a 3-stage treat: heating the body, a beneficial rinse in cold water and a period of relaxation, followed by a massage. For info: 514 288-2009 Scandinave les Bains, 71, rue de la Commune West, www.scandinave.com Flight Time: Montréal-Trudeau International Airport is a mere 20 minutes from downtown and it handles some 200 flights daily to more than 100 destinations in Canada, the USA and internationally. For info: 514-3947377 or 1-800-465-1213 www.admtl.com Someone Helpful: Thanks to Our friends at Info Touriste Centre for providing the fun facts for this feature.

For info: 1-877-bonjour (266-5687), 1255 Peel St., www.tourisme-montreal.org Editor’s note: Doing Biz In features continuously updated coverage of a full spectrum of top cities where readers conduct business. Publicist and travel writer Regina Lynch-Hudson has penned destination catalogs and articles for companies such as Vacation Express, AirTran Airways and North American Airlines. Along with husband, photographer Courtland Bivens III, she handles destination marketing for resorts, bed and breakfasts, and tourism boards. More information on The Write Publicist & Co. can be found at www.thewritepublicist.com, Info Touriste Centre, 1255 Peel St., www.tourisme-montreal.org.

Old and new buildings Choinière

Bateau-Mouche (cruises) at the Old Port of Montréal

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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World Trade Centre Montréal

Happy Haynes Joins CRL Associates

The political consulting and public affairs firm CRL Associates, Inc. announced Allegra “Happy” Haynes will join the firm, bringing her vast experience in civic and community engagement strategies to CRL’s team.

As director of civic and community engagement, Haynes will focus on assisting CRL’s clients to establish more innovative and robust ways to engage throughout the community.

She also will concentrate on developing and mentoring civic involvement and leadership.

She joins a staff that ran the successful campaign for FasTracks and took strategic lead of the Union Station Master Plan.

Haynes most recently worked as the chief community engagement officer for Denver Public Schools.

Spanning her 30-year career in state and local government, she served 13 years on Denver City Council, serving as president from 1998-2000.

CPR Hires Public Insight Network Reporter Lee Hill

Colorado Public Radio (CPR) has hired pioneering multimedia journalist Lee Hill to expand and intensify community input into its local news coverage through its Public Insight Network (PIN).

The Public Insight Network is an online took used to gather perspective from the Colorado community.

As Public Insight Network reporter and analyst, Hill will lead CPR’s efforts to engage the public around key news events of the day, and reach out to new audiences that reflect the diversity of Colorado.

Hill comes to Colorado from National Public Radio (NPR) in Washington, D.C. He holds a degree from Howard University where he studied journalism, broadcast management and economics.

Shaka Foundation For Youth Honors Three Community Leaders

The Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth presented the 21st Annual Love Our Children Luncheon on Friday, April 29 at the Renaissance Denver Hotel. The master of ceremonies was Darryl Collier and keynote speaker

HATS OFF TO

was Dr. Susan Stafford. Three active community leaders were honored. They were author Vivian Sheldon Epstein (service to the community), Denver Urban Spectrum publisher Rosalind “Bee” Harris (Lifetime Achievement) and rodeo producer Lu Vason (Lifetime Achievement).

The Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth was started to enhance the lives of children and young people and to prevent suicide.

Two Professional Receive Honorary Doctorates From Johnson & Wales

Commencement ceremonies were held at Johnson & Wales University’s (JWU) Denver Campus. Joining 295 graduates earning degrees were two notable professionals selected as this year’s honorary degree recipients.

Keegan Holland Gerhard, owner and executive pastry chef of the celebrated D Bar Desserts in Denver, received a Doctor of Culinary Arts honoris causa and serve as the commencement speaker. Gerhard is known throughout the nation as host of the Food Network Challenge series.

Theophilus Delonia Gregory, vice president of El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs, Colorado, received a Doctor of Business Administration in Sports/Entertainment/Event Management honoris causa. Gregory’s notable career in non-profit administration and athletics includes his current position at the El Pomar Foundation and his volunteer service to the 2011 U.S. Women’s Open and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame.

The honorary doctorate recipients were chosen for their distinguished careers and the positive influence they have made in their chosen industries and communities. Both Gerhard and Gregory have continually demonstrated their support of JWU’s mission, students and graduates.

Hope Prevails For Hope Online Class Of 2011

Testimonies of grateful students highlighted the Hope Online Class of 2011 graduation on May 26 as 138 graduates listened intently as two classmates described the hope of a quality education they found at the Douglas County charter school.

Student speaker Alvaro Ivan Portillo Olivas, a native of Chihuahua, Mexico, shared about the difficulty of leaving behind his native country and his parents to pursue the dream of a good education.

Class valedictorian, Jared Hudson, drew applause for an inspirational address about his transformation from a “shy, fearful person, closed in a shell” after enduring bullying at a previous school and the untimely death of his mother, to the charismatic and confident scholar he became with the encouragement of his Hope Online Hillcrest Academy director, teachers, mentors and classmates. Jared plans to attend the University of Northern Colorado where he will pursue a degree in English/Creative Writing.

M.O.D.E.L. Awards Men Revealed

The M.O.D.E.L. awards (Men Of Distinction, Excellence and Leadership) were created by the Denver chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to honor African American men who make positive contributions to the local community.

The second-annual event is expected to draw up to 1,000 community members eager to celebrate local men who are making a positive impact.

The 12 men chosen as this year’s M.O.D.E.L. awards were revealed at the kick-off reception on June 17. They included (and pictured left to right) Reverend Frank Lewis, Gary Wilson, Elvin Caldwell, William “Bo” Matthews, Judge Wiley Daniel,

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Gregory L. Moore, Johnny Johnson Jr., M.D., K.C. Matthews, David Reed, and Ryan Ross. Not pictured were Richard Lewis and Scott Gilmore.

The awards banquet will take place on Sept. 17, at the Denver Marriott City Center. For more information, call Kanika Wilkerson at 720-237-7115 or visit www.epsilonnuomega.com/ MODEL_Intro.html.

Stephanie O’Malley Appointed To Dura Board

The Denver Urban Renewal Authority’s (DURA) Board of Commissioners announced Stephanie O’Malley as its newest member. She was appointed by Denver Mayor Guillermo (Bill) Vidal. As a commissioner, O’Malley will support DURA’s role in facilitating urban revitalization.

As Denver’s Clerk and Recorder, O’Malley oversees Denver’s election, public trustee and recording functions.

Under her leadership, backlogs in the Clerk and Recorder’s Office were eliminated, the organization underwent a major restructuring and the City of Denver conducted 12 successful elections.

O’Malley is a licensed attorney in the State of Colorado and received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Denver College of Law. Prior to serving as the City’s Clerk and Recorder, O’Malley was appointed by then-Mayor John Hickenlooper as director of the City of Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses.

Dr. Bean Named Woman Of The Year

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Denver Aluminae Chapter presented their 2011 Woman Of The Year to Dr. Robbie Bean on Sunday, May 22 at University of Denver. The inscription on the Plaque reads "For Outstanding Service to the Denver Community.”

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REEL ACTION

ticking and she’s still looking for her life mate. Despite her high-profile job as a TV sportscaster, she hasn’t exactly been dating appropriate men. The latest in her long line of losers is Zane (Clifton Powell), an ex-con who objects to her wearing a red dress to a party because it’s the color of a rival gang.

Nerdy Cleavon is single, too, primarily because he lacks the confidence to approach women. Plus, he doesn’t have a job, unless selling his semen to an infertility clinic counts.

black-on-black romance in the 21st Century.

Unrated Running Time: 104 minutes Distributor: Image Entertainment To see a trailer for 35 & Ticking, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr7bx2Z6oj4 Tied To A Chair

Tied To A Chair

35 & Ticking

35 & Ticking 1/2

Couples Deal with Relationship Drama in Biological Clock Comedy

W

hen you think of AfricanAmerican romance flicks featuring an ensemble cast, films like The Best Man, Love Jones and Brown Sugar immediately come to mind. You can add 35 & Ticking to that rare genre, although the movie doesn’t quite measure up to any of the aforementioned black classics.

Directed by Russ Parr, 35 & Ticking revolves around a quartet of lifelong friends, Victoria (Tamala Jones), Zenobia (Nicole Ari Parker), Cleavon (Kevin Hart) and Phil (Keith Robinson). The picture’s point of departure is 1983, when the four were still in grade school. Back then, the boys were fond of teasing Zenobia, a gangly girl who was tall for her age.

The story soon fast-forwards to the present, where we find Zenobia dreading her 37th birthday celebration because she hears her biological clock

He tries to make a love connection with the help of Zenobia who coaches him on what to say to a woman he wants to approach. “Tell her you’re name, tell her she’s pretty, and don’t tell her you’re unemployed.” Cleavon successfully employs that strategy with Falinda (Meagan Good), but then has to worry about whether the gorgeous stranger will lose interest once she learns that the “bank” he works at is just a sperm bank.

As for Phil, he’s married with children, but his immature wife Koko (Jill Marie Jones) is considering leaving him for a womanizing NBA star (Darius McCrary). At the other extreme, Victoria would like to start to a family, but her reluctant hubby (Dondre Whitfield) doesn’t want any kids.

The tension builds in each of these emotional scenarios en route to their eventual resolutions. Yet betwixt and between are myriad moments of levity which serve as gentle reminders not to take it all too seriously. All the loose ends are tied satisfactorily by the time the curtain comes down, making 35 & Ticking an amusing look at the state of

Frustrated Housewife Abandons Hubby for Acting Career in MidlifeCrisis Comedy

A

fter 25 years of incessant mental abuse, housewife Naomi Holbroke (Bonnie Loren) has finally had it up to here with being berated by her insufferable husband (Richard Franklin).

Not only does the British bureaucrat continually complain about her cooking, but he’s never appreciated the fact that she abandoned her dream of becoming an actress when she married him and moved to England.

Naomi handles her midlife crisis by leaving the creep for the Cannes Film Festival where she attempts to kick start her career by auditioning for the lead in a film just being cast by Billy Rust (Mario Van Peebles), a one-hit wonder who’s trying to revitalize his own after a long dry spell. Trouble is the role calls for a voluptuous, young ingénue, not a flat-chested cougar who’s looking a little long in the tooth.

Not one to be discouraged easily, Naomi nonetheless persuades Billy to take her up to his hotel room and tie her to a chair as called for by the script’s sadomasochistic theme because “It’s every woman’s fantasy!”

(Who knew?) Unfortunately, instead of finding her performance the least bit provocative, blasé Billy merely drifts off into a very deep sleep.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Humiliated, Naomi lets herself out somehow still bound, and she subsequently shows up in the States several days later to stalk the director for another screen test.

That is the intriguing enough point of departure of Tied to a Chair, a screw-

ball comedy written and directed by Michael Bergmann. Despite a truth in advertising title which does the best job of living up to its billing since Snakes on a Plane, the picture turns out to be a tad too screwy for its own good.

For, once New York native Naomi arrives in the Big Apple, the movie morphs dramatically from the improbable to the preposterous, starting with Billy’s decapitation. Soon, she’s implicated in the crime, and it’s not long before she’s commandeering a cab and careening around town and running a gauntlet comprised of cops, mobsters and radical Islamists.

Shot between 2007 and 2009, the film feels even more dated than that due to its featuring cartoonish suicide bombers hatching a cockamamie terrorist plot, caricatures which maybe might have worked immediately in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Regardless, the rapid disintegration of Tied to a Chair’s promising plot into nonsense looks like Michael Bergmann might have merely quit directing midway through the movie after having established a compelling premise.

He must have forgotten to include a screenplay in the flick’s budget.

Unrated Running Time: 95 minutes Distributor: Process Studio Theatre To see a trailer for Tied to a Chair, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOniVA89Hh4

REEL ACTION Hello Lonesome

Lovelorn Find Unlikely Bedfellows in Melancholy Mood Flick

E

leanor (Lynn Cohen) is an attractive and active senior citizen who lives alone in a sprawling suburbia where an automobile is critical to maintaining a connection to the rest of civilization. For this reason, she’s beside herself the day the Department of Motor Vehicles refuses to renew her driver’s license on account of her failing eyesight.

Unfortunately, Eleanor compounds the sudden transportation problem by impulsively selling her classic Thunderbird, forgetting how much it still serves as a nostalgic reminder of a lifetime of pleasant adventures alongside her dearly-departed husband.

Nevertheless, she manages to continue running her daily errands by relying on the charity of the handsome nextdoor neighbor (James Urbaniak) she’s barely interacted with before.

Soon, however, the well-preserved widow finds herself leaning on the very-accommodating young man’s shoulder not merely for rides but emotionally, too, subtly hinting at a desire for a degree of intimacy by admitting how much she misses hugging and spooning in bed. And Gary reciprocates by expressing his regret that his icy ex-wife was never inclined to cuddle.

Despite a playful exchange of “I could be your mother!” and “You could be my grandmother!” the acknowledged difference in their ages does nothing to discourage this pair.

Thus, it isn’t long before the two lonely hearts are sharing nightly sleepovers, even if perhaps initially more out of convenience than passion.

The same can’t be said about Gordon (Nate Smith) and Deb

(Sabrina Lloyd), a couple of strangers who meet on the internet and rendezvous to use each other for what was just supposed to be a wanton, one-night stand of acrobatic carnality.

They unexpectedly fall head-overheels for each other and continue to date, although a fly later lands in their lubricating ointment when a lump in her breast is diagnosed as a cancerous tumor. Will Gordon bail on the budding relationship or stick around to help his terrified partner battle the disease?

While awaiting the resolution of that intriguing scenario, this absorbing triskelion sets up one other storyline.

Bill (Harry Chase) has just been dumped by his wife, and his emotionally-estranged daughter is no longer taking his calls. As a voiceover actor working out of his home studio, he’s already been something of a recluse.

Now in need of more human interaction, the normally taciturn hermit reaches out to his express package deliveryman (Kamel Boutros) in friendship, but the overture is first mistaken for a romantic pass.

This trio of discrete tales revolving around unlikely bedfellows fuels the fires of Hello Lonesome, a palpably-realistic, melancholy mood flick marking the auspicious script and directorial debut of Adam Reid. Congrats to rookie Reid for crafting such an endlessly-amusing, slice-of-life screenplay, for finding the right cast to execute that vision, and for adding the rest of just the right ingredients to the recipe for a satisfying, cinematic stew best served steamy, sentimental and sobering!

Enter to win an admit 2 pass to the special advance screening of

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Hello Lonesome

Texting 43KIX is free. Standard text message rates from your wireless provider may apply, check your plan. Late and/or duplicate entries will not be considered. Limit one entry per cell phone. Winners will be drawn at random and notified via text message with screening details by 7/7 at 5PM. Each mobile pass admits 2. The screening will be held on 7/9 at 9:00AM at a local theatre. Sponsors and their dependents are not eligible to receive a prize.

Supplies are limited. The film is rated G. Passes received through this promotion do not guarantee a seat at the theatre. Seating is on a first-come, firstserve basis, except for members of the reviewing press. Theatre is overbooked to ensure a full house. No admittance once screening has begun. All federal, state and local regulations apply. A recipient of prizes assumes any and all risks related to use of prize, and accepts any restrictions required by prize provider. Walt Disney Pictures, Terry Hines & Associates, 43KIX, Urban Spectrum and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accident incurred in connection with use of prizes. Prizes cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part. Not responsible if, for any reason, winner is unable to use his/her prize in whole or in part. Not responsible for lost, delayed or misdirected entries. All federal, state and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. NO PHONE CALLS!

Unrated Running Time: 93 Minutes Distributor: Bodega Studios To see a trailer for Hello Lonesome, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDlH7ooNx-0

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

27

REEL ACTION

Bow Wow’s Big Happy Bark Better Than His Bite The Madea’s Big Happy Family Interview with Kam Williams

I

t was clear from an early age that Shad “Bow Wow” Moss was destined for the spotlight. At just 5, he was discovered

by Snoop Dogg and featured on the rap icon’s groundbreaking “Doggystyle” album. Renamed Bow Wow for his solo debut, he teamed up with chart-topping/hit-making producer Jermaine Dupri to release “Beware of Dog” in 2000, the kickoff to a string of platinum and gold albums that spawned a half-dozen #1 singles and platinum songs.

Bow Wow is the “Youngest Solo Rapper to Ever Hit No. 1,” as recognized by the Guinness World Records.

All told, he’s sold more than 10 million CDs and 14 million digital assets to date.

Last year, he starred in the hit motion picture Lottery Ticket, and he also enjoyed a recurring role on the HBO hit series Entourage. His impressive list of screen credits includes: Hurricane Season (2009), The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Roll Bounce (2005), Johnson Family Vacation (2004) and Like Mike (2002).

Here, Bow Wow talks about playing Byron in Madea’s Big Happy Family.

Kam Williams: How you been, Bow Wow?

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Bow Wow: I’m alright, Kam, just working.

KW: The last time we spoke, you had all your fans interacting with you on Skype at the same time I was interviewing you about Lottery Ticket.

BW: Yeah, man, that was crazy. I remember it like it was yesterday.

We’re right back at it now.

KW: What interested you in Madea’s Big Happy Family?

BW: What interested me was the opportunity to work with Tyler [Perry], which had always been an objective of mine because of his being a top Hollywood director. I remember walking up to him at a Janet Jackson concert and going like, “Yo, man, you gotta put me in one of your movies,” as if he’d be crazy if he didn’t. I thought he’d probably forget, because I have people come up to me trying to talk business all the time, but I guess he kept me in mind. It was like a blessing from God when I heard he wanted me to play Byron.

KW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier asks: What was it like working with Tyler Perry?

BW: It was dope! I had a lot of fun working with him. He’s a hard worker. And he works extremely fast, which is how I like to operate, because he comes to the set knowing what shots he wants to get. He’s very professional and doesn’t waste any time. I definitely can’t wait to do another Tyler Perry movie, especially since I

liked the moral of the story.

KW: What would you say is the movie’s message?

BW: That tomorrow is never promised and that family is very important.

So, make sure you tell your family you love them each and every day because you don’t know when it might be your last opportunity.

KW: Tyler certainly has a knack for crafting morality plays which touch folks deeply.

BW: Most definitely. He does a terrific job with those dramatic moments.

I think it comes from his own life experiences and from making it after everything he had to overcome.

KW: How was it acting opposite Lauren London who played your girlfriend, Renee, and working with the rest of the ensemble?

BW: I’ve known Lauren for a while, I had just worked with Loretta Devine on Lottery Ticket, and I’d worked with the majority of the cast before, so it was really comfortable for me on set.

KW: Larry Greenberg says: Tyler Perry plays so many parts in this film.

Were you worried that he was going to take your role?

BW: [LOL] No, I wasn’t worried about that at all. [Laughs some more] KW: Brian Stimson says: I’d like to know whether you faced any difficulties making the transition from childhood to adulthood. Most of us not in the spotlight can easily shed those

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

28

childhood personas, but I wonder if it’s the same for someone who is both a music and film star?

BW: I always say, “It’s all about the work.” That’s one thing I’ve done. I’ve just committed to my work, which I think is what has enabled me to make it over that hurdle that a lot of other child stars don’t. You can become greater than what you already are.

That’s what I’m always about.

KW: Children’s book author Irene Smalls asks: How has show business changed since you started?

BW: Dramatically! In music, everything’s digital now. But I think change is normal. There’s always a natural progression. Even in Hollywood, where you see many more independent films being shot.

KW: Irene also asks: What achievement in your career makes you proudest?

BW: I’m too young to say at this point in my career. I have way too much more to accomplish.

KW: Irene’s last question: Acting or rapping, which is your preference?

BW: Acting in movies.

KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles says: When you got older, you removed the ‘Lil’ from your name. As you age and mature, might you shorten it again?

BW: No, I think if I ever changed my stage name again, I’d just start using my real name, Shad.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

BW: That’s crazy! [Chuckles] Yeah, one question people rarely ask me is whether I’m happy doing what I do?

KW: Okay, are you happy doing what you do?

BW: Honestly? Sometimes. When it comes to movies, I love it. No complaints. But with music, I’m only happy 75 percent of the time because there’s a lot of nonsense you have to deal with in the industry, although I still give it 110 percent. It’s a constant struggle for artists in the music industry.

KW: Do you ever wish you could have your anonymity back?

BW: In my eyes, I feel like I’m still a regular dude. For instance, I went to the movies last night. I can go to the busiest places and not get noticed, even in Manhattan.

KW: Well, thanks again Bow Wow, and I look forward to speaking to you about your next project?

BW: Definitely, man, definitely!

To see a trailer for Madea’s Big Happy Family, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g W5ILfAaIXc

WHO’S WHO “AROUND TOWN” SEE MORE @

Around Town Denver June 2011

WWW.DENVERURBANSPECTRUM.COM

Colorado Beautillion Photo by Sheeba Wheeler

2011 Juneteenth

Photos by Ron Washington & Vern Howard

Blacks In Government (BIG) Oratorical Competition

Photo by Vern Howard

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

29

Continued from page 3 God’s standard and he’s speaking the truth in love. I’m just sayyin’.

Have you actually talked to a former homosexual in total confession or someone troubled in this lifestyle who’s so honest? It’s sad and lonely!

I’m just sayyin, it’s time to get free...”

Min. Mike Devine Pennington, Host of Rap Radio - JAM (Jesus And Me) www.1220KLDC.com Denver, CO

What Would Jesus Do?

Editor: It is seemingly a salacious headline for an article today, isn’t it? “Why Homosexuality Is Wrong.” It was written by a respected colleague of mine with great credentials, the Rev. Dr. Clenard H. Childress, Jr. and appeared in the June issue of Denver Urban Spectrum. He chose Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1954 sermon, “Rediscovering Lost Values” and pointed to a warning of Dr. King against ‘moral relativism’ to begin constructing his argument.

I wonder what might have happened if Rev. Dr. Childress had considered the full body of Dr. King’s work and listened to the words written by Coretta Scott King in her forward of a compilation of Dr. King’s sermons called Strength to Love where she wrote: “The struggle to eliminate the world’s evils – evils so flagrant and self-evident that they glare at us from every ghetto street and rural hovel – can only occur through a profound internal struggle.

By reaching into and beyond ourselves and tapping the transcendent moral ethic of love, we shall overcome these evils.” (p. 9) One of the evils that still exist is this profound hatred of our brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ communities.

Oh, how I long for an ethic of Christian love, today, that would overcome the kind of hatred that spews forth from the mouths and pens of too many Christian and other religious leaders.

Did my friend, Rev. Dr. Childress consider the marvelous passage (Revelation 21:5) that speaks of the days where, “He who sits on the throne says, Behold, I make all things new?” The tragedy of the picking and choosing of the biblical injunctions used by my colleague is that he used them to keep making old, tired, dusty justifications for ongoing hatred. The tragedy for 21st century Christians, in my estimation, is that we are not allowing ourselves to be swayed enough by a Savior, in Jesus Christ, who makes all things new.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

I have known the bitter sting of discrimination and racism as an African American who grew up on the south side of Chicago. And as a straight married male trying to make sense of living in the complexities of this century day by day, I often wonder when our GLBTQ brothers and sisters will get tired of being the ‘scapegoats’ in a raging sea of hatred and misunderstanding.

Rev. Dr. Childress pulled part of his argument from the first chapter of Romans and conveniently and completely skipped over the 8th chapter of Romans (one of my very favorite chapters in the whole Holy Bible). As the Apostle Paul closes out that chapter he declares simply and succinctly, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8: 38-39) Rev. Dr. Childress goes on to claim, “homosexuality is wrong but we must love the homosexual unconditionally.”

And this claim, from him, was simply lip service after he had made some fairly pointed physiological observations about what goes on in our intimate relations. He then took on gay marriage and the ‘distinctive sex roles’ of straight marriage and showed us tacitly how the viewpoint of an oppressor can sound persuasive while it is the absolute antithesis of loving ‘unconditionally.’

For those who wish to grab their Bible and wave it in our faces to give them whatever permission they need to spew hatred towards our LGBTQ brothers and sisters consider the following: “The subject of homosexuality is not mentioned in the Ten Commandments, or in the Summary of the Law. No prophet discourses on the subject. Jesus himself makes no mention of it, and homosexuality does not appear to be of much concern to those early churches with which Saint Paul and his successors were involved.” (Rev. Dr. Peter Gomes, p.147, The Good Book) As Rev. Dr. Childress closes his article I was reminded of the kind of race hate in the south that caused the likes of Bull Conner to sick dogs on innocent marchers that included young boys and girls, teenagers and adults. I was reminded of the terrors perpetrated by the Third Reich and the slave masters who always felt they were right to exclude other perspectives. Their ‘wrong,’ stodgy, and outdated views were tempered by time and changed by the collective actions

of those who stood up for love, for grace and for the transformation of the human mind on these subjects.

Clearly, these are difficult times and anywhere there are easy answers to complex subjects we are all tempted to take them. But, in all your taking…..consider the ethic of Christian love most highly. When we as Christians ask the question, “What would Jesus do?” We all know from his life, work, ministry and the people who knew of his healing power personally that His example challenges us, at every juncture, to love first, last, and always. Let’s not keep falling for the same, old, tired, dusty arguments.

Rev. Dr. James E. Fouther, Jr. United Church of Montbello Denver, CO

Library’s Customer Base Is Far From Eroding

Editor: The following letter was written in response to the Denver Post article by Vincent Carroll on June 4 to help inform the public about DPL’s budget issues, and long-term funding options. You can find the Post article here, http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_18201781?source=po p_section_opinion

In a recent Denver Post article by Vincent Carroll, he states, “…does it really make sense to relieve the city’s budget woes by creating a permanent funding stream for the one service whose customer base is facing potentially drastic erosion? Before any tax reaches the ballot, let someone make that case.”

As you can imagine, I have a very strong opinion about this. Libraries have been adapting to the world around them for the past century, and the surge of the digital age is no different. Libraries provide essential services to the public such as computer access and training, job-search assistance, literacy programs, and access to thousands of print and digital materials. They serve as the cornerstone of their community and are a key link in developing a knowledgeable, productive workforce and fostering economic development.

The increase in the use of eBooks does not mean that the library’s customer base is eroding, as Carroll’s article suggests. It means that libraries must offer this popular format in addition to the physical books which many are still using, and adapt to the changing needs of the public as they have for decades.

In 2010, the Denver Public Library welcomed over 4 million visitors, circulated 9 million items, and had 40 million online transactions – hardly a

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

30

sign of becoming obsolete. In fact, libraries across the country are seeing an increase in usage, not a decrease, especially in times of recession.

According to a study by the American Library Association, over two thirds of Americans have a library card and visit a library 1.4 billion times a year.

Every day, 300,000 Americans seek job-related help at a public library. It’s quite evident that libraries are not just places to hold books.

There has been an age-old debate over what the library of the future looks like. As long as there is a need for free and equal access to information – libraries will be around and will continue to adapt to the needs of the public.

In 1889, John Cotton Dana, DPL’s first city librarian, had the vision of making the Library “a center of public happiness.” He was a pioneer – bringing resources and services to the people. His main objective was to make the library relevant to the daily lives of the citizens, an objective that is still at the core of the Library’s mission.

But to prepare for the future needs of our community, the Denver Public Library must address a fundamental challenge in how it is funded. The Library, funded by the City of Denver’s General Fund has undergone major budget cuts for the past several years.

This has led to drastic reductions in service hours, staff levels and purchase of new materials. With the impending cuts to the 2012 budget, our world-class library is in serious jeopardy.

The Denver Public Library is at a crossroads. We cannot continue to be at the mercy of the unpredictable ups and downs of the City’s budget. We need a long-term sustainable funding solution. Forming a library district has been viewed by communities across the state as the best form of governance for delivering consistently highquality library service. A modest mill levy increase (about $56 per year on a $200,000 home) would make a tremendous difference in how we can provide service. All library locations would be open at least 40 hours per week, instead of the current 32.

We would be able to provide the materials, technology and programs that our customers want and need.

Most importantly, we’d be able to plan for our future without the constant threat of unknown budget cuts from year to year.

Shirley Amore City Librarian Denver, CO

Editor’s note: For more information about DPL’s budget situation and library districts, visit www.denverlibrary.org/budget.

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Colorado Beautillion Present Beaus At Inaugural Gala

The Journey to Manhood was this year’s theme and highlighted the accomplishments of 15 seniors and nine juniors at the Colorado Beautillion, Inc’s. Inaugural gala.

The young men, chosen for their academic accomplishments, commitment to community, and leadership potential, were honored on June 12.

The dinner and recognition celebration marked the culmination of an intensive, innovative, motivational and educationally enhanced program designed to boost character and cultivate leadership skills of the participants.

Under the leadership of Bishop Phillip H. Porter and Dr. Thomas Bouknight, Esq., the six-month mentoring program featured lectures and workshops on spirituality, education, moral character, social skills, and economic values. The Beaus were also exposed to etiquette, grooming, college readiness, interview tips, public presentation skills, and numerous enrichment experiences.

Guest speaker for the gala was Coach James Caldwell of the Indianapolis Colts and media personality and former CU Buffaloes star quarterback Charles “CJ” Johnson served as a the presenter.

All of the program seniors have plans to enter college in the fall of 2011.

For more information or to obtain a 2011/2012 application, visit www.colobeautillion.net.

DURA Awarded Grant To Provide Energy Saving Improvements To Low-Income Homeowners

The Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) announced its receipt of $362,000 from the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships (DOSP) to support energy efficiency efforts benefiting Denver residents at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level. The funds will be used toward improvement efforts currently underway through DURA’s Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR) and

NEWSVIEWS

Emergency Home Repair (EHR) programs.

The program is expected to benefit 64 homeowners throughout the city, with approximately $35,000 saved on energy bills. An energy audit will be conducted on each home to determine needs. The program also includes an education component whereby DURA will provide energy conservation training for program participants.

Through its SFR and EHR programs, DURA has provided more than $66 million in loans and grants to more than 16,000 qualifying Denver homeowners. These programs have helped to reduce the amount of foreclosures throughout the City and provided the opportunity for economic stability among Denver’s low- and moderate-income residents.

James P. Beckwourth Dedication Ceremony

The Urban Renewal Authority of Pueblo, City of Pueblo, El Pueblo History Museum, and Downtown Art & Soul program joined forces to commission Pueblo’s first Founders’ Plaza memorial to be located at the El Pueblo History Museum. The first “Founder” installment was a memorial recognizing James P. Beckwourth, an African-American pioneer, frontiersman, and co-founder of Pueblo.

This was the first Beckwourth Memorial in Colorado and the second in the Nation. The event was held on May 21. Keynote speaker was Gary Jackson. Following the dedication ceremony there was a VIP reception, and a “Song of Pueblo” performance.

PBLA At Regis University Students And Faculty Jet To NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory In Pasadena Forty Porter-Billups Leadership Academy (PBLA) students and faculty visited the nation’s top space exploration and science research laboratory on June 20, where they were introduced to the work of engineers, scientists, and technology experts responsible for “managing the Deep Space Network which makes NASA’s explo-

ration of earth, the solar system and the universe beyond” possible.

The students experienced a day in the life of the men and women responsible for the communications network between “distant spacecraft and the earth-based teams that guide them,” which includes meeting Deputy Director and retired Lieutenant General Eugene Tattini. For more information about the PBLA, visit www.porter-billups.org.

Fashion Show included Toastmasters Joan Janis (President of Cherry Creek Toastmasters Club), Elizabeth Hall, Troi Mullins, Paul Wyles and Pam Simmons. Armstrong, a child care administrator, is a charter member of the Absolutely Articulate Toastmasters Club and also serves as a club officer.

HUD And Neighborworks America Announce Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program In Colorado

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in conjunction with NeighborWorks America announced the launch of the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP), to help homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure in Colorado.

Congress provided $1 billion dollars to HUD, as part of the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to implement EHLP. The program will assist homeowners who have experienced a reduction in income and are at risk of foreclosure due to involuntary unemployment, underemployment, due to economic conditions or a medical condition. HUD allocated $41,286,747 to fund this emergency loan program in Colorado.

Under EHLP program guidelines eligible homeowners can qualify for an interest free loan which pays a portion of their monthly mortgage for up to two years, or up to $50,000, whichever comes first. The EHLP program will pay a portion of an approved applicant’s monthly mortgage including missed mortgage payments or past due charges including principal, interest, taxes, insurances, and attorney fees. EHLP is expected to aid up to 30,000 distressed borrowers, with an average loan of approximately $35,000.

For more information, visit www.FindEHLP.org or call 855-FINDEHLP.

If My Friends Could See Me Now Speech-A-Thon And Fashion Show The Absolutely Articulate Toastmasters Club sponsored its summer Speech-a-thon/Fashion Show in June. Based on the theme “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” toastmasters boldly shared insightful, heartfelt speeches with the Life Care senior audience. Under the direction of event chair, Shirley Armstrong, the Toastmasters Speech-a-Thon &

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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The 2011 Road Scholar Asa Hilliard Lifelong Learning Award Now Open To Applicants

Road Scholar announced the fourth annual Asa Grant Hilliard III Award for Lifelong Learning. The 2010 Asa Grant Hilliard III Award for Lifelong Learning is now open to applicants and will be presented this year at the 2011 annual conference of the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) to be held in November in New Orleans.

The $5,000 award is named in honor of the late Dr. Asa Grant Hilliard III, world-renowned PanAfricanist, educator, historian and psychologist, who is an icon for his advocacy of the importance of African history, culture and influence; for his global contributions to education; and for his special affinity for conducting study tours to Egypt for thousands of travelers.

Road Scholar awards this scholarship annually to an educator with at least 10 years of experience in their field, and who meets one or more of the following criteria: is a supporter of lifelong learning; or a member of NABSE; or a member of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), or is on the faculty of a Historically Black College or University, or is a professor of African American studies. The scholarship provides an opportunity to experience a Road Scholar program anywhere in the world.

Applicants are asked to write an essay focused on the importance of lifelong learning to the African American community and to describe the ways in which they will utilize their educational adventure with Road Scholar to make a difference in their communities.

For more information, visit www.roadscholar.org/hilliardaward.

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Simmons Foundation for Youth and Change

3rd Annual Safe Summer Summit East High School - 1545 Detroit St. Wednesday, July 13, 2011 9 AM to 3 PM

•Basketball Camp For Youth •A Life Skills Workshop •Contractors Academy Workshop

The Basketball Camp will be directed by Hall of Fame Coach Rudy Carey of East High School with a special guest from the Denver Nuggets. Life Skills Workshop will be conducted

by Alvertis Simmons and Chief Elias Diggins of the Denver Sheriff Dept. The Contractor Academy hosted by members of the CBCC, Hispanic Contractors and the Denver Urban League.

This is FREE community event. For more information, call:

303-521-7211

Sponsors: Bank Of America, Denver Sheriffs Dept (Fraternal Order of Police), Webb International, Simmons & Associates, Angela Williams (All State Insurance), Denver Bycicle/True Value, Lu Vason Presents, Bookhardt and O’Toole, Johnson and Wales University, Safeway Stores,Tom Martino, Hensel Phelps,Colorado Rockies, Kroenke Sports (Denver Nuggets), East High School, Demetra Whittington, Joy Walker (Sista Love Inc) Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2011

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Saturday, July 30, 2011 - 8:30am Start Time City Park - Denver, Colorado

Adjacent to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science located at Colorado Blvd. & Montview Blvd.

Walk – Take a 5K walk or a 1K stroll through City Park.

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Honorable Terrance Carroll Brother Jeff Fard Rhonda Fields Sakari Graves Regis Groff Mary Louise Lee-Hancock Honorable Mayor Michael Hancock Bee Harris

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