Denver Urban Spectrum - July 2022 - Summertime in the Rockies by Denver Urban Spectrum

Volume 36

Number 4

July 2022

Summertime

in the Rockies

Colorado Black Arts Festival brings the magic of a fantastic voyage...4

KEM, Chaka Khan, and all that jazz at Winter Park...7

Kaleta’s Afrobeat on tap for Afrik Impact...14 Gala

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR And just like that... Volume 36

Number 4

July 2022

PUBLISHER Rosalind J. Harris GENERAL MANAGER Lawrence A. James EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alfonzo Porter MANAGING EDITOR Angelia D. McGowan COPY EDITOR Tanya Ishikawa COLUMNISTS Barry Overton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ruby Jones Wayne Trujillo

The world is back open. While the world was deep in the throes of the pandemic, we all wondered when we would be able to gather with our friends and family again. We wondered when we would be able to hang out in person inside restaurants and at concerts. The threat is not completely over, but is anything ever completely over? It’s time. The crowds are back. The music is back. The fun is back. In this Summer in the Rockies issue, we are happy to shine the light on some of our favorites who are taking the stage at two long-held Colorado festivals. We have Lakeside at the Colorado Black Arts Festival. We have a host of musicians including KEM, R&B’s best-kept secret, and Chaka Khan, one of the world’s most celebrated musicians, at Winter Park Jazz Festival. In addition, the African Leadership Group is bringing a touch of Afrobeat to its Afrik Impact gala this summer while celebrating the impact of the African immigrant community in the Denver metro area. We also highlight some hard-hitting pieces from our COLab partner about the state of homeownership among white, Latino and Black residents in Colorado as well as perspective from the University of Colorado Board of Regents candidate Wanda James on the intersection of cannabis entrepreneurship and racial justice. Our journalism partner also provides an article on loan forgiveness possibilities for Colorado teachers and an article that helps us take another look at anti-gang activist Terrance Roberts and his next chapter. This issue also marks my return as managing editor of the Denver Urban Spectrum, supporting the publication as it continues to build on its 35-year legacy spreading news about people of color. I held the position a while back in what seems like a lifetime ago. And just like that. I’m back. Angelia D. McGowan Managing Editor

COLAB Tanya Ishikawa - Story Coordinator

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR Bee Harris ADVERTISING & DIGITAL MARKETING Melovy Melvin GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jody Gilbert - Kolor Graphix PHOTOGRAPHERS Lens of Ansar Bernard Grant SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Melovy Melvin DISTRIBUTION Ed Lynch Lawrence A. James - Manager

That’s where the Protecting Our Democracy Act comes in. If passed, it would prevent future abuse of presidential power and corruption, increase transparency, and ensure presidents of either party can be held accountable. Strengthening the guardrails on presidential power is just common sense. If the average person used their office for per-

Stop Presidential Corruption Editor: Republicans and Democrats should be able to agree that no president, regardless of party, should be able to obstruct and undermine the will of the American people or exploit weaknesses in our political system for personal gain.

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 2022 by Bizzy Bee Enterprise. 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. For advertising, subscriptions, or other information, call 303-292-6446 or fax 303292-6543 or visit the Web site at www.denverurbanspectrum.com. Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

sonal gain, they’d go to jail. If the average person could pardon themselves, there would be no rule of law. No president should be above the law. That’s why I’m urging Congress to pass the Protecting Our Democracy Act. We must prevent future presidents of any party from abusing the power of their office. Susan Szulc-Flissi Denver, CO

Colorado Black Arts Festival:

Summer’s Favorite Celebration By Ruby Jones

olorado Black Arts Festival is a three-day celebration of Black art and culture with food, entertainment, and family activities. The 36th annual event will take place on July 8, 9 and 10 in the historic Denver City Park West, and will feature a special appearance by The Original Lakeside. Colorado residents and visitors are invited to attend the free festival and come along on what organizers have deemed “the only one real voyage worth taking!” The festivities will begin on Friday, July 8, with performances on the Joda Village Compound and Stage showcasing Brazilian, Caribbean and African expressions of music,

dance, and spoken word. The Kuumba Stage will feature Neo-Soul, R&B, Blues, Jazz, Hip Hop, and traditional dance music. Both stages will feature performances by local and national talent, in addition to community engagement and entertainment offered at brother jeff’s Cultural Center Stage. Festival attendees will have an opportunity to purchase artwork at Visual Arts Row, where artists will proudly exhibit their work. Colorado Black Arts Festival has a longstanding reputation as one of the best places to purchase stunning art of all mediums. One-of-a-kind jewelry, paintings, apparel, and sculptures found at the festival will be appreciated by collectors and admirers alike, as they repre-

sent and celebrate a rich history of legacy and culture. In addition to the art at Visual Arts Row, there will be art placements throughout the Art Garden, situated under a shaded path of historically-significant bottle trees, derived from 9th century Congo. “We are thrilled to have four brilliant muralists who will be painting on-site in the Art Garden this year,” said Colorado Black Arts Festival’s Executive Director, Florence Ayers. “These artists are Thomas “Detour” Evans, Jahna Rae, Shakerra Monet, and Rob Hill.” Saturday, July 9 will kick off at 10 a.m. between Downing and York Streets with a Boogaloo Celebration Parade and a special guest appearance by the Mardi Gras Indian Show. “Civic clubs, youth groups,

churches, and businesses are collectively preparing creative forces to design colorful elements which demonstrate a cohesive community spirit of cooperation,” the Colorado Black Arts Festival website explains. Later Saturday evening, festivalgoers will witness a live performance by special guest headlining band, The Original Lakeside. Community members of all ages will have plenty to see and do, with special activities planned for youth. Children ages 2 to 13 can create, learn and play at the Opalanga D. Pugh’s Children’s Pavilion for Art and Learning. The Marketplace will feature goods from local vendors, and there will be plentiful food and beverage options representing traditional and world cuisine. The festival will end on July 10, after a day of gospel performances and praise dance on the F. Cosmo Harris Gospel Stage. The Group Fire will close out three days of artistic celebration with a powerful spiritfilled performance. Colorado Black Arts Festival is proud to welcome you back for another year of summer art, music, food, and entertainment in the Mile High City. For event information, visit www.colbaf.org.

The Original Lakeside’s Fantastic Voyage

By Wayne Trujillo

It is an appellation that has appeared beside his name throughout the years. “I play barefooted,” he states. An obvious answer. But the question remains unexplained. I press further. Why does he play barefoot? “The shoe’s in the way. The drums

feel totally different barefooted… nothing between my feet and the pedal,” he responds to my deeper query. Sinbad had his own explanation. Alexander recounted that after he performed barefoot azz on a Sinbad television show and exited the stage sans socks

The barefoot drummer is on the line, responding to a followup question to a previous phone interview that interrupted his Las Vegas vacation. Why is Fred Alexander of the Original Lakeside referred to as the “barefoot drummer?”

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

and shoes, the comedian joshed, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.” And that boy has taken the country to stages in cities and cruises around the globe, including recent gigs in Indianapolis, Indiana and Beaumont, Texas, headlining those city’s’ respective Juneteenth celebrations. Denver funk fanatics will have a chance to glimpse Alexander and the Original Lakeside (featuring seven of the band’s original members) when they headline the Colorado Black Arts Festival in Denver City Park on July 9. The festival’s website announces the group as the 2022 national headliner with a tag and tease that, “There is only one real voyage worth taking.” While the teaser plays on the group’s iconic hit, “Fantastic Voyage,” the song title aptly describes the band’s experiences. As Alexander can attest, it’s been a voyage; it’s been fantastic – and continues to be – as the Original Lakeside pushes past its fifth decade. According to Soul Track, AllMusic.com, Dayton.com and other online entries on the band, the original Ohio Lakeside Express (honoring the band’s Dayton, Ohio genesis circa 1971) ultimately

Yarbrough & Peoples and the Bar-Kays all positioned in the Top 10. Alexander recalls that era as a time of both extremes extreme creativity and extreme work. Alongside contemporaries like Klymaxx, the Dazz Band, Midnight Star, the Whispers, the Gap Band, Shalamar, the Ohio Players, the Bar-Kays and other seminal funk masters, Lakeside set the course and standards for the funk explosion. With full creative control, the band wrote and either produced or co-produced its material. To listen to Alexander recount those years, it sounds both exhilarating and exhausting. “You had to do the work, no sampling” he emphasizes. “You thought of a song as a story… I want to bring people into the story.” Contemporary auteurs and hipsters revisit past times and trends – a relatively recent example being Daft Punk’s celebration of Nile Rogers and

resulted from a series of musical mergers and departures. Early incarnations of the group earned accolades and interest from labels, including Chicago’s Custom record imprint (with Curtis Mayfield positioned atop the label masthead as coowner) and Motown, but released no product, let alone hits. An inaugural effort on the ABC label came and went largely unnoticed. Despite the scarce fanfare awaiting their recording debut, the band (then known simply as Lakeside) appeared on Soul Train, welcomed Alexander to the band, and signed to Dick Griffey’s Solar Records, all portents of impending success. That success remains an exemplar of the funk pantheon. Cuts like “It’s All the Way Live,” “Raid,” “Real Love,” “Outrageous,” and “Your Love is on the One” entered the funk canon and moved beyond to imprint the early 80’s zeitgeist with Black artistry when disco’s (supposed) demise left an opening for frenetic funk. The band also scored with a scorching slow jam, a cover of the Beatle’s “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” But the crown jewel of Lakeside’s oeuvre is a blistering funkathon entitled “Fantastic Voyage.” An early 80’s American Bandstand appearance captured Lakeside in full command of their talents and brand. Dick Clark introduced the band by flashing an album jacket spread featuring the band decked out in trademark costume. Lakeside followed Clark’s introduction with a costumed and choreographed performance of “Fantastic Voyage” that sparked audience screams, hollers and yells, predicting fan response in clubs across the nation long after the song topped the Billboard Soul Singles chart. The song shut out titans like Aretha Franklin and The Jacksons from the top spot. Funk exploded across the Billboard Soul Singles chart on Feb. 7, 1981 with Lakeside leading and the Gap Band,

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

Giorgio Moroder – and funk is often recalled. Since the 1990’s successive acts have sampled the funk masters. Dayton.com noted the Ohio influence on funk and broader culture with works by Zapp, Ohio Players and Lakeside being sampled by the likes of 2Pac, Erykah Badu, Snoop Dogg and Coolio. (Dayton is not only home to Lakeside and numerous other funk legends, the city’s also home to the Funk Music Hall of Fame & Exhibition Center.) Through the years, “Fantastic Voyage” received its share of props from the hip and hot, most notably when Coolio sampled the Lakeside classic on his 1994 hit that shares the same title. While the cliché states that imitation is the highest form of flattery, Alexander views the excessive practice of sampling indicative more of laziness than homage. Back in the day, Continued on page 6

Continued from page 5 Lakeside not only wrote their material, but contributed songs to other groups. “You had to be creative,” he stresses. “It was like this one big talent show - most of the groups came from talent shows. He adds, “We enjoyed being creative.” While the band still writes and records, Alexander relays that performing is their current creative focus. “What you see on stage is real, “Alexander states. “No prerecorded. Magic happens with the crowd.” What is that magic? He summed it up in one word - improvisation. While the wear and tear of touring challenge even the young, those aspirants willing to endure the grind in exchange for future fame and riches, veterans already claiming celebrity status need deeper motivation. Alexander and the band still spill buckets of sweat preparing for performances. A performance powerhouse like Tina Turner called it quits in her 60s in no small part due to the physical strain of touring. Alexander acknowledges that touring is “grueling.” When I first spoke long distance with Alexander, he was ostensibly vacationing in Las Vegas, enjoying a respite before tackling a demanding touring schedule stretching into next year. But a few minutes into the conversation, it’s apparent that

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the Las Vegas holiday wasn’t all leisure when he mentioned the hours spent at Planet Fitness to prep his body for the upcoming shows. “When you’re off, you better be in the gym,” he explains. “You can’t have fun if you’re hurting.” With all the toil involved in touring, it begs the question. What propels the Original Lakeside to continue grinding through countless performances across sprawling distances after proving their mettle and solidifying their iconic status long ago? The answer’s intangible. It seems to be in the band’s blood, their DNA, their mind, body and spirit. An esoteric explanation, no doubt. But only genuine artists can comprehend the band’s enduring commitment. However obscure the band’s impetus, their goal is clear. “We try to make it an event,” Alexander explains. “We want to get you and we want to get you for life. And your kids. We’ve been through about four generations and we’re still out here [making people happy].” Ever the performer, he quips that their influence literally runs through multiple generations. He’s been told, “I made a couple of babies to that song.” If the Original Lakeside and Alexander have their way, the next generation is waiting in the wings at their next performance..

The 39th Annual Winter

Park Jazz Festival is ready to welcome everyone back to Winter Park on July 16 and 17. Featuring KEM and Chaka Khan, this year is going to be bigger than ever. Enjoy two days of jazz in Winter Park’s state-of-the-art amphitheater, Rendezvous Event Center, in Hideaway Park with a worldclass line-up of jazz talent. For all of his life, KEM has been driven by music and the emotions involved in bringing it to life. That passion stems from the days he spent as a child playing the old piano at his grandfather’s church. For KEM, there’s always been a deep and very intimate connection to music, which has evolved throughout his personal life experiences. Today, the internationally renowned R&B singer/ songwriter has to his credit: one Platinum-selling album (KEM: ALBUM II); two Gold-selling albums (KEMISTRY; INTIMACY); three GRAMMY nominations; five #1 hit singles (“Love Calls,” “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” “Why Would You Stay,” “It’s You” and “Nobody”), along with several sold-out national tours and international shows. In spite of his success in the world of R&B, many still don’t know the true depths of KEM, his music, his passion for

KEM and Chaka Khan Headline Winter Park Jazz Festival 2022 KEM Singer/songwriter

songwriting or his journey from homelessness and addiction to sobriety that have given life to his music and thousands of fans. Consequently, he’s often called “R&B’s Best Kept Secret.” Much of the inspiration for KEM’s music began taking root after the artist graduated from

high school and found his life in a downward spiral from some very deep-seated personal issues, which resulted in him turning to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism. Frustrated with his unwillingness to seek help, his mother was forced to kick him out of the house.

KEM’s life became entrenched in out of drug rehab centers and homeless shelters. KEM finally hit rock bottom on the night of July 22, 1990, when after breaking shelter rules, he was kicked out and relegated to sleeping outside. As he sat on the banks of the Detroit River that night, KEM realized that he was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.” And in a break from his regular routine of trying to map out his own road in life, KEM decided to hand all his future plans over to God. Throughout his journey to sobriety, KEM continued to write his music. It was on February 28, 2002, KEM independently released his first CD, KEMISTRY, but it wasn’t an overnight success. Driven then more than ever, the artist sold more than 15,000 units, literally out of the trunk of his car. The success landed him a meeting with Motown Records. They quickly signed KEM to a five-record deal in November 2001 and re-released KEMISTRY on the Motown label in 2002. His first hit, “Love Calls” jetted to #1 on Urban Adult Contemporary charts, and continues to be played on R&B radio stations to this day as an undisputed classic. His second release, KEM ALBUM II, debuted as certified Gold with 500,000 in sales in May 2005, and was certified Platinum in 2014. His #1 single, “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” was Continued on page 8

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Continued from page 7 Billboard’s Top Adult R&B Single of the Year. The CD’s second single, “Find Your Way (Back In My Life)” peaked at #3 on UAC Charts. KEM’s popularity soared as his third project, INTIMACY, debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart in August 2010 and hit #1 on the iTunes Top R&B Albums Chart. The first single, “Why Would You Stay,” spent seven weeks at #1 on UAC Radio charts, and the CD’s second, third and fourth singles, “Share My Life,” “If It’s Love” and “You’re On My Mind,” climbed into the chart’s top five. In 2012, KEM founded Mack & Third, Inc., a Michigan domestic non-profit organization whose mission is built on the premise that no basic human need should go unmet due to lack of funding. Mack & Third provides funding to humanitarian aid organizations

related to: homelessness; hunger; substance abuse; domestic violence; natural disasters; education, etc. KEM’s ‘Mack & Third’ event is an all-day concert event and food drive to benefit and recognize Detroit’s homeless citizens. KEM presented his fourth ‘Mack & Third’ event in Detroit on August 24, 2014, which was co-headlined by The O’Jays. Past events have been co-headlined by Maze ft. Frankie Beverly and Morris Day & The Time. Combined, the event has been attended by more than 100,000 fans, has provided free, hot meals to thousands of homeless men, women & children and collected in excess of 250,000 canned goods. KEM’s first Christmas album, WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS, was released in October 2012. The CD sold 76,000 copies, making it the #3 highest-selling Urban Christmas record in one season (third only to Whitney

Houston’s “One Wish: The Holiday Album” – 230,000 units sold; and Cee-Lo Green’s “CeeLo’s Magic Moment” – 169,000 units). In October 2013, KEM released his WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS DELUXE album with four bonus tracks, including the hit single, “Jesus,” featuring Patti LaBelle and Ronald Isley. In December 2013, KEM executive-produced the “KEM & Friends: What Christmas Means Holiday Tour,” a holiday-themed music experience with a storyline narrated by actor/comedian Anthony Anderson featuring KEM & his R&B friends: Patti LaBelle; Ronald Isley and Avery Sunshine. Performances of their hits, as well as Christmas originals & classics, took audiences in six cities on an uplifting holiday journey. KEM’s fourth studio album, PROMISE TO LOVE, was released in August 2014, debut-

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ing at #3 on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart and at #1 on the R&B Albums Chart. PROMISE TO LOVE produced two #1 hit singles (“It’s You” and “Nobody”), marking the first time KEM had two #1 songs from the same album. KEM received his third career GRAMMY® nomination for “Nobody,” which topped the chart for a total of 10 weeks. The CD also includes guest appearances from Snoop Dogg on “Downtown” and Ronald Isley on “My Favorite Thing.” In 2015, KEM toured with Charlie Wilson on his 44-city ‘Forever Charlie Tour,’ and headlined his own ‘PROMISE TO LOVE Tour.’ The Platinum-selling and three-time GRAMMY®-nominated artist was crowned as the Mediabase 2015 Urban Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year. Mediabase also named KEM’s hit single, “Nobody,” as the 2015 Urban Adult Contemporary Song of the

Year. KEM serveD as a Board Trustee for the Chicago GRAMMY® Chapter (2016-18). Combined, KEM’s five albums have sold in excess of 2.9 million units. In recognition of his singing and songwriting talents, KEM was nominated for: a Grammy Award in 2015 for Best Traditional R&B Performance (“Nobody”); two Grammy Awards in 2011 for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song (“Why Would You Stay”); two NAACP Image Awards in 2014 for Outstanding Male Artist and Outstanding Music Video (“It’s You”); two NAACP Image Awards in 2006 for Outstanding Male Artist and Outstanding Song (“I Can’t Stop Loving You”); for a Soul Train Award for Best Male R&B/Soul Artist in 2010; the BET Centric Award in 2011 and a Soul Train Award for Best R&B/Soul Male Artist in 2014. Chaka Khan is one of the world’s most gifted and celebrated musicians, with a rich musical legacy, the 10-time GRAMMY® Award-winner is looking forward to a celebration of a lifetime. A songwriter, actor, author, philanthropist, entrepreneur and activist, Chaka Khan has influenced generations of recording artists. She has the rare ability to sing in seven music genres, including R&B, pop, rock, gospel, country, world music and classical. Affectionately known around the world as Chaka, she is revered by millions of fans as well as her peers for her timeless, classic and unmatched signature music style and ability. The late, great Miles Davis often said, “She [Chaka] sings like my horn.” And the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin says, “[Chaka] is a one- of- a -kind, premier vocalist.” Throughout her legendary career, Chaka has released 22 albums and racked up ten #1 Billboard magazine charted songs, seven RIAA certified gold singles

Chaka Khan Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Activist

and ten RIAA certified gold and platinum albums. Chaka’s recorded music has produced over 2,000 catalog song placements. “I am honored and blessed to celebrate 40 years in music and entertainment,” says Chaka. “I am so humbled by the love, support and gracious spirit of my fans worldwide and the continuous support my peers have shown over the years. Throughout my 40-year career, I have been through the fire a few times over and I’m still here as a living testament to God’s love and grace. Next year, I will be celebrating 40 years in the business and 60 years on earth, which equals one hundred percent Chaka.” Early on, she caught the attention of music icon Stevie Wonder, who penned her first smash hit with Rufus, “Tell Me Something Good.” The single from the group’s 1974 platinum-selling album, Rags to Rufus, earned Chaka her first GRAMMY® Award. With Chaka as the

group’s dynamic center, Rufus became one of the most popular acts around selling out shows throughout the country and dominating the airwaves with hit after hit with songs such as “You Got the Love,” which Chaka cowrote, “Once You Get Started,” “Sweet Thing,” “Everlasting Love,” “Do You Love What You Feel?” and “Ain’t Nobody,” Chaka’s second GRAMMY Award-winning song with Rufus. Rufus and Chaka Khan racked up five RIAA certified gold and platinum albums during their time together. It was inevitable that a singer with Chaka’s star power would eventually venture out on her own. In 1978, Chaka blazed onto the music scene as a solo artist with the release of the smash hit “I’m Every Woman” written by Ashford & Simpson. Paired with the late producer extraordinaire, Arif Mardin (Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler), her catalog grew even more

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

impressive with hits such as “Clouds,” “Papillon,” and “What ‘Cha Gonna Do For Me?” It was during this time that Chaka began pursuing her love of jazz. She and Arif brilliantly re-worked the classic song “Night in Tunisia” with the song’s originator, Dizzy Gillespie, on trumpet. Chaka also recorded an album of jazz standards titled Echoes of an Era, which featured such luminaries as Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, and Lenny White. Her crowning achievement in jazz was the GRAMMY® Awardwinning tune, “Be Bop Medley.” The song’s album, titled Chaka Khan, also won a GRAMMY® for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. However, the song that made Chaka Khan a household name and propelled her to superstardom the world over was “I Feel For You,” written and first performed by Prince. This chart-topping, GRAMMY® Award-winning song also made music history. Released in 1984, it was the first R&B song to feature a rap, which was performed by Grandmaster Melle Mel. Chaka also topped the charts with “This Is My Night” and the instant classic, “Through The Fire.” Now in top demand, Chaka lent her voice and producer skills to two of the biggest hits of 1986, Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” and Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love.” Both were GRAMMY®winning songs. In 1995, she made her musical theater debut on London’s West End, where she starred in Mama I Want to Sing. In 2002 she traveled to Las Vegas, where she starred in Signed, Sealed Delivered, a criticallyacclaimed musical based on the music of Stevie Wonder. Her Broadway debut came in 2008 when she took over the role of Sofia in Oprah Winfrey’s musical The Color Purple. Continued on page 10

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Continued from page 9 Chaka’s emotive vocals can also be heard on a number of soundtracks, including Clockers, Set It Off, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Miami Vice, White Knights, Moscow on the Hudson, Disappearing Acts, Waiting to Exhale and Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, as well as Tyler Perry hits Madea’s Family Reunion and Meet The Browns. During her career, she has collaborated with a long list of artists in diverse genres. Collaborators have included Miles Davis, Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Steve Winwood, Mary J. Blige, George Benson, Larry Graham, the London Symphony Orchestra and countless others. Chaka has received a steady stream of accolades for both her artistry and philanthropy. In June 2012, she was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame, joining previously inducted music greats such as Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Bonnie Raitt, George Harrison, B.B. King, Carlos Santana, Donna Summer and Kathleen Battle. In 2011, she was honored for her legendary career with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During the same year, Chaka was honored with the United Negro College Fund’s An Evening of Stars Tribute. The program, which was televised on cable networks and broadcast stations in more than 40 cities nationwide, featured tribute performances by Stevie Wonder, Fantasia, Ledisi, El Debarge, Faith Evans, Angie Stone, Ginuwine, Chaka’s brother, Mark Stevens, and her daughter, Indira Khan, among others. In recent years, Chaka also received the Soul Train Legend Award (2009), the BET Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), the GRAMMY® Honors Award from the NARAS Chicago Chapter (2006) and the World Music Award Lifetime

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

Achievement Award (2003). In 2004, Chaka received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music. Chaka’s autobiography, Through the Fire, was published by Rodale Books in 2003 and is currently being adapted into a screenplay. Despite her busy schedule, Chaka has always made time to support and uplift her community. She has a deep commitment to women and children at risk, which led her to establish the Chaka Khan Foundation in 1999. Initially, the foundation focused primarily on public awareness campaigns around the diagnosis, intervention, and available family resources and the search for a cure for autism. Her efforts were particularly aimed at communities of color and other underserved communities, where awareness about this disorder is low. Her work in this area was inspired by her nephew who has autism and who Chaka describes as “gifted and beautiful and so full of life.” She later expanded the mission of the foundation to focus more broadly on women and children at risk. In July 2012, Chaka received the McDonald Corporation’s 365Black Award, honoring her for her leadership of the Chaka Khan Foundation. Chaka also is an entrepreneur. In 2004, her line of gourmet chocolates, Chakalates, was sold in 20 Neiman Marcus stores around the country. Plans are underway to re-launch her signature brand of chocolates nationally and internationally. She currently is introducing Khana Sutra, a fragrance line for men, women and the home. The line also includes candles, and room and linen sprays. With a new svelte look, a new album, and a great enthusiasm for her new and expanding activities in music, philanthropy and entrepreneurial ventures, the 10-time GRAMMY® Award-winner is looking forward to a celebration of a lifetime..

Board of Regents candidate reflects on the intersection of cannabis entrepreneurship, racial justice

“No one was charged, but it’s still pretty scary when it happens,” James said. As more people are using cannabis, James hopes that it will normalize its use and consuming cannabis products may

By Zoe Jennings Yellowscene Magazine

anda James began her career in the cannabis industry after one of her brothers was arrested for selling about $160 worth of cannabis. During his prison sentence he picked cotton at a Texas prison. “When I found that out, it was just upsetting enough to us to want to be able to start a business,” said the cannabis entrepreneur and candidate for University of Colorado Board of Regents. “We wanted to put a Black face on [cannabis business] and talk about mass incarceration, police brutality, and the effects of the drug war.” Ten years after its legalization in the state, dispensaries line most city streets, and the shopping experience is streamlined and resembles any other retail experience. But what about the population that was most adversely affected by cannabis policy? With Black Americans being 3.64 times more likely than White Americans to be arrested for cannabis use and possession with comparable usage amounts between the groups, the Black population is more likely to be charged with cannabis-related felonies. “It’s why so many people of color do not get an early start on the cannabis industry because early on you couldn’t have a felony in Colorado and participate in cannabis,” James said. “A lot of people of color were left out.” Black entrepreneurs account for only 2.7 percent of entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry in Colorado. Latinx entrepre-

neurs account for 7.7 percent. “Even now the fact that we are so far into [cannabis legalization] that all the first advantages have been taken,” James said. “The opportunity to make up ground is not really there.” Access to capital is a main limitation for entrepreneurs of color, and it’s only getting worse as prices skyrocket in the industry. James’ first dispensary cost them about $200,000. Now dispensaries cost millions to start up, James pointed out. “There’s lots of growth available, but big business is going to make it ridiculously expensive.” When James first opened her business, it was less of a monetary hardship and more of a legal one. People were still getting arrested and going to jail for cannabis sales when it was first legalized in Colorado. “That was our biggest concern was to stay out of jail and make sure that everything that we did was legal,” James said. “There’s a big difference when you fast forward to today with what concerns there are and what things look like.” James’ business was raided. Law enforcement went as far as confiscating all of the merchandise, returning it after they couldn’t prove a crime occurred.

someday be as mainstream as drinking beer. “There will be another decade to get through the reefer madness that still exists in the world,” James said. “That reefer madness was started in part by the war on drugs. Nixon wanted to have the drug war because it took care of Blacks and hippies; the two groups of people he could not stand. It allowed the federal government and local governments to arrest those communities and to break up any kind of organizing and different things that were happening.” By the ‘80s and ‘90s, police became more militarized and focused on policing inner cities and poor communities of color. “America has always had a slave labor class,” James said. “Being able to put Black and Brown boys in prison between the ages of 17 and 24 became our slave labor class. It was easy to do it with the arrest of cannabis.” With conversations around cannabis shifting, old stigmas will be confronted. “Americans smoke cannabis and always have,” James maintained. “The issues behind legalization have been all the negative marketing behind cannabis that people have come to believe about people who smoke pot. When I think about

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

people who smoke pot I think of Barack Obama, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Sha’Carri Richardson. It was just such a false narrative and false marketing, and it worked. Now we’re trying to undo 80 years of negative history.” In Oct. 2020, Governor Polis pardoned Coloradans who were convicted of possession of up to two ounces of cannabis. Although this is a start to give justice to those facing legal ramifications to cannabis use, it’s not a fix-all. “The ways our laws are written make it difficult to [deliver justice] with just one stroke of the pen, which is another issue in our system that we have to take a look at,” James said. “We are definitely working our way through those records automatically.” James is the only woman running for a seat on the University of Colorado Board of Regents in the Nov. 2022 election. The board oversees all four campuses of the CU system and manages a $5.2 billion budget. “I look forward to diversifying the board,” James said. “There hasn’t been a Black woman on the board of regents since 1984 when Rachel Noel served on the board. It’s definitely more than time to have our voice included. I look forward to moving forward with this.” With CU Boulder researching the effects of cannabis supplements, James hopes to have open discussions around plant medicine through her position on the board. “The idea that I work in cannabis is always going to bring influence of being open to different types of plant medicines,” James said. “I look forward to having healthy discussions and being a part of the conversations that move the whole CU system.”. Editor’s note: This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative.

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First-Time Home Buyers, this is Your Moment How Grant Funds Are Making Homeownership Easier By Barry Overton

As we

enter an age of increasing interest rates, and high housing prices, it will be imperative for buyers to find ways to continue to be able to purchase real estate. For first time home buyers to purchase in the Denver market it may require down payment assistance programs to be available for those buyers. Fortunately, another great firsttime home buyer program has revealed itself that will give buyers the ability to purchase with the use of grant funds. There are currently four different first-time home buyer programs that give buyers access to grant funds. Grant funds are funds that the buyer does not have to pay back. Some grant programs have restrictions based off of geographical boundaries and race, but UMB Bank has released a new program that is beneficial to all potential first-time homeowners. Along with not having to pay back the down payment funds, there are other significant benefits to this program. The benefits include the following: •There are no application or origination fees. •No private mortgage insurance is required to be paid.

•And only fixed rate loans with fixed monthly principal interest payments are available under this program. Those interest rates are very competitive with other banks and brokerages Here’s how the grant works. If you make a household income of $84,000 or less, the borrower qualifies to receive a one-time grant of 5% of the purchase price for a down payment and an additional 2% that will go towards closing costs. If you make under $104,000 in household annual income, you will receive 3% that can be used towards down payment and still 2% towards closing costs. UMB Bank has also included a 100% percent financing program if you make under $124,000 a year household income. There are some criteria to qualify for this loan. First, you must be a first-time home buyer. A first-time home buyer is considered anyone who has not owned a home in the prior three years. As mentioned before, there are the income limits that will apply and properties must be located where UMB operates and are limited to designated counties within Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Phoenix, and may also be limited to designated census tracks. The properties must be single family properties used as a primary residence and owner occupied. The borrower must provide proof of $600 in verified funds. Borrowers must suc-

cessfully complete a home ownership education course from a UMB approved source before loan approval and funding. Borrowers must have a 600 or higher credit score. So, while the interest rates are increasing and it’s causing many to consider withdrawing from making a purchase, the reality is real estate is going to continue to be bought and sold, always. When there are opportunities that present themselves that allow for buyers to use other people’s funds to purchase their first home, it is a tremendous opportunity that in many cases should not be passed up. People often ask me, when is the best time to buy real estate. I jokingly respond, five years ago, but then I turn around and in all seriousness share that the best time is really when you as buyer are ready. Whether it is as an investment property or your personal residence, real estate is going to always be a wise investment. There are very few things that trend upward for decades or even centuries, but real estate is one that does. Yes, there will be periodic dips in the market. This usually occurs during periods of recessions. But as history has shown us over the last 120 years (see the illustration), through the peaks and valleys of the market real estate continues to appreciate. The great part for buyers now is the added bonus of being able to purchase your first home with OPM (other people’s money). Editor’s note: Barry Overton is a licensed Real Estate Agent with FiftyII80 Living Brokered by eXp Realty. He has been an agent since 2001, and started investing in real estate in 1996. For more information, email: barrysellsdenver@msn. com or call 303-668-5433.

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

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Afrik Impact to Celebrate African Immigrant Month Summertime in the Rockies is full of events to keep Colorado’s diverse communities informed and inspired. One of those events is presented by the African Leadership Group (ALG), which in 2021 was issued an honorary proclamation by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis establishing the month of August as African Immigrant Month in the state of Colorado. ALG is a 16-year-old advocacy and service nonprofit organization founded in 2006 by Senegalese immigrant Papa Dia.

Kaleta & Super Yamba Band

drum in the Marvel movie “Black Panther.” The highlight will be a performance by Kaleta & Super Yamba Band, fronted by Afrobeat and Juju veteran Leon Ligan-Majek a.k.a. Kaleta. Kaleta, a singer and guitarist from the West African country of Benin Republic, lived his adolescent life in Lagos, Nigeria where Afrobeat was born. His guitar chops earned him decades of touring and recording

“Immigration, Integration and Civic Participation.” One of ALG’s newer programs – Leadership Africa – began in early 2021 to offer world-class leadership development training primarily to both members of the African diaspora and Denver-area African American residents.

nities.” Too often relationships between African immigrants and African Americans are defined by misunderstandings and ignorance, according to a survey ALG conducted last year which showed that both communities wanted to come together but did not know how to do so. Breaking Barriers addresses that need. The second annual cohort is now underway. ALG’s work does not stop there. Following is a list of the group’s committees and initiatives, serving as the lifeblood of the organization, involving dozens of people working hard to serve immigrant communities in a variety of ways: Business Development/ Career and Economic Advancement: Since its earliest

days, ALG has worked to provide networking, career development, and economic

Papa Dia Family

Leadership Africa

Every year during the month of August, the ALG hosts a major community event called Afrik Impact, to celebrate loudly and proudly the impact African immigrants have in the state of Colorado. The big kickoff event is a community celebration and concert at the Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Saturday, August 13. The event, which runs from 5 to 10 p.m., will feature food trucks, vendor sponsor booths, a fashion show, and African drummers including Massamba Diop who played the talking

with Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Lauryn Hill and more. Afrik Impact extends beyond that one day of celebration. For a span of two weeks Afrik Impact will hold a variety of events where the community can learn and be inspired. There will be a business pitch on Wednesday, August 17, an educational summit on Monday, August 22, a business summit on Wednesday, August 24. Concluding the celebration will be its 7th Annual Afrik Impact Gala on Saturday, August 27. The theme for the gala is

At the graduation ceremony for the inaugural class in the fall of 2021, Dia said, “The reality is we have our own culture, our own reality, and it was extremely important to us to have our own leadership program. Our program is designed by us, for us, to us, and we hope to make it the pathway for the next generation. So that the seat we want at the table is at the head of the table.” An important new piece of work for ALG, which grew out of Leadership Africa, is the Breaking Barriers initiative to build bridges between the African immigrant and the African American commu-

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

advancement opportunities to its members. Recognizing the breadth and depth of professional expertise and experience within the African diaspora in the Denver metro area, ALG works to connect members across industries and country backgrounds, while also providing opportunities to learn about high-growth industries in the local economy. Health & Wellness: This initiative aims to improve greater health and well-being within African diaspora communities by facilitating greater access to critical services and quality care through advocacy and strategic partnerships, as well as building awareness and education

among community members about key health issues and preventive measures. ALG has run COVID vaccine clinics and provided vital information about the pandemic to its members. Homeownership and Financial: This committee helps

the African diaspora in Colorado build generational wealth by helping educate members about buying a home, through a series of regular workshops run by experts in financing and other key issues surrounding real estate acquisition. Legal & Policy: ALG advocates on behalf of African immigrants who have become entangled in the United States’ criminal justice system, and who struggle to access fair treatment and adequate representation. ALG supports racial justice and immigration reform by helping to raise funds for quality legal representation and helping community members connect

with appropriate legal services. ALG runs regular free legal clinics staffed by knowledgeable attorneys to help members navigate various legal systems. Public Speaking Initiative:

ALG’s public speaking course prepares students for a variety of situations in which formal and informal presentations are required. Topics will include cultural and generational conventions, speech and grammar. Women Empowerment Initiative: This initiative

Education and Youth: One

of ALG’s strategic goals is to achieve educational impact for children and youth of the African diaspora by advocating for improved public school systems and accountability, greater pathways to higher education, and leadership development from an early age. Activities include attending and speaking at school board meetings in both Aurora and Denver, and reporting back to the commu-

nity, running an after-school tutoring program from its Aurora headquarters, and hosting its Weekly Youth Empowerment Program. Prior to kicking off a very full August, ALG, on July 29, will celebrate its youth at the Denver Botanic Gardens with a fashion show, dancing, and poetry.. Editor’s note: For more information about African Leadership Group, visit usalg.org.

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‘The Holly’ documentary delivers a riveting look at metro police, gang violence and politics A review by Carina Julig, Sentinel Staff Writer Editor’s note: This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative.

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metro area and beyond has long been a problem, and reporter Julian Rubinstein delivers a much needed long-look, this time on the screen. Last year, Rubinstein shone light on the convoluted politics of anti-gang activism in the metro area with his book “The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun and the Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood.” He followed it up this year with a documentary of the same name, which debuted at the Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride over Memorial Day weekend. Rubinstein spent eight years working on the book and documentary, and his meticulous attention to detail is a muchneeded corrective to the driveby style that coverage of violence often receives. The issues he delves into — gun violence, gang activity, underinvestment in Black communities — are more relevant now than ever for Aurora and people across the Denver metro area and once the film has made the festival circuit it deserves to have a wide release. Taking much of the same narrative arc of the book in visual form, “The Holly” follows former Blood member turned racial justice and antigang activist Terrance Roberts as he founds an anti-gang initiative and fights to redevelop historic Holly Square in northeast Denver, and then as he fights a criminal charge for shooting a gang member at his own peace

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

rally at the Holly in 2013. Roberts has always maintained that he acted in self-defense, and much of the film’s action takes place as he is out on bond awaiting trial. The camera follows Rubinstein as he attempts to make sense of Roberts’ most explosive claim about what caused the shooting: that active gang members recruited into the Denver Police Department’s anti-gang efforts put a target on his back. What Rubinstein unearths raises a lot of questions about DPD’s work to curb gang violence. Some of the people extolled as reformed gang members are described by others as active participants in the violence they’re supposedly quelling. As shooting deaths in the metro area skyrocketed during the pandemic — fueled in part by gang activity — it’s an allegation worth taking seriously. And if police initiatives to stop gang violence aren’t effective, as Roberts argues, then it’s especially troubling that they’re being used to sideline grassroots efforts. The same qualities that make Roberts such a charismatic activist make him a stellar documentary subject, and he grants the filmmakers a generous degree of access to his life. Roberts’ friends and fellow activists such as Jason McBride also provide valuable context to the film. “I always thought that was a real credit to him, that he

opened up his life to allow others a window into a world that we don’t often get to see that closely,” Rubinstein said of Roberts at an advanced screening of the documentary at the Sie FilmCenter. Roberts was not paid to appear in the film and did not have editorial control over the

book or the documentary, Rubinstein said. Though he’s the central character, the film doesn’t shy away from scrutinizing him at times. “I investigated Terrance as much as I investigated anyone else in the movie, if not him more,” Rubinstein said. Roberts’ larger-than-life presence appears to be a family trait. Some of the most compel-

ling moments in the film involve watching Roberts interact with his father, pastor George Roberts, who died from COVID-19 last year at age 65. Roberts became a minister after getting clean from drug addiction and spending time in jail, and was a revered community presence in northeast Denver. The film is dedicated to his memory. One of the strengths of Rubinstein’s book was the way it delved into the past to illustrate the historical forces that fueled gang activity. The film makes excellent use of archival footage and TV news coverage to tell its story, something Rubinstein said drew him to the documentary format in the first place. It also uses footage that Roberts and his outreach workers filmed themselves of his activist work. One of the most moving segments of the film is footage of Roberts speaking to three young men, who tell him they would rather work than be in gang life but that they have limited opportunities. As two of the teens perform a rap for the camera, viewers are told they both later died in shootings. Much of the film focuses around political intrigue, but it’s those sequences that remind the audience what drives Roberts’ work and what’s at stake if efforts to curb gang violence are hijacked by political opportunism. “The Holly” makes a compelling case that

Denver power brokers capitalized off of Roberts’ successes without doing much to help, and were then quick to turn their backs when things went south. The film only lightly touches on Roberts’ life post-trial, which has not been dull: he was heavily involved in the 2020 protests demanding justice for the deaths of George Floyd and Elijah McClain, and along with five other people was given criminal charges for protesting outside a police station in Aurora in July 2020. After initially being accused of inciting a riot, the following year new District Attorney Brian Mason dropped all charges in connection to the incident because he did not believe prosecutors could win a conviction. Now, Roberts is running for mayor of Denver. With current mayor Michael Hancock (who does not come across as compelling in “The Holly”) term-

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

limited, Roberts is competing against a crowded field of hopefuls. With everything he’s already been through, it’s easy to wonder why Roberts is voluntarily choosing to get into what’s almost certain to be another messy political battle, but it’s hard not to admire his commitment to his convictions. Near the end of the film, one of Roberts’ friends describes him as “riding a tiger:” Once you get on, you can never get off. In his case, that appears to be both a blessing and a curse. . Editor’s note: “The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun and the Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood.” Directed by Julian Rubinstein, Produced by Donnie L. Betts, Dia Sokol Savage, Sarah Dowland, Julian Rubinstein. Executive Producers: Tony Hardmon, Lana Garland and Adam Mckay. For more information, visit www.thehollyfilm.com.

The End of the Line Denver’s Dancing King is Getting Married and Heading South

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If you have ever been to a community event in Denver, especially one centered around the Black community, you have probably seen Denver’s reigning line dance king Charles Doss aka “Mr. Charles” in action. You have witnessed him busting a move, gliding effortlessly across the stage, sidewalk, a grassy field or just about anywhere he can get his many loyal students to follow along. His list of affiliations includes the Lupus Foundation of Colorado, Romero Theater Troupe, Colorado Black Health Collaborative, Black ski clubs, Mayor Michael Hancock’s Entertainment Committee, the Colorado Black Arts Festival, the Center for African American Health. That’s the short list. After nearly 15 years teaching his signature moves to legions of Coloradoans, including his longtime weekly (precovid) line dancing classes at the now-closed Kasbah Nightclub, Doss, 66, is getting married, leaving Denver for good and subsequently leaving a huge void in the Mile High’s line dancing scene. Denver Urban Spectrum contributor and Colorado Public Radio host and producer

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

Chandra Thomas Whitfield recently caught up with Doss to get the 411 on his Denver departure. How did you end up in Colorado? Well, we are originally from East Chicago, Indiana and every year we would travel to Mississippi to visit family. But in August of 1968 my mom wanted to visit her first cousin Jane Stribling who lived in Denver. We came out here and loved it. My father came back and found a job and we came back in December 1968 and my family is still here. How did you get started in dance in Colorado? I saw a flyer in November of 2007. My friend Shed had invited a group called One Step Above from Atlanta to teach stepping with partners, but we didn’t have enough men so they taught us line dancing at the Palm Tree [nightclub]. She’d taught me and Fred Edmonds aka “Chicago” how to teach. So, we started our own class and we are both still teaching to this day. Wow. Great story! How did you go about building up your dance rep in Colorado? The first thing I did was tell everyone I knew or just met about our dance classes. I also started taking pictures and videos of our classes and posted them on Facebook so everyone could see all the fun we were having. Then the word started to spread and people came out. What has dancing in Colorado meant for your life? Dancing has meant the world to me. I met my fiancé Annette Rucker through dance, and it gives us the opportunity to travel all across this country dancing by going to line dancing conventions and awards shows. It has opened up so many doors in my life and it’s great exercise. Plus, I get to teach and watch my students grow.

We hate to see you go, so break it to us gently. Exactly where are you headed, why and when? My fiancée and I are moving to Spartanburg, South Carolina by mid-September. But first we’re getting married July 9 in New Orleans during the Linda Simms Line Dance Convention. Right after the ceremony we will be marching the second line, a traditional New Orleans dance, with a brass band down Bourbon Street to the reception. Wow! What a dream come true! I have been teaching and dancing in Colorado for almost 15 years. We’ve both done a lot and seen a lot and we both want to start the next chapter of our lives in South Carolina with her children and grandchildren. We want to watch them grow up! What will you miss most about dancing in Colorado? That’s easy. Hands down, the people. There will always be nice dances to nice songs, but that all has a shelf life. The kindness you receive going to these conventions and all of the events we go to across the Rocky Mountain state and all over the country, those friendships last a lifetime. I will miss that. God Bless them all. What is your farewell message to those who have supported you over the years in the Rocky Mountain State? To all that I taught over the years it was my honor to have

you in my life. I want to thank you! There are definitely some very special students who have stood out - and they know who they are - but I love all of my students because without them there would not be a Mr. Charles. I will see you all soon in the future. It’s been one heck of a ride. Bless you.

What Denver is Saying About Mr. Charles “He has brought the community together with his art and leadership. Charles has brought our community joy, friendship and healing through movement and dance therapy; his contributions and impact will stay with us throughout our everyday journeys. Although I am saddened to see Charles go, I know that there are so many people that will benefit and bloom from his impact. I am excited for all of his future endeavors and pray for him.”

make an impact on the lives of Black Americans and help them to discover a new way to enjoy exercising and take their health seriously.” Walter Davis Co-Owner, Gold Star Hotlinks

“Charles Doss is simply phenomenal. He is not only a man of great dance moves but of great character, commitment, and dedication. His partnership with the Mayor’s Office and city employees in the creation and teaching of our first City Spirit Shuffle dance has contributed to the fabric of our City Spirit events in ways that will live on for years to come. There are no words to express our thanks and appreciation to Charles for his contributions to the City of Denver. To say that Charles will be missed is an understatement. We wish him the absolute best in his next chapter, as he heads South.” LaTonya Lacy Deputy Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office, City and County of Denver

Rhonda Fields Colorado State Senator (SD29)

“Charles is a huge supporter of community events and causes. Where he goes, his [students] follow. Charles has supported the Lupus Foundation of Colorado, breast cancer awareness, Colorado Sickle Cell Association and the Center for African American Health events through line dancing. Charles has also participated in Juneteenth, the Colorado Black Arts Festival and many other events in the community. He recognized early on the health benefits of dancing. He leaves behind a legacy of love for dancing and he has positively impacted the community by sharing his talent.” Arlene C. Booker CEO/Founder Advance STEM, LLC

“What makes Charles so special, primarily is his personality. He’s always made dancing fun and something that anybody could participate in, no matter what their age was; no matter what their background was. With Charles it’s always a good time. When you meet someone who is committed to what they’re doing, there’s no replacement for people like that. And it’s just such a blessing to have people like that in your life and to have been a part of their journey as they’re doing things to help other people. We’re going to miss Charles. We can’t replace him, but we will continue on with the projects that we’ve been working on and make sure that we keep our patients moving.” Donna Dixon President, Colorado Sickle Cell Association

Yes!

“Charles has helped to put Denver on the map in terms of line dancing and health and wellness in the Black community. That foundation has already been cemented and there’s no turning back from that. Charles’ lasting legacy is the ability he had to bring together people from all walks of life. Losing Charles to the south means that there’s going to be a void in the line dance community in Denver. However, I’m extremely happy for him to have another opportunity to

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New Colorado teachers eligible for loan forgiveness, student teaching stipends By Erica Meltzer Chalkbeat Colorado Editor’s note: This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative. Colorado student teachers will have access to up to $22,000 in stipends, and teachers who started their careers during the pandemic and have stuck with it can qualify for up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness, under a bill signed into law this week. Removing Barriers to Educator Preparation dedicates $52 million from federal relief money to getting new teachers into the classroom and keeping them there during a time when schools across the state are grappling with shortages. Fewer teachers were entering the profession before the pandemic, and shortages have only worsened. “A lot of teachers, people who want to be teachers, actually drop out of educator prep programs because they can’t afford it,” said state Rep. Cathy Kipp, a Fort Collins Democrat. “They can’t afford to work for free and pay tuition and not be able to hold down a second or third job.” Kipp sponsored the bill with fellow Democrats state Rep. Barbara McLachlan of Durango and state Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada, as well as

Republican state Sen. Don Coram of Montrose. The new law also covers the costs of test fees for eligible educators, and creates alternative ways of getting a license for teacher candidates who struggle to pass Praxis exams. Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill to applause at a ceremony Thursday in which he also signed a slew of other education bills, including a major funding increase that lawmakers hope will lead to higher teacher pay and make staying in the classroom more attractive. But first, state leaders want to make sure people who want to be teachers don’t give up on those dreams for financial reasons or because they can’t pass a standardized test. Teacher candidates should start to receive stipends as soon as this fall. To be eligible, students must qualify for financial assistance because their expected family contribution is within 200% of the federal Pelleligible family contribution. Students completing a 16-week student teacher program would qualify for $11,000, and those completing a 32-week program would qualify for $22,000. According to a state fiscal analysis, $39 million over the next two years could support sti-

pends for about 1,380 student teachers each year. Another $3 million is set aside to cover the cost of fees for licensing exams, as well as travel and lodging. The new law sets aside $10 million for loan forgiveness for an estimated 2,000 teachers who started in the 2019-20 school year or more recently and are still in the classroom. Teachers in rural areas, in shortage areas like math and special education, and in high-poverty schools would get priority. A more controversial provision of the law might be the one dealing with teacher licensure. The law creates two new ways for prospective teachers to secure their license, rather than pass licensing tests that include core content areas. Every year, a large number of aspiring teachers fail these tests, and of those roughly 40% don’t try again. The numbers are higher for teacher candidates of color and those from low-income backgrounds. The new law allows prospective teachers to submit a coursework review or a portfolio to show they are qualified to teach in a particular content area. Supporters say this is a critical step to build a more diverse teacher workforce. The Praxis test is like other standardized tests in that performance strongly correlates with socioeconomic factors. Some people who would make strong educators simply don’t test well, supporters of the new law said. “We always tell kids that we

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

want to give them a pathway to success, but we haven’t really done that for teachers,” Kipp said. “So what we’re doing is allowing multiple ways for teachers to prove they are competent, without relying on a high-stakes test.” Numerous other states allow portfolios, performance assessments, and other measures of competency for teacher licensure. Colorado also regularly waives licensure requirements for charter school teachers. The Colorado Department of Education will need to work with the state’s Department of Higher Education, teacher preparation programs, and school districts to develop the alternative pathways. The state processes about 20,000 first-time teacher applicants per year. The law says that no more than 1,000 per year can use the portfolio approach. However, members of the State Board of Education have raised concerns that the changes to educator pathways and licensure will let unqualified teachers into the classroom, a concern that supporters say isn’t warranted. An elected body, the board is charged with implementing the new teacher pathways and could seek to place limits on how the portfolio approach is used. The State Board of Education did not formally oppose the bill before Polis signed it. But several members, including Chair Angelika Schroeder, a Boulder Democrat, said they fear the bill places a large administrative burden on the state while opening the door for teachers who can’t show they have a comprehensive knowledge of key material. “I don’t know how you demonstrate a deep understanding of math in a portfolio,” she said at an April board meeting. Editor’s note: Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at emeltzer@chalkbeat.org..

Chaunté Wayans Talks Wayans Comedy Dynasty, Gay Marriage, Jay Z, Famous Funerals By Allison Kugel

In this candid conversation

with entertainment journalist and podcaster, Allison Kugel for the newest episode of the Allison Interviews podcast, comedian Chaunté Wayans opens up about growing up with her uncles Keenen, Damon, Shawn and Marlon Wayans, and her Aunt Kim Wayans. Chaunté recounts how the Wayans family writes and develops their comedy as a team, and how she forged her own path through two decades of paying her dues in stand up as an LGBTQ comedian.

Haddish Presents: They Ready produced by Wanda Sykes. In this intimate and revealing interview, Chaunté talks the Wayans family comedy dynasty, gay marriage, Jay Z, famous funerals, and more. The following are excerpts from the latest episode of the Allison Interviews podcast. The full podcast episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify; and on YouTube.

On wanting a refund if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns gay marriage:

Wayans is currently on Marlon Wayans Presents: The Headliners on HBO Max as the sole LGBTQ performer. This comes on the heels of her critically acclaimed performance on Netflix Is A Joke’s Tiffany

“I’m getting married. I proposed to my girlfriend, and as we are doing all this stuff and I’m paying for the wedding, now they might take away gay rights. They are already trying to take away abortion. They announced it. But as crazy as that sounds, as mad as I should be, I take something like that and say, ‘Damn! I could save $10,000-$15,000 if they just cut this bill now.’ (laugh) As much as I want to get married and I love my fiancée, that’s my creative process for comedy, where I say, ‘This is messed up, but I’m also getting married in August and gay marriage has been legal for how many years? I should have done this sooner, but I spent money on a ring. I have ten credit cards out on a ring, and now I have to pay for a wedding for Biden to possibly take all of this away. I’m going to assemble a stimulus package for my marriage.’”

On never wanting to meet Jay Z:

“I was a big fan and I still am a big fan of Jay Z. I had the opportunity to meet Jay Z and Beyonce when they first got together, through my Uncle Damon [Wayans]. However, from past interactions I’ve had, I said, ‘I don’t want to meet him, because if he’s an A-hole then…’ You know what I mean? I want to see him like I can never touch him.”

On dealing with paparazzi and autograph seekers at a Wayans family funeral: “One of my great aunts passed away. My Uncle Marlon [Wayans] and I just finished this show and we get off the plane and we get to the funeral, and there are two dudes standing outside in their shorts holding pictures and things for [my family] to sign. We have no idea who these people are, but they are here getting autographs at our great aunt’s funeral. We go into the funeral, and you would think seeing all these older church lady types that they would know nothing about technology. Towards the end of the funeral, every old person in there pulls out their phone to do snapchats and selfies with my family. Mind you, they were so involved with taking pictures of my family that they left my dead great aunt in the funeral home, while we are all crying. These are the things that happen. That is why you have to start to pay attention to certain things (laughing), because that is how you find comedy.”

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On the Wayans formula for writing jokes:

going with it. That’s the real formula.”

“When I started doing comedy, I went to Shawn (Wayans) first. I was on tour with Shawn and he sat me down to show me how to develop a joke, and we watched certain specials together. Or at 3am I would call one of them and say, ‘I did this joke and I don’t know how it worked.’ There was a structure to writing jokes, and they were all very supportive and always answered the phone. The structure comes from them saying, ‘keep going.’ If my family thinks something is funny, you will hear ten minutes of them trying to give you jokes off of what you just said, to the point where you’re like, ‘Hey man, hold on and let me go get a recorder (laugh) or let me right some of this down.’ The Wayans formula is, once you get a joke in, they can’t stop

On the Wayans annual family tradition: “Probably playing baseball for the Fourth of July, but everybody is old now (laugh). That is the one thing that we try to do is get together and see the grandkids. We get together and play baseball or dodgeball, but we can’t all move the same as we used to.”

On the best advice she’s ever received: “The best advice I ever received was ‘Believe in yourself, trust yourself. Everybody is dealing with some type of insecurity, some type of fear. Just know that you are not alone.’ I’ve gotten that advice from my uncle Damon [Wayans] and my Uncle Keenen [Wayans]. ‘Don’t be afraid, because we are all afraid in some type of way.’”

On hoping to write and direct a project for her famous family before they retire: “Funny thing is I’m working on something right now where I would love my aunt Kim [Wayans] to be my actual aunt on the show. There are a few things I’m always keeping them in mind for. I also feel like they have all done so much that sometimes I think, ‘I hope I get them while they are still in this business.’”.

Editor’s note: Allison Kugel is a veteran entertainment journalist with more than 300 celebrity and newsmaker interviews. She is an author and host of the podcast, Allison Interviews, where listeners can tune in to hear the full conversations behind Allison’s print interviews on YouTube. Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonInterviews.com.

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HATS OFF TO After a full year of shutout tournaments in which the sophomores went undefeated in their speaking category, the Goss brothers helped their team secure top status at the tournament with a sixth-place finish in duo interpretation, a place on the final round stage, winning tournament fame along with full-ride scholarship offers to Division I schools.

Elias and Elijah Goss

East High School Students Among Best Orators in the Nation Thousands of the country’s most gifted high school speakers and thinkers converged in Louisville, Kentucky for a week last month at the 92nd National Speech and Debate Tournament to see who among them would be crowned the most compelling orators in the nation. Elias and Elijah Goss

Two young men from Park Hill and the team they represent from Denver East High School are now counted among the very best the nation. Elias and Elijah Goss were among 10 advancing students from East at the tournament.

Elias and Elijah Goss with head coaches Noah Kaplan and Katie Hellrung

“This activity isn’t all about speaking, it’s about learning how to live and how to access your power,” says Noah Kaplan, program director at Denver East High School. “All the while, being judged and ranked by coaches, parents and members of the public.” Both competed in a category in which two speakers perform a play together, but the catch is the students cannot look at or touch each other. They must imagine their own staging, transitions, characters, and message all while entertaining and captivating the audience. This year, their speech used the symbolism of a circus, to describe the experience of being Black in the United States, and the soul it takes to survive and thrive here. Black panther trainers, circus clowns, tight rope walkers, and the grand finale combine to tell a story of creativity, resilience, and strength. The Goss brothers performed this speech 15 times for more than 50 judges and found themselves as the only all-black duo on the final round stage, performing in front of thousands. When intro-

NEWSVIEWS ducing their speech they stated: “Last night we slept on the southern shore of the Ohio River. This river divided the North and the South during the Civil War. This means that only 160 years ago, if we were to be standing on this stage in Kentucky, it would probably have been to be either sold, or hanged. But today, we stand before you on the greatest speech and debate stage in the country, an example of Black excellence in a majority white activity, to show that this history, and these circumstances has made the black community strong, creative, and resilient.” For those who know and love speech and debate, it is a uniquely American institution almost a century old. It is a team activity where the better the individuals do, the better the team does. Some find themselves acting out great plays, some will be tasked with preparing a speech that addresses a pressing issue in society in under 30 minutes, some debating current events. In all events, students must be well-researched, poised, thoughtful, creative, engaging, patient, and willing to grow based on judge feedback. The activity can be life changing, reminding young people that anything is possible if you have the right words and you know how to use them. “This year, despite a global pandemic, these champions showed that shuttered schools couldn’t stop them from sharing their message. We can’t wait to learn what comes next for these future leaders,” says J. Scott Wunn, executive director of the National Speech and Debate Association, the largest interscholastic speech and debate organization serving middle school, high school, and collegiate students in the United States.. Editor’s noe: To view the program, visit https://vimeo.com/717647942

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

Juneteenth Made Designated Holiday in the City and County of Denver The ordinance proposed by Mayor Michael B. Hancock and Councilman Christopher Herndon to make Juneteenth a designated holiday in the City and County of Denver was approved by City Council. Beginning in 2023, city offices will be closed on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States in 1865. “Juneteenth is one of the truest celebrations of freedom people all over the United States recognize every year, and it’s important that we mark this day to elevate the experience of African American and Black residents in our city and across the country,” Mayor Hancock said. “Creating a new designated holiday is one way our city will continue to renew Denver’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and a step toward justice and recognition of the courage and resilience of the enslaved people who forcibly built this nation.” Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas learned, two years after its issuance, that they had been freed by President Lincoln’s emancipation proclamation, and has been celebrated in Denver since 1953, where the first events were held in Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood. In 2021, Mayor Hancock and Councilman Herndon proposed and passed the ordinance to set Juneteenth as a commemorative day of observance and recognize the closest Saturday to June 19 as Denver’s day for celebration. Bills making Juneteenth official Federal and State of Colorado holidays were also passed in 2021 and 2022, respectively. .

COMMUNITY NOTES

Dancing in a Night of Wonder with Civic and Community Leaders

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance presents the 2022 CPRD Dancing with the Denver Stars gala benefitting the Arts-InEducation outreach programs on Saturday, August 13 at the Hilton Denver City Center Ballroom. Local civic and corporate leaders will dance to raise dollars to enrich and expand dance/movement, arts, and cultural programs for Denver Metro area students. The timeless music of Stevie Wonder energizes the evening in performances pairing each Gala dancer with a member of the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. As an added treat, The Gala Ensemble, made up of other members of Denver’s civic and corporate community, will present a group number. The 2022 dancing stars include: Kenneth Crowley, Sr., Crowley Foundation; Zelda DeBoyes, City of Aurora Court Administration; Dave Espinosa, Mortenson; Andrea Fulton, Denver Art Museum; Liz Gardner – Xcel Energy; Rosalind “Bee” Harris - Denver Urban Spectrum; Norman Harris, The Holleran Group/Juneteenth Music Festival; Debbie Herrera, CHFA; Georg Hill, City and County of Denver; Tori Mason, CBS4 Denver Journalist; Megan Scremin, Special Olympics Colorado; and Romita Wadwa, Empower Retirement. The 2022 Gala Ensemble Dancers include Nancy Alterman, Artist; Fabian Tunson, US Bank; Moira Morrison, Janus Henderson; Lexi Muller, Southwest Airlines

and Rene Garcia, Janus Henderson. For sponsorship opportunities, tables, or individual tickets, email Hillary Harding at hillary@cleoparkerdance.org. For virtual event tickets, visit www.cleoparkerdance.org/tick ets

Denver Preschool Program Helps ALL Families Find and Pay for Preschool

credits to all Denver families with a 4-year-old regardless of income, the Preschool for 3s pilot program prioritizes families based on financial need,” said Elsa Holguín, president and CEO of DPP. “Our aim is to serve as many families with the greatest need as possible. Then, if funding allows, we will expand to include all families.” Explore your preschool options and for more information, visit dpp.org, call 303-5954733 or email enroll@DPP.org.

Majestic Lodge Open House and Celebration Benefits Nonprofit Organizations

Selecting a preschool for your little learner is an opportunity to begin their formal academic journey and lay a foundation for a lifetime of success. For 15 years, the Denver Preschool Program (DPP) has helped families in the City and County of Denver access and afford high-quality early learning opportunities. In collaboration with 260 preschools, DPP offers tuition support to ALL Denver families — regardless of income — who have a 4-year-old enrolled in a participating school in their year before kindergarten. In some cases, families may even receive up to 100% coverage on tuition costs. That means free preschool for up to one year! In 2021, the Denver Preschool Program launched “Preschools for 3s” to increase earlier access to, and enrollment in, high-quality early childhood education programs while reducing costs for Denver families with lower incomes. “Unlike our longstanding model, which provides tuition

Majestic Lodge in Breckenridge presents a twoday Community Cares open house and nonprofit celebration on Friday, Aug. 26 and Saturday, August 27 from noon to 9 p.m. This event will benefit the National Repertory Orchestra, Kids Above

Everything, and the National Brotherhood of Skiers. Festivities will include personal tours of the lodge, complimentary food and drinks, entertainment, golf simulator contests, a youth art gallery, massage chair services, door prizes and giveaways, chef demonstrations, and a silent auction. All guests will receive a 10% discount on a future stay at the Majestic Lodge and organizations and businesses will be offered a 15% for scheduling company retreats. Requested donation is $50 per person. Transportation from Denver to Breckenridge (and back) can be reserved for an additional fee by visiting www.mlbreck.com. Sponsors include Clear Channel, McDonalds, United Airlines, Denver Urban Spectrum, 100 Men Who Cook, Beverage Sponsor, and Dick’s Sporting Goods..

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Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

After 50 years, homeownership gap between white and Latino Coloradans narrows. But for Black Coloradans, it’s widened. The U.S. is short about 3.8 million housing units relative to demand, making one of the toughest real estate markets in history By Tatiana Flowers,The Colorado Sun

Michael Diaz-Rivera hoped $25,000 in savings and a good credit score would give him enough leverage to buy a home. But his low teacher’s salary made that nearly impossible. “The prices in Denver were just a little too steep for me and the market was just too high,” he said in late April. “Every time that I would find a house, while I was still thinking about whether I wanted to put the money down, somebody else is coming in and they’re just buying it all out with cash. It was wild.” It took a year, but Diaz-Rivera was finally able to purchase a home with some help from a community land trust, one of a handful of programs working to make homeownership more accessible to low and moderate income Coloradans. “To look at my kids and know we don’t have to worry about redoing a lease, knowing that everybody’s prices are going up and that we’ve got a stable house, is just something that I’m working for,” said Diaz-Rivera, who identifies as Black. “Now, I can say my kids have a house to grow up in, something I never really had.” Homeownership is the primary means of accumulating wealth for the average family, housing advocates said, and closing the homeownership gap is the most effective way to close the racial wealth gap. About 48% of white residents can afford to buy the typical home in Colorado, compared with 30% of Black residents and 32% of Latino people. In the last decade, the gaps between Black and white homeownership have widened. In 1970,

Michael Diaz-Rivera, outside his home in Aurora, Colorado, on May 9, 2022. With help from the Denver-based nonprofit Elevation Community Land Trust, Diaz-Rivera and his two children, ages one and three, moved into the three-bedroom house in February 2021. Nationwide, 63% of white Americans can afford to buy the typical home, compared with 43% of Black Americans and 54% of Hispanics, according to the National Association of Realtors. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America) the homeownership gap between Black and white households was 19 percentage points and it has grown every decade since to 32 percentage points in 2020. In 2020, 73% of white Coloradans owned their own home, compared with 41% of Black Coloradans, new Census Bureau data says. The news is better for Latino Coloradans. In 2020, the homeownership gap between Colorado’s white and Latino households narrowed for the first time in 50 years. Home ownership rates among Latinos are highest now in the Adams County suburbs of Commerce City and Thornton. “It’s encouraging that we see some closing of that gap among Hispanic homeowners and it is dispiriting to look at how wide the gap still is with Black homeowners,” said Mike Johnston, president and CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a nonprofit

running a new down payment assistance fund for first-time Black homeowners. “When you look at a scenario where in Colorado the homeownership rates are almost twice as high for white families as for Black families, I think that is a major crisis.” Nationwide, 63% of white Americans can afford to buy the typical home, compared with 43% of Black Americans and 54% of Hispanics, according to the National Association of Realtors. In partnership with the Colorado News Collaborative and news organizations across the state, The Colorado Sun examined gaps in homeownership rates for “Chasing Progress,” an in-depth reporting project on the social, economic and health equity of Black and Latino Coloradans. The U.S. is short about 3.8 million housing units relative to demand, making one of the toughest real estate markets in history

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

even more difficult for middle and low wage earners trying to rent and buy homes. The market has been further complicated by institutional investors buying single-family homes that might otherwise have gone to first-time homebuyers. Rising interest rates have made it even harder for the many buyers to afford homes as prices continue to rise. Buying a home is a considerable feat for anyone. But the challenge is steepest for Black and Latino homebuyers, especially first-timers, who are still facing racial discrimination, income inequality, and the reverberating effects of predatory lending and exclusionary zoning practices. Diaz-Rivera, who now owns a cannabis delivery company, was able to buy with some help from the Denver-based Elevation Community Land Trust, which made the house in his north Aurora neighborhood more afford-

able by retaining ownership of the land it sits on. Under the agreement with the nonprofit, if he sells the home, he will retain 25% of the equity that has built up. The remaining 75% remains with the home, which will make it affordable to the next buyer who will be selected from applicants who earn less than 80% of the area median income. Diaz-Rivera moved into the three-bedroom house in February 2021 understanding that it won’t be a “forever home.” He wants total ownership one day and said his new home is a step toward financial stability.

The white/Latino homeownership gap The homeownership gap between white and Latino Coloradans grew from 7 percentage points in 1970 to 21 percentage points in 2010, but then narrowed to 18 percentage points in 2020. It’s difficult for housing experts to explain the narrowing gap, but they said, a number of conflicting factors could help explain the trend. “There’s this huge trend and desire within both the Black and brown communities to increase homeownership, and it’s a huge desire, especially with young Latino adults,” said Jonathan Cappelli, executive director of the Neighborhood Development Collaborative, which works to create equitable and sustainable development in Colorado and across the country. “But there’s a dampening effect that’s countering that because of existing systemic racism and also direct racism and discrimination,” Cappelli said. Latinos are 81% more likely to be denied financing for a conventional loan when compared to their non-Latino counterparts. Generational wealth disparities also play a role in the homeownership gap. Median white households have more than five times the wealth of median Latino households, helping them come up with all-cash offers or qualify for preapproval in Colorado’s fast-selling

market, according to the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals’ 2021 State of Hispanic Homeownership report. Home appraisers are more likely to undervalue homes in majority Black and Latino neighborhoods relative to majoritywhite areas, leading to lower rates of homeownership for those two groups of color, according to a 2021 study by Freddie Mac. Data from more than 12 million appraisals from Jan. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2020, shows 12.5% of properties in Black census tracts were appraised at values lower than the contract price, compared with 7.4% of homes in white census tracts and 15.4% in Latino census tracts, according to Freddie Mac. People hoping to buy homes in these majority Black and Latino areas are applying for loans that are based on the value set by the appraiser. If the appraiser is biased or intentionally discriminatory and sets a lower appraised value, the buyer will be approved for loan that may not be commensurate with the actual price of the home, Cappelli said. Black and Latino people selling homes in those communities will also face wealth-building obstacles because a low appraisal would cause them to sell for less than their home is worth, he said. Rachel Chaparro, a Colorado real estate broker who specializes in working with first-time buyers, said one of her Latino clients who had a 640 credit score, which is considered fair, was deemed highrisk and denied a conventional mortgage loan, while white clients with lower credit scores and more debt were approved. Most people who are turned down for a conventional loan try for a mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration. While the FHA is willing to loan to those who might be a higher credit risk, its loans come at a higher cost, including mortgage insurance, which must be paid for the life of the loan if the recipient makes the minimum 3.5% down payment. Now, Chaparro’s client is paying almost $400 per month for mort-

gage insurance, on top of his mortgage payment. Latinos are twice as likely to purchase a home with an FHA loan than white homebuyers, according to the Hispanic Homeownership report.

Thornton and Commerce City The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority conducted focus groups in 2017 and 2018 with Latino residents and housing professionals to gauge the gaps, opportunities and barriers to homeownership. Since then, the portion of households CHFA has served that are Hispanic/Latino has grown to 40% in 2021 from 28% in 2016. “This has contributed to the 3.6% increase in the overall Latino homeownership rate in Colorado,” Cappelli said. Some of the highest homeownership rates among Latinos in Colorado are now in Commerce City, where 68% of Latinos owned their homes in 2020, and Thornton, where 61% of Latinos owned a home that year. “The biggest thing with Thornton and Commerce City is just affordability,” Chaparro said. Census data shows that homeownership rates are high in both cities for people of Hispanic origin between the ages of 25 and 44 as far back as 2010. “That really points to the uniqueness of both markets in terms of both affordability and amenities that they offer to Hispanic homebuyers,” said Avilia Bueno, a labor economist and associate at Root Policy in Denver, which conducts economic and housing research. Historically, Latinos have also been more likely to live in multigenerational households, compared to other demographics, according to the Hispanic Homeownership report. “Once a relative buys in a neighborhood, maybe the son or daughter might want to buy in a close-by location. I think if they could afford it, they would buy two homes close together, and those may be markets where you can

Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

actually do that,” Bueno said of Thornton and Commerce City. Latinos were also more willing than any other demographic to choose a house that was farther from shopping and entertainment and were more willing to endure a longer work commute, according to the Hispanic Homeownership report. Since the pandemic, they have increasingly moved to suburbs for more outdoor space and to accommodate live-in family members, and have been more likely to rent space in their homes to others to help pay the mortgage. After the Great Recession in 2008, there was a significant decline in homebuilding, which created a shortage of housing that never caught up. Homeownership rates among Latino households was at 49% in 2008 and dipped to 45% in 2014, but by 2021, the rate was at 48%. “Basically, they’ve (almost) reobtained pre-recession rates, so they’ve gone back to the same homeownership rates that they had before the recession, or right when the recession hit,” Cappelli said. “It’s not like this is an increase, historically speaking.”

The Black/white homeownership gap Explaining the gap in homeownership between Black and white Coloradans appears more straightforward. Redlining and other exclusionary housing policies, income inequality, discriminatory lending and appraisal practices have sidelined Black people in the past, and the reverberations of those inequities are affecting their children’s ability to buy a home today, Chaparro said. Redlining, a policy in which banks determined whether to lend based on the racial composition of a neighborhood, kept Black people, other people of color, and others with low incomes from accessing mortgage loan, creating long-term and wide-ranging health, environmental and income disparities. “Over time, those have accumulated to make it next to Continued on page 28

Continued from page 27 impossible to build wealth, particularly because one of the ways that you do it is in buying homes,” said Johnston of Gary Community Ventures. The median white household has at least 10 times the wealth of the median Black household, according to the Brookings Institution.The racial wealth gap has continued to grow over the past 30 years. More than half of Black households lack any savings for retirement, according to Zillow. The biggest obstacle for Black families is the ability to afford a down payment. About 93% of Black families with the credit scores and income to qualify for a home loan do not move on to purchase a home because they lack the cash for a down payment, according to an analysis by Gary Community Ventures.The organization is offering up to $40,000 in down payment assistance to at least 500 Black families in metro Denver, over the next 10 years, through its new Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth.

Bias in lending and appraising Prejudice in the lending and appraisal system is still occurring, according to three housing professionals interviewed for this story. In Colorado, Black mortgage applicants were turned down almost twice as often as white applicants. According to a Zillow analysis, 15% of Black mortgage applicants in Colorado were denied in 2020, compared with 9% of white applicants.

Owner-occupied homes in Black neighborhoods are undervalued by $48,000 per home, on average, which amounts to $156 billion in losses nationwide. When half of the residents in a neighborhood are Black, the homes are valued at roughly half the price of homes in neighborhoods with very few or no Black residents, according to Brookings. April Denmon, a real estate broker, said she has had clients who, after seeking loans from five or six lenders, have come to her, frustrated and in need of help. “Some lenders out there may discriminate a little bit, or may not want to work with you, so they may make it a little bit harder, or make your terms harder, whereas if you go to another lender that maybe looks like you or this person is supporting you, you may get a better rate, or they may give you a higher approval amount,” Denmon said. “If you’re a seller and you see the name ‘Martinez’ versus ‘Smith,’ and Martinez has an FHA loan, and Smith has a conventional loan, there’s just inherent biases that people have, whether they’re intentional or not,” Chaparro said. On the appraisal side, Denmon pointed to two experiences where homes she was helping to sell for two Black clients were significantly undervalued. In both cases, the appraisers knew the sellers were Black. Denmon disputed the appraisal for one of those clients, by finding other homes in the area that were comparable, and provided the information to the

appraiser. After the challenge, the appraiser raised the price of that home by more than $50,000, Denmon said. Many Black people are told by their real estate agents to take down any personal belongings that would indicate their race, Denmon said. “As a homeowner myself, when I went to go and put my home on the market, I was asked to take down personal items, but when I walked into people’s homes I was looking at buying, I walked into a person’s home who had a Trump flag flying,” said Jice Johnson, founder and chief visionary officer of The Black Business Initiative, who purchased her home in Aurora, in 2021.

Solutions To help close the gap, the government should institute a loan program specifically for Black Americans that would reduce the risk to banks and allow them to relax their policies to help close the homeownership and racial wealth gaps, Johnson said. She pointed to VA-backed loans, where the Department of Veterans Affairs guarantees a portion of the loan that a veteran (and their surviving spouse) gets from a private lender. If their VAbacked home goes into foreclosure, the guarantee allows the lender to recover some or all of their losses. Since there’s less risk for the lender, they’re more likely to give the veteran or their spouse the loan under better terms. Nearly 90% of all VAbacked home loans are made without a downpayment, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.

The department’s Native American Direct Loan program also often has better terms than a home loan from a private lender, such as a private bank, mortgage company, or credit union. “They made it specific to veterans,” said Johnson, a U.S. Army veteran. “They can create a program and make it specific to the Black community, in which they’ve caused harm.” Latinos are more ready to become homeowners than ever before, and are the youngest of any ethnic or racial demographic, and in their prime home-buying years. They’re expected to make up 70% of homeownership growth over the next two decades. But that future growth is threatened by barriers in the housing market today, which could affect the nation’s productivity and economic wellbeing, according to the 2021 report. Increasing the number of Latino real estate professionals could be one of the most effective strategies at increasing the number of Latino homeowners because they could create a “multiplier effect” that accelerates homeownership among their own friends and family, according to the report. “It would help to make the name and race blind in all real estate transactions,” Chaparro said. “From loan applications to buyer offers and appraisals, not seeing the first and last name could help prevent intentional and unintentional discrimination.”

A glimmer of hope Metro Denver has been a seller’s market since 2012, the year

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that the recreational sale and use of cannabis became legal. The COVID-19 pandemic cemented the market conditions, Realtor Denmon said. In January 2021, there were only 912 houses and 1,119 condos on the market in metro Denver, which includes Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties. Many people began bidding on those houses, creating an appraisal gap on almost every home, which occurs when a buyer’s offer is higher than the appraised value of the property. It complicates the home-buying process, especially for low-wealth, first-time homebuyers. “That was in January of last year. If you look at January of this year, it’s even worse,” Denmon said. “Now we only have 712 houses, and we have 436 condos.” For comparison, in 2007, there were 35,000 houses on the market in metro Denver. In 1973, a person could buy a house in metro Denver for $20,000. In April, the median single family home sale was $600,000 in Colorado and $660,000 in metro Denver, according to the Colorado Association of Realtors. Both medians were up about $100,000 from April 2021. “These prices are not going to stop,” she said. “They’re going to keep going up.” Some of Denmon’s Black buyers won’t budge on the size, amenities or location of their home. But she advises that they be more flexible and get into the market as quickly as possible. Normally homes appreciate at 6% a year. However, homes in the last year in metro Denver have been appreciating at just over 20% per year. So, if a person buys a house for $500,000, and the home appreciates at 20%, they will make $100,000 in equity in one year. “So I tell everybody, ‘If you’re on the fence, or if you’re waiting, jump in now, buy now and don’t wait,”’ Denmon said. “Homeownership is possible. I can’t stress that enough.”. Editor’s note: This story is brought to you by COLab, the Colorado News Collaborative.

Remembering

Reverend Ronald Alfred Wooding October 15, 1949 – May 25, 2022 Reverend Ronald Alfred Wooding was born on October 15, 1949, in Fayetteville, Tennessee. He was the third child of James Alfred and Mary Lucille Wooding. He graduated from Tennessee State University in 1972 with a dual B.S and M.S degree in Psychology, Guidance and Counseling respectively. From 1974 until 1995, he owned and operated an insurance marketing agency that served the community of Nashville, Tennessee. In 1995, he sold his business, accepted his calling to serve God, and moved to Denver to attend the Iliff School of Theology, where he received a second M.S degree in Divinity. Upon graduation, he accepted a permanent position as assistant pastor at Epworth United Methodist Church in 1998. His calling led him to Durban, South Africa, where his humanitarian efforts resonated globally for his work with the Agape Child Care Center. In 2001, after his visit, he became a spokesperson for the Agape Child Care Center and its 98 orphans whose lives had been impacted by HIV. This project became a national and international endeavor and was named an Advanced Special in the United Methodist Church. Through the help of many individuals in the church and many outside supporters, the “Kids of Agape” became known internationally. He worked with former Mayor Wellington Webb and the African American Mayors Association in addressing the issue of the AIDS virus in the Denver community. Through his work, he realized the need for local missionary work and in 2003, he partnered with the Epworth United Methodist Church to revive the Daddy Bruce Randolph Food Distribution. To date, this annual event feeds more than 50,000 less fortunate individuals in the Denver metropolitan area. In 2012, his contributions toward improving the lives of others, particularly the underserved, through leadership and service, led to him being awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award for his work with the Epworth’s annual Thanksgiving basket distribution. In 2016, he produced a documentary titled “Keep a Light in the Window” which highlighted the life and philanthropy of Daddy Bruce Randolph, a historic figure in Denver history. The documentary is aired annually on Rocky Mountain PBS during the Thanksgiving holiday. He believed that sharing the story of Daddy Bruce Randolph will inspire future generations to become philanthropists in their communities. In 2020, he continued to lay the groundwork for future community leaders by establishing the Daddy Bruce Legacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity, to encourage the philanthropic legacy of Daddy Bruce Randolph through community awareness, workforce development, and charitable initiatives focused on building stronger communities and cultivating future leaders. He was a dedicated and loyal member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Inc. for more than 53 years. He recently served as the chapter Chaplain until his death. One of his golden Alpha moments was hosting MLK Day at the state capitol. He was extremely proud to be a fellow Alpha as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ronald was a man of faith and chose God to lead him in life. He believed in the power of prayer and knew that the light of God would lead him to Heaven. He was an active member of the Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church. He leaves behind his legacy of faith, family, love, charity, and memories to all that knew him. He is survived by his children Dr. Ronald Alfred Wooding II (Leigh) and Ashlie LaBranche; sister, Karen Wooding McKnight; granddaughter, Gabrial Wooding, and a multitude of close friends and family. He is preceded in death by his parents, James Alfred and Mary Lucille Wooding; brothers, James Edward Wooding and William Andre Wooding. Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – July 2022

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