Lockdown

Ten movies To Watch During The Coronavirus Lockdown By Laurence Washington and Jon Rutlege

Looking for a two-hour escape from the Coronavirus drama that has most of us sheltering in place practicing social distancing? Film critics Laurence Washington and Jon Rutlege have cobble together an eclectic list of movies that are available on DVD, On Demand, Streaming or sitting on your dusty shelves of your home collection. Hopefully these suggestions will distract you until theaters open up and start screening movies-in-waiting that have been postponed. have never seen the movie constantly quote the lines. Released as a political movie, Casablanca became a cultural icon. Dooley Wilson sang the iconic song As Time Goes By which became a continuing emotional motif throughout the film.

Goldfinger: If you’re going spend an afternoon quarantined, Goldfinger (’64) is the blue print and gold standard of the Bond films. Its running time is perfect: 1 hr. 50 min. Dame Shirley Bassey belts out the haunting title song.

Shaft: Directed by Gordon Parks, the first black director to direct a major Hollywood film, Shaft (’71) opened the door for action movies with a black hero. Private detective John Shaft is hired by a black mobster to get back his kidnapped daughter from white mobsters trying to take over Harlem. The film’s score composed by the Black Moses, Isaac Hayes stayed on the billboard charts forever. offers a great storyline, as T’Challa Chadwick Boseman returns home to rule the fictional country of Wakanda, after his father’s assassination, only to be challenged by his estranged cousin Eric Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) for the throne.

Straight Outta Compton: Here’s a first, O’Shea Jackson Jr. plays dad Ice Cube in the N.W.A. biopic. Even if you’re not into hip-hop, Straight Outta Compton (’15) offers a convincing cast who tell a story how N.W.A. revolutionized music and pop culture forever.

Chef: Chef (’14) is an incredible story of father and son, and an excellent analogy for Jon Favreau’s film career that expanded into the Marvel Universe with Ironman and Avengers films.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan: An Indian film that has length, a great story and a bit of everything for everyone. Trust me, a great introduction to Indian Films.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: This story teaches us that everything will be all right in the end. If things are not all right, then it is not yet the end. We could that lesson about now.

Yesterday: Imagine a world without the Beatles, now what if you were the only one who knew they existed. Yesterday (’19) is an excellent “What If” story. If ever we need some of the Beatles magic, it’s now.

Arsenic and Old Lace: It’s old school (’44), but an excellent slapstick comedy a perfect escape to take your mind off things right while sheltering in place.

Casablanca: Everybody comes to Rick’s, and so should you. Casablanca (’42) has been screened more times than any movie in history. Its romantic moments have become part of our vocabulary. People who

Black Panther: If you’re not suffering from a “Marvel hanger over,” Black Panther (’18) is worth revisiting. It’s refreshing to see superheroes of color, live and rule a technological society. Black Panther’s also Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – May 2020

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Denver Economic Development & Opportunity (DEDO) has issued award letters to 15 organizations scheduled to receive federal grants totaling $1.1 million in 2020. Grants will fund public benefits projects including workforce development, entrepreneurship, education, and capacity building, all key to the ability of communities not only to move upward on the income scale but to find stability and address economic recovery, especially as they move through the current crisis.

“With the current challenges the COVID-19 crisis has brought to our community, we’re glad to bring this grant funding at such a critical moment, and in doing so support the organizations that help so many,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “With this funding support, we know these organizations will continue to do great work with compassion and professionalism, and we thank them for their partnership.”

DEDO’s Neighborhood Equity & Stabilization Team, led by Dr. Irene Aguilar, issued a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) in July 2019 for proposals to be funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Forty-five organizations submitted proposals that were evaluated and scored by a cross division team of city and external subject matter experts.

“Partnerships across all sectors are more important than ever, and we are proud to collaborate with these strong nonprofit organizations,” said DEDO Executive Director Eric Hiraga. “As communities face the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the grantee organizations will assist some of city’s most vulnerable residents and businesses in facing and overcoming these challenges and helping them and our economy get back on their feet. We look forward to a year of meaningful and intense work to uplift all in our Denver community.”

The 15 awardees will utilize their funding to serve individ uals and businesses across Denver’s 10 most vulnerable neighborhoods as identified by the Neighborhood Equity & Stabilization Team, known as NEST. Programs focus on serving individuals/ businesses that are predominantly low- and moderate-income, womenowned, and/or serving immigrant and refugees.

“Sistahbiz wouldn’t exist without support and investment from DEDO, nor would we be able to provide the resources and technical support that we provide to minority businesses,” says Makisha Boothe, executive director of the Foundation for Black Entrepreneurship, a 2020 grantee. “As a Black woman in business whose primary work is social impact and racial equity work, it’s difficult to find investors who prioritize and take action on this work. I wanted to serve my people in unique and culturally responsive ways, and DEDO has been not just passionate about seeing us succeed at serving our community, but also accessible and supportive.” Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – May 2020

24 Denver Awards $1.1 Million to Organizations Providing Workforce and Business Development Support

Grants will foster upward economic mobility, stability, and recovery in low- and moderate-income communities

Organizations awarded funding includes the following:

Center for African American Health (Adult and youth job training and place

ment) $95,000; East Denver Colfax Partnership (Business support, education, and counseling services) $75,000; Environmental Learning for Kids (Outdoor Recreation for Career Exploration at Urban Schools Program) $50,000; Florence Crittenton Services (Education and job training for teen families) $90,000;

Foundation for Black

Entrepreneurship (Business Support Services for Startup and Existing Women-owned Businesses) $150,000; Girls Inc. of Metro Denver (Eureka STEM Program) $60,000; Groundwork Denver (Green Team Youth Employment Program) $60,000;

La Raza Services, Inc.

(Servicios Employment Growth Project) $60,000; Lutheran

Social Services of Colorado

(Pamoja Women’s Pathways to Growth (P2G) Program) $50,000; Mi Casa Resource Center (Bilingual Business Support Services for Start-up and Existing Businesses) $100,000;

NEWSED Community

Development Corp. (Business Support Office – The ZONE Marketplace) $30,000; Rocky

Mountain Employee

Ownership Center (Business Conversions to Employee Ownership Program) $50,000;

The Joshua Station – Mile

High Ministries (Family Futures Program) $80,000; West

Community Economic

Development Corp. (Business Support Office Program) $100,000; and the Women’s Bean Project (Transitional Employment Program), $50,000

“Maintaining Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being During Uncertain Times”

Tele-Conference Saturday, May 16 from 11 AM to Noon

Urban League Guild of Denver presents a discussion on surviving and rebounding from life experiences with Rev. Marjorie B. Lewis, PH.D on insights into a lifestyle of resilience and help to daily maintenance. Call in: (701) 802-5441 with access code 1456480. For more information, call 303-358-4540.