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Vol. 36 / Issue 1 / September 2017
Five Points
WHERE WE AT? Sp
rB
lvd
Buffalo Exchange
51 Broadway
Auraria Campus
Center For Visual Art City O’ City
Fluid Coffee Bar Arts Building
Auraria Library
St
M
al
l
North Captiol Hill
E Colfax Ave
Denver
1628 16th St.
E Colfax Ave
2526 E Colfax Ave.
Santa Fe Dr
Tivoli Station, 300 Level Tattered Cover Book Store
The Bardo Coffee House
Sp
The Market at Larimer Square
ee
The Molecule Effect
Sp
rB
lvd
nge
Library
Auraria Campus
Denver
Larimer Square
Effect
E Colfax Ave
E Alameda Ave
l
E Colfax Ave
York St
r Book Store
Santa Fe Dr
ewing Co.
fee House
al
E Colfax Ave
ation, 300 Level
Colfax Ave.
M
North Captiol Hill
uel Gallery
th St.
St
Av e
Broadway Blvd
nter
rk
th
3th Ave.
lding
Pa
16
ar
lvd
Downing St
ee
ual Art
Cherry Creek
rB
Five Points
Racine’s
dway
E Colfax Ave
York St
Emmanuel Gallery Tivoli Brewing Co.
Av e
Broadway Blvd
King Center
rk
th
226 E. 13th Ave.
MSU Denver
Pa
16
Downing St
ee
Sp
ee
rB
lvd
Cherry Creek
E Alameda Ave
# intro # metro # imbue # intersection # submissions # technosphere # threads
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@MetrosphereReaders: What’s up with the Mag this time around? @tds303: Check it, Metrosphere is back, 6 issues. One year of art, literature and culture. @Lolophoto: September’s theme is Reformation. @tds303: The action or process of reforming an institution or practice.
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@Metrospherereaders: What’s good with the content? @tds303: Burky, what’s your section about? @lookjustlikebuddyholly: Metro is where news and larger issues are scaled down to relate to those in
the Auraria-Denver community.
@Lolophoto: Adam? @adamB: Intersection sheds light on the intersecting values, cultures and lifestyles of people within
the LGBTQIA+ community.
@tds303: Imbue focuses on the people and places that inspire others. @Lolophoto: Another thing, Metrosphere now features art submissions in every issue! Send us
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your work, we want it!
@MetrosphereReaders: What about us tech people? @ozzymandos: Definitely. Technosphere covers the convergence of science technology and learning. @tds303: Watch out for Bianey’s section... @Bee_ah_Nee: Threads is a creative outlet for fashion and beauty lovers looking for a deeper
insight on these industries.
@tds303: Jessica! Let them know about the dope photos in the Mag. @jezzyholm: Edgy, high quality photos that tell a story and spark conversation. @lolophoto: Love it! Maddi?
6D7493
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@thatmadds: I’m bringing Big, Bold and Clean Design with edgy accents this time ‘round. @MetrosphereReaders: Sweet- We can’t Wait!.
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WHO DAT? TERESA DIAZ SORIANO Editor in Chief @tds303
6D7493
LAUREN CORDOVA Managing Editor @Lolophoto 4
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
MADDI WANEKA Creative Director @thatmadds
JAMES BURKY Metro Editor @lookjustlikebuddyholly
BIANEY BERMUDEZ Threads Editor @Bee_ah_Nee
ADAM BARNHARDT Intersection Editor @gayandintheway
IVY LINDSTROM Graphic Artist @flyvee
DEREK GREGORY Technosphere Editor @ozzymandos
JESSICA HOLMAN Photo Editor @jezzyholm
MET MEDIA
WORDS
PHOTOS
PR ASSOCIATES
Steve Haigh: Director Ronan O’Shea: Assistant Director Kathleen Jewby: Production Manager Elizabeth Norberg: Office Manager
James Burky Audrey Frye Dayna L. Himot Kaitlin Benz Avery Anderson Adam Barnhardt Derek Gregory
Lisa Hall Teresa Diaz Soriano Lauren Cordova Ramon Trujillo Karson Hallaway Carl Glenn Payne Matthew Rowles Jessica Holman
Preston Morse Caitlin Monaghan
Met Media P.O. Box 173362, CB57 Denver, CO 80217-3362
Bianey Bermudez
Printed by Fredric Printing. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise
The opinions expressed within are not
without prior permission of Met Media,
necessarily those of the University and/or
except in the context of reviews.
members of the University.
5
WHATS IN HERE? METRO 6
A Life Without Hate
8
Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox
IMBUE 14
Behind the Strings
20
Abstract Creations and Musical Inspiration
24
September Review: Colorado Theater Productions
INTERSECTION
6
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
26
Letter from the Editor
28
Fierce and Fearless: A Year After Pulse
32
Saying Yes to Life: Giovanni’s Room
SUBMISSIONS 36
Raquib “Hawk” Hakeem
38
Kelsi Long
39
Brandon Sanchez
40
Victoria Berry
41
Anonymous
42
Christian Chacon
43
Victoria Berry
TECHNOSPHERE 44
We Might Need Bigger Backpacks
46
MSU Denver: Elevating Backpack Journalism to the Next Level
48
Power to the Players
THREADS 50
Thrifting Style; becoming an educated fashion consumer
52
Be Inspired, Be Connected, BeAfrica 7
Letter From The Editor:
METRO
T
A LIFE WITHOUT HATE James Burky
his section showcases who and what is
used in a derogatory manner, one which
happening in Denver. Metro is also a section built
cannot be fully discredited.
on informing people and opening discussions. I want to make clear that as a straight,
This will be a place to find the story behind the
white male, I experience very little, if
story. Whether it be a student who suffers from an
any, discrimination and prejudice in
illness, or how rising political issues relate to our
my life. In no way do I experience what
campus. This will be the one stop for information
women, racial minorities or members of
on important issues.
the LGBTQ community experience.
This is my first issue as Metro editor and it has
That said, there’s a growing feeling
been a tough yet rewarding experience. This is
among those deemed oppressors -
something I’ve been working toward for the last six
straight, white males - that SJWs are
years, since my freshman year of high school.
becoming invasive and act in a mob mentality. The issue stems online
I want to start a conversation about political
where SJWs tells others to “check their
correctness. It’s time to reform how social justice
privilege” when having an argument.
warriors treat those who don’t agree with them.
8
SJWs can be characterized as someone who
Too often I see SJWs shut people down
promotes views and beliefs that are viewed as
when they make an offensive joke or a
progressive and often leftist. Today the term is also
potentially xenophobic remark.
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Graphic illustration by Ivy Lindstrom
I understand the reasons why SJWs vehemently support the causes they do and I believe in a number of them myself, but the process of name calling, threats and total disrespect for microaggressions is erroneous. If you want to convince people to think your way, you don’t treat them as subhumans. It’s okay to be offended or angry. What’s not okay is verbally assaulting people because you feel they dehumanized you. It’s as simple as this: You don’t fight hate with hate, you fight hate with love.
9
ELECTRIC SOAPBOX
OPHELIA’S
Audrey Frye
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
METRO
O
phelia’s Electric Soapbox is the latest business venture to occupy one of Denver’s historic landmarks,
the
Victorian
style
Airedale
Building. Owner Justin Cucci incorporates
the building’s nefarious history into the decor and atmosphere, creating a unique dining experience. Cucci successfully runs other local food businesses such as RootDown and Linger. He has made a name for himself repurposing unorthodox locations into niche dining experiences and Ophelia’s is no different. Denverites might remember the building’s risque past. Once allegedly used as a brothel and later known as Diamond Lil’s Adult Emporium. At Ophelia's, the space feels like a culmination of all its former selves. A vintage view master is used for a sneak peek at the history of Ophelia’s. It reads, “Guests engage in a feast of pleasures, where all senses are stimulated and the lines between restaurant, bar and live entertainment are blurred.” The environment is provocative and intimate with a brazen emphasis on sexuality. Nude photographs and posters of boudoir style women are displayed
Photo by Lisa Hall
throughout the newly remodeled building.
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METRO Photos by Lisa Hall
Artist Lolita Mendoza has visited the venue several times, not only performing on the stage but dining as well. One of the reasons she likes playing at Ophelia’s is their appreciation of the female body. Mendoza
believes
that
people's
perception of a woman's body has been damaged. “I like the idea of images like this being out in the open for things to be discussed,� Mendoza said. Visitors are escorted through the dimly lit dining area where vintage, pleated leather seats await use. The booths are conveniently closed off and softly lit, intensifying the intimacy that the restaurant exudes. The
restaurant
embraces
its
sexy
background and houses other vintage items from various decades as decor. Upon walking into the bar, pinball art is Photos by Lisa Hall
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Photos by Lisa Hall
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METRO
displayed under glass. The bathroom stalls are built with vintage yardsticks and downstairs the structure of the bar is composed of 4,000 Jager bottles that were left behind from the previous owner. There is a wall covered with a multitude of transmitter radios and 8-tracks, that is a signature element that Cucci adds to all of his restaurants. Through the collected items, Ophelia’s gives off a nostalgic vibe. The culture here is really diverse,” staff member Aundre White said. “A couple of bands that have played here are from all different cultures.” Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox has trans-formed dining into an experience that allows guests to travel back in time. The environment is sexy, provocative, intimate, lively and energetic,while embracing its historic background.
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Photo by Lisa Hall
MUSIC at
MSU DENVER 09.11
Carmen Sandim Jazz Quartet
09.25
MSU Denver Voice Faculty
10.09
Cody Garrison, piano Rosemary Shaw, viola
10.23
Don Byron, clarinet; Emily Ondracek, violin Charles Lee, cello; Jooeun Pak, piano
11.13
Michael Christoph, bassoon
11.27
Peter Friesen, piano
7:30 pm, King Center Recital Hall 855 Lawrence Way, Denver
msudenver.edu/music
FA C U LT Y ARTIST SERIES
Tickets $12, $10, $8 Box Office: 303-556-2296
BEHIND THE STRINGS Dayna L. Himot Photo by Teresa Diaz Soriano
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
IMBUE
T
here
is
something
exceptional
about a married couple that works,
putting in the time; I think about music constantly. It’s never away from me,” Erik said.
performs and teaches alongside one another. Violinist Emily Ondracek-
By the turn of the 21st Century, they were enrolled
Christian
at The Juilliard School in New York City, where Emily
Peterson met when they were 14 years
went on to receive her Bachelor’s and Master’s
old while performing in the Chicago
degrees and Erik his Bachelor’s.
Symphony Youth Orchestra. Their journey
her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia
with music and art as a couple spans
University. Erik earned his Master’s and doctoral
two decades and extends beyond the
degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and
continents. They’ve performed side by
Case Western Reserve University.
Peterson
and
violist
Erik
Emily earned
side from the cornfields in Galena, Illinois to preeminent performance spaces like
Armed
the
with
reputable
training,
educations,
Amsterdam.
successful music careers and a shared passion
Eventually the Midwestern suburbanites
for arts advocacy, the couple are giving back to
found love within each other. Their bond,
aspiring musicians around the country, including
fueled by a mutual passion for travel,
the student body of MSU Denver. Emily is currently
culture and playing chamber music by
the Assistant Professor of Violin, Director of Strings
the great composers.
Studies and Erik is an affiliate faculty member in
Concertgebouw
in
Musicology at MSU Denver. After years sharing the experience of living the lifestyle of high-level musicians,
“Both our careers to this point unfolded organically;
including a minimum of six hours a day
we weren’t necessarily making conscious choices
of instrument practice and constant
to end up in this place,” Erik said.
rehearsals, they both understand the value of spending time around other
Erik and Emily grew up in a different environment
musicians and submerging themselves
than most of their students at MSU Denver. They
in a community of like-minded artists.
endured a rigorous performance schedule and
“Part of the commitment to being a
music studies. Although they were already teaching
really successful and active musician is
on a regular basis, they didn’t have regular jobs
17
Connect with us! Emily’s Website: emilyop.com Erik’s Website: violaland.com Voxare Website: voxarequartet.com
VoxareQuartet
Photo by Lauren Cordova
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
IMBUE
outside of school as so many of their current students do. “I’ve really come to admire and respect what our students have to do. I have some students that work nights and then they come to school and it’s just amazing how they’re able to pull themselves through. I know a lot of them also have come here to MSU without having had private instruction before,” Emily said. In an effort to maximize the learning environment for students and change the culture of thinking around what is involved in practicing their instruments every day, Emily interacts with her students several times a week. She has one-on-one interactions during lessons and has also formatted the performance class to mimic a traditional European master class where the student performs and then receives comments and feedback from all of their peers. “I think it’s very important that all of the students learn how to listen to what they’ve heard and be able to positively compliment things and then also offer positive feedback and perhaps constructive criticism,” Emily said. In addition to teaching and conducting the student chamber orchestra on campus, they regularly commute from Denver to New York where they both perform as founding members of the Voxare String Quartet. They originally formed Voxare in 2008 with a couple from St. Petersburg, Russia, whom they had met and felt a strong connection with at Juilliard. Emily and Erik’s first big concert with Voxare was just after the couple were married. Voxare has performed in Avery Fisher Hall, now David Geffen Hall, with the New York Philharmonic.
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Photo by Lauren Cordova
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Metrosphere / Vol 35 / Issue 1
IMBUE
Emily is also on faculty at Teachers College
something else that’s even better than what we
and she performs regularly at various events in
both thought of originally,” Emily said. The CBMF
NYC. Erik lectures at New York University and
is another way for the couple to build connections
other esteemed institutions. He is also a noted
with Coloradans, music and nature. One of the many
photographer, audio engineer and is in the
projects they are overseeing as co-artistic directors
process of building a record label.
is an adult chamber music intensive program, as well as an orchestral fellowship program.
In 2016, they were hired as co-artistic directors of the Crested Butte Music Festival in Colorado. They
Whether performing in New York, rehearsing
applied as a couple alongside approximately 200
with students or curating a new artistic vision,
other people, which is a unique situation. It’s not a
the couple maintains an appearance of empathy
post that is traditionally occupied by two people.
and interconnection that is missing in many parts
In addition to handling the artistic vision of the
of the world. In a time when the need for art and
festival, they are involved with the administration,
creativity are vital to the stability of freedom and
marketing, fundraising and social media. During
self-expression, they appear to have a sincere and
the interview process, they had to defend how they
genuine regard for those around them and possess
would work with the board and communicate with
the ability to touch many people. The connections
others as a couple. “One thing that we’ve found
they have fostered with one another permeate in
is even if we disagree, we end up coming up with
all of their artistic endeavors.
W
A CREATIVE EXCHANGE 8.4 – 10.21.17 Anna McKee Aurora Robson Cannupa Hanska Luger The Infamous Flapjack Affair & National Park Experience
Isabelle Hayeur Matt Jekins & Lynna Kaucheck Natascha Seideneck Nicholas Galanin & Merritt Johnson
Isabelle Hayeur, Drained (detail), inkjet on polyester, 2015-2016
Tomiko Jones & Jonathan Marquis Vibha Galhotra Winter Count Collective 965 Santa Fe Drive · msudenver.edu/cva
ABSTRACT CREATIONS AND MUSICAL INSPIRATION Kaitlin Benz
R
amon Trujillo is an art student at MSU Denver who draws his
What motivated you to study art?
inspiration for painting from his deep seated love of music. Trujillo’s paintings are meant to be thoughtful and reflective, allowing
RT: For a full year I went through civil and
people to interpret the image in front of them. He hopes to have
mechanical engineering, but I hated both
his art seen across the globe one day. Metrosphere sat down with Trujillo
of them. Me doodling my entire life and
to discuss the roles of art, music and MSU Denver have on his life.
making art in some sort of way kind of just sparked the interest of ‘Maybe I can just do it as a career.’ I started taking some of the courses and I found those so much more rewarding than a math problem.
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
IMBUE Photos and Art by Ramon Trujillo
What is your biggest source of inspiration for your work? RT: Music. I do a lot of live events, so I paint [at] a lot of concerts. I have such a homebody with all of that stuff that I want to stay in that area as much as possible. I want to make a living doing something other than just consuming music. I’d like to make a living selling my art at these events. That’s my biggest inspiration.
How do you come up with the art that you make? RT: It’s technical more than conceptual for me. It’s not really an idea that I have and then put it down; it’s more like I put the idea down after I make something abstract, then I will put something subjective within the abstract to give it more of a thematic tone. For instance, some more recent works I have been doing are landscapes. I’ve been doing memorable landscapes in the Denver area, Red Rocks [Amphitheatre] being one of my favorites, especially because of music. I’ll do splatter art and all of this abstract stuff
For professional inquiries contact:
where you can’t even tell what the idea is, and then I will put Red Rocks in there somewhere, upside down or inside out. Electronic music is just [as] crazy
Ramon Trujillo Art N’ Creations @ramjillio
and inside out and doesn’t really have much form to it, kind of like the artwork I make.
720-737-4594
ramontrujillo3@yahoo.com 23
Photos and Art by Ramon Trujillo
What is your dream job?
How do you hope people feel when they look at your art?
RT: Anything that doesn’t require me to work under anyone else. I want to be able to make art
RT: I don’t want someone to see it and be like, “this
live at events, and be invited to events as much
is this and this is that, it’s so obvious.” I want people
as possible. Going from state to state all summer
to start thinking and just wonder, “what’s going on
long, or even in wintertime. Just putting my art
here, why is this there?” I want people to be more
around the United States or maybe even the
introspective about it; not just to look at it and see
world. It’s tough; it’s just like any competition or
objectively what it is, but maybe guess what I think
competitive art game out there, whether it be a
that I might mean by it. My work is abstracted in
comedian, an actor, a musician or an athlete. It’s
a way to where it’s not so subjective or objective.
tough to compete. Just be able to paint live as much as possible. 24
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
IMBUE
25
SEPTEMBER PREVIEW: COLORADO THEATER
PRODUCTIONS FROZEN Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Caissie Levy, Patti Murin and Michael Grandage in ‘Frozen’ Photo by Jenny Anderson
S
eptember is a time for hits, adventure and premieres! Our monthly theater preview takes a look across the state at hit shows such as ‘Almost Heaven; The Songs of John Denver’. Adventurous titles such as ‘You On the Moors Now’ and the world premiere of ‘Frozen’ here in Denver.
ONCE Midtown Arts Center
Sam Cieri and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy in the second national tour of ‘Once’. Photo by Joan Marcus
Before heading to Broadway and the St. James
The chance meeting of a man and women in a small
Theatre in the spring of 2018, the international hit
Irish town and the effects it has on a couples live
will perform its previews here at the Denver Center
are examined in ‘Once’. After winning eight Tony
for the Performing Arts in the Buell Theatre. Caissie
Awards in 2012, including best musical, Midtown
Levy (Hairspray) and Patti Murin (Xanadu) take on
Arts Center presents the Colorado premiere of this
the roles of Elsa and Anna, respectively. The cast is
folk style musical.
helmed by Tony Award winner Michael Grandage. This promises to be one chilling production.
Sept. 1 - Nov. 11 The Dinner Theatre, Midtown Arts Center
Aug. 17 - Oct. 1
Tickets start at $59
Buell Theatre,
Call 970-225- 2555
Denver Performing Arts Complex Tickets start at $25 Call 303-893-4100 26
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
IMBUE
APPROPRIATE Curious Theatre Company
ALMOST HEAVEN; SONGS OF JOHN DENVER Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre
‘Appropriate’ art work from Curious Theatre Company
Kicking off Curious Theatre Company’s 20th season is ‘Appropriate’. When the Lafayettes descend upon a
The cast of ‘Almost Heaven’ at Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre. Photo by Rocky Mountain Rep
crumbling Arkansan plantation to liquidate their dead
Finishing off Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre’s
patriarch’s estate, his three adult children collide over
50th Anniversary season is ‘Almost Heaven; Songs of
clutter, debt, and a contentious family history. Directed
John Denver’. The show uses all songs by the famous
by Jamil Jude, this provocative play will explore the
Colorado singer-songwriter. Originally commiss-ioned
ties between family and race.
by the Denver Center Theatre Company, the production ran for an astonishing 2 years. Celebrate the music of
Sept. 2 - Oct. 14
John Denver with this musical.
Curious Theatre, Curious Theatre Company Tickets start at $20
Sept. 12 - Sept. 30
Call 303-623-0524
Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre Tickets start at $25 Call 970-627-3421
YOU ON THE MOORS NOW The Catamounts When fantasy and fiction meet, you get ‘You On
Sept. 8 - Sept. 30
the Moors Now’. When classic fictional heroines
Dairy Arts Center-
from the books of Louisa May Alcott, Jane Austen
The Catamounts
and the Bronte sisters are whisked out of their
Tickets start at $18
stories and into the mystical land of the Moors, the
Call 303-440-7826
comedy ensues. Produced by The Catamounts, this will be one adventours production. Laura Lounge Photo by The Catamounts
27
Letter From The Editor:
INTERSECTION
INTERSECTION Adam Barnhardt
L
ast year I was taken on as a writer at Metrosphere. I was granted a regular column where I got to deconstruct the medium of film and popular media through the eyes of an LGBT community member. The name of my column “The Gay’s Gaze” is in reference to The
Male Gaze theory by Laura Mulvey. Mulvey’s feminist perspective taught me that there is no cookie-cutter audience member. Reforming art means reaching out to the underrepresented factions who seldom see themselves represented in popular media. A year later I have the privilege of being editor of Intersection with the solemn goal of continuing this inclusive dialogue. The latter is exactly that.
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Graphic illustration by Ivy Lindstrom
29
FIERCE AND FEARLESS: A Year After Pulse Adam Barnhardt
I
Photo by Karson Hallaway
t’s been a year since the shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida. On June 12, 2016, Omar Mateen walked into Pulse with an arsenal and claimed the lives of innocent club-goers. Safe spaces suddenly seemed treacherous and
inclusivity yet again took a backseat to xenophobia. Entire communities were once again being painted with the broad brush that is public outcry. What of the establishments in question? Were clubs and bars that cater to the LGBT community specifically altered by these events? A community arose from the ashes of this event and local clubs made it their prerogative to maintain their reputation as safe and inclusive environments for all. “It amazes me that there is still so much hate in the world,” Cindy Alix, the General Manager at Xbar said. Alix remembers when her brother, Steven, came out as gay in 1985. “I was afraid for him. I didn’t want anyone to hurt him,” she said. Her fear diminished over the years, but Orlando sparked her initial feelings. “I thought that [violence] was gone, but it’s not.” Xbar has been open for seven years. Cindy Alix started as a bartender when it opened before becoming the General
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
INTERSECTION
Manager. Xbar is located on east Colfax, right between Civic Center and The Fillmore. When the events at Pulse occurred, Xbar swiftly cracked down on security. “We immediately started patting people down, checking bags, etc., things we weren’t doing in the past, which to me creates an environment of distrust,” Alix said. “And in the past I think it’s an environment of trust, openness and the ability to do what we need to do as people, and that was kind of harmed.” What happened in Orlando changed the way clubs across the nation managed their business, especially their security. Immediately after the events at Pulse, Denver nightclub Tracks hosted a vigil for the community and have since taken extra precautions. General Manager
31
INTERSECTION
Morgan Taylor stated that Tracks has a full-time security team to ensure
Despite the effect of what happened at
the safety of club-goers. “Our staff works hard to ensure that Tracks is
Pulse, Denver’s gay club scene remains
a fun and safe place for everyone,” he said. Westword named Tracks
intact and Cordova is amazed at the
the best gay bar in 2017. In a public statement Taylor explained,
solidarity of the community.
“Tracks’ continued commitment to safety, stellar music and a welcoming atmosphere for those in the LGBTQ and its allies helps us be who we
“The amount of people who donated
want to be without fear, night after night.”
to the families, to the LGBT center of Orlando, and showed up to the vigils was
Emilio Cordova is a Florida transplant who was born and raised in
inspiring,” he said. “People who had no
Denver. As a gay Latino man, he witnessed the before and after effects
connection to the gay community gave
of the Pulse shooting in both states. When he attended a drag show
everything they could.”
shortly after Pulse, the Queen MC had some advice. “The host queen took a moment of sincerity to point out that even though the crowd was
Art, a patron of Charlie’s Nightclub in
small, we could get to know each other and see who is where and doing
Denver and seasoned pilot, said he felt
what.” Proving even performers have taken it upon themselves to ensure
safe in the bar scene. Art has hit many
a measure of safety.
of the gay bars Denver has to offer. He explained an attack he experienced
“No one expects someone to enter a safe zone with a machine whose
where he was jumped, outside of
sole purpose is to kill another human. I understand being prepared for
Aqua Lounge. “They had a video of
any scenario, but tightened security, I feel, is more for the peace of mind
the altercation. Look around, there’s
of the patrons,” Cordova said.
cameras everywhere.” In reference to Pulse, Art spoke firmly, “I feel the same way I felt after 9/ll. Fuck ‘em. If they made me feel afraid, they’d win.” The state of club security is adaptive. Where there were once loop-holes there are now safeguards. Clubs in Denver have made it their mission to ensure safety after the Pulse shooting. Most clubs didn’t see a decline in attendance or a semblance of apprehension from their patrons. The LGBT community is relentless in their desire to continue frequenting these establishments. No matter what the climate of club-going is, the community will re-emerge fiercely and fearlessly.
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Photos by Karson Hallaway
33
AYING YES TO LIF Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Giovanni’s Room Adam Barnhardt
INTERSECTION
J
ames Baldwin is a literary legend. Few can speak as a person of color and queer activist. His novel “Giovanni’s Room,” written in 1956, is a testament to his intersectionality and unique insight.
In the novel we meet David, a man who is having a homoerotic affair in Paris. David disdains the random nature of relationships as he grapples with how people, even those he trusts, are volatile. The book routinely hits on the aspects of decision making and its double edge. There is a double edge in David--he leads a double life as a gay man and a straight man. The story takes place in both the past and present, with the majority of his interactions with his lover Giovanni told in flashback. David feels old and the weight of his secret life ages him throughout the story. His shame coupled with Giovanni’s past of promiscuity and criminal behavior balances their relationship. Both are too afraid to move on and incapable of making a decision, yet they sign a silent agreement to be with one another. David comes from a fairly privileged upbringing while Giovanni was more of a derelict. The two rendezvous at a bar owned by a mutual friend named Guillaume. In time, their romance blossoms. David’s fiancée, Hella, is more of a friend to him than a romantic partner. Though they share a strong bond, David Art by AK Rockefeller / Flickr
views his fiancée and family as illusions. The crux of the story comes when Hella follows David and catches him romancing a sailor (not Giovanni). David confesses his exploits with Giovanni to Hella and she takes the news as betrayal. She reacts by condemning masculinity as a whole. She speaks to men’s indecisiveness, a trait David knows all too well.
35
Giovanni
is
accused
of
murdering
The book ends with this uncertainty. The tension is
Guillaume, a greedy and cantankerous
abundant and the lack of any resolution is essential to
character. When Giovanni is incarcerat-
its prose. David represents many gay men who feel
ed, David travels to see him in Paris. His
indecisive and beyond controlling their own lives.
efforts are in vain though, as Giovanni
already execution date had been set.
“But people can’t, unhappily, invent their mooring
He is to be beheaded by guillotine.
posts, their lovers, and their friends, any more than
David tears up the notice of Giovanni’s
they can invent their parents. Life gives you these
execution in one last renouncement
and also takes them away and the great difficulty
of his past, as though he himself is
is to say yes to life,” This is my favorite quote from
executing Giovanni, and therefore a
the book. It embodies the character struggle of
part of himself, from his memory.
real and fictionalized gay men. Saying yes to love, friendship and responsibility is fairly simple in
Society pressures men to fill these
contrast to saying yes to life. Saying yes to life means
masculine roles and it takes years to
accepting the things you detest about yourself,
break the shackles of that influence. So
the things you don’t want the world to see, the
much of queer life is conforming into
inalienable qualities of your very existence. Saying
an impossible mold. For queer men,
yes to life is coming out of the closet or choosing
specifically, the pull of masculinity is so
not to. It can be seen as a means of survival or an
strong that to accept any feminine role
attempt at achieving personal happiness. Baldwin
is to revoke that masculine privilege.
offers a tale of what happens when a man says yes
David longed for the Rockwellian visage
to life, but a life far removed from who he is. What
of normality; the family, the domesticity.
remains is the tragedy of indecisiveness and the
Giovanni provided a version of that, but
roads not taken.
it did not fit David’s cultural values of heteronormativity.
Intersection was created to uphold the rich tradition of altering tradition.
Baldwin knew exactly the subversive
might not seem as radical now, but for his time
notions he was delivering in his story. It’s
they were almost treasonous. Mccarthyism and
not a forbidden romance cliché as much
censorship are echoes of an archaic time today
as it is an indictment of heteronormativity
because people like him reformed the zeitgeist.
and homosexuality within one’s personal
Baldwin said yes to life by reconstructing how
struggle with its realities. The character
life is depicted in literature. With that in mind, it’s
David is unknowingly queer. He could
Intersections goal not to define, but seek out those
have been happily fluid or bisexual, but
who defy definition.
in many ways he was forced by society to keep his identities separate.
36
Baldwin’s ideas
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
INTERSECTION
Art by Chris Drumm / Flickr
37
SUBMISSIONS
Raquib “Hawk” Hakeem
38
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
O
f all the catchy click-bait headlines I have read about the Trump campaign only one stayed with me long after reading it: Trumpster Fire. Finally someone out there put everything I had ever learned or felt about Trump over the last few months and most likely the next four years, into something bumper sticker worthy.. The headline rang more of an era than a single story. I imagined telling my grandchildren about the Trumpster Fire of O-17 and how we all had to stock up on gluten free canned-goods and Smart Water. Now that I had been given the words to express this part of our journey, I wanted to capture this era visually. I was quickly reminded of former president Obama’s Hope poster and what it meant for that era and that cultural, political movement, how so much was summed up in so little. With this work I attempted to do the same, and make something that people could look back on and say “Yeah, that about sums it up”.
ballerina, Twirling
Kelsi Long
For a time, I was a ballerina. On Saturdays, my mother pulled my wild hair into sleek, poofy buns. My temples stung by the end of class but it didn’t matter.
I was a ballerina,
one of the watercolor girls in the bedroom wallpaper.
Mom would run a dry mascara brush over my stubby lashes, and the brush would tickle and I would try not to blink. A girl transformed, pirouetting in every buffed window –
the black, stretchy leotard with pills around the bottom opaque white stockings pooling around my ankles
itchy pink tulle that flounced when I jumped
pink slippers with no ribbons just
soft tan bottoms and a band of rosy elastic –
I still look in mirrors, looking for that little ballerina, twirling.
40
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Photo by Brandon Sanchez
SUBMISSIONS
Photo By Victoria Berry
42
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
HeLLO WORLD Anonymous
Hello World.
Hello world.
Today I was told I had to choose
Today I realized I have a choice
what to do for the rest of
to change my perspective on
my life.
my life.
I was told that this would determine
I realized that I can determine
my place and my future
my place and my future
in a World where I felt so small.
in a world where I know I am valued.
I was told that these hours set me up
I realized that my uncertainty and curiosity
for a future of success
gave me freedom
and stability.
and fueled my success.
I was told to always exceed expectations and surpass everyone else around me,
I realized that the only expectations
by studying in order to hit monumental percentages,
that matter, are the ones I set for myself,
I was told
and that I have the power to decide
to be a number.
and choose, to not merely be a number.
Fast forward. Now, press play.
You do too.
Actually‌press pause.
Even when the world tells you otherwise, know that You are valued. You have choices. You are loved.
43
SUBMISSIONS
Junkie Christian Chacon
The girl stood waiting in the dimly lit alley, beneath
"My mom helps me cook them.”
a wall light, holding a box beneath her trench coat.
The heavy-set buyer quickly lifted the top of the box
She kicked a few pebbles with the front of her shoe
and took a large whiff. Cupcakes. Blue raspberry
then leaned back against the brick wall and let out
and banana black cherry. He stuffed three into his
a breath of impatience.
mouth then let out a breath of relief.
“You got the stuff?” A deep voice said in the
“Don’t ever agree to hire a dietitian, kid.” He
darkness.
stopped to catch his breath. “It’s a living hell.”
The girl quickly rose off the wall and turned to her
“Are we done? It’s way past my bedtime.”
side with wide eyes. The man appeared beneath the light.
“Mmhmm,” he muffled as he stuffed more treats into his mouth. “We’re done.”
“Uh, yeah. I got the stuff,” she replied. “Are you the guy?”
The girl turned to her bicycle and lifted her helmet onto her head.
“Yeah, I’m the guy.” “Hey, kid.” “Let me see the money.” She turned her head toward him. The hooded man pulled a twenty-dollar bill from the pocket of his black jacket and presented it to
“I was never here."
her. As the girl peddled away, the monochromatically “My contact tells me you’re the best.”
dressed man wobbled into the darkness then collapsed onto his electrical wheelchair and rode
“Um, thanks." She handed the box to him.
44
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
away into the night.
Photo By Victoria Berry
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
45
Letter From The Editor:
Derek Gregory
WE MIGHT NEED
BIGGER BACKPACKS
W
hen I took the position as section
Mary Shelley first published her novel “Frankenstein” in
editor, I had a few goals in mind.
1818, more than 100 years earlier.
One being to shift gears and move Technosphere coverage
By the time similar stories about real people losing actual
toward technology and its accelerating
jobs due to technological progress started appearing in
effect on the people around me.
the media the 1970s, humans had been conditioned to accept the notion as possible by several generations of
I understood, or at least I thought I
speculative foreshadowing.
understood, technology’s effects on me. When a story about technology
For a non-traditional student like myself who made the
overtaking white collar insurance jobs
decision to earn a degree for a different white-collar
in Japan filtered through my social
profession, the notion that my next job may become
media radar, I wasn’t outraged.
irrelevant because of software, is disconcerting. I had been down that road before. I went to work for AT&T in
46
Stories about people being replaced by
1997 and worked in the network operation center where I
machines, automation or software have
spent seven years building the network software for voice
long dominated popular culture. Czech
and data for large corporate clients until the company
playwright, Karel Capek wrote a play
was able to automate a large portion of my job. Later
about a factory robot uprising against
I worked at Oracle in database administration until the
their human creators in 1921 called
work moved overseas to less expensive segments of the
R.U.R. or Rossum’s Universal Robots.
new global workforce.
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
TECHNOSPHERE
Graphic illustration by Ivy Lindstrom
When Ray Kurzweil said artificial intelligence
from hating AOL to hating “Mass Effect: Andromeda,”
would reach a point where it is as smart as a
the fastest growing segments in the workplace will be
human being by 2029, he wasn’t talking about
dominated by machines.
the ability to process insurance claims. He was talking about learning. We can argue about
How do you tell a group of people whose self-image
how quickly a machine will become as smart
relies on their job and money, that both of those things
as human beings over a beer another time,
might be completely disrupted before their own children
but there is no reason to doubt that it will
reach middle age?
eventually happen. Over the following issues, we will look at the Tech/ Those entering the workforce over the next
Culture phenomenon and see if we can figure out where
few years face a completely shifted social and
it’s going. We are going to need all the information we
economic reality. If Kurzweil is right, in less
can get if we want to survive robot insurance adjusters.
than half the time it took for the internet to go
We might even need a bigger backpack.
47
MSU DENVER
ELEVATING BACKPACK JOURNALISM TO THE NEXT LEVEL Derek Gregory
L
ike most professions, journalism has evolved to meet the
as a remote pilot airman. The course is rooted in
demands of new, ubiquitous technologies, which deliver
the ethics of using drones to gather news in a legal
stories and content to viewers over multiple platforms.
and responsible manner.
MSU Denver is launching a new course called drone journalism,
Many of the ethical or legal issues concerning
created by Professor Kip Wotkyns for the 2017 fall semester.
drones in journalism are similar to those involving
Wotkyns first began discussing drones with Robert Amend,
cameras,
Chair of the Journalism and Technical Communications
Professional journalists understand, for example,
Department at MSU Denver, before the Federal Aviation
that invading the privacy of a group or an individual
Administration published Title 14, part 107 July, 2016. Prior
on private property is unethical.
phones
or
audio
recording
gear.
to these new regulations, which require non-hobbyist drone operators to become certified according to their guidelines,
“Because of the cost advantage of drones, it is
any commercial use of drones in the U.S. was strictly prohibited,
inevitable that they will be used widely as a news
including field work at the university level.
gathering tool.” Wotkyns said.
“The spring of ‘17 was the very first semester where any
The class will feature a combination of traditional
school in the country could offer these courses,” Wotkyns
lectures, flight simulators, field work and the
said. “It’s hot.”
production of an editorial package using drones on location to create a portfolio story.
Wotkyns’ course in drone journalism is designed to provide the core instruction necessary to integrate yet another tool for
In the past, most reporters were specialists focusing
telling stories in a journalist’s toolbox. It is one of a handful of
on one area, honing their skills and reputation
courses offered at the university level since the new FAA rules
through writing, photography or video. Today’s
went into effect last year.
media requires a journalist who can write, shoot, edit and produce stories out of a backpack, on
Wotkyns’ designed his course to teach students to safely operate unmanned aircraft and prepare them for certification
48
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
location, quickly, as the story demands.
TECHNOSPHERE
Photo by Carl Glenn Payne
A drone flies above the MSU Denver Student Success Building. MSU Denver will be offering its first drone journalism class in the Fall semester. The Journalism and Aerospace departments will be working together to help teach students how to pilot drones for journalistic purposes.
Equipped with high-definition cameras, drones allow a journalist to capture visual
information
for
their
stories
from an aerial perspective. Drones are particularly good at taking panoramic photos and getting shots over difficult terrain, like mountains, rivers and lakes. They are ideal for creating scene setting shots that visually illustrate the space where a particular story takes place. According to Wotkyns, drones can take pictures or video from angles impossible to reproduce otherwise and at a fraction of the cost of maintaining a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft. Drones can quickly cover any environment and visually communicate disasters. With the right sensors, a drone can gather geographical information and data about a location and quickly pinpoint areas of interest to a story that might not be obvious at ground level. With the trend toward more visual stories and data analysis in multimedia journalism, drones are positioned to enhance the toolkit of field reporters, documentarians, filmmakers and podcasters in ways we have yet to imagine. “Are drones in journalism a fad, or is it here to stay?” Wotkyns said. “The answer is it’s here to stay.”
49
POWER TO THE PLAYERS 50
E
very year, thousands of geeks dressed as their favorite comic book, TV or movie characters pack into the Denver Convention Center in the sweltering heat of June, eagerly waiting to get autographs, swap stories and take photos.
For most of attendees, comic-con is a celebration of comics popular culture. For dedicated fans, it is often about seeing a favorite celebrity and being first to hear news of a major new movie or series. Tacticon 29 has partnered with Rocky Mountain Con 5, which spotlight local talent and raise awareness for local charities. This year’s event held on Sept. 28 - Oct. 1 at the Crowne Plaza Denver International Airport Hotel. This hybrid convention combines both aspects of geek and nerd culture under one roof. Its focus is on tabletop, board, collectable card games, miniatures and PC gaming, making this convention a true “player’s convention.” It is an experience largely rooted in participation through play. You are as likely to meet the authors and designers of your favorite games at the table, dice in hand, just as you are a famous actor at the end of an autograph line at the various vendor booths and tables. The convention will feature Twitch streaming tournaments, a charity auction, live “dungeon crawls” and celebrity guests, drawn largely from the local comic book and game development communities. “Savage Worlds” is a generic table top roleplaying game featuring numerous published settings, across many genres including pulp-style, traditional fantasy and science fiction. The event will also host the largest gathering of “Savage Worlds” players in North America. A local player group, the Rocky Mountain Savages, will run over 100 game sessions across the four-day event. Like all great games, its rules are simple to learn, but have enough depth to challenge all players, regardless of their level of experience.
Derek Gregory
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
TECHNOSPHERE
Other roleplaying games like “Dungeons and
house attraction with the more cerebral challenges of a
Dragons,” “Star Trek Adventures” and “Dungeon
modern escape room.
Crawl Classics” have also scheduled games throughout the weekend. Board games like
RMC brings a smaller and more locally focused version of the
“Planetarium”, “Mega Civilization” and “Cthulhu
traditional comic con experience to area fans, while Tacticon
Wars” promise to draw their own groups of
continues its tradition of providing a space for gamers
enthusiastic players, seeking tactical play with
looking to meet new and old friends, enjoy their favorite
miniatures and tokens on large tabletop battlefields.
games or try new ones.
Attendees looking for a break from the tables can
If you find yourself near the battlefield in late September,
participate in a live dungeon crawl. The event is
surrounded by miniature armies, bags of dice and stacks of
laid out over one or more rooms, designed to
rulebooks do not despair. Instead, grab a chair and introduce
represent various challenges. The live dungeon
yourself to a new group of allies or rivals. You never know what
crawl combines many elements of a haunted
you might become -- until you play.
Photo by Matthew Rowles
Letter From The Editor:
THREADS
THRIFTING STYLE: Bianey Bermudez
I
becoming an educated fashion consumer
t’s no secret that on a Sunday evening you can
While the world of fashion may seem glamorous,
find me tearing up my neighborhood Goodwill
the ugly side of mainstream fashion is much less
rack-by-rack. I have absolutely no shame in my
fabulous. Shopping at the thrift stores is healthy
thrift shop game.
for closets, wallets and the environment. Fast fashion retailers, like Forever 21 and H&M, rush to
The older I get, the more my fashion priorities
imitate designer pieces for lower costs and creates
change from wearing whatever is cute and cheap,
inhumane working environments.
to wearing quality items that show the world who I am. Instead of buying the same $15 T-shirt from
According to the fashion documentary The True
H&M everytime it rips, I’ve bought several Stella
Cost, the fashion industry is the world’s second
Mccartney T-shirts from the thrift store that will last
biggest polluter after the oil industry. More than
years. I’ve opted to recycle and buy recycled and
15 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills
adapted a “less is more attitude” when it comes to
each year.
my closet. I have done my research and stopped shopping
52
People are shocked when I tell them where I got
at retailers who abide by inhumane practices and
my trendy shoes, my funky top and fun accessories,
contribute to the environmental crisis. I drive past
but the truth is, my closet is 72 percent thrifted - I
the mall to the thrift store and local, small fashion
did the math.
entrepreneurs.
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Graphic illustration by Ivy Lindstrom
Much like myself, the future of Threads lies in
Thrifting is the future for fashionable
the people, places that are consciously making a
consumers who want to make a
difference in the lives of others. Threads is not just
difference with the clothes they wear.
a place for fashion and beauty, we’re diving deeper
In Vivienne Westwood’s words, “Buy
to help our readers become educated consumers
less, choose better and make it last.”
and keep inspiring individuality, style, and self love. 53
Model: Tiffany Boyd DesignerÂ: Tiffany Boyd Photo by Jessica Holman
54
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
THREADS
BE INSPIRED, BE CONNECTED, BEAFRICA Bianey Bermudez
F
rom the consumer’s side of the computer,
BeAfrica is only a year old, yet Boyd
BeAfrica is the online destination for African-
has already expanded her product
inspired accessories such as scarves, head
line from just accessories for women,
wraps and intricate patterned clothing. On
called
BeQueen,
to
accessories
the other end is creator and owner Tiffany Boyd,
for men, BeKing, and the newest
making every product by hand with love and pride.
addition, home goods, BeHome.
“I should let you know this order is from Paris,” she said as she stands at her cloth cutting table in her
“It’s a steady growth [for the brand],
basement, better known as BeAfrica headquarters.
because I choose to do that,” Boyd said.
Boyd’s space is sacred ground, a place she has
Boyd
come to call her sanctuary. By day, she works as a
hardly taking her eyes away from the
director of program management for a software
task at hand. Her space is neat and
company. During the evenings and weekends,
organized, everything in its place,
Boyd juggles being a mother to five-year-old
which is a must for her creativity to
Christopher and working on her brand.
flow best. She fills orders with ease,
saunters
between
stations,
55
THREADS
Tiffany Boyd works on her clothes at the sewing machine in her work room. Photo by Jessica Holman.
it’s become second nature. She started sewing
Boyd has always been in touch with her heritage,
infinity scarves out of her favorite fabric as a
but it wasn’t until she and her husband, David,
hobby and an escape from her corporate job.
started researching their ancestry that she
Eventually her hobby turned into an Etsy business
gained a newfound appreciation for Africa.
where she continues to sell her merchandise.
Together they traced Boyd’s lineage across many regions. In 2015, Boyd combined her
Her mother and grandmother were seamstresses.
interest in African fabrics and passion for
As a single child, Boyd grew up admiring the
sewing to create her brand. Her logo, which
talents of all the women in her family.
features a curvy woman with Africa as her crown, serves as a reminder of her newfound
“I can remember just looking at her bed and seeing how she patchworked a quilt,” she reminisces of her grandmother’s work. 56
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
knowledge of her heritage.
Model: Senaiet Mesgun Designer: Tiffany Boyd Photo by Jessica Holman
57
THREADS
“Its powerful to know who you are really,”
While Boyd’s road to fashion success
Boyd said. “Part of being who you are is
continues, it isn’t always easy juggling
acknowledging the color of your skin and
the many aspects of her life. Taking
where you come from.”
on a business in her spare time means she uses all 24 hours in a day. Boyd’s
BeAfrica is built on the idea of celebrating
dream is to own her own boutique
culture. Boyd is using fashion as a way to
shop. Boyd’s main goal for BeAfrica
showcase traditional African garb in a modern
is to continue connecting with other
way. She works directly with African fabric makers,
local shops in Denver to grow her
sourcing her material from Ghana, Nigeria and
brand and to support her community.
Kenya. What she hopes makes a statement for her brand is her use of fabrics that come from
Growing up in Denver, Boyd found
different parts of the African continent.
that there was only one store in Park Hill that offered products directly
“It’s about the colors and what the patterns
from Africa. With the surging number
mean, so when you see flowers and things like
of people moving to Denver, Boyd
that all of these fabrics have meaning in the
feels part of the African culture and
African culture,” Boyd said.
community is being lost. She hopes to connect more with the African
She not only wants to incorporate that knowledge
community in Denver and to continue
of culture into her business but also pass it down
donating to other organizations that
to her son.
celebrate humanity.
“We don’t ever want Christopher to question
As
who he is, as a person, as a member of our
Boyd says that she’s not trying to
family and as a member of society.”
become a millionaire. She hopes her
BeAfrica
continues
to
grow,
small business values show people Teaching Christopher about his heritage and
that dreams are attainable at any
showing him how to incorporate that into a
age. BeAfrica is about a greater
business has been a rewarding experience
appreciation for her family’s heritage.
for Boyd. It is a constant motivator for her to
It’s a passion realized to support a
do better and to show her son that, although
greater
education is important, anyone at any age can
Boyd wants BeAfrica to celebrate
shift job aspirations and start something that is
people for peo`ple without labels
special and meaningful.
and for her products to be as unique
cause.
Most
importantly,
as the people purchasing them.
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Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Model: Senaiet Mesgun Designer: Tiffany Boyd Photo by Jessica Holman
THREADS
60
Metrosphere / Vol 36 / Issue 1
Model: Senaiet Mesgun Designer: Tiffany Boyd Photos by Jessica Holman
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51 BROADWAY - DENVER 226 E 13TH AVE - DENVER 1813 PEARL ST - BOULDER
photo by Jack Pochop