Purple Door Coffee continues its mission to employ Denver’s unhoused teens and young adults at a new Cap Hill location
The shop does more than just serve up tasty coffee. Purple Door's job readiness program is designed to train and employ Denver’s unhoused teens and young adults and equip them with the soft skills needed to exit life on the streets.
‘We’re part of the community’ Undocumented Coloradans here for decades wish their legal status would be considered amid focus on new immigrants
An estimated 160,000 people are living without legal authorization in Colorado and 11 million in the United States. CPR News spoke with three women who are originally from Mexico and are all in a similar position, living for decades in Colorado without legal papers, raising children here and working to support their families. Since late 2022, they have all watched as tens of thousands of new immigrants have arrived in Colorado to try to make their lives here. The newcomers have received temporary housing from the city of Denver, as well as help with food, housing, job placement, legal services, and more from an army of volunteers and nonprofit organizations. The three women who spoke about their long-term experience being undocumented in the state are part of this relief effort, as are other people who came to the U.S. decades ago and have had to find their way.
The Museum for Black Girls is back in Denver and looking to continue celebrating Black women, hopefully permanently
“We’re giving Black girls their flowers. They deserve them.”
November is National American Indian Heritage Month
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
A rabbi and imam on how they’re counseling their communities
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Imam Mohamed Herbert in Kansas and Rabbi Sharon Brous in Los Angeles about how they're counseling their congregations during the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Is giving people cash working? What six months of Denver’s Basic Income Project tell us
The study marks the mid-way point in the nation’s largest basic income study.
For the first time, Colorado details dark historical chapter of attempted forced assimilation of Indigenous children in extensive report
Colorado is getting a fuller picture of a dark era in state history. At around the turn of the 20th Century the federal government funded institutions to try to strip children of their Indigenous identities. On Tuesday, state archaeologist Holly Norton released the results of her team’s year-long investigation into the practices of the schools.
Civics for Democracy
Jalaya Liles Dunn contends that civics should “represent the agency and change of each generation, demonstrating the needs of the time and how people showed up for the collective good.”
A new model of renting comes to Arvada — one where tenants get some money back
The goal is to help tenants build wealth and get them to pay rent on time.
New must-see art breaks barriers on the National Mall
A pioneering art exhibition opens on the National Mall this weekend, created around the question: What stories remain untold on the Mall?
With a range of accents, a unity poem years in the making is brought to life through culturally diverse voices
What started out as a way to break down barriers between cultural and ethnic communities that don't always have an easy way to connect culminated with a seven-minute declaration by Native Americans, Latinos, Asians, Blacks, Jews, whites and immigrants from Africa.
DSST school nixes namesake William Byers, Denver newspaper founder who defended Sand Creek Massacre
The Denver-based DSST charter school network is changing the name of another of its schools in a move that distances the schools from a prominent, long-deceased Denverite who held racist views.
With Supreme Court Decision, College Admissions Could Become More Subjective
Colleges have a game plan, like emphasizing the personal essay, but so do conservative groups that promise to monitor and, if necessary, go back to court.
View Interfaith Alliance of Colorado’s 2023 Legislative Report
2023 was a landmark legislative session for both Colorado and Interfaith! While there is still plenty of work to do, we were nonetheless able to advocate for numerous policies that have now become the law of the land, improving the lives of millions of Coloradans for generations to come..
La Raza Park, a community hub in the Northside, is now a historic cultural district
La Raza Park, a place filled with historical relevance for residents of the Northside, will continue to be a staple in the area for decades to come. On Monday, City Council unanimously voted to make La Raza Park the city’s third historical cultural district. The designation will preserve several features of the park while allowing the space to grow in terms of playgrounds and picnic areas.
Miss Cummins goes to Washington: A Colorado teen’s journey into DC lobbying
When she was two years old, Maddy was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, a neurological disorder. She now gets around in a wheelchair and is non-verbal. She communicates with the help of an iPad-like device she operates with her eyes.
Five Things to Know One Year After the Dobbs Decision
The Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade has produced some unexpected legal and political changes, as well as a shift in public opinion.
Federal Judge Overturns Arkansas’ Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth
A federal district court judge has struck down and permanently enjoined an Arkansas law that aimed to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth, finding the law violates the Constitutional rights of transgender youth, their parents, and their medical providers. The court held that plaintiffs prevailed on all their claims, finding the ban violated the Equal Protection Clause, the Due Process Clauses, and the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
‘I have not seen one cent’: billions stolen in wage theft from US workers
Workers in the US have an estimated $50 billion-plus stolen from them every year, according to the Economic Policy Institute, surpassing all robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts combined. The majority of these stolen wages are never recovered by workers.
11 years after the creation of DACA, Congress trying again to give ‘Dreamers’ more legal certainty
A bipartisan group of U.S. House members reintroduced a bill to protect DREAMERS on the 11th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA program.
Protecting the Indian Child Welfare Act at the State Level
The Supreme Court issued a landmark victory for tribal sovereignty in Brackeen v. Haaland.
Introducing Lavender Hill, Denver’s first Queer Cultural District
Lavender Hill covers parts of Capitol Hill, City Park West, Cheesman Park, Baker and Five Points.
A Landmark Youth Climate Trial Begins in Montana
Sixteen young people argue that the state is robbing their future by embracing policies that contribute to climate change.
Colorado is getting hotter, but many residents lack access to indoor cooling
A new report calls on Colorado to help its most vulnerable residents prepare for extreme heat as the Earth warms. The survey of diverse Denver neighborhoods by Healthy Air & Water Colorado found nearly a quarter of people with annual incomes below $35,000 lack access to cooling.
Suncor has more pollution problems than similar U.S. refineries, new EPA report finds
A new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finds that the Suncor Energy refinery in Commerce City has more malfunctions and more frequent unplanned pollution releases than other comparable facilities around the country, confirming the suspicions of many frustrated neighbors and climate advocates.
How To Celebrate Juneteenth
There are many ways to celebrate Juneteenth. From an outdoor cookout with traditional foods to the modern-day office conference room, Juneteenth can be celebrated in various settings. Start with a reading of the “History of Juneteenth” to learn how Juneteenth celebrations have endured and evolved through the years. For a deeper understanding of the spirit in which current-day celebrations are held, read the “Juneteenth In Modern Times” section.
Colorado joins growing number of states banning local jails and prisons from partnering with ICE to hold immigration detainees
Colorado jails and prisons are now banned from signing new agreements to hold immigration-related detainees on behalf of the federal government.
Meet the Climate Activist Demanding Action Against Colorado’s Only Oil Refinery
Growing up in Commerce City, Colorado, 21-year-old climate activist Alessandra Chavira remembers always adhering to one specific rule: Don’t drink the tap water. “Nobody in Commerce City drinks it,” says Chavira, who identifies as Chicana. “For me, that was normal—and it’s still the case.”
How Housing Segregation Shaped America’s ‘Gayborhoods’
Racism continues to influence access to housing for LGBTQ communities today.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science will permanently close ‘harmful’ American Indian exhibit this summer
The Denver Museum of Nature & Science's North American Indian Cultures exhibit “reinforces harmful stereotypes and white, dominant culture” and will close permanently this summer, according to an email the museum sent to members.
Interfaith Establishes New Neighbors Donation Center to Help Migrants in Denver
The Interfaith of Colorado is proud to have responded to past calls from the City of Denver to assist with the migrant crisis, establishing a donation center in our office at First Baptist Church that helped the city distribute resources to migrant families in need over the winter. We will continue working closely with the city to respond to this crisis.
‘Rampant’ antisemitism in Cherry Creek Schools has parents and students worried
Kids throwing pennies on the floor and telling Jewish students to pick them up. Students yelling to Jewish students that “Kanye was right and that Hitler did not do a good enough job.” Jewish students finding Nazi symbols scribbled on their schoolwork. Students performing Nazi salutes in front of Jewish students. Those are just some of the incidents Jewish students say they’ve endured at Cherry Creek Schools where they’re increasingly the targets of antisemitic behavior, according to parents and students. They crowded into the auditorium at Cherokee Trail High School on Monday night to share their experiences with school board members.
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Enjoy this selection of films, some premiering in May as well as some gems to revisit. These documentaries celebrate the light and love in our diverse AANHPI communities.
LGBTQ historian David Duffield wins Denver Library’s Eleanor Gehres Award
“It’s about the legacy of the work and making sure that no queer kid ever has to grow up with the same kind of ignorance I’ve had to grow up with.”
Colorado governor signs three bills further protecting access to abortion, gender-affirming care into law. Here’s what they do.
The new laws cement Colorado’s reputation as a refuge for people in other parts of the country governed by laws that limit when people can terminate a pregnancy or transition their gender
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
The enslavement of Africans during the Transatlantic Slave Trade tore millions of people away from their families, deprived them of their human rights and left trauma spanning generations. The racist legacy reverberates today in harmful prejudices and beliefs that continue to impact people of African descent across the world.
Women’s Day events highlight major gaps in gender equality
From demands for constitutional rights in Islamabad to calls for economic parity in Manila, Paris and Madrid, International Women’s Day demonstrations in cities around the world Wednesday highlighted the unfinished work of providing equity for half of the planet’s population.
SNAP benefits in Colorado are changing this month. Here’s how to get more food assistance
The federal government has ended a pandemic-era expansion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. That means the half-million Coloradans who use the program will see smaller benefit checks starting in March.
Why the College Board watered-down its new course on Black history
Yesterday was the first day of Black History Month. The College Board marked the occasion by releasing a revised framework for its new Advanced Placement (AP) course for African American Studies. The new version of the course, however, appears designed to mollify right-wing criticism.
Denver city councilman says lack of accessibility for debate was ‘humiliating’
When Councilman Chris Hinds arrived at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theater in Denver Monday night there was no ramp to the stage.
Another Colorado hospital stops letting women get their tubes tied, renewing questions about reproductive rights
Colorado has one of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country, but health care advocates say women in rural and mountain towns often lack reproductive health care access.
History Colorado is heading out on a road trip to research and preserve Green Book sites
“We just want to get out into the community and talk to folks and understand what history was known more anecdotally or passed down through family.”
Which Indigenous lands are you on? This map will show you
Native Land Digital, an Indigenous-led nonprofit based in Canada, is working to facilitate such conversations and document this history including by putting together a searchable map of Native territories, languages and treaties.
My family was torn apart before the Indian Child Welfare Act passed. Will SCOTUS upend it?
The U.S. Supreme Court has recently made some landmark decisions, such as the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the erosion of states’ rights to regulate concealed weapons. But there is another critical case that is up for SCOTUS review in the fall term that most mainstream media outlets are not talking about. That is Brackeen v. Haaland.
Top 5 Things You Should Know About the 5th Circuit DACA Decision
The Fifth Circuit Court has agreed with anti-immigrant Judge Hanen, and has sent the decision back for Hanen to decide on the future of DACA. Despite this, DACA continues open for renewals, for now! Judge Hanen had already ordered the partial end of the program last year – meaning that right now DACA is still in danger! Here’s what you need to know.
I Taught My 4th Grade Class About White Privilege And Their Response Was Eye-Opening
"Students tackled the Louisiana literacy test, which was given to would-be Black voters in the 1960s. Every one of them failed."
I Hid My Disability At Work For 6 Years. When I Stopped, My Entire Life Changed.
"Most people with invisible disabilities choose not to disclose these to their managers for fear of being seen as less capable and having their career progress stalled."
The Problem with Erasing Race from the Holocaust
Last Monday on The View, Whoopi Goldberg inaccurately stated that the Holocaust was “not about race, but rather “man’s inhumanity to man” and that Jews and Nazis were just “two white groups of people”. Although she’s since apologized for her remarks, the network has suspended her for two weeks.
Perspective: The importance of Black History Month
Questions raised by Black History Month celebrations can help America become a better country.
Holocaust Remembrance Day: Local Survivors Share Stories on New Educational Website
Fred Marcus grew up in Berlin, escaped from Nazi Germany to Shanghai, survived the deprivations of the ghetto, arrived in the U.S. and became a noted Denver educator. His story of triumph over tribulation may have been lost to generations if not for a soon-to-be-launched website, Witness to History, which chronicles the lives of survivors who made Colorado their home after the Holocaust.
No, The Deaths of Disabled People Are Not “Encouraging News”
Following the backlash from CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky's recent comments, disability advocates say her remarks weren't an "error" or "bad editing," but the result of how ableist thinking devalues the lives of the chronically ill and disabled people.
How Aurora, Colorado is using mobile ‘public spaces’ to address the challenges of suburban social service delivery
Despite rising suburban poverty nationwide, social services have not caught up with the needs of residents in sprawling suburbs, and nonprofits there often must stretch their operations across larger service delivery areas with fewer resources than those in larger cities.
I’m Black But Look White. Here Are The Horrible Things White People Feel Safe Telling Me.
"Many of these people are educated, and hold jobs or positions that give them some form of power or influence over Black people."
Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain: Name change seen as reconciliation and healing
What was once Sq**w Mountain is now known as Mestaa’ėhehe Mountain.