may 2013
DESCRIPTION
Blair-Caldwell Library Celebrates 10 Years, Zion Hosts Heart to Heart Across the Lifespan Event, Black Men and Mental Health, 5 Points News History Makers, Winter Session Outpost Opens Storefront in Five Points, Five Points Jazz Festival, Parenting Black Children in a Violent World, The Real Freeway Ricky Ross and more...TRANSCRIPT
Happenings in and around Historic 5 Points and Northeast DenverMay 2013
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145 Points newsonLine nowat www.5Pointsnews.com
Blair-Caldwell Library Celebrates 10 Years
Zion Hosts Heart to Heart Across the Lifespan Event
Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide, and is responsible for 40 percent of all deaths. A healthy lifestyle, that in-cludes a nutritious diet and regular exercise, can go a long way toward lowering one’s risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. this was the message on sunday, May 5, from the Zion Baptist Church Health education and service Ministry as they presented Heart to Heart Across the Lifespan through drama and fashion. the program included an array of presentations. Dr. Byron e. Conner, M.D. provided information about this often silent killer in his talk, Heart Disease and Stroke: 5 Minutes of Words to Live By; an original drama, Heart Disease: A Reality Check, was acted out by the Zion Youth Ministry; and Fashions for the Heart was commentated by Cynthia Cunningham, with musician Annette Groves.
Recommendations to reduce risk of heart disease include not smoking, lowering blood pressure, physical activity, relaxation, and heart healthy eating.
–Misti Aas
L-R-Three generations of the Witsett family, James Ray Jr. (8) and James Ray Sr., Dr. Claudette Sweet, Gladys Brown Jones, Kathy Ellerbee
Dr. Byron E. Conner, and Rev. Frank M. Davis Reba Johnosn, Emma Jackson, and Elnora Hawkins
in 1999, Mayor wellington e. webb and First Lady wilma J.webb had a shared vision for a research library and museum to preserve and showcase the many contributions of African Americans to Colorado and the west. in 2002, the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library had its groundbreaking ceremony, and on April 25, 2013 the library celebrated its ten year an-niversary with throngs of community members in attendance, including John w. Franklin of the smithsonian national Museum of African American History and Culture. Dr. syl Morgan-smith served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the ribbon cutting of the new Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation Boardroom, and the portrait unveilings. new Honorable portraits include George L. Brown, Gloria travis tanner, Arie Parks taylor, and wellington e. webb.
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5 POINTS NEWSProud Recipient of theDr. syl Morgan smith
excellence in Media Award,the Colorado Black Roundtable
Commitment to service Award andthe Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, inc.
Colorado Media Award
L-R Pat Cortez, Vanecia Kerr, Wellington E. Webb, Odell Barry, Ed Wingfield, and Dr. Syl Morgan-Smith
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Saturday June 22, 2013 | 2 - 5:30 pmCentral Baptist Church | 2400 California St, Denver, CO 80205
Resource Booths, Workshops, Panel Discussions and More
Free and Open to the Public | RSVP 303.293.0024| E-mail: [email protected]
Sponsored by 5 POINTS NEWS, Denver Safe City Office and Central Baptist Church
Continuing The Series on Black Mental Healthbrother jeff’s Community Health Initiative Presents
Black Men and Mental Health
Don’t Miss This Timely EventPartners, Presenters and Planners Needed
~Important Dates to Remember~August 23 – 25, 2013
July 20, 2013 | 2–5:30 pmZion Baptist Church
933 E 24th Ave Denver, CO 80205
May 11, 2013 | 2– 5:30 pm
Black Mental Health
Retreat
Black Faith andMental Health
Shorter Community AME Church 3100 Richard Allen Ct., Denver
- Presenters Include -Dr. Kinette Richards, PhD, NCC, Debbie R. Carter, M.D., Antoinette Gomez, LSW, CAC III, Randall S.
Craven is a Licensed Psychotherapist,Geri Grimes, Tamisha Macklin
Consumers of Mental Health Services Providers | Researchers
Administrators | Policy Makers Caregivers and More
Location TBA
Black Children, Youth and
Mental Health
May 2013 8 3
5 Points news Monthly Publication - May 2013
Publisher
brother jeff
editor
brother jeff
layout & design
Cynthia R. Martin
PhotograPhy
Lens of Ansarbrother jeff
A-Team Photography
Writers & researchers
Terrance “Big T” HughesKenneth Drew
brother jeffCynthia Martin Aminah FardAliyah FardMisti Aas
Camille Smith
5 Points News is a publication of brotherjeff.com
2836 Welton StreetDenver, CO 80205
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, inc recently paid tribute to several Colorado Me-dia Honorees at their 65th western Region Convention. As publisher of 5 POINTS NEWS, i was humbled to be honored along with media icons: James “Dr. Daddio” walker – 760am and Power 1510 KDKo, Rosalind “Bee” Harris – the Denver Urban spectrum, Bertha Lynn – 7 news, taRhonda thomas – 9 news, and James tucker – African American Voice (Colorado springs).
since its founding on December 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, inc. has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African-Americans and people of color around the world. Congratulations on a successful conference and thank you for including local media. View more photos on page 13.
–brother jeff
Saluting Our Local Community Leaders
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Talkn’ With Dr. DaddioSaturdays 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Early MEntal HEaltH IntErvEntIon and Black cHIldrEn i would like to commend brother
jeff’s Community Health initiative for their 2013 series on Mental Health in the Black Community.
My daughter has recently been diagnosed with severe panic attacks. early symptoms presented them-selves as chronic stomach problems, which eventually escalated to (what we thought was) acid reflux. When her body didn’t respond to medication, she was tested and diagnosed with rumi-nation reflux, an uncommon anxiety induced condition that would require therapy to correct.
Her condition was less evident in elementary school; however, when she moved on to middle school, the combi-nation of a variety of stressors elevated her condition to a completely new level.
My daughter is a bright young lady. she entered sixth grade reading and writing at a ninth grade level, but her hidden disability was misinter-preted by her teachers as a purposeful
behavior problem. their determination to reform her only intensified her con-dition. soon, she no longer, nor did i, see her school as a safe environment.
After receiving therapy, and with the help of an advocate at her school, she has acquired tools that help her manage anxiety. i am so proud of her.
our experience helped me to un-derstand the need for mental health as it pertains to Black children, and it raised several questions that continue to linger in my mind. How many of our children go untreated? How many of them are mislabeled? How many of our children except those labels as their personal truth and conform to them? How many of our adults that are in the prison sys-tem, on drugs or are homeless would have chosen different paths had their mental health issues been addressed when they were young?
–Concerned parent transformed to advocate for
Black children and mental health
Bertha Lynn, brother jeff, and Rosalind “Bee” Harris were among Colorado Media Award recipients
The Law Office ofJessica Jackson-Barrows, LLc
Former Brooklyn, NY Prosecutor Specializing in Criminal Defense and Personal Injury
695 South Colorado Blvd., Suite 480Denver, Colorado 80246
PH: 303.898.2698 | FAX: 303.722.7281
Payment Arrangements Available
Letter to the Editor
oops...ExcusE our Error
in the April 2013 issue of 5 POINTS NEWS, we mis-takenly listed Project Redemption as an agency, rather than a program of Greater Denver interfaith initiative. Dr. Car-roll watkins Ali is the executive director.
we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. if you come across any inaccuracies, please let us know and we will publish corrections in the following edition.
udall, unIvErsal Background cHEcks & HIgH-capacIty MagazInEs
Mark Udall issued the following statement on his vote against a ban on assault weapons, including some common hunting weapons, proposed by sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.):
“Coloradans, including sports-men, hunters and responsible gun owners, agree that we need to keep dangerous military-style weapons off of our streets and out of places like our schools and movie theaters. in carefully studying the language of this specific assault weapons ban, it became clear that it went too far because it also would have banned certain hunting rifles and even some shotguns. And there was no opportu-nity to amend this legislation to make it work for Colorado sportsmen. while this legislation sought to keep the most dangerous weapons off of our streets, we needed a more tailored
and measured approach that better respected our traditions of hunting, sport shooting and responsible gun ownership. More specifically, if this bill had been more carefully crafted to only ban weapons designed for the battlefield and keep them out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill, i would have supported it.
“Although i voted against this version of an assault weapons ban, i voted earlier today for strengthened background-check legislation. And i will vote for legislation that bans high-capacity magazines, because that more focused policy — similar to what passed in Colorado at the state level — achieves many of the same goals without unnecessarily infring-ing on Coloradans’ second Amend-ment rights.”
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May 2013 8 5
Dr. Talia McCray
Denverite Dr. talia McCray has received a Fulbright-scotland Visiting Professor Award to enable her to do re-search at Glasgow school of Art Urban Lab from January through July, 2013. she will explore techniques that accu-rately represent what people do in urban public spaces and their travel behavior.
After finishing Thomas Jefferson High school in 1985, she attended and
Lewis James Liggins ii was born november 3, 1934 in witchita Kansas. He was the 12th child born to Lewis Lig-gins sr. and Harriet Butler.
Lewis was an intelligent man be-ginning his education at san Diego se-nior High school in California, where he enjoyed running track. He furthered his education at the University of Cali-fornia in Los Angeles where he received his credentials in; buuilding construction technology, lifetime teaching, techniques of teaching, and conversational spanish.
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though education was a priority, he always knew he had a greater calling.
Lewis began his walk with Christ at an early age and became an ordained min-ister in 1961. He was appointed an associ-ate minister at Jackson Memorial Church of God in Christ, and later a senior Pastor at Campbell Memorial CoGiC in Denver Colorado. Leading his church, now Greater Campbell Memorial CoGiC, Pastor Lig-gins not only taught the word with annoint-ing, but he contributed musically as well. whether it was the organ, saxophone, or a song, lewis followed the leading of the Holy spirit and therefore touched many lives.
in addition to his role as a business-man and pastor, the most important role to him was that of husband and father. Lewis has been married to his beautiful wife, Lor-raine, for over fifty-five years and they were blessed with three wonderful children.
in his free time he enjoyed drag rac-ing, spending time with family and friends, and helping those in need. the church was Lewis’ home were he fed and poued into many lives for the reaminder of his life.
on April 3, 2013, Lewis James Liggins ii passed into the loving arms of his Lord and savior, Jesus Christ. He leaves to cher-ish his memory his wife, three children and a host of family and friends.
Gladys Coleman Roy
Pastor L.J. Liggins, II
Gladys Amanda Coleman Roy was born July 19, 1926 in Brookhaven, Mis-sissippi. Gladys graduated from Alex-ander High school in Brookhaven, Ms in 1945, attended tuskegee institute, in 1949 she received a Bachelor of science Degree in Home economics. After grad-
In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory
5 POINTS NEWS
History Makers
Billy WilliamsBilly williams started playing base-
ball at 13 and ultimately played with some of the greatest players in the negro Baseball League. “i was too young and those guys were such great professionals, i spent a whole lot of time on the bench,” say williams. “on occasion i did get a chance to get in the game.”
He went on to play in elmira Chiefs in new York and then the Albany sena-tors. williams also had a relationship with Jackie Robinson, who was a liason for the Rockefellers.
At 84 years young, williams is still in the game and can be found participat-ing in countless organizations and events. He is a commissioner for the Denver of-fice on Aging.
uation, Gladys worked as an extension agent in Marion County Alabama. Gladys married Joe eddie Roy, sr. in 1950.
she began a distinguished 27 year ca-reer with Denver Public schools in 1965. Gladys was a Golden Life Member of the Delta sigma theta sorority, a member of Park Hill UMC and later, a member of the Church of Christ. she was an industri-ous member of the national Association for the Advancement of Colored People (nAACP) for over 40 years and was a member of Phi Delta Kappa for 20 years. she is survived by her three sons, Joe, James and Jerry, seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, two siblings, several nieces, nephews, and many addi-tional relatives and friends.
Carolyn Love has been awarded a PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch University. Dr. Love’s disser-tation, entitled Generations Apart: A
Dr. Carolyn LoveMixed Methods Study of Black Women’s Attitudes About Race and Social Activism, examines how race influences the activi-ties of Black women in search of political, social, and economic justice.
the PhD in Leadership and Change program is part of Antioch University, which is founded on principles of rigor-ous liberal arts education and innovative experiential learning. Antioch University provides learner-centered education to empower students with the knowledge and skills to lead meaningful lives and to advance social, economic, and environ-mental justice.
Dr. Love is currently the principal of Kebaya Coaching – Consulting inc., a leadership and organizational develop-ment company founded in 2004.
graduated from Bennett College and north Carolina A&t state University in Greensboro, nC, majoring in mathemat-ics and electrical engineering. Continu-ing with her education at northwestern University, she received a Ms degree in electrical engineering. she received a Ph. D. degree in Urban technological and en-vironmental Planning at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Her Ph.D. training led her to rural south Africa to study prenatal care utiliza-tion patterns, and to Quebec City, Canada, as a Ford Foundation Post-doctoral Fel-low to study low-income women’s travel patterns. Currently, she is on the faculty at the University of texas at Austin school of Architecture Community and Regional Planning Program.
she is the daughter of Pensal and the late Dr. Christophe J. McCray.
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Businesses & Services Along WeltonADveRtIsIng AnD MARketIngPure Brand Communications2745 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 297-0170
Commerce Kitchen515 30th street, Denver, Co 80205(877) 299-9101
ARchItectuRe AnD InteRIoR DesIgnStudiotrope2942 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 308-1144
ARts AnD cultuReBlack American West Museum3091 California street, Denver, Co 80205(720) 242-7428
Blair-Caldwell African American Library 2401 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 865-2401
brother jeff’s Cultural Center 2836 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 297-0823
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance 119 Park Avenue west, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-1759
Stiles African American Heritage Center, Inc.2607 Glenarm Place, Denver, Co 80205(303) 294-0597
AutoMotIveCourtesy Auto728 east 26th Avenue, Denver, Co 80205(303) 861-4417
BAnkIngUS Bank 2701 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 296-4742
Wells Fargo2559 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 297-7786
BARBeRs & BeAuty shopsDunbar Barber Shop 2844 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-9131
Five Points Beauty and Barber2757 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 298-1078
Franklin Stigers Afro Styling2755 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-9055
Hope for a Change Beauty and Barber Shop2737 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 434-9092
McGill’s2843 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-1977
Mr. Puff2754 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 404-8154
New Look Barbers2825 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-9192
BARsClimax Lounge2217 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 292-5483
cleAneRsC & B Cleaners & Hatters2748 welton, Denver Co 80205(303) 297-9544
coMMunIcAtIonsWireless Express610 26th st., Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-1788
coMMunIty DevelopMentCivil Technology Inc.2413 washington, Denver, Co 80205(303) 292-0348
Five Points Business District2444 washington, Denver, Co 80205(303) 832-5000
Spark Policy Institute2717 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 455-1740
DIspensARIesAlternative Medical Foods2752 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-2425
Denver Kush Club2615 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 736-6550
engIneeRIngTriunity Engineering2444 washington st., 3rd Flr, Denver, Co 80205(303) 953-0320
FAIth BAseDAgape Christian Church2501 California, Denver, Co 80205(303) 296-2454
A Word from God Ministries2845 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 297-6305
Central Baptist Church2400 California, Denver, Co 80205(303) 292-6618
City Life Church608 26th street, Denver, Co 80205(720) 989-1827
goveRnMent oFFIcesDenver Motor VehicleFive Points Plaza2736 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 865-4600
heAlth & huMAn ResouRcesbrother jeff’s Community Health Initiative 608 26th st., 2nd Floor, Denver, Co 80205(303) 293-0024
Denver Options2736 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 587-2800
Healing Life’s Pains2515 California st., Denver, Co 80205(720) 275-3383
Hope Communities2543 California, Denver, Co 80205(303) 860-7747
InsuRAnceThe Insurance Stop2736 welton st. #106, Denver, Co 80205(303) 576-8000
legAl seRvIcesA Release Bail Bonding www.releasebonds.com(303) 523-4447
Cooper & Dorancy, LLC3025 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 831-1021
Kiovsky and Duwaldt2820 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 293-2300
MeDIAChannel 122900 Welton, Denver, CO 80205(303) 296-1212
Denver Weekly News2937 Welton, Denver, 80205(303) 292-5158
5 Points News2836 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 297-0823
Free Speech TV2900 Welton, Denver CO 80205(303) 442- 8445
KUVO2900 Welton, Denver, CO 80205(303) 480-9272
Urban SpectrumHas relocated from Welton(303) 292 6446
ReAl estAte & housIng Public Realty2608 Welton, Denver, CO 80205(303) 295-2128
Wise-Harris Arms Apartment Complex605 26th Avenue, Denver, CO 80205(303) 296-7530
BARsM&M Bar2621 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 295-0424
RetAIl & seRvIcesA Piece of Mine - Ladies Boutique2937 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 539-6919
Graham Crackers Antiques2545 welton, Denver, Co 80205
Neat Stuff at the Black Market2547 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 382-1337
Thrifty Treasures 2846 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 993-7701
Uptown Market 2721 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 993-7701
schoolsTubman-Hilliard Global Academy2741 welton, Denver, Co 80205(720) 542 8238
venuesCervantes Masterpiece Ballroom2637 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 297-1772
youth seRvIcesHeart and Hand2758 welton, Denver, Co 80205(303) 757-2368
Visit Wireless Express and the many businesses and services of Five Points
Neat Stuff at the Black MarketFeaturing Unique Items for Every Occasion
Visit us today for special gifts
your loved ones will cherish.
2547 WeltonDenver, CO 80205
303.382.1337
it’s hard to describe the historic rhythm of Five Points or its distinct atti-tude. You simply know it when you see it. However, the young people have coined a word that captures the vibe. they call it swagg—short for swagger. swagg is confident, proud and living with a sense of purpose.
swagg is exactly what you see in this photo as the Public Realty crew makes their way back to their Welton office from a downtown luncheon. spanning several generations, Public Realty is certainly one of the most longstanding businesses in Five Points. that’s swagg!
–brother jeff
This is What Five Points Feels Like
TCG is a consulting service that advocates for, supports and encourages the family caregiver of an elderly loved one.
www.tcgcares.com820 S. Monaco Parkway #342, Denver, CO 80224
303.394.1963 | [email protected]
May 2013 8 7
Tom’s Cafe800 e. 26th st., Denver, Co 80205
(303) 388-8035
Coleman’s Diner2622 welton st., Denver, Co 80205
(303) 296-3389
The Creamary908 30th st., Denver, Co 80205
(303) 295-2404
Bogey’s on the Park2500 York st., Denver, Co 80205
(303) 291-1354
A&A Fish2896 Fairfax st., Denver, Co 80207
(303) 399-3730
Welton Street Cafe2736 welton st., Denver, Co 80205
(303) 308-0860
Frank’s Kitchen2600 High st.
Denver, Co 80205(303) 296-3838
Cora Fayes2861 Colorado Blvd. Denver, Co 80207
(303) 333-5551
WT Snack Shop5560 east 33rd street
Denver, Co 80207(303) 329-0335
Five Points & Northeast Denver Restaurants
Five Points Media
Happenings in and around Historic 5 Points
Winter Session Outpost Opens Storefront in Five Points
Gun Shots Hit Welton Wells Fargo Bank
Wire Less expressNew & UsedPhones
WeFlash!
se HablaespañolREPAIR
Real Service • Real Prices • Real People
610 26th st.Denver, Co 80205
winter session, designers and mak-ers of leather and canvas accessories, opened their workshop for retail on May 2nd at 2952 welton st.
A unique retail experience, visitors can see and handle goods as they are be-ing made. the shop will be open every thursday from 11am-7pm, along with se-lect saturdays for popup events featuring likeminded local food and craft producers.
two upcoming events include a First Friday opening celebration on May 3 from 5:30-9:30pm, and a Mother’s Day popup sale on saturday, May 11 (11am-2pm) with local purveyors of flowers, sweets and handcrafted goods.
winter session began in 2010 in Chicago, illinois by husband-wife team tanya Fleisher and Roy Katz as a way
to explore new creative ideas and chan-nel their past experiences in art, design and architecture. Both Colorado natives, the pair recently relocated the business to Denver and will be opening their produc-tion space to the retail public for the first time. offerings will include the full line of winter session designs -- wallets, bags and aprons -- and exclusive collaborative products, plus a curated selection of hand-crafted American goods.
winter session’s ongoing mission is to design and produce thoughtful, well-made things in a responsible manner. operating on a flexible scale, they combine tradition-al methods and innovative technology to find a balance between utilitarian function, aesthetic appeal and durability.
nena Rodriguez, service Manager at wells Fargo Bank on welton street, re-ceived a call at approximately 8:50 p.m. on saturday, May 4, from Denver Police saying there had been a drive-by shooting that caused damage to the bank at 2559 welton. three bullet holes were apparent in the window by the entrance. only one of those shots had penetrated the glass and went through the base of the wall about 20
feet through the entryway. An additional bullet had penetrated the outside wall near the entrance. two bullet holes are visible in the inside counter near the door, but it is not clear which point of entry caused that damage. no injuries were reported from the shooting.
“it’s disconcerting to have this happen where you work,” said Rodriguez, “we’re trying to put some safety policies in place.”
www.winter-session.comco-owner/designer Tanya Fleisher | [email protected] | 970-618-6141
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8 8 5 Points news
the 2013 Five Points Jazz Festival will be held on May 18th from 11a.m. - 8p.m. this free community event celebrates the music, culture and his-tory of Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood, with performances highlighting many of Denver’s finest jazz musicians. Performances and ac-tivities take place in numerous venues in Historic Five Points, with food and art vendors along welton street.Ven-dor booth registration now is open!
Reserve a booth space and place your businesses’ products and services in front of the 17,500 people we expect for this one day event. Register today!
2013 FIVE POINTS JAzz FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES & ACTIVITIES
Main stage 11:00am southern Journey1:00pm Colorado Jazz Repertory orchestra3:00pm Park Hill Brass5:00pm Conjunto Colores7:00pm Hazel Miller Band
Five Points Plaza stage
12:30pm swing Je t’aime2:30pm Blues Man willie Houston4:30pm Buckner Funken Jazz
coFFee at the Point stage 11:00am Katie Glassman Quartet1:00pm Manuel Lopez trio3:00pm Adam Bodine trio5:00pm Deep Chocolate
crossroads theater stage
1:30pm Linda theus – Lee Quintet3:30pm Devoted to the standard
cervantes stage
12:00pm superCollider3:00pm Julie Monley BandBellco
youth stage
11:00am Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts12:30pm Break Dance Lesson1:00pm Absolute Fam1:30pm DsA Jazz Band2:30pm Break Dance Lesson3:00pm Five Points Heritage Band
ALL DAy ACTIVITIES
youth lecture
Approaching Jazz through the Lens of Folkloric Music, Blair Caldwell Afri-can American Research Library, 2401 welton street - 1:00pm and 5:00pm
Join guest lecturers Greg tanner Har-ris, John Grigsby and ido Ziv as they look at jazz from the folk music perspective
Free day at the stiles aFrican aMerican heritage center
2607 glenarM – 12PM to 5PM
the stiles African American Heri-tage Center strives to help all people become aware of the significant contri-butions African Americans have made towards the development and progress of America.
Five Points Jazz exhibit at blair caldWell aFrican aMerican research library - 2401 Welton
Please visit an exhibit on the his-tory of the Five Points Jazz Festival.
ol’ skool street rollers car shoW - 28th and Welton
will be located in the parking lot on the corner of 28th and welton
usta interMountain colorado
ten & under tennis 27th and Welton
10 and Under tennis, using the Quickstart tennis play format, is struc-tured for kids to learn, rally and play quickly in a way that is both enjoyable and rewarding. tailoring equipment and courts so they are sized appropri-ately for kids make the game more as-sessable – and more fun – by allowing kids get involved right from the start.
JaM session at brother JeFF’s cultural center
2836 Welton street – 1PM – 6PM
in the spirit of improvisation that is jazz, all are invited to participate or at-tend this free Jam session. Bring your instruments, bring your vocals, other talent or simply sit back and enjoy.
black aMerica West MuseuM
3091 caliFornia street
Founded in 1971 by Paul w. stew-art, the Museum is dedicated to collect-ing, preserving and disseminating the contributions of Blacks in the old west. Visit the museum for light refreshments and entertainment. the Museum Gift shop features contemporary Colorado
African Arts. General admission ap-plies.
chalk art
Join three amazing artists from the Denver Chalk Art Festival as they create amazing works of art while you watch! there are also areas for kids to participate in the chalk creations. Find the artists at Crossroads theater, the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library and in the Festival Marketplace.
gabriela candotti - exhibiting artist
crossroads theater
2590 Washington
Gabriela was born and raised in são Paulo, Brasil and moved to the Us to work as a nanny in 2006. ever since she was little, art was her passion, and she was lucky enough to have parents who supported that passion and never complained about the pricing of canvas and oil paints. Although she has been painting for almost 15 years, only re-cently was she encouraged to show her work. She has lived in Denver for five years and now lives and works in the Five Points. Gabriela teaches during the week and paints during her time off.
neW! “urban treats” Features Five Points Jazz artists
Join us the third thursday of every month through May at the Mcnichols Civic Center Building for FRee en-tertainment at our Urban treats series! enjoy your lunch with Five Points Jazz artists and more. Artist schedule:
May 11 (at sonny Lawson Park)11:30am Colorado Jazz Repertory orchestra 1pm Conjunto Colores 3pm Buckner Funken Jazz May 16 11am Park Hill Brass 12:15pm swing Je t’aime
Juneteenth Music Festival 2013At 10:00am on saturday, June 15, 2013
the Juneteenth Music Festival (JMF) will take over welton street with an abundance of local food and retail vendors, outstanding local entertainment and above all a unified,
multi-cultural, peaceful crowd. this year, with a new executive Committee, and a strong no violence and youth involvement message, the Denver JMF promises to be better than ever. This year marks a first for
many components of the JMF, which in-clude: the JMF Parade, Art walk, Youth engagement Zone, Miss Juneteenth Pag-eant (to be held at 6:00pm on Friday June 14th), and the fist annual JMF Car Show.
For more information on the Juneteenth Music Festival please contact: sabrina Coleman | Pansophy PR 303.378.2218 | [email protected] juneteenthmusicfestival.com
the annual Five Points Jazz Festival will kick-off this year’s event at the Mcnichols Civic Center Building with film screening of The Girls in the Band, directed by Judy Chaikin. this women’s Plus Film: Voices Film Festival favorite highlights the swinging era of Jazz and the women who made it possible.
with a few years under our belt the Five Points community in Denver, Co ex-pands the annual Five Points Jazz Festival for two days with a festival kick-off party and film screening highlighting the swinging era Jazz. This year Jazz on Film _ Denver will screen the film entitled the Girls in the Band, directed by Judy Chaikin.
Arts and Venues, the facility management department of the City and County of Denver will host the special event, presenting the newly restored Carnegie Library, known to Denverite’s by many names, but the venue located 144 west Colfax Avenue has been recently designated an historic City of Denver landmark in honor of former Mayor william Mcnichols.
Visit Denver, 365.com will offer ticket and lodging specials for patrons who will make it a Jazz weekend in Denver. Arts, culture and creativity have for a number of years made Denver a unique and special place to live, adding to the vibrant tourism of Colo-rado. The economic impacts of the creative arts have proven to help define a Great City, and the film industry can take note of the rich history in the Queen City of the Plains.
the Five Points Jazz Festival early beginnings paid homage to the Great Legends of Jazz in Denver. noted music artists who performed at world renown venues along the welton street Commercial Cultural District, such as the Rossonian Hotel and the Casino Cabaret known today as Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in the heart of Five Points. A portion of the proceeds from the Five Points Jazz Festival kick-off party will go toward the development of music studies and workshops adding an exciting new dimension for the future of Denver and a new generation of Jazz Fans.
Jazz on Film | Denver/5 Points Jazz Festival Launch Party
JamSessionFive Points Jazz Festival
featuring Joe Bonner, Tom Tilton, Vince Williams and more...Bring your instrument - All are welcomeMay 18, 2013 | 2–6 pm | brother jeff’s Cultural Center | 2836 Welton St.
May 2013 8 9
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NAACP Youth Council member Raven Johnson-Bailey encourages participants to become leaders
Jail is No Place to Call Home
on saturday, April 20, the nAACP Denver Youth Council presented Jail Is No Place to Be Somebody 2013 at east High school with the theme Identity: Who Said You Couldn’t Be Yourself?
the conference included workshops, panel discussions, and entertainment for youth and other adult community mem-bers.
the day started out with keynote speaker Jathan Paris, a professional high school educator since 2005 who has con-nected with young people in the class-room from kindergarten through twelfth grade. A series of concurrent workshop sessions transpired throughout the day geared to specific populations; adults, and youth separated sometimes by age and gender. Diverse topics included prevent-ing obstacles to success; poetry, prose, and power; expression through the arts; family communication; creating your destiny; the Black male initiative; and others.
“thirteen years ago, the Denver
nAACP Youth Council decided the in-carceration of African-Americans, at an alarming rate, was the most important civil rights issue we were facing,” said Child Psychologist and nAACP Youth Council co-advisor Dr. Carolyn Phillips. “the members said they wanted to do something other than just talk about the problem. that was the beginning of the Jail Is No Place To Be Somebody project.”
the United states incarcerates more of its youth than any other country in the world. on any given day, over 70,000 juvenile offenders are not living in their homes, but are in some type of residen-tial placement. According to the w. Hay-wood Burns institute, nationally Black youth are more than five times as likely as whites to be incarcerated.
Recently 47 states have made it easi-er to be tried as an adult, calling attention to the growing trend away from the origi-nal model for treatment of juveniles in the justice system.
LOW-INCOME TAX PAYERS RECEIVE$18.5 MILLION IN REFUNDS
the Denver-based Piton Foundation announced that the tax Help Colorado program provided free tax preparation assistance to more than 9,200 individu-als during the 2013 tax season. in addi-tion, it processed 236 prior-year returns, bringing the total number of returns pre-pared to 9,444, which is a 35% increase over last year. A partnership between the Piton Foundation and the Colorado Com-munity College system that was created in 2007 to alleviate the financial burden of commercial tax preparation on low-wage earners, tax Help Colorado helped families claim more than $18.5 million in tax refunds in 2013, including nearly $6.8 million from the earned income tax Credit (eitC).
this year, 16 colleges participating in tax Help Colorado operated 26 free tax sites statewide, where nearly 400 iRs-trained students prepared and filed tax returns free of charge for individuals with household incomes of less than $50,000. ninety-six percent of tax returns prepared by Tax Help Colorado were e-filed. By of-fering free tax preparation services, tax Help Colorado helped low- to moderate-income families save more than $1.9 mil-lion in commercial tax preparation fees.
“Because of the tax Help Colo-rado program, low- to moderate-income families have more money to make ends meet,” says Diane DiGiacomo of the Piton Foundation. “Many of the fami-lies that visit tax Help Colorado free tax sites are eligible for tax benefits such as the eitC and Child tax Credit, and our tax preparers specialize in ensuring that working families with children receive the refunds they deserve.”
one of the nation’s most success-ful anti-poverty programs, the eitC and
other work tax incentives like the Child tax Credit promote employment while providing valuable refunds to low- to moderate-wage earners who oftentimes struggle to meet their families’ most basic needs. According to the Piton Founda-tion, research shows that lifting family income through the eitC helps improve education and health outcomes in children while also boosting the local economy.
“the Piton Foundation is proud to partner with the Colorado Community College system on tax Help Colorado,” DiGiacomo says. “we are so appreciative of the faculty and students whose dedica-tion to this program truly helps improve the lives of children and families across the state.”
in addition to providing free tax preparation through tax Help Colorado, the Piton Foundation has been conduct-ing the tax Credits for working Families Public information Campaign for that past 25 years to ensure Colorado families know they could be eligible for the eitC. each tax season, Piton distributes more than 1.5 million education materials through part-ners such as the state of Colorado, city and county governments, schools, churches and nonprofit organizations.
For more information on the
Tax Help Colorado Program and
the Piton Foundation’s
Working Families Public
Information Campaign
please visit
www.piton.org/eitc
10 8 5 Points news
May 2013 8 11
Boston Marathon. sandy Hook. Au-rora theater. Columbine. these words have become synonymous with tragedy.
the world we live in today is much different from the world of my youth. As a child, i rode my bike all over town, walked places alone, and stayed out until the street lights came on without a sec-ond thought for my safety. But just the mention of the names trayvon Martin and Jessica Ridgeway cause today’s par-ents to hold their children a little closer. what is a parent to do? what is an ef-fective parenting style given the violent world in which we find ourselves?
African American parents tend to be more authoritarian. Psychologist Diana Baumrind describes authoritarian parents as strict and more demanding, using little open communication or offering few ex-planations of parental rules. An authori-tarian parent says things like, “As long as you’re living under my roof, you’ll follow my rules” and “i brought you into this world; i’ll take you out.”
Researchers Laura Pittman and Lindsay Chase-Lansdale have concluded that Black parents tend to view authori-tarian parenting as a necessary strategy to help their children cope with racism and discrimination, and to protect them from community violence. their research de-scribes benefits of the authoritarian par-enting style such as producing obedient
this is the second part of an article that appeared in the April edition of 5 POINTS NEWS on the recently released Losing Ground report from i-news, the journalism arm of PBs. this important study uncovers startling facts about race, disparity, and progress for African Ameri-cans and Latinos. Its findings demonstrate that in recent decades, gains in equality have been disappearing.
on saturday, April 27, the Colo-rado Black Roundtable and a myriad of community leaders continued exploring disparities that were brought to the fore-front of consciousness through the Los-ing Ground study. Laura Frank, founder and executive director of i-news, joined the conversation to answer any questions about the report that delves into compari-sons in income, education, poverty, and other areas between Blacks, Latinos, and whites.
there is disparity on perspectives on what lies at the foundation of these wid-ening gaps. However, everyone agrees that it is vital to stay in continued aware-ness and create action steps to address these issues.
Quincy Hines, regional director of Barbershop talk, believes that people have lost a desire to initiate change. “we’ve become reactive rather than pro-
active,” said Hines, “and we don’t mobi-lize unless something is happening, like a shooting or other tragedy. we need to develop ongoing strength and unity.”
According to the report, in 1970, African American families earned 73 percent of white family incomes and La-tino families earned 72 percent. By 2010, those numbers had fallen to about 60 per-cent and 50 percent respectively. After narrowing in the 1970s and 1980s, the poverty gaps in Colorado have widened, with rates almost three times higher for Black and Latino residents.
“if we don’t understand why it’s hap-pening, the problem will never be solved,” said long time civil rights activist Larry Borom. “white privilege, institutional racism, inequality that came out of slav-ery; it’s a historic problem. it becomes so much the norm that we don’t question why the numbers are so bad. that accep-tance is as dangerous as anything else.”
–Misti Aas
Losing Ground Part Two
Parenting Black Children in A Violent World
Chauncey Billups in partnership with nothing But net (nBn) elite Basketball and the Parker Fieldhouse are pleased to announce the 2013 Chauncey Billups Basketball Academy summer Basketball Camp with special guests Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers. this camp will take place from June 24 to 27 with two sessions, separat-ing campers by age.
each camper receives a camp t-shirt, a basketball, one personally autographed item from Chauncey Billups, Blake Grif-fin, and DeAndre Jordan! There will be a nine to one camper to coach ratio. this amazing camp is offered at the low price of $250 dollars per player. space is limited so register early online at www.ParkerRec.com or call 303.805.6300 for registration inquiries.
For additional information about the Chauncey Billups Basketball Academy or nothing But net elite Basketball go to www.nbncoaching.com or contact Mar-cus Mason at 303.921.5302
this year the Chauncey Bilups camp is offering up to 100 scholarships through a scholarship essay Contest! typed es-
says must be submitted by May 25, 2013 to be considered. each essay will be based on two questions, depending upon age.
Age 6-10 (300 words or less, include both questions in essay)
1. who is Chauncey Billups? and2. why do you want to attend the
Chauncey Billups Basketball Camp?Ages 11-17 (answer one question in
each category below)(Choose one of these two questions,
300-500 words)1. why do you want to attend
this year’s Chauncey Billups Basketball Camp? or
2. what does the sport of basket-ball mean to you?
short answer question: (100-300 words)
1. who is Chauncey Billups; and his impact on Colorado?
Chauncey Billups Summer Basketball Camp
Dr. Peggy Mitchell norwoodLos Angeles Clippers Chris Paul along with teammate and Park Hill’s own Chauncey Billiups
children with better school performance who are less likely to use drugs. And yet they observe that authoritarian parenting comes at a cost: generally speaking, chil-dren who receive Authoritarian parenting have lower self-confidence, lower self-esteem, and their self-reliance suffers.
Parents must take into account the nature of their children’s current environ-ment along with the unique needs their children have when they choose a parent-ing style, but Pittman and Chase-Lansdale advise that authoritarian parenting is more likely to produce healthier outcomes if of-fered in the context of warmth, support, and communication.
if a child has experienced a traumatic event first hand or is aware of the trau-matic events happening all around us, we can follow these guidelines:
• Reassure children that they are safe, but honestly discuss their fears
• Give children permission to ex-press their feelings, whatever they may be
• Discuss the details of the trauma in developmentally appropriate language
• Offer children additional social support by spending more time with them
• Limit exposure to media reports and images related to the traumatic event
• Help children to understand and cope with “survivor’s guilt”
• Encourage healthy behaviors and routines such as healthy eating, ad-equate amounts of regular sleep, exercise, and stress management and relaxation techniques
• Encourage children to partici-pate in their family’s spiritual and faith-based practices
• Engage children in activities they enjoy like reading, drawing, music, sports, and other social activities
• Reestablish routines as soon as possible
• Get children professional help if signs of trauma (eg., nightmares, acting out, crying, trouble sleeping, fear of sepa-rations, bedwetting) don’t subside
Dr. Peggy Mitchell norwood is a for-mer psychology professor who special-izes in clinical psychology and personal transformation. For more information, visit www.DrPegonline.com or call 303-745-4944.
Join Laura Frank, Dr. Vincent Harding, and other notable speakers on May 28, 6 p.m. at the History Colorado Center to discuss what’s ahead for civil rights in the program the Lasting Legacy of 1963: what now? see Page 10
For additional scholarship information go to: http://www.nbncoaching.com/bil lups-camp/essay-contest/
12 8 5 Points news
Panama Soweto and Elder Carolyn Woods Network at a Safety Summit Session
Community Partnering to Prevent Violence
A community coming together is what best describes the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance’s Bi-annual Denver safety summit. Manual High school played host to this important community-healing event. several hundred concerned citizens participated in a day of workshop topics that included; Police and Public Re-lations, Role of Faith and Family, early
intervention & Diversion strategies for Youth, Aspects of Cultural Diversity and Violence, Violence Against women, and Youth against Violence. According to Denver safety summit Chairman Regi-nald Holmes, “having the people affected by violence involved in solving the prob-lems is key to healing our communities.”
–Terrence Hughes
Dr. Ra Un Nefer Amen Visits Five Points
Mile High United Way Invests $7 Million
on April 6 and 7, Dr. Ra Un nefer Amen, founder of Ausar Auset society international (AAsi), gave lectures on the ageless teachings of Ancient Kemet (egypt) at the King trimble Center in Denver to commemorate AAsi’s 40th an-niversary.
Amen was born in the Central Amer-ican country of Panama. His initial expo-
Dr. Ra Un Nefer Amen
sure to African culture came through his visits to the island of san Miguel where many enslaved Africans had escaped to after being brought to Panama in the 18th century by spaniards to work in the gold mines.
Amen attended Panama’s Conserva-tory of Music when he was six years old. He arrived in the United states in 1960 to continue his formal musical training, and graduated from the Brooklyn High school for Boys in Brooklyn, new York in 1961. Upon graduating, Amen contin-ued his formal training at Juilliard Prep (Pre-College Division) and Mannes Col-lege of Music.
trained originally as a concert pia-nist, composer, and music theoretician, Amen passed on opportunities in the mu-sic industry to devote time to the spiritual education and the upliftment of African people. to accomplish this goal, he has written and published several books on the subject of ancient egyptian philoso-phy and spiritual culture, most notably Metu neter(Vols. 1-7) and the Metu ne-ter oracle.
Membership is PowerJoin the Denver Branch of the NAACP
Download the membership application atwww.naacpdenver.org
Destination Health: Walk/Run/Learnthe Center for African American
Health will host its third annual Destina-tion Health: walk/Run/Learn
Destination Health is a family-friend-ly, educational and multi-generational ex-perience. Runners and walkers can choose the 5K route or enjoy the one-mile option. the Health education expo area, featur-ing more than 40 booths filled with impor-tant facts about vital health matters, offers an excellent opportunity to learn about active, healthy lifestyles. And, a special Children’s Health and safety Zone will provide fun activities and information for youngsters. this enjoyable event also will include great entertainment.
Plan now to take part on July 27 in the 2013 Destination Health – and encourage your family, friends and coworkers to par-ticipate too by forming a team. sign up by June 15 to take advantage of the early-reg-istration discounts. Register online today at www.destinationhealth5k.org
would you like to help with this worthwhile project? Volunteer opportu-nities are available. Contact the Center at [email protected] or call 303-355-3423 for details.
the Center for African American Health is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the African-American community. the Center partners with a wide variety of health-education and health-delivery organizations to develop and provide culturally appropriate disease prevention and disease management pro-grams to thousands of African Americans each year.
the Center offers programs on diabe-tes, cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer, as well as a wellness program for seniors, and health literacy training. For more informa-tion about the Center for African American Health visit www.caahealth.org
Mile High United way renewed its commitment to improving the lives of children, individuals and families of metro Denver by investing $7 million in 117 local nonprofit partnerships to create lasting, measurable change in the areas of school Readiness, Youth Success and Adult Self-Sufficiency.
“thanks to the enormous generosity of our donors and volunteers, and the excep-tional work of these nonprofits, more children will enter school prepared to succeed, more young people will graduate high school ready for college or work, and more indi-viduals and families will reach economic self-sufficiency,” said Christine Benero, Mile High United Way President and Chief Executive Officer.
Peter Beaupré, Chair of the Mile High United way Board of trustees and President, PCL Construction enterprises, inc., added, “our goal is to harness the collective power of corporations, individuals, the public and philanthropic sectors to improve the lives of those in our community who most need our help. each one of us can make a difference, but only together can we truly achieve social change. we believe this investment will do just that.”
the awards are part of Mile High United way’s community-wide impact invest-ment portfolio. they invest in programs and organizations with a proven track record of excellence, and in newer, innovative organizations that are doing outstanding work and demonstrating great promise for achieving measurable results in the three focus areas. this year’s awards also promote collaboration among agencies and across sectors in order to expand the collective impact of each investment.
Mile High United way expects to renew this year’s impact investment awards for two additional years to create a total investment of $21 million over three years. Renew-als are contingent on grantee success and available funding. the $7 million in impact grants is a fraction of Mile High United way’s overall investment in our community. In fiscal year 2013-2014, the organization intends to invest $35 million to improve our community through a variety of efforts.
this year’s investments complete a highly competitive process that began in Au-gust 2012 with a request for proposals. nearly 200 Mile High United way stakeholders and community volunteers participated in reviewing 306 proposals from area nonprofits. Mile High United Way established and reaffirmed the focus areas of School Readiness, Youth Success and Adult Self-Sufficiency through extensive community conversations with hundreds of service providers, business leaders, funders and other interested indi-viduals from the metropolitan Denver area.
A list of the 2013 impact investment partners is available by clicking here and also available online. to learn more visit www.unitedwaydenver.org.
Did you know?Mile High United way is moving to Five Points.
More details in the next edition of 5 Points news
May 2013 8 13
Terrance Roberts and the real “Freeway Ricky Ross at Venture Prep Middle School
The Real “Freeway” Ricky Ross
After a life of crime as Los Angeles California’s most notorious drug lord, Ricky Donnell Ross better known as “Free-way” Ricky Ross was locked up with little hope of parole. God moves in mysterious ways, because that individual is no longer incarcerated, no longer slinging drugs, no longer illiterate and he is no longer with-out hope. Brought to town, by Colorado’s own Community Acitivist terrance Rob-erts, Director of Prodigal son initiative and Camo Movement Founder; Ross de-
livered a rousing tale of life, death and his ultimate resurrection as a man on a mission doing positive things for his community to a special group of kids from Venture Prep Academy, Denver. Ross stated he read about Roberts and he viewed him as a role model because of how terrance turned his life around after incarceration, motivating and empowering youth with his organiza-tion Prodigal son.
–Terrence Hughes
“brother jeffI wAnT THAT PHoTo!”
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Email [email protected] and order high resolution, color photos.
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5 Points News Photo GalleryBlair-Caldwell Library Ten Year Celebration Alpha Phi Alpha Western Region Convention
Annual Housing Conferencethe Points Housing institute, inc.
presents the third Annual Housing Con-ference and Community Resource Fair on saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Blair-Caldwell Library, 2401 wel-ton. Councilman Albus Brooks will give the keynote address, and various topics will be offered in conference breakout circles including Housing Policy and Pro-cedures; Buy/sell/Rent/share; Commu-nity Housing services; Foreclosures 101; work/training; and the Historic Housing Preservation.
the Points Housing institute, inc.
works to ensure that everyone has access to fair and adequate housing. “People de-serve to have a home and that’s why we do what we do,” said Cha Ka M-Zee, founder and director of organization. “it shouldn’t be a challenge or a problem for anyone, and Colorado has been an outstanding example in its approach to homelessness.”
For additional information, contact Cha Ka at 720-435-7269 or [email protected].
14 8 5 Points news
Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher’s Office has been awarded the 2012 Silver Knighton Award for best performance audit, by the Association of Local Gov-ernment Auditors (ALGA).
the audit, Police Records Manage-ment system it General Controls, was judged on several key elements, such as the potential for significant impact, the persuasiveness of the conclusions, the fo-cus on improving government efficiency and effectiveness, and its clarity, concise-ness and innovation.
“i am very pleased about this rec-ognition, said Auditor Gallagher. “we have been doing ground breaking work in the area of performance auditing and in particular in the area of it audition. Very few audit shops have the capability in this area that we do and this demon-strates how important our commitment to Performance and it auditing is.”
the audit assessed the information technology (it) general controls related to the Police Department’s Records Man-agement system. Auditors used sophisti-cated information technology techniques the audit police system operations and security, including oracle database and its in simple and understandable terms.
the audit found electronic public safety records were at risk of total loss due to several deficiencies, including the absence of a disaster recovery plan, lack of backup files and off site storage, lack of recovery test, inadequate change management and system administration and security deficiencies. The audit also
found backup tasks were failing due to inadequate server disk space.
Gallagher noted that the audit had the desired effect of discovering prob-lems, offering solutions and seeing those recommendations implemented.
“this is how the process ideally works: we discovered problems; as we discovered those problems, we immedi-ately reported them-as they were found and before the audit was finished-and management was able to address them before a disaster occurred. Many of the issues we found were fixed before the au-dit was finished and reported,” Gallagher said. “i am so proud of the Audit services teams we have assembled for the exem-plary work they are doing, work that is reflected in this award.”
each year, local government audit organizations from around the U.s. and Canada submit their best performance audit reports for judging. the purpose of the competition is to improve gov-ernment services by encouraging and increasing levels of excellence among local government auditors. Judges from peer organizations determined that this audit was among the best of 2012.
Audit services is headed up by Di-rector Kip Memmontt and the it Audit team responsible for the audit is headed by Deputy Director Audrey Donavan and stephen Coury.
the audit can be found on the Audit services link on the Auditor’s website, www.denvergov.org/auditor.
Denver Wins National Award for Audit
Slain Officer Celina Hollis
Man Pleads Guilty in Officer Hollis MurderRollin oliver recently pleaded guilty
in the shooting death of Denver police officer Celena Hollis, after the origi-nal charge of first degree murder was dropped. Hollis was killed while rushing in to break up a fight at a jazz concert in City Park last summer.
oliver, who had been charged with first-degree murder with extreme indif-ference for human life had pleaded not guilty to the crime last october. As part of a plea deal, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second degree murder earlier last month.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 21. oliver faces a minimum sen-tence of 16 years and a maximum of 26 years in prison. His sentence will require he serve five years of parole.
Mortage Assistance for HomeownersA special grant program for low and
moderate income individuals and families is available that seeks to bring the dream of home ownership within reach. Lacking the funds for a down payment is often a barrier, and someone who applies for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage can be po-tentially helped with down payment and closing cost assistance of up to four per-cent of the loan.
To find out if you quality for the Met-ro Mortgage Assistance Plus Program, a lender can help explore specific income, debt and credit factors. Unlike other mortgage assistance programs, there is no requirement to be a first-time buyer. In-come is required to be less than $91,100 for households of two or fewer persons, and less than $103,000 for three or more.
A minimum FiCo score of 640 (660 for manufactured homes) and a maximum debt-to-income ratio of 45 is requires, as
well as a complete HUD-approved home-buyer education. Even though a signifi-cant portion of the down payment will be supported by this grant, an individual may need to bring one-half of one percent of the total mortgage (.5%) to the closing.
the types of homes and properties that can be purchased include single-family, detached house; condominium or townhome; duplex; and manufactured homes
A revolving pool of $15 million in funding is expected to be available for about two years, through about December 2014, on a first-come, first-served basis. For Denver residents, there is the poten-tial for qualified borrowers to receive a federal tax credit of up to $2,000 annually as well.
For details: www.denvergov.org/oed Housing Authority (tab), Metro Mortgage Assistance Plus (link).
CenturyLink, inc., one of the nation’s leading internet service providers, is of-fering the “CenturyLink internet Basics” package in the Denver market to improve and promote broadband adoption and use by low-income consumers.
to help get more low-income house-holds online, CenturyLink is offering dis-counted High-speed internet service start-ing at $9.95 per month, plus applicable taxes and fees, to eligible consumers in Denver. the service provides access up to 1.5 Mbps downstream capability. Higher bandwidth services, where available, are offered at a comparable discount.
“we are proud to offer affordable High-speed internet service to those who need help getting online because we be-lieve that the internet is a vital part of a family’s educational, social and economic life,” said scott Russell, CenturyLink’s vice president and general manager for Denver and northern Colorado.
Participation in CenturyLink internet Basics is determined by the criteria for the Lifeline Affordable telephone service, a federal program currently offered by Cen-turyLink that provides discounts on ba-sic monthly telephone service to eligible low-income consumers. to qualify, Den-ver residents must also qualify for one of 11 federal programs:
• Medicaid• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food stamps or snAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (section 8)
• Low-Income Home Energy Assis-tance Program (LiHeAP)
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (tAnF)
• National School Lunch Program's Free Lunch Program
• Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
• Tribally-Administered Temporary As-sistance for needy Families (ttAnF)
• Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPiR)
• Head Start (if income eligibility crite-ria are met) CenturyLink is also offering program
participants an internet-ready netbook computer for $150, plus taxes, shipping and handling. the new equipment in-cludes access to CenturyLink@ease™, a comprehensive suite of backup, security and support services.
According to a study on broadband adoption by the Federal Communications Commission, 60 percent of low-income households, which are defined as having annual incomes of less than $20,000, do not subscribe to High-speed internet ser-vice, compared to 35 percent of the entire U.s. population.
For more information about Centu-ryLink internet Basics, please visit www.centurylink.com/internetbasics.
CenturyLink Offers “Internet Basics” for Low-Income Consumers
Have information or a story you would like to share with the community?
email [email protected]
May 2013 8 15
6th Annual Friends of Manual Breakfast
Sam Williams Memorial Golf Classic
Manual High School | 1700 East 28th Ave. Denver, CO 80205Friday, May 31, 2013 | 7:30 a.m. | doors open at 7 a.m.
Saddle Rock Golf Course | 21705 E Arapahoe Rd, AuroraThursday, May 30, 2013 | 8 a.m. Shootgun Scramble
the Friends of Manual cordially invites you to join alumni, community members, parents, and students as we honor Mayor Michael B. Hancock and the revolutionary scholars and supporters of Manual High school. this event is FRee. RsVP or sign up to be a table captain today by sending an email to [email protected]; register online at www.FriendsofManual.org/events; or call 720-336-9387.
A memorial awards and scholarship luncheon will follow the tounament at 1 p.m., and is included in the $100.00 golfer registration fee. Luncheon only tickets are avail-able for $25.00 each or $80.00 for a table of four. Proceeds from the tournament, lun-cheon, and silent auction benefit African American scholarships to Johnson & Wales University, prostate cancer awareness and screening through the Center for African American Health, and youth mentoring. For more information, or to register or spon-sor, call Misti Aas, tournament chair, at 970-396-4266, or email [email protected].
Pan-Hellenic Founders’ Day Celebration
Better Block Five Points
4th Annual Walk for Whittier and Family Fun Night
Whittier ECE–8 School, located at 25th and Downing in DenverMay 24, 2013 | 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Blossoms Restaurant at Heather Gardens | 2888 S. Heather Gardens Way, Aurora Saturday, May 11, 2013 | 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Sonny Lawson Park | 24th Street between California and Welton StreetsSaturday, May 11, 2013 | 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
New Hope Baptist Church and the Drug Policy Alliance presents a free film screening of the award winning documentary, The House I Live In, produced by Danny Glover, John Legend, Brad Pitt, and Russell simmons and directed by eugene Jarecki. Discussion will follow featuring Dr. Vincent Harding and Art way of the Drug Policy Alliance.
the national Pan-Hellenic Council, incorporated (nPHC) is currently composed of nine (9) international Greek letter sororities and Fraternities. nPHC organizations will come together for the 2013 Founders’ Day Celebration. tickets are available at a nominal fee of $20.00 per person. For additional details contact: Kathy R Jackson, Chair, (303) 399-6183 [email protected]
the Better Block Project is a community revitalization effort that temporarily demonstrates how to improve a public space with pedestrian and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street life. event program includes live music, ballet performance, gardening demonstrations, story time, walking tours, bike rides, food trucks, tennis, yoga, dance walking, youth marketplace and much more!
the whittier PtA, with support from noble energy, inc., and the Denver Foun-dation’s strengthening neighborhoods Program, presents their 4th annual walk for whittier and Family Fun night. this affordable, family-friendly event will include a community walk led by the Montbello Drumline, a non-profit fair, food, carnival games including a silly string battlefield and entertainment. The community walk around the school will take place from 5:00-5:30 pm with the celebration to follow from 5:30-7:30 pm.
For more information, go to whittier.dpsk12.org or contact Karen at 303-986-5929 or [email protected].
The House I Live In
New Hope Baptist Church | 3701 Colorado Blvd.May 21, 2013 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
UPCOMING EVENTSTo list an event in 5 POINTS NEWSsend us an email: [email protected]
the 62nd annual celebration of the outstanding achievements of African-American young women, known as the Debutante Cotillion, takes place on sat-urday, June 1st, at 5 p.m. at the Marriott City Center Denver Hotel.
the owl Club of Denver established the event in 1951 to honor African-American female high school seniors in the Denver metropolitan area who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the areas of academics, community service and other extracurricular activi-ties.
“over the past 61 years, many for-mer owl Club Debutantes have achieved excellence and are leaders in their field of study, said Dwight Gentry, Presi-dent of the owl Club of Denver. “this year’s group of Debutantes is no differ-ent. these young ladies are the epitome of leadership and good character, and we are honored to present them all this year.”
the owl Club of Denver, Colorado was founded in 1941 and received its Charter from the state of Colorado in 1949.
THE OWL CLUB OF DENVER CELEBRATES ITS 62ND ANNUALDEBUTANTE COTILLION
Naional Theater Company Moves to Five PointsTheatrix USA to Produce Four Full Length Plays
in Five Points Annuallytheatrix UsA, the national theatrical
production company, announced that a play entitled “the Row” will see its na-tional premier at the Crossroads theater in historic Five Points district of Denver, Colorado. “the Row” is slated for pro-duction in a dozen other U.s. cities in 2013 and about the same number in 2014.
“everyone associated with theatrix is thrilled to have become a part of the Five Points community,” theatrtix UsA President Mike Broemmel explained. “we believe the premier of “the Row” will be the beginning of a long and fruit-ful relationship between our company and the people and businesses that make Five Points the unique neighborhood that it is today and has been throughout its storied history.”
“the Row” tells the tale of Hardy Dodge, a man living his last day on death row in Kansas in 1956. “the play is a sto-ry of coming to terms and redemption,” Broemmel explained. “Pathos and humor
combine to tell a tale anyone can relate to, no matter their circumstancrs.”
Although a national theatrical pro-duction company, theatrix UsA engages casts and crews locally when producing a play. the company usually produces original work that has never before been produced.
theatrix recently moved its compa-ny headquarters to Denver from Kansas City. “ideally, we would like to locate our company headquarters in the Five Points area. not only would this allow us to be close to our Denver theater but would also permit us the opportunity to be even more involved in Five Points during this excit-ing time.”
“the Row” opens May 17 at the Crossroads theater curtain at 8:00 p.m. and runs through June 2. Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for children un-der 12. tickets can be reserved by calling 720-276-0192 or online at ticket Leap (theatrix-usa.ticketleap.com)
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