Foreclosures, Gangs, Racism…
Perusing some of the Denver Urban Spectrum stories this month, the State of the City doesn't appear too promising.
But, don't get depressed yet - there's more.
Though the Denver metro area has its share of urban and suburban problems, we also have community activists and leaders who are stepping up to create solutions. Sure, you will read inside about your neighbors on the verge of losing their homes to banks, but you can be encouraged by the organizations and individuals who are offering counseling and relief.
Similar to the other issues facing our community, like troubled youth, violence and racial discrimination, we won't ignore them in these pages. Our contributors face them head on when researching and writing their stories, so through knowledge, we can overcome and grow as a community.
In Mayor John Hickenlooper's State of the City address, presented in mid-July at the beginning of his second term, the Denver mayor shares his optimism about the city and county, and its efforts to improve some challenging situations. The government's 10-year-plan to end homelessness is making progress, but it can only continue to move ahead with the help of every sector, every neighborhood, and every congregation, he says.
Other Spectrum articles point to various groups' endeavors to improve our community. Once a story of failure and racial division, Manual High School is being reopened by Denver Public Schools, with a renewed mission and strategy for educating successful young men and women. Helping to further the education of people of color, Black and Latino sororities and fraternities are shown as important college resources.
The one common thread that ties together each story across the community is the need for people of all ages and backgrounds to step forward, volunteer, and contribute. The State of the City can not be elevated to sustain our lives, homes, and businesses unless, and until, we as individuals support the activities of our educational and philanthropic organizations.
Also, The Denver Urban Spectrum is sponsoring a commemoration to honor the bravery of a group of Black Denverites, who challenged illegal segregation at the Washington Park swim beach in 1932. On Thursday, Aug. 16, the historic event's 75th anniversary, the Spectrum and supporting organizations invite you to a community sharing about our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers who stood up against racism.
For more information, call 303-292-6446 or e-mail editor@urbanspectrum.net.
Through your support and contributions, the Denver Urban Spectrum has struggled and survived 20 years. We hope you'll join us for our 20th anniversary celebrations this month, you'll support fundraising events for our youth program, and you'll support us even more in the coming months and years. Please help us to be your voice and your information source, so we can last another 20 years.
Tanya Ishikawa
Editor
P.S. Speaking of the State of the City, here's an invitation to The People Living In Public Places meetings from Randle Loeb, an advocate for the homeless in Denver:
"I have started a news service along the Front Range in Capitol Hill, called the Denver Metro Homeless Voice. It is an interactive Web site to establish a conversation between homeless people and people in communities across the region. The purpose of this service is to provide resources for homeless people, and to create an opportunity to grow in awareness of the issues facing more and more people living marginally. Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, Aug. 7 at 8:30 a.m. in our community room at St. Paul's United Methodist Church,1615 Ogden St."
For more information, call Randle Loeb at 303-832-4929 or leave a message at 303-620-1999.
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