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Building a Legacy by Being First
By: Barry Overton
The story of America’s first Black realtor, Ben Slayton Ben Slayton’s remarkable career in real estate spans six decades. He has set the bar for agents with his willingness to venture into uncharted territory, allowing those that follow to benefit from his courage and drive. His success is inspiring proof...

Black History Month Isn’t Limited to February on Richard Lewis’s Calendar
By: Wayne Trujillo
Richard Lewis incarnates the body, soul and spirit of Black history. Adversity and challenge weren’t strangers in his past endeavors, and they endure today, but persistence lifted Lewis to his present position as the president and CEO of RTL Networks, a local enterprise with a global footprint. According to a...

2023 African American Who Make A Difference
By: DUS
Gene Fashaw, Sr. 8th Grade Math Teacher, High Point Academy Founder, Denver STEAM Initiative The “husband and father first” is best known as a coach, tutor, and teacher who is active in the far northeast Denver community. Gene Fashaw, who was nominated for Colorado Teacher of the Year in...

Visiting Professorship Continues to Honor Civil Rights Champion Rachel B. Noel
By: Angelia D. McGowan
Visionary Filmmaker & Educator Shakti Butler to be Introduced on March 7 & 8 The annual Metropolitan State University of Denver Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Visiting Professorship will be held March 7 and 8 at various locations on the university’s campus and at Shorter AME Church. The theme is “Breaking...

Announcing the First Black Media Initiative Bridge Project: Audience Revenue Cohort
By: Center for Community Media
Denver Urban Spectrum chosen for national ‘First Black Media Initiative’ project Six Black-led newsrooms from across the U.S. have been selected to be part of the inaugural cohort of the Black Media Initiative Bridge Project: Audience Revenue. The six-month program provides technology and design support for Black publishers looking...

The Million Man March and the January 6, 2021 Attack on the Capitol
By: Alfonzo Porter and LaQuane Smith
A nation’s glaring hypocrisy exposed to the world Since the founding of the nation, America has historically been a contradiction in terms. While professing in its founding documents that “all men are created equal” with equal protections under the law, millions of American citizens have not always enjoyed the country’s enormous...

One-on-one with a Mother and an Educator
By: Brittany N. Winkfield
The impact of COVID-19 on K-12 education as experienced by Julia Rich When the pandemic hit in 2020, the crisis tested the world’s ability to deal with large-scale disruptions on a multitude of levels, including in the classroom experiences of children and educators. KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy Principal...

Ropin’ in the Past, Present and Future: The MLK Rodeo’s Multigenerational Embrace
By: Wayne Trujillo
“Bigger! Better! Bolder!” The excited and emphastic alliteration announcing the 2023 MLK Jr. African-American Heritage Rodeo of Champions on the website of its parent and sponsor, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR), isn’t subdued. Scheduled for January 16 at the Denver Coliseum, the event celebrates 17 years, while Bill Pickett...
Misgendering & Mental Health
By: Lisa Marie Martinez
Today’s email signatures include them. They are on name tags at conferences. Their appropriate usage can make or break someone’s day. They are pronouns. Unfortunately, many people are still confused about the importance of using the right pronouns with family, friends and co-workers. How does the use of incorrect pronouns...