October Peak News
In Memoriam
Gerry Moore, a long-serving and much-loved board member of Urban Peak, passed away peacefully on October 20. Gerry was involved with a number of nonprofits and he was particularly concerned about those without power who were being treated unfairly. His voice was highly respected on our board, and his stock donation was the largest individual gift ever made to Urban Peak at that time. His generosity transformed many lives in our community.
As his friend and fellow board member, Dick Thomas, said, “He was as genuine a person as I’ve ever met and very funny. I’m sure he’ll live in our hearts and minds as an example, an advocate and a dedicated friend.”
May he rest in peace.
Museo de las Americas
As Hispanic Heritage Month drew to a close this past week, Urban Peak staff members Savannah and Manon accompanied youth on a trip to the Museo de las Americas, a Latin American art museum that’s tucked away in the heart of the Art District on Santa Fe.
Lying within the small building’s bright pink exterior were even more vibrantly colorful works of art. They touch upon many aspects of Latin American life, from agriculture to fashion to religion, but most prominent among them were the recurring themes of resistance to oppressive regimes. They address the fight for freedom from slavery and the common struggle of people of color across the Americas against Eurocentric ideals and imperialist colonization. Though the museum is ostensibly about Latin American art, all groups of people who have had to fight for their right to exist freely in the world are represented within its walls.
One art piece depicted the legend of La Llorona, the Weeping Woman. For centuries, there have been many variations on this legend, ranging from the sinister to the sorrowful, but this version depicts a woman drowning her children in order to prevent them from being taken as slaves. It’s incredibly sobering.
All the pieces, especially La Llorona, served as a powerful reminder of how the issues our youth struggle with in their lives are echoed in the larger human struggle for freedom, equality and the right to self-determination. Everyone deserves personal autonomy and the opportunity to create the life of their choosing.
Peak Spotlight
After months of effort involving construction, equipment and financing, Urban Peak had the opportunity to host the grand opening of our music studio at the Drop-In Center (DIC)!
Available for any and all youth to use 10 hours a week, the music studio has been a long time in the making. It started when Owen Kortz, a long-term volunteer with us, submitted a proposal through the Arts in Society program, which provides grants to organizations seeking to implement projects that utilize the arts as an integral element in promoting social justice and community welfare. The program is administered by the RedLine Contemporary Art Center, a local nonprofit that fosters education and engagement between artists and communities to create positive social change.
Not only did the Arts in Society grant allow us to significantly expand our music studio, but it also includes funding for a CU Denver student to provide guidance in musical programming as part of a paid internship!
The theme of the grand opening was 70s dance party vibes, and everyone knocked it out of the park with their groovy costumes and dance moves. Fatima, our Outreach and DIC supervisor, invited a DJ and youth Zoom performed a freestyle rap to accompany the beats. Meanwhile, Owen and our new intern Gabriel collaborated with youths Janelle and Cyrus to christen the studio with a few great jam sessions. We can’t wait to hear all the fun and creative music that comes out of the studio!
Partner Highlight
We love our community partners!
Last month, we were thrilled to have the Denver Broncos visit the Shelter, DIC and Rox’s Place to donate a whopping 500 individual meals and engage with our youth, many of whom are die-hard fans.
Denver Broncos cheerleaders and mascot Miles dropping off meals at the Shelter.
The generous meal donation was made possible with funds raised by the Broncos as part of their Lunch with a Legend series, presented by USBank and Arrow Electronics. The Broncos’ annual fall luncheon has been going strong since 2012 and has raised more than $1.3 million for partner charities that focus on youth development, quality of life, civic engagement and health and wellness.
Their visit to the Shelter was a blast, and youth had a chance to meet two cheerleaders as well as Broncos mascot Miles! They told us what it takes to become an official NFL cheerleader and how hot it is inside the mascot costume (spoiler: very). Surprisingly only one of the Shelter youth, Leo, plucked up the courage to ask the cheerleaders for a picture.
It was a wonderful experience for everyone and we so appreciate the Broncos' continued support for our mission to ignite the potential in youth to exit homelessness and create self-determined, fulfilled lives.
Interested in getting involved with Urban Peak? Contact donate@urbanpeak.org and let us know!
Peak Thrift Updates
Hey Peak Thrifters! Our social enterprise store, Peak Thrift, is closed for shopping for the immediate future due to limited staffing availability. During this period, we will continue to accept donations on weekends and an appointment will no longer be required to drop off items. Our new donation drop-off hours are on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and on Friday from 2pm to 6pm. Peak Thrift is located at 4890 Pecos Street, Denver CO 80222.
We’ll miss being able to provide you with sweet deals and the opportunity to give new life to our products, but rest assured we can’t wait to open back up soon, in time for all your holiday needs.
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining the Peak Thrift team, please review our open positions here. We're looking for a Key Associate to help manage daily store operations and oversee the floor. A more detailed job description can be found here.
Youth Spotlight
Janelle is putting in the work in her counseling sessions with Cara Lipford, one of our Mental Health Therapist partners from the Mental Health Center of Denver. When she’s not quietly being introspective, she can be found mixing some fire tracks at the DIC!
Last week, she and Owen collaborated on a song together during the music studio opening, with Janelle providing vocals.
When asked about her goals and interests, she mentioned that she loves pets, specifically “pitties and puppies.” She hopes to become a dog mom someday. We’re right there with you, Janelle!
2021 Ballot Questions
It is election season again, and we encourage all of our friends to be active and informed voters. Voting gives each of us a chance to make a difference in our community. This year, there are two issues on Colorado’s statewide ballot as well as several measures for Denver voters that give us cause for concern. Amendment 78 and Proposition 120 on the statewide ballot and measures 303, 304 and 2F each threaten the well-being of people experiencing homelessness and have the potential to severely undermine our work.
There is also one measure on Denver’s ballot that we strongly support: Measure 2B.
Election Day is next Tuesday, November 2nd, and all ballots must be received by 7pm that evening to be counted. If you're mailing in your ballot, it is recommended to do so by TODAY, Monday October 25th to ensure it will arrive in time to be counted.
Statewide Ballot Issues Summarized:
No on Amendment 78 This amendment would require the Colorado General Assembly to determine how the state uses funding from outside sources like federal grants and private donations, known as “custodial money.” This could take away spending decisions from staff experts and independent boards and make those decisions more political through the legislative process. It could also slow down how funds are allocated to respond to emergencies like public health disasters or wildfires.
No on 120 Proposition 120 would reduce the state property tax assessment rate for multifamily housing and lodging properties. This permanent reduction in property tax revenue for local governments would require cuts to critical local government services, such as water, transportation, education and emergency services like fire protection.
Denver Measures Summarized:
No on 303 Specifically, 303 would require enforcement of Denver’s camping ban within 72 hours of a complaint, rather than following the current seven-day notice requirement. If the city failed to meet the 72-hour requirement, residents would be able to take legal action. The initiative would force the city to expedite criminal action, putting it at risk of expensive litigation that could further reduce funding for critical services and support for people experiencing homelessness.
No on 304 This initiative would reduce Denver’s sales tax rate from 4.81% to 4.5% and establish a total sales tax cap of 4.5%. It could cut up to $80 million from Denver’s 2022 budget and reduce program funding available for behavioral health and homeless services.
No on 2F Denver’s city council approved changes to Denver’s zoning code earlier in 2021 that would allow up to five unrelated adults to live together in a single-family home. Measure 2F would repeal those changes and take away affordable housing options for low-income and working families as well as people with disabilities.
Yes on 2B This would allow Denver to issue bonds to buy, redevelop or build new construction for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity to live in non-congregate setting like hotels, motels and other facilities.
Gratefully,
Christina Carlson, Urban Peak CEO
