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MESSAGE A Legacy Continues, A Voice Endures
As Denver Urban Spectrum turns another chapter and enters our fourth decade of “spreading the news about people of color,” we remain grounded in our purpose and energized by the responsibility that comes with it. As award-winning storytellers, our mission continues to be clear—to inform, inspire, and, most importantly, educate our readers through stories that matter.
At a time when the United States finds itself engaged in yet another military conflict, this issue reflects on the historical experiences of African Americans in times of war. Thomas Holt Russell delivers a powerful and in-depth examination in “Fighting for the Right to Fight,” highlighting how Black soldiers faced injustice within their own ranks, yet persevered—breaking barriers and helping to advance civil rights in the process.
We are also pleased to feature Erin Aubry Kaplan of Capital & Main, who shares the perspective of independent Minnesota journalist Georgia Fort. Her
From The Publisher
work underscores the importance of standing up to power and the vital role the Black press continues to play in holding this nation accountable to its history.
Community reporter Gabrielle West brings us two compelling pieces—one capturing the sentiment that “women are tired,” following her attendance at the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce State of Business Luncheon. In contrast, she also reflects on themes of love, identity, and escape through her conversation with JonAvery Worrell, who stars as Knuck in HELL’S KITCHEN, Alicia Keys’ new musical coming to Denver this month.
We are especially proud to continue supporting emerging voices in journalism. This issue includes contributions from young writers covering the upcoming 2026 Transplant Games, as Jane Dvorak and her team highlight Team Rocky Mountain’s Flag Signing ceremony. Additionally, Beth Potter and her interns provide coverage of Nikole
Hannah-Jones’ impactful presentation at MSU Denver campus.
In recognition of Jazz Appreciation Month, Misti Aas offers a thoughtful look at acclaimed trumpeter Hugh Ragin and his commitment to a life of creativity and flow—an artistic journey that mirrors the spirit of jazz itself.
And as we celebrate these stories, we also pause to honor the life and legacy of Denice M. Edwards. Her story is one that deserves to be told, remembered, and cherished. Thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us.
Iran war is immoral, illegal and a colossal waste of money
By Jon Hochschartner
President Donald Trump’s imperialist assault on Iran, which has claimed countless innocent lives, and will take many more before it’s finished, is an unauthorized, unprovoked war of aggression. Besides being immoral and illegal, under both domestic and international law, the conflict is also a colossal waste of money. Pentagon officials told United States lawmakers just the first six days of the war cost more than $11 billion, not including the money required to build up military
hardware and personnel, among other things.
Of course, this is just the beginning. The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated the early period of the Iran war cost $891.4 million each day. Perhaps Trump will find a way to extricate himself from the conflict sooner rather than later, but it’s worth noting the Middle Eastern wars launched during President George W. Bush’s time in office dragged on for decades. For those who don’t remember, our leaders proclaimed a humanitarian mission and always described victory as right around the corner.
The money spent on the Iran conflict could be put toward any kind of more productive purpose. For instance, the United States could
put these resources toward free healthcare, free college education, or rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. Personally, as an animal activist, I’d like to see a portion of these funds invested in cultivated-meat research, which I view as the promising means of reducing nonhuman suffering and premature death. The only limit to the different ways we might use this money is our imagination.
That said, assessing the financial cost of the Iran war purely in terms of military spending seems hopelessly reductive. After all — with Iran closing the Straight of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for oil — my understanding is there is a decent chance Trump’s war could crash the global economy. That Iran would do this in response to
FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO FIGHT
By T. Holt Russell
“The experience of Negroes in America has been different in kind, not just in degree, from that of other groups. It is not merely the history of slavery alone, but also that a whole people were marked as inferior by law. And that mark has endured.”
Thurgood Marshall
As the U.S. has entered a new military conflict, Denver Urban Spectrum reflects on the history of African Americans and war.
American military history is full of heinous, racist, and violent acts committed against Black soldiers by their own military, yet their perseverance helped break barriers and inspired civil rights progress, evoking hope and admiration for future Black military service members.
Black people fought in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, though military law banned them from service before the Civil War. While laws of their own country denied their rights and freedoms, African Americans have fought in every American war from the Revolutionary War (1775 – 1783) to the Iraq War (2003 – 2011). They fought for American freedom and independence during the Revolutionary War; for the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War; for democracy in Europe during the World Wars; against communism in Korea and Vietnam; and against Islamic radicalism in the Middle East.
A particularly stark example of America’s double standard occurred on March 1, 1864, when Sgt. William Walker, an African American soldier serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, was executed by firing squad. After the Emancipation Proclamation, Black people were given the right to serve in the U.S. military. The Union Army created the United States Colored Troops and began recruiting African American men—Walker’s unit was part of that force. However, he did not accept improper treatment and complained about the pay disparity between the Black and white troops. He and two other men from the 3rd South Carolina Volunteers refused to fight until pay was adjusted. As a result, Walker was court martialed under the Articles of War, convicted, sentenced to death, and executed.
Walker paid the price for simply asking for fairness. He was paid less than half what the lowest-paid white soldier received. The Army promised Black soldiers $13 a month, but paid them only $10, and after being charged $3 for monthly clothing, Black soldiers made $7 per month. White soldiers made $13 a month, and the government provided white soldiers with their clothing.
Only three months after Walker’s execution, Congress passed legislation
granting equal pay to Black soldiers, retroactive to the beginning of their service in June 1864. At the end of the Civil War, the Union Army had approximately 180,000 African American soldiers, 10% of the fighting force. In only three years, the Army went from having almost no Black members to almost 200,000 members in both the Army and the Navy.
Authorities may have thought that Walker had no right to complain about pay. It was a step up from slavery, as far as whites were concerned. The Colored Troops served in the military as laborers, servants, and cooks, the same jobs they did when they worked for the military as civilians. Now that they were given uniforms, the tasks expanded to include labor battalions digging ditches, building fortifications, and loading supplies. The American military banned Black service in the infantry, cavalry, and artillery. They endured harsh treatment from the white soldiers through insults, segregation in camps, unequal punishment, and disrespect for their cognitive abilities.
One year after the Civil War, Congress created the all-Black 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments and the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments, collectively known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Their nickname reflects their fierce fighting spirit and vital role in defending American interests, emphasizing their importance in military history. The Buffalo Soldiers fought in the Indian Wars, protected settlers and railroad routes, and built telegraph lines. They also fought in later wars such as the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War, and became the first National Park Rangers, protecting Yosemite National Park and others. Their units remained segregated until President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 in 1948, which mandated the integration of all military units.
The Great World Wars: A Martial Freedom Movement
The political, economic, and social struggles of the Black soldiers during both World Wars were the same struggles faced by civilian African Americans: violence, segregation, and even lynching. As one Black soldier in training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, said in 1942, “We’re all wearing the same khaki, and they say we’re fighting for the same thing…and when those Japs and Wops start showing up, they
don’t try to find out who is the white and who is the Black before they aim.”
Note: Ironically, you can see the harmful ethnic stereotypes that this Black soldier was using during the day. His words prove that not everyone is immune to insensitivity.
White military members, from enlisted men to officers, did not like segregation, and they were not shy about it in their treatment of Black service members. One of the dilemmas military officers at all-white officers’ clubs would (semi) jokingly muse about was whether to give a Black man a gun and teach him to kill white men, or to leave him home with all the white women.
African Americans Heed the Call
During the turn of the 19th century until World War I, there was no widespread opposition to the war in African American communities.
Educator and activist, Mary McLeod Bethune, the most powerful African American woman in America at the time and a close friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, released a call to unity for all African American men to defend their country. Bethune urged African Americans to embrace both fighting for civil rights in America and protecting the nation by fighting the global spread of fascism. She stated, “We must do all we can to preserve the spirit and morale, despite discrimination and handicaps… We must not fail America, and as Americans, we must insist that America shall not fail us.”
Scholar and intellect W.E.B. Du Bois stated, “Few men ever worshipped freedom with half such unquestioning faith as did the American Negro for two centuries.” Du Bois even stated the civil rights fight should be put off in favor of the fight overseas, but he later criticized his own words.
Black cabinet members Truman K. Dixon and Bill Hastie met with African American journalists at the War Department the day after Pearl Harbor, December 8, 1941, to urge them to write support for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his administration’s efforts in the war. For the most part, the journalists abided. It was not until the Vietnam War that Black journalists fell in line with the general anti-war public.
Just as in every American war, African Americans played a huge part in World War II. However, racial harmony
faced many roadblocks along the way. This was a time when the Red Cross would not accept African American blood. The callousness of that reasoning can only equal the disastrous real-world application of such beliefs. After real bullets started flying, the Red Cross moved a little closer to ridiculousness when they accepted Black blood, but only for the use of other Black people. This was a time when some military brass refused to sign Blacks up in some locations. Yet African Americans rushed to sign up in such droves that they still made a difference.
The Black press, on the other hand, always showed strong opposition to the wars. It was complex. The question in any room would be: “Why fight for democracy abroad while being denied the same right at home?” The hope that Black participation in victory would secure freedoms at home drowned out most opposition as military personnel gradually dismantled those barriers. Those freedoms at home still were difficult, and it took time to eradicate some of the awful laws and policies; most of that freedom did come eventually, and it was the military establishment that struck the first blow to American segregation.
The Draft of World War I
The Army Bill of 1917, formally known as the Selective Service Act of 1917, enabled the Army to expand rapidly through compulsory service for men aged 21 to 30. This draft efficiently increased the number of military personnel for World War I, but the military remained racially segregated. African Americans, who were drafted, were assigned to labor and support roles, sometimes risking their safety in the process.
The Navy’s ammunition depot in Port Chicago in northern California assigned Black seamen to load ammunition on ships, with little to no training. On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion destroyed two munition ships. People heard the blast 80 miles away, and it shook 14 counties. Of the 320 people who were killed, more than 200 were African American. Less than three weeks later, the Navy ordered the traumatized Black workers back to work. Continued
Wartime Executive Orders
Civil rights leader A. Phillip Randolf threatened to march on Washington to protest segregation in the armed forces. Under pressure to keep Black support, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 on June 25, 1941. The key provisions prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin in the defense industry and federal employment. It also established the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to enforce compliance and investigate violations.
This legislation opened war industry jobs to African Americans, benefiting the civil rights movement, as the military-industrial complex helped dismantle some forms of discrimination in the broader civilian world. Even though Executive Order 8802 did not desegregate the military, it opened defense jobs to African Americans who would have otherwise not been able to attain these jobs. And, more importantly, it put pressure on the military to make further changes.
Then in 1948, President Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which ended desegregation in the American military, to avoid racism’s grave consequences for national security. Without this order, white soldiers could use prejudice to disobey an order during war, refuse to fight. No military could
afford to let soldiers pick and choose which orders to obey based on race.
Outstanding Combat Records
Truman did not give a gift to Black service members. The performance of African Americans in combat forced the issue of desegregation. As in all wars, African Americans showed valor and dedication to the flag that matched or surpassed those of white Americans.
The famed Tuskegee Airmen, the all-Black fighter 332nd Fighter Group and 447th Bombardment Group, had an outstanding combat record, including the lowest loss rate among escort groups in World War II. They flew combat missions in Europe and North Africa, were known for their distinctive plane tails, and were nicknamed the Red Tails.
The famed Harlem Hellfighters of World War I were officially the U.S. Army 369th Regiment, made up mostly of Black soldiers from Harlem and commanded by white officers because of segregation rules and laws. White soldiers refused to fight alongside them, so the Hellfighters fought under French command, earning their nickname for their fierceness from the Germans. They spent more time in combat than any other American unit. They also introduced jazz to Europe through James Reese Europe, a legendary jazz musician who led the unit’s band.
African American women numbered fewer than 100 during the First World War, but by the end of the Second World War, they numbered over 7,000. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the only Black, all-female unit stationed in England and France in 1945. They were 855-strong and known for clearing millions of backlogged pieces of mail. They worked in terrible conditions but boosted the troops’ morale. As with most of the Black experiences in the military, the women succeeded despite racism, sexism, and wartime pressure.
During the Vietnam War, several changes took place. Opportunities increased but remained limited during the early part of the war. The Army gradually expanded the roles available to Black soldiers, offering new jobs and skill sets. There was no longer a problem serving in combat roles. The 1960s were also a time of massive political change, and both the military and civilian sectors addressed racial problems, with each benefiting from the other’s work. The soldiers of the past sacrificed for what the military eventually became.
Today, with all military branches combined, African American members comprise 17.6% of the total force, compared to the overall Black American population of 13.7%. African American veterans earn 27% higher incomes than their Black civilian counterparts. Black home ownership is 19% higher among Black veterans than among Black civilians. Compared to all civilians, the VA healthcare system gives veterans better access to care, lowers their costs, provides more consistent preventive services, and reduces some racial disparities.
African American veterans have a storied history, and their participation has benefited the entire fabric of America. Their participation in American defense has benefited the world, and that tradition carries on today.
To truly embrace the dynamism of American history is to embrace all the contradictory elements that make up its fabric. There is much to hate, and much to love, even if the best ideas about liberty and freedom have yet to develop in America.
A group of people, much maligned, segregated, and violated by the law of the land have ironically stood strong for ideas written in the Constitution by their oppressors. They fought and died for freedoms they never knew,
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being attacked was widely expected, though it seems to have taken the White House completely by surprise. Perhaps, in a silver lining, this mess will accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, as this is all going on, Trump is already plotting to overthrow the government of one of our Caribbean neighbors. “I do believe I’ll have the honor of taking Cuba,” he recently told reporters. “I think I can do anything I want with it.” If readers believe Trump is motivated by concern for democracy in the island nation, I have a bridge to sell you. American leaders have long wanted to turn Cuba back into a pliant, vassal state and, on a personal level, Trump, I believe, is eager to distract from his numerous domestic failures.
Again, his imperialist adventures aren’t just morally wrong and against the law. They also represent a tremendous financial opportunity cost. The old Tupac Shakur line about how ‘they’ve got money for wars but can’t feed the poor’ inevitably comes to mind. With the funds spent to kill innocents in Iran and elsewhere, we could so much. Our country might invest in cellular-agriculture development, as I would like, but also strengthen our fragile social safety net, so what we call ‘the American Dream’ is a little closer to reality than it is now.
Editor’s note: Jon Hochschartner lives in Connecticut. He is the author of a number of books, including The Animals’ Freedom Fighter: A Biography of Ronnie Lee, Founder of the Animal Liberation Front. Visit his blog at SlaughterFreeAmerica.Substack.com.
as they believed that fighting under the for American flag would help to bring human decency to their enemies abroad and at home. All Americans, regardless of nationality, race, or religion, owe a great debt to those brave men and women who were, and still are, at the cutting edge of what seems like an eternal fight for human freedom and dignity. ♦
Editor’s note: Thomas Holt Russell is the founder and director of SEMtech, an educator, photographer, modernday Luddite, Existentialist, and Secular Humanist. For more information, visit http://thomasholtrussell.zenfolio.com/
Reminds Business Leaders to Rise Beyond WOMEN’S CHAMBER
By Gabrielle West
Women are tired.
Exhausted from often carrying disproportionate weight at home and in the workplace, navigating rising childcare costs, and too often being left out of the rooms where decisions are made. For all the progress it seems we’ve made, many of the challenges feel familiar, echoing battles fought by generations of courageous women before us.
At the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) State of Business Luncheon, that tension between progress and persistence was palpable. The theme, “Moving Beyond Business as Usual,” was timely and authentic to the moment.
Each speaker including Emcee Jessica Porter of Denver7 provided inspiration to rise above. The event on March 5 at the Denver Center for Performing Arts also honored Maureen McDonald of HCA HealthONE with the CWCC Chamber Champion Award, and Former Colorado State Representative Shannon Bird with the CWCC Advocacy Award.
CWCC CEO Simone D. Ross, donning a Barbie pink pinstripe suit that glistened when the light hit it just right, set the tone for the event with a powerful speech. She invited the audience to raise their hands if they had ever left the workforce at any point in their careers and to consider what it cost them: momentum, a title, income, confidence.
Looking around, most, if not all, of the hundreds of women in the room raised their hands at some point, myself included. For a moment, I felt connected, seen, and finally not alone in this fight.
Ross then walked us through her journey climbing the corporate ladder while navigating major life milestones – giving birth, earning her MBA, going through a divorce, landing her dream job, and ultimately becoming CEO of CWCC, not necessarily in that order. As a proud first-generation, college-educated Black woman and the first in her family to have all of her
constitutional rights, her path hasn’t been linear. What stood out most was the through line: setbacks were part of the journey, and the timing was rarely perfect, but she persisted.
Like many women, she made it clear she wanted it all and rejected the idea that she should have to choose between personal and professional success. Still, that didn’t stop corporate environments from forcing that choice.
She pushed back directly, naming a truth that resonated across the room, “We don’t always choose to leave the workforce – work leaves us.”
Ross painted the picture even more clearly: “Women are not leaving work. Work is leaving women. When a company refuses flexibility, work is leaving her. When she’s passed over because leadership assumes she wouldn’t want the travel or the responsibility, work is leaving her.”
Her words struck a chord. If we had been in church, I would have jumped up and shouted, “Amen.” Judging by the heads nodding around the room, I wasn’t alone.
She reframed another common narrative, noting that women aren’t just hitting a glass ceiling – we’re often starting from a “broken step at the very bottom of the ladder.”
Still, the message wasn’t without hope. Ross pointed to measurable progress, noting that women now make up 29% of C-suite roles, up from 17% a decade ago. Women of color account for just 7% of that 29%.
Increasingly, women are leaving traditional workplaces to start their own businesses – at times by choice, but often out of necessity.
With unemployment rates among women, especially Black women with college degrees, at a 25-year high, entrepreneurship is not always a dream. For many, it’s a pivot for survival.
As equity efforts are scaled back and the cost of living continues to rise, women will keep making something out of nothing, not necessarily because we want to, but because we have to.
And maybe that’s why one line from Ross continues to resonate long after the luncheon ended: “Women are not DEI. They are GDP.”
All is not lost. For those who choose, and are able, to stay in the workforce, some employers are beginning to meet the evolving needs of their employees.
During the luncheon, a solutionoriented panel conversation was moderated by Delta Dental CEO Kelli Clifton Ogunsanya, and featured women leaders across industries: Chief People Officer Marisa Daspit of Ibotta mobile tech company, Denver International Airport Chief of Staff Maria G. Meleandez, and HCA Healthcare Chief Nursing Executive Angie Voigt. The discussion centered on how employers are opening on-site childcare facilities, embracing more flexible work schedules as employees return to in-person work, and investing in leadership development to better support long-term success.
And while some women are still pushing to access those rooms, others are choosing a different path entirely.
This conversation hits a little too close to home for me and other accomplished women in my circle. Whether it’s through policy decisions, intentionally hiring Black women, or making more substantial investments in Black women-owned businesses, we should not ignore the “canary in the coal mine,” as noted by political science professor and longtime public policy expert Nykia Greene-Young, PhD. Greene-Young, domestic policy coordinator at the W.E.B. DuBois Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy, explains, “Black feminist scholars have long argued that the conditions facing Black women workers reveal the health of the broader economy. In fact, economists often view rising unemployment among Black women as an early indicator of broader economic instability.”
The Women’s Chamber of Commerce event reminded us that women must continue to take action now. ♦
HELL’S KITCHEN A Story Told Through Loved Songs
By Gabrielle West
It’s hard to believe that Alicia Keys’ Songs in A Minor debuted 25 years ago. I was a sophomore, riding to Montbello High School in a beat-up Astro Van, with her songs like Fallin’ and Never Felt This Way on repeat.
The emotional places those melodies carried me to still feel like yesterday. As a young romantic, I was navigating heartbreak, the natural tension between teenage girls and their mothers, and the high standards I placed on myself to make it out of a community so often written off as “ghetto.” At 15, I was chasing dreams of becoming a BET news anchor and making millions while doing it. Oh, to be young again.
Like many teenagers, adulthood couldn’t come fast enough. But looking back, I was still finding my place and had some growing up to do.
That deep longing for love, identity, and escape isn’t far from what JonAvery Worrell shared with me about Knuck, the dream-chasing, adolescent creative he portrays in HELL’S KITCHEN, Alicia Keys’ new musical coming to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts from April 14 to 26.
The production promises a walk down memory lane, with Keys’ biggest hits reimagined to tell the coming-of-age story of Ali, a 17-year-old girl growing up in New York City whose experiences don’t feel too far removed from my own. From FUBU jerseys and Timberland boots to a deeply soulful soundtrack, audiences can
expect to be transported back to a time when life felt simpler and somehow more complicated at the same time.
Worrell, a New York native who spent much of his childhood in Atlanta, credits the church as his first stage. Growing up the son of a pastor who is also a singer at heart, he was “voluntold” by his mother to join the youth praise team at World Changers Church International. Yes, it’s the same church led by Creflo Dollar. Worrell also joined the drama ministry, taking on lead roles in Easter and Christmas productions and performing in front of thousands of people.
Those early experiences helped shape not only his creative instincts, but also the discipline and resilience required to navigate rejection, criticism, and the realities of the industry he now calls home.
“Church has been a breeding ground for crafting my gift and letting God take over,” Worrell shared.
His mother pushed him to pursue excellence – not perfection, making sure he was always prepared and off-book. Today, he carries those lessons into both his work onstage and in the classroom, where he teaches aspiring performers at AGI Entertainment.
In a full-circle moment, AGI is the same place where he was first bitten by the acting bug at just 8 years old. Even earlier, he and his brother would spend hours creating imaginary worlds, leaning fully into storytelling and playing pretend. His family members remain a constant in
them that the years of sacrifice, time, and money they poured into him had not been in vain.
“There is no way I could ever quit knowing they invested so much in my dreams, my gifts, my happiness,” he said. “Continuing despite the rejection was my way of saying ‘thank you’ and honoring their sacrifices.”
For Worrell, playing Knuck is more than a role – it’s a mirror.
Drawing from his own experiences, as well as those of his father, he brings depth to a character navigating manhood, romance, and survival – realities that many Black boys know all too well. From encounters with police to the looming pressure of simply trying to “make it out alive,” Worrell hopes young men see themselves reflected on stage.
More importantly, he wants them to believe that their creative passions are valid and viable. It’s a message that resonates far beyond the stage.
his journey – serving as both his biggest cheerleaders and his most honest critics. From his sister helping him run lines to his mother offering the kind of feedback that keeps him sharp, that foundation continues to ground him.
And don’t let his age fool you. At just 24, Worrell is an actor, vocalist, dancer, and thoughtful creative who dropped more than a few gems during our conversation, reminding me to stay grounded and not allow the work to define our worth.
Like many artists, he’s no stranger to rejection. He recalled learning he’d booked the role of Knuck. This moment came one year after what he describes as one of the worst auditions of his career, for a different role in the same room, in front of many of the same people.
To finally hear “yes” went exactly as you’d imagine. Marked by an “ugly cry,” Worrell said he was most excited to share the news with his family and reassure
So many of us get wrapped up in titles, status, and how others perceive us. But he pushes back against that mindset.
“I preach to my students all the time that you cannot identify with what you do,” he said. “You can love what you do, be excellent at what you do, but you can’t identify with it. Because then your self-worth gets tied to the rejection and the no’s.”
And maybe that’s what makes both his story and HELL’S KITCHEN so powerful.
It’s not just about the music that you’ll surely sing along to. It’s about the journey of becoming who we were always destined to be and the journey we take to get there.
Worrell says audiences can expect the talent in HELL’S KITCHEN, personally blessed by 17-time Grammy Awardwinner Alicia Keys, to leave them in awe. You can catch him and the rest of the cast this April. Visit denvercenter.org for tickets. ♦
Cast member JonAvery Worrell opens up about his love that led him to the Alicia Keys’ musical
ALL THINGS BOYS
What Parents Must Examine Beneath Behavior in Adolescent Boys
By Dr. Dedrick Sims CEO, Sims Fayola Foundation
This week, I had the opportunity to present to the Parents Challenge group on a topic that often gets reduced to behavior but is fundamentally about relationship. For a long time, we have treated the challenges we see in adolescent boys as behavior problems. Withdrawal. Silence. Disrespect. Defiance. The dominant response
has been correction through more structure, clearer consequences, and stronger enforcement. The assumption underneath that response is that the behavior itself is the problem. The reality is more complex. What we see consistently, both in research and in lived experience, is that behavior in adolescent boys is often a response, not a starting point. A response to how they are being interpreted, how they are being corrected, and whether the relationship feels stable enough to stay engaged. And that matters because if the response is predictable, then the interaction producing it deserves examination.
Interpretation and Disconnection
When a young person pulls away or shuts down, most adults move quickly to interpretation. He is being disrespectful. He does not care. He is choosing not to engage. Here’s the part we don’t talk about. Those interpretations are often formed without access to what the young person is actually experiencing in that moment. What we know from research on adolescent development is that this stage of life is defined by identity formation. Young people are actively trying to understand who they are, how they are seen, and what happens when they show up as themselves. Those
answers are shaped through repeated interaction. When interpretation happens faster than understanding, the interaction changes. Withdrawal becomes protection. Silence becomes regulation. Disengagement becomes a way to reduce relational risk.
Belief Drives Response
Before we talk about behavior, we have to examine belief. Every interaction is entered through a belief about what is happening. He is being disrespectful. He is testing boundaries. He needs to be corrected immediately. Those beliefs shape tone, pacing, and whether the adult leads with curiosity or control. What we know from cognitive and behavioral research is that once a belief is formed, the brain begins to look for confirmation. That means the interaction is no longer neutral. It is being filtered. When belief is misaligned, correction reinforces the very behavior it is trying to eliminate. The young person is not just responding to the rule. He is responding to how he is being interpreted.
Structure Produces the Pattern
The next layer is structure. Most parent-child interactions, particularly in adolescence, are structured around moments of tension. Something has gone wrong. A rule has been broken. A tone has shifted. As a result, interaction becomes tied to discipline. Over time, this creates a predictable pattern. The adult moves quickly to correct. Tone escalates. The young person shuts down or becomes defensive. That response is interpreted as further disrespect. What appears to be a behavior issue is often the result of how interaction is structured. If interaction is consistently tied to correction, disengagement is not surprising. It is expected.
Conditional Relationships and Engagement
This pattern shows up differently across relationships, but the underlying dynamic is consistent. In father-son relationships, emphasis on discipline and expectation can unintentionally communicate that value is tied to performance. In mother-son relationships, emphasis on care and guidance can unintentionally communicate a lack of trust in the young person’s independence. In both cases, the relationship can become conditional. When relationships feel conditional, young people adjust how much of themselves they bring into them. They share less. They risk less. They engage less. Not because they do not care, but because the relational cost feels too high.
Presence as a Structural Shift
Before we talk about solutions, it is important to name what actually changes this pattern. It is not the removal of expectations. It is the redesign of how expectations are carried in the relationship. This requires presence. Presence is not proximity. It is how an adult shows up under pressure. It is the ability to remain regulated when the young person is not, to seek understanding before correction, to create interaction outside of moments of discipline, and to hold expectations without withdrawing relationship. This is not a soft adjustment. It is a structural shift. Because when presence is consistent, predictability increases. And when predictability increases, relational risk decreases.
Change Happens in Repeated Moments
There is a tendency to look for change in big conversations. In reality, change happens in repeated moments. A pause before correction. A different tone in a familiar situation. A decision to understand before reacting. These moments accumulate over time. And they reshape how the young person experiences the relationship. If correction consistently comes before understanding, the young person learns to protect himself. If understanding consistently precedes correction, the young person learns that the relationship can hold tension without breaking.
Repair Builds Trust
One of the most overlooked components of parenting is repair. Many parents avoid it because they believe it weakens authority. The reality is that repair strengthens trust. It restores the relationship after it has been strained. It communicates accountability without removing expectation. Without repair, tension accumulates. And over time, that accumulation becomes distance. When repair is present, the relationship remains intact even when mistakes are made.
The Responsibility of Parents
It is easier to focus on behavior because behavior is visible. It is harder to examine interaction because it requires reflection. But parents control interaction. They control tone, pacing, interpretation, and whether understanding is present before correction. That is where responsibility sits. Adolescent boys are learning how relationships work in real time. Not from what adults intend, but from what they experience repeatedly. If the pattern teaches them that relationships are reactive and conditional, they will adapt by protecting themselves. If the pattern teaches them that relationships can hold both expectation and understanding, they will stay engaged.
Call to Action
Before the week ends, identify one interaction with your son that did not go the way you intended. Do not start with what he did. Start with how you interpreted it. Ask yourself what he may have been experiencing in that same moment. Then decide, in advance, how you will respond differently the next time a similar moment happens. This is not about getting it right in a single interaction. It is about interrupting a pattern and replacing it with one that allows the relationship to hold both expectation and connection. That responsibility does not sit with the child. It sits with the adult. ♦
Editor’s Note: The Sims Fayola Foundation is a Denver based nonprofit dedicated to improving the life outcomes of young men of color through direct programming and systems change. We envision a world where every boy is affirmed, challenged, and equipped to fulfill his potential. For more information, visit www.sffoundation. org or call 720-557-8443 or email dedrick@sffoundation.org.
Enter to win 2 pairs of tickets to the MICHAEL screening on Monday, April 20 at 7 pm at the Regal Colorado Center on IMAX http://www.lionsgatescreenings.com/UrbanSpectrumMICHAEL.
Winners will be drawn on Friday, April 17 at 8 am and will have their pass emailed. Limited tickets available.
RENOVATE OR RELOCATE
How to Decide What’s Right for You ?
By Barry Overton
For many homeowners, there comes a moment when the house that once felt perfect begins to feel limiting. It may start subtly—a growing family, a shift to remote work, or simply a desire for updated finishes. Over time, the question becomes unavoidable: should you renovate your current home, or relocate to a new one?
This decision is both financial and emotional. It requires a careful evaluation of your lifestyle, your longterm goals, and the realities of today’s housing market.
Understanding the Renovation Path
Renovating allows homeowners to stay in a familiar environment while tailoring their space to better meet
current needs. For many, the appeal lies in preserving what they already value— location, community, and the intangible sense of “home.”
From a financial standpoint, renovation can be a strategic investment. Kitchen and bathroom upgrades, for example, often provide some of the highest returns on investment. According to industry data, minor kitchen remodels can recoup a significant portion of their cost at resale, while well-executed bathroom updates also tend to enhance property value and buyer appeal.
However, renovation is not without its challenges. Costs can escalate quickly, particularly when structural changes, permits, or unforeseen issues—such as outdated electrical systems or plumbing—are involved. Timelines can also extend beyond initial expectations, especially in markets where contractor demand is high.
Additionally, not every improvement guarantees a full return. Highly customized upgrades may reflect personal taste but may not align
with future buyer preferences. For homeowners planning to sell in the near future, this is an important consideration.
The Case for Relocation
Relocating offers a different kind of opportunity—the chance to start fresh in a home that already aligns with your needs. Whether it’s more square footage, a different neighborhood, or access to better amenities, moving can provide an immediate solution without the uncertainty of construction.
In today’s market, however, relocation comes with its own set of variables. Home prices, interest rates, and inventory levels all play a role in determining affordability. A homeowner with a low existing mortgage rate may find that moving significantly increases their monthly payment, even if the new home is only moderately more expensive.
There are also transaction costs to consider. Selling a home typically
involves agent commissions, closing costs, and potential concessions. On the buying side, additional closing costs, moving expenses, and possible renovations to the new property can add up quickly.
Despite these factors, relocation can make sense when the current home no longer meets essential needs—such as school districts, commute times, or overall functionality. In these cases, the value of improved lifestyle and convenience may outweigh the financial costs.
Lifestyle: The Often Overlooked Factor
While numbers are critical, lifestyle considerations often carry equal—if not greater—weight in this decision.
Renovation allows continuity. Children can remain in the same schools, relationships with neighbors are preserved, and daily routines remain largely unchanged. For many households, this stability is a significant advantage.
Relocation, on the other hand, can represent a meaningful upgrade in quality of life. A shorter commute, access to outdoor space, or proximity to family can have long-term benefits that extend beyond financial metrics.
For example, a homeowner working from a dining room table may benefit more from a move to a property with a dedicated office than from attempting to reconfigure an existing layout. Conversely, someone deeply rooted in their community may find greater satisfaction in enhancing their current space rather than leaving it behind.
Evaluating the Financial Equation
A practical approach to this decision is to compare the total cost of renovation against the cost of moving.
Renovation costs should include not only construction, but also design, permits, temporary housing (if needed), and a contingency buffer—typically 10% to 20% for unexpected expenses.
Relocation costs should factor in selling expenses, purchase closing costs, moving logistics, and any immediate updates required in the new home. It’s also important to calculate the long-term impact of a new mortgage, particularly if interest rates differ from your current loan.
In some cases, homeowners discover that a targeted renovation—such as finishing a basement or adding a functional workspace—can address their primary concerns at a fraction of the cost of moving. In other scenarios, the cumulative cost of updates may approach or exceed the premium required to purchase a more suitable home.
A Balanced Perspective
Ultimately, the decision to renovate or relocate is not a one-size-fits-all
equation. It is a balance between financial feasibility, emotional attachment, and future vision.
Renovation tends to be the stronger choice when:
• The location is highly desirable
• The existing structure can reasonably support the desired changes
• The homeowner plans to stay long enough to enjoy the improvements
Relocation often becomes the better option when:
• The current home has fundamental limitations that cannot be easily resolved
• Lifestyle priorities have shifted significantly
• Market conditions allow for a strategic sale and purchase
Both paths offer opportunities to improve how you live. The key is to approach the decision with clarity— understanding not only the costs involved, but also the lifestyle you want to create.
For some, the answer lies in transforming what they already have. For others, it’s about finding something new that better aligns with the next chapter of their life. Either way, a thoughtful, informed approach ensures that the decision supports both your financial goals and your everyday experience. ♦
Editor’s note: Barry Overton is a Denver-based real estate advisor, veteran, and mentor. He helps investors, homeowners, and agents unlock wealth-building opportunities across the country. For more insights on market
trends, AI in real estate, and personal development for entrepreneurs, visit www.barryovertonrealtor.com, email barrysellsdenver@msn.com or call 303668-5433.
FLAG SIGNING CEREMONY
Celebrates Donor to 2026 Transplant Games
By Antonio Bravo, Haley Forsyth, Hannah Kijner, Ella Mork
Members from Team Rocky Mountain along with representatives from Denver’s four transplant centers gathered at Donor Alliance for a Flag Signing Ceremony to celebrate the Transplant Games coming to Denver in June. Transplant recipients, living donors, donor families and supporters participated in the signing that brought all facets of the transplant community together.
“The flag signing symbolizes more than just the Games, each name signed is a reminder of the individuals who have a touching story about organ donation. It symbolizes a community of people who are working together to save lives and those who are grateful for that gift,” said Andrew Menard, Team Rocky Mountain manager.
Donor Alliance, a partner of the Transplant Games of America, coordinated the event that featured remarks from Jennifer Prinz, Donor Alliance CEO; Bill Ryan, founder and president of Transplant Life Foundation; and Andrew, Menard, manager of Team Rocky Mountain. Several team members were present to sign the flag, which will be on display at the Denver Transplant Games June 18-23.
Each signer has traveled the organ donation and transplantation journey, whether as a donor, recipient or healthcare provider. Physicians and representatives from Advent Health, Children’s Hospital of Colorado, HCA HealthONE and UCHealth also took part in the signing and celebration. Mark McIntosh, a kidney recipient and Denver Host Committee chair, believes that the flag signing is a crucial part of the Games and its mission of community and advocacy.
“There are many individuals out there waiting to receive an organ. The Games, and specifically the flag signing, symbolizes hope and proves that lives can be saved,” McIntosh said.
The flag will fly above the Games come June in recognition of Team Rocky Mountain and the additional 42 TGA teams taking part in the 6-day event. The Games will be held at venues across the metro area. The Denver Convention Center will be the primary location of the TGA Village gathering space. More than 10,000 organ donors, recipients, donor families and caregivers will participate in a variety of competitions from swimming, basketball, tennis, track, cycling and bowling to corn hole, pickleball and ballroom dancing.
Several events are open to the public including a 5K Run/Walk and Youth Olympiad, which will take place
on Saturday, June 20th. A special donor/recipient gathering open to any organ donors and recipients, whether participating in the Games or not, will also be held on June 20th. Registration for these events is available on the TGA website – www. transplantgamesofamerica.org.
“It is the largest celebration of life, where the community can experience the impact of what these lifesaving choices really mean,” said Ryan.
The Transplant Games is a multifaceted, longstanding event produced by the Transplant Life Foundation in celebration of the donation and transplant community. In addition to Denver’s four transplant centers, local sponsors of the event include DaVita, OrganOx, Donor Alliance, Madrigral, Fresenius, National Kidney Registry and Global Liver Institute. ♦
Editor’s note: To register for events, volunteer or join a team, visit: www. transplantgamesofamerica.org.
By Misti Aas
Hugh Ragin lives a life of creativity and flow. However, he is not the only one who has been creative with his narrative. Wikipedia claimed that Ragin was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.
“Somehow, a jazz history book said I was born in Honolulu,” said Ragin, with a bemused smile. “I was born and raised in Houston, Texas.”
This is one of the many stories that the jazz trumpeter shares about a most varied and interesting existence that forms the complex tapestry of his being.
Having melodic roots, Ragin asserts to have started his musical training in his mother’s womb, as she was a teacher from the time before he entered the world.
“She’d be teaching music classes, and I have memories from about three to five years of age going with her while she was teaching students in grades kindergarten to sixth,” recalled Ragin. “I absorbed a lot from the music fundamentals repetition.”
Music was not initially a conscious primary interest for the young Ragin, who had visions of playing football. His trajectory took a major turn in the eighth grade when his seven other football peers all decided they wanted to play the trumpet and joined the school band.
“I didn’t know the mechanics, so I couldn’t really play.” shared Ragin. “I was about 25th chair. I was building myself up to have a strong sense of music by sitting at the bottom and helping other band members.”
When Ragin decided to focus on helping himself, he found out what it would take to become first chair and began to practice every day, taking
Jazz Musician Dr. Hugh Ragin in a Flow of Magic
weekly private lessons. That was the start of a life-long dedication to his art; earning a degree in music education from the University of Houston, a degree in trumpet performance from Colorado State University, and a doctorate in Jazz Studies from the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder.
With a self-proclaimed funk style of playing, Ragin challenges himself to always become his best self, whether by trying to learn an unfamiliar instrument, putting himself in a challenging space, or being a scholar by reading every day on his constant quest for learning - and always seeking the ingredients for magic.
that magic in his performances; most apparent when no one rushes off - either the band or
the audience. When everyone is soaking in what was just heard and they are too mesmerized to move.
“Magic happens when everybody, the audience and the performers, are breathing together,” explained Ragin. “It happens when there’s audience involvement, when it’s relaxed and like family, and the audience is connected to the experience.”
He has been honored to have experienced and met other musical legends, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, and Herb Albert; and he has gained pearls of wisdom from each of them.
“That smile of Louis’, that warmth – you could feel it all the way in the back,” marveled Ragin. “It made me realize how much it is about the love of the instrument.”
“Dizzy Gillespie was more clown than trumpet player,” remembered Ragin. “But then in all seriousness, he gave me words that stick with me to this day. He said, ‘I want to show you something, but first you have to know how it feels. Put your horn down and practice rhythm...Know how it feels, and put your own thing on it.’”
Denver’s own Charles Burrell gave Ragin more unforgettable advice.
“He told me to ‘take the technical ingredients, mix them with love, and then you’ll get what you want out of it.’”
The accomplished Colorado jazz musician has a worldwide scope, having given workshops at the Paris Conservatory of Music and working on a current goal of a full orchestra work in progress project to perform at the Savoy. Cultural vibration is another important rhythm for Ragin.
When Ragin saw Louis Armstrong perform, segregation was in full force with African Americans being required to sit in the back of the auditorium.
Outside of the musical realm, he is a proud Omega, echoing the principles of manhood, scholarship, uplift, and perseverance. Education is always at Ragin’s life and heart center as he leads a variety of ensembles, music classes, and workshops, primarily at CU Boulder.
The talented performer and composer currently has nine CDs, as a leader or co-leader.
On most first Friday evenings of any month, Ragin can be found playing his improvisational jazz with the Joe Bonner Legacy Jam Session at brother jeff’s Cultural Center on Welton Street in Five Points.
“Dr. Hugh Ragin isn’t just a master of the trumpet,” described brother jeff, “he’s a master of expression. His sound speaks truth, soul, and freedom. His impact in everything he does is immeasurable.”
“Metaphorically speaking, we are all in this cloud,” concluded Ragin. “It’s about being aware of what comes and goes like a passing cloud; a spirit of consciousness, with everyone adding what is uniquely their own - Just like being in a flow of magic.” ♦
Author’s note: Wikipedia has been corrected since the article interview with Hugh Ragin.
REAL ESTATE & THE LAW
What Colorado Sellers Must Tell You — and What Happens When They Don’t
By Eric L. Nesbitt, Esq.
You’ve found the home. The price is right. The neighborhood feels like a fit. But before you sign anything, there’s a question worth asking: What is the seller required to tell you — and what might they be keeping quiet?
In Colorado, the law takes disclosure seriously. As a real estate attorney, broker, and educator who has taught Colorado Real Estate Commission courses for over 35 years, I’ve seen firsthand how disclosure failures can unravel transactions — and lead to costly, painful litigation long after a buyer has moved in.
The Seller’s Duty to Disclose
Colorado law requires sellers to disclose known material defects
— conditions that could affect the property’s value or a buyer’s decision to purchase. The key word is “known.” Sellers are not expected to hire inspectors or guarantee a perfect property. But if they are aware of a problem, they cannot lawfully hide it, minimize it, or simply hope the buyer won’t notice.
Material defects that must be disclosed include, but are not limited to:
• Water intrusion or moisture problems
• Structural defects or foundation issues
• Unpermitted construction or renovations
• Building code violations or outstanding Stop Work Orders
• Environmental hazards such as mold, radon, or asbestos
Must Disclose vs. Should Disclose
Not all disclosure obligations work the same way. Some disclosures
are mandatory under Colorado law, regardless of whether the buyer asks. Others fall into a grayer area — situations where a reasonable buyer would clearly want to know the information, even if no form specifically requires it.
My advice to sellers is simple: when in doubt, disclose. The cost of transparency is almost always far lower than the cost of defending a lawsuit. A disclosure that makes a buyer nervous is a problem. An undisclosed defect that surfaces after closing is a legal crisis.
The Broker’s Independent Duty
Here is something many buyers — and even some sellers — don’t fully appreciate: the seller’s real estate broker carries an independent duty to disclose material facts. This obligation exists separately from whatever the seller chooses to share.
What does that mean in practice? Even if a seller stays silent about a known defect, the listing broker may still be legally liable if they knew — or reasonably should have known — about that condition. Colorado brokers are professionals held to a standard of care, and that standard includes an obligation to protect buyers from material misrepresentations, even silent ones.
When Disclosure Fails: The Consequences
Sellers and brokers who fail to meet their disclosure obligations face
serious legal exposure. Depending on the circumstances, a buyer may be entitled to:
• Rescission of the purchase contract (unwinding the sale)
• Monetary damages for repair costs and lost investments
• Claims for fraud or intentional misrepresentation
These are not theoretical risks. In my work as an expert witness in commercial and residential real estate litigation, disclosure failures are among the most common — and most avoidable — sources of legal disputes I encounter.
Protecting Yourself as a Buyer
Disclosure forms are a starting point, not a finish line. As a buyer, don’t rely solely on what the seller volunteers. Ask questions. Hire a qualified inspector. If something feels off — a fresh coat of paint in an unusual place, a recently replaced floor in a corner, a vague answer about past repairs — press for more information. Your due diligence period exists for a reason.
If you are involved in a transaction where you suspect disclosure obligations were not met — whether as a buyer, seller, or party to a dispute — experienced legal counsel can help you understand your rights and options. ♦
Editor’s note: Eric L. Nesbitt is a Colorado real estate attorney, licensed broker, and educator with over 35 years of experience. He operates The Nesbitt Commercial Group LLC and Law Offices of Eric L. Nesbitt P.C., and serves as an expert witness in commercial real estate litigation. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
THE LEGEND of Wyatt Outlaw
The Story They Never Taught Me in School
By Thomas Holt Russell, III
Three years ago, I visited Graham, North Carolina, to research my family roots at the Oak Grove Plantation (now the Alamance County Historical Museum) in Alamance County. My Holt family line, whose name I still carry, was enslaved there from at least 1760 to 1865 (according to documented records). During my research, I found that the town of Graham has a history that is more interesting than any fictionalized account of the Reconstruction era I have ever heard. This is a story that must be told. It would make a great book. Thankfully, authors Sylvester Allen and Belle Boggs have researched the history of that region, and we now have access to a Reconstruction story that is both heartbreaking and inspiring.
The new book, The Legend of Wyatt Outlaw: From Reconstruction Through Black Lives Matter, is about the heroic and tragic murder (assassination) of the first Black Town Constable, and commissioner of Graham, as appointed by the governor of North Carolina, William Holden. Wyatt was an important man in Graham during the tumultuous Reconstruction era. However, Wyatt was still very successful. He ran a carpentry shop, built coffins, and ran a pub. He was a political activist leading a
group he founded, the Alamance Loyal League. His political activism is what got him in the most trouble.
The Ku Klux Klan decided to end his influence in the region, and in 1870, they broke into his home, kidnapped and tortured him, and lynched him in a tree, a stone’s throw away from the courthouse. His murder prompted the Governor of North Carolina to declare Alamance and Caswell counties were in a state of insurrection. He sent federal troops to occupy the counties to protect freedmen, and those who supported the Republican party, and, most importantly, to nullify the Ku Klux Klan’s influence and the violence they created. The Skirmish between the KKK and federal troops was called the Kirk-Holden War. Governor Holden was the first American governor to be successfully impeached, due in part to his attack on the KKK.
The book is a detailed and engaging account of an essential piece of history that even local people know very little about. In its four-part, 21-chapter framework, the authors tell the story of Wyatt Outlaw, framed on topics such as Home and Family Legacy. Boggs and Allen surround the almost-mythical Wyatt Outlaw with the gritty, too-real social, political, and racial climate of the time. Someone would think you made up this story: A commissioned Black law officer with two armed Black deputies patrolling the streets and enforcing governmentordered curfew in a racist southern
town at the end of the Civil War. What could go wrong?
The town of Graham hovers over the book like a dark cloud. The large Confederate statue in front of the
courthouse, surrounded by a gate, is mentioned several times throughout the book. No matter how much progress was made by African Americans in the past 250 years, the presence of that statue reminds us that Graham has yet
to overcome its racist past. Sylvester Allen grew up in Graham. His words about his upbringing and childhood carry a lot of weight in meaning and emotion. Maybe bittersweet. Graham seems like a tiny nook in time, tucked away while the rest of the world develops without it. It is a place that does not feel comfortable. And it starts with that damn statue. Allen’s words, though not directly disparaging his hometown, make it clear that growing up there was not always pleasant, and make it clear that there’s still a lot of work to be done there.
By covering Reconstruction through the Black Lives Matter era, the connections between what happened 150 years ago and today are strangely mirrored. We are still fighting through the same threats as Wyatt Outlaw had to confront; We still experience vigilante acts such as the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. The backlash we suffered after gaining freedom during Reconstruction is the same backlash we are still going through during the post-Obama years. During reconstruction, we gained the right to vote under the 15th Amendment, but poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence suppressed the Black vote for decades. However, today we have gerrymandering, redistricting, and limiting mail-in ballots. Other old tactics outlined by Allen and Boggs are the erosion of federal rights, disinformation (in newspapers), and violence, all of which are the exact issues we are currently dealing with. Allen and Boggs demonstrate that the problems Wyatt Outlaw encountered were part of a massive systemic backlash against Black political power that was gaining momentum at the end of the Civil War. This backlash is continuing today.
I highly recommend this book. The importance of spreading this story is best said by the words of Sylvester and Belle from the book:
Sylvester Allen
“I’m not even sure I was meant to feel at home in classrooms that were supposed to educate me. Hardly any of my teachers were Black, and we barely learned about the accomplishments of or the significance of people who looked like me.”
Belle Boggs
“But I never read a novel set in the South during the time period just after the Civil War. I never learned about a single Black hero or Black victim of Reconstruction, so I had nothing in my mind to counter the dominant narrative.”
Black Graham Citizen
“I was educated here, and I never heard any of these stories in school.”
I met Belle Boggs three years ago when she and Sylvester Allen were working on The Legend of Wyatt Outlaw. She took my wife, daughter, and grandson, along with me, on an impromptu historical tour of downtown Graham. After the tour, I was shocked. Why is this not in the history books? The life of Wyatt Outlaw is an essential and hidden part of not just the history of the region but also of the United States. Belle and Sylvester gave me the honor of including my essay in their book about my ancestral roots in Alamance County and my 3rd great-grand uncle, Caswell Holt, who was one of the Black Deputies of Wyatt Outlaw, and who was tortured by the KKK several times, and yet lived to a ripe old age. ♦
Editor’s note: Thomas Holt Russell is the founder and director of SEMtech, an educator, photographer, modern-day Luddite, Existentialist, and Secular Humanist. For more information, visit http:// thomasholtrussell.zenfolio.com/
HANNAH-JONES
Submitted by the Colorado Student News Service
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones is here to tell you – she’s “nerdy as hell” about history.
She is known for spearheading the 1619 Project, a series of stories that highlights the introduction of enslaved Africans to the British colonies that became the United States. It first ran in the New York Times Magazine in 2019 and was criticized that year by five prominent historians.
Hannah-Jones was in Denver Wednesday to give a speech as the Rachel B. Noel Distinguished Professor to Metropolitan State University of Denver. Hannah-Jones touched on history, school segregation and about how she has dealt with threats to her and her family members, among other things.
Hannah-Jones said she learned in a history class when she was 15
that there were Black contributions to history that she hadn’t previously learned about in school.
She said the class changed how she thought about the world and led to the 1619 Project years later. That work led not only to a Pulitzer Prize, but also to a book, a related children’s book, and a six-part docuseries on Hulu.
“What we call history is actually memory … it’s not everything that happened; it’s what people in power want to remember about the country we have,” Hannah-Jones said.
For example, as a history nerd, Hannah-Jones reminded the audience that Denver was the first city outside of the American South to face courtmandated desegregation. The landmark Supreme Court decision in the Keyes v. School District No. 1, Denver, Colorado, case came in 1973.
When it comes to the publicity Hannah-Jones has received as a result of her work, she said that despite the threats she received in 2019 and beyond, she has found peace with herself and her life. Hannah-Jones is the Knight Chair in Race and Reporting at Howard University, a job she took in 2021 after a tumultuous process at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in which she turned down a similar role.
“I’m getting my revenge by living my best life,” Hannah-Jones told the crowd.
Audience member and MSU-Denver alumni John Marsh said he appreciated that Hannah-Jones was straightforward in her speaking style.
“She spoke how she writes; (she’s) eye-to-eye and answer the question,” Marsh said.
Marsh said he was a student of Noel’s, a civil rights leader who was the first African-American woman elected to public office in Colorado, which happened in 1965. The professorship was created in 1981.
Hannah-Jones’s speech on campus culminated two days of events in the metro area. As a journalist, HannahJones received the MacArthur Fellowship, known as the Genius grant, a Peabody Award and two George Polk Awards. She also won the National Magazine Award three times. ♦
calls herself a history nerd at MSU-Denver talk
Photos by Thomas Holt Russell
‘THERE IS A COST TO TELLING THE TRUTH.’ BUT GEORGIA FORT IS UNDETERRED
A Minnesota journalist, arrested for covering a protest, reflects on standing up to power and how the Black press keeps the U.S. honest about its history.
By Erin Aubry Kaplan March 20, 2026
This article was produced by the nonprofit publication Capital & Main. It is published here with permission.
Last month, on her 38th birthday, Georgia Fort told me that she finally feels like an adult. Not because her three kids are getting older or because she’s reached a landmark level of achievement in her 16-year career as an independent journalist in her home state of Minnesota. Her new sense of maturity is not about accolades, but adversity.
Earlier this year she and fellow independent journalist Don Lemon were arrested by federal officials after covering a protest, and overnight, became national symbols of the fight to preserve free speech and a free press in the increasingly repressive age of Trump.
“Federal charges will certainly do that, grow you up,” Fort said.
While the experience has thrust her into a limelight she never expected, she’s embracing the opportunity to be a symbol of resistance — to the attempts to curb press freedom, and to bigger forces of oppression and regression that for her have become impossible to ignore. Fort believes journalists have a particular duty to confront it all. For her, that determination is also informed by her Christian faith.
“Now, spiritually, I feel like I need to stand,” she said. “There’s no more room for uncertainty. You have to hold your head up.”
Arrested for Doing the Work
President Donald Trump’s longrunning attack on the press took an ominous turn on Jan. 30, when Fort and Lemon were arrested — she in Minnesota, he in Los Angeles. Both Black journalists had covered a protest against Immigration Customs Enforcement at a Minnesota church pastored by an ICE official. Along with seven activists, Fort and Lemon were charged with conspiracy and interfering
with people’s right of worship. Both are awaiting trial.
The arrests seemed like a convergence of Trump’s attacks on the press and on Black people — journalists and others — who routinely speak out against injustice. They also felt like the culmination of the brutal ICE raids in Minnesota that began in January and resulted in the fatal shootings of two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, by Department of Homeland Security agents. That so much came to a head during February, Black History Month, made Fort more resolved to step up.
“As we celebrated the centennial of Black History Month, we celebrated so many of my ancestors and who they stood up for,” she said.
The attacks got personal for Fort last June. She was already covering the brutal tactics of ICE, coverage that included the story of Isabel Lopez, a 27-year-old poet and activist who had been roughed up by agents during a protest June 3. Fort posted a video of the incident on social media. A week later, Lopez came to Fort’s office for an interview. Minutes after she left, as Fort watched, ICE agents swarmed Lopez, arrested her and charged her with assault. The veteran journalist was rattled. “It didn’t feel like a coincidence,” she said. “I felt harassed, like they were sending me a message.”
“Omar was arrested, and there was no consequences for it,” Fort said. “Or in Gaza.”
Fort has worked in media since college, starting out as a radio host focused on music and hip-hop before eventually transitioning into news. When she was 19, her 4-month-old daughter — her firstborn child — died of suffocation in the care of a babysitter, a tragedy that informed her later coverage of deaths of young people, some of them the result of police shootings.
“As a mom who lost a child, I was frequently interviewing moms on the day their child had been killed,” she said. “It allowed me to find purpose in my own pain, gave me a much deeper reason to wake up and want to get up and go to work.”
The feeling intensified from there, though Fort continued following protests and press conferences, sometimes for 12 to 16 hours at a stretch. After Good was killed, she held a private session for media to show camera footage of that incident.
Work has become more complicated since her arrest. Fort had frequently worked alone, livestreaming events, but now feels like a target. Security feels essential.
“I received threats, even before the arrest,” she said. “There is a cost to telling the truth.”
Fort and Lemon are not the first Black journalists in Minnesota arrested for doing their jobs. Back in 2020, during the protests in Minneapolis over the murder of George Floyd, CNN anchor Omar Jimenez, who was on the scene with a crew covering the protests, got handcuffed and arrested on live television. “When I saw that I knew that if they didn’t respect his press credentials they wouldn’t respect mine,” Fort recalled. “I started to be aware of how I showed up in spaces.”
She also began to understand the precariousness of journalism globally, especially for journalists of color, including in far more dangerous places like Gaza, where more than 240 journalists were killed in the last two years, according to the United Nations.
Fort landed her first contract in 2015 as a news reporter at a local television station in Columbus, Georgia, eventually making her way back to Minnesota. Years of doing a mix of breaking news, court reporting and what she called “feel good stories” set the stage for covering the 2021 trial of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murder for the killing of George Floyd.
Why the Black Press Matters
The experiences with traditional media and street-level coverage honed her approach to independent journalism. Understanding the role of Black reporters in the history of journalism itself was also key.
Black media’s mission not to ignore or sanitize painful truths is one of the reasons, Fort believes, that it remains one of the most vital institutions in America, despite being chronically underinvested in and undervalued. She secured a contract from Target in 2023 that enabled her to launch a broadcast news show, “Here’s The Truth,” which covered a wide range of topics, was immaculately produced by a well-paid staff, and went on to win three Upper Midwest Emmy awards. In 2023 she also co-established the Center for Broadcast Journalism to mentor young journalists and diversify the media industry in Minnesota. After Trump returned to office last year and began attacking diversity, equity and inclusion via executive orders and federal workforce purges, the Target contract, along with so many others, was eliminated.
Capital & Main/Tevy Khou
WOMEN+FILM FESTIVAL
Denver Film announced the lineup for the 2026 Women+Film Festival, opening April 24 and running through April 26 at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Ave.
The Festival’s April 24 Opening Night presentation is Cookie Queens, a heartfelt and candid Sundance-screened documentary following the lives of four young Girl Scouts as they navigate the joys, pressures and challenges of one of America’s most beloved traditions: Girl Scout Cookie season. The Festival will conclude April 26 with a presentation of Ask E. Jean, a riveting documentary chronicling the life of E. Jean Carroll, from her early days as Miss Cheerleader USA to her groundbreaking career as a journalist, author and fearless advice columnist. The film follows Carroll as she shatters barriers in media and stands up to power, becoming the only woman to beat Donald Trump twice in court, sparking a national conversation about truth, accountability and resilience.
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Fort said shifts of mind and heart have to happen in the country before things change, or change back. Meanwhile, Black voices in media remain powerful, and impactful. New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie asserted last month that Trump’s assault on democracy has always been racially motivated, but too little acknowledged, writing, “The question is why so many others have refused to see what he has never bothered to hide.” David Jackson’s photo of Emmett Till in an open casket in 1955 was a graphic image that was seen around the world, exposing the hypocrisy of American democracy. The 14-year-old was lynched and horribly brutalized by a white mob in Money, Mississippi.
“That photo changed American culture,” she said. “It made America look in the mirror and acknowledge how the racial terror and brutality was wrong. Mamie Till [Emmett’s mother] took a stand, and the Black press showed up.”
Standing in the Tradition of Resistance
Fort said there are signs that America is looking in that mirror
Returns to Denver with Global Lineup, Filmmaker Q&As and Community Conversationswith Global Lineup, Filmmaker Q&As and Community Conversations
“This year’s festival offerings are truly special. Having the ability to bring filmmakers directly into conversation with audiences creates an energy and intimacy that you really can’t get anywhere else,” said Denver Film Programming Manager Ambriehl Turrentine. “The stories we’re showcasing span the globe, with compelling stories — both new and classic — from the USA, Canada, Iran, Cuba, Ireland, Belgium, Syria and more. And of course, we have a record number of homegrown films from Colorado creators screening this year!”
The Festival will feature live Q&As with filmmakers immediately following the presentations of Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty Of the World and Cookie Queens on Friday, April 24, and the Rocky Mountain Women Shorts Program on Saturday, April 25. In an effort to ensure accessibility, the following screenings will have pay-whatyou-can structures with tickets available for $5 minimum/$16 suggested: Daughters of the Dust, the Rocky
again. Six prosecutors in Minnesota quit rather than follow the Justice Department’s orders to investigate the widow of Renee Good, and after Alex Pretti was killed, a Republican candidate for governor dropped out of the race. Still, Fort has no illusions.
“I know what it looks like now, but when you look at what our ancestors had to overcome, that should give us hope,” she said.
“People need to pay attention to what’s happening and ask themselves, what are you willing to do about it? My answer is to keep documenting, telling stories because it’ll inspire others to hew to truth.”
“It may not be much but it matters,” she added. “I might be under attack, defunded, even afraid. But I will continue to do it.” ♦
Editor’s note: This is from Erin Aubry Kaplan’s column, The Arc, which examines the persistent barriers to racial justice and opportunities for progress in an era of receding Black presence in Los Angeles and California.
Mountain Women Shorts Program, Modern Whore and the Women+Film Shorts Program.
The festival will also feature the community conversation Gender Bias in AI on Saturday, April 25 at 10 a.m. With insights from Suma Nallapati, the City and County of Denver’s first Chief AI and Information Officer and Next50’s Community Impact Manager Susan Hill, this conversation will use film as a lens to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping representation, opportunity and protection for women across media, government, and the workplace. It focuses on the structural forces behind the scenes — such as systems, policies, and contracts — and highlights how women are advocating for accountability, equity, and agency in this rapidly evolving landscape. More panelists to be announced.
In addition to an exceptional film slate and community conversation, this year’s festival includes an Opening Night reception at 5:30 p.m. with food
provided by SAME Cafe as well as drink specials at the bar. On Saturday, April 25, from 3:30–5 p.m., guests may join a mixer presented in partnership with Women in Film & Media Colorado (WIFMCO) and enjoy light bites, drinks, and great company while celebrating the filmmakers of the Rocky Mountain Women Shorts Program and learning about their Colorado-based projects. The WIFMCO Finishing Funds scholarship recipient will also be announced, generously provided by Sue Capitelli. Sunday features a marketplace in the Sie FilmCenter lobby from 11:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., showcasing handcrafted jewelry, curated books, artisanal preserved fruit, handmade clothing and more from local businesses. ♦
Editor’s note: Full festival passes are $75 for Denver Film Members/$85 Non-Member, and individual film tickets are $13 for Denver Film Members/$16 Non-Member. Individual tickets and full festival passes are available at denverfilm.org.
CELEBRATING Denise M Edwards
Sunrise: July 8, 1953 –Sunset: January 19, 2026
A Celebration of Life
March 1, 2026 at 2 PM Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Center for the Healing Arts
In the family, rich with laughter, lessons, and love, on July 8, 1953, a third child arrived, Denise Michelle Edwards. She was born into the sacred union of her father, Eddie Everett Edwards, and her mother, Ulamay LaVerne Scott, joining a circle that would grow to six strong siblings, each shaped by the same steady hands and guided hearts.
Denise came into the world, brighteyed with beautiful light, hazel eyes that seemed already curious, already searching. She was a child who grew faster than time expected, not just in body, but in mind. Words came early to her, and questions came even faster. She asked about everything. Why this? How that? What comes next? Her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles learned quickly that silence had no place when Denise was in the room.
Before school could claim her, she claimed reading. Books became her companions, her windows, her teachers. Over the years, she collected them like treasures, each one, another doorway into understanding the world a little better. And understand it she did.
Denise’s hunger for knowledge had no boundaries. One day she was deep in politics, the next she was studying in the healing power of herbs, plants, vegetables, and fruits. She believed wisdom was meant to be shared, not stored away, and if you showed it even the slightest interest, with passion, clarity, and purpose, she would gladly tell you what she knew.
Behind her stood a village. Her grandparents, Vernie and Mildred Scott, were pillars in her life, and in the lives of all six siblings. Alongside them were her uncles, Milton and George Scott, who taught not just with words, but with the way they lived. Integrity. Love. Accountability. These were not lessons written on paper – they were lived out loud.
Denise listened. All the children did. And because they listened, they grew.
After college, Denise followed the call that had been quietly shaping her all along: Service. She stepped into the political arena, not for attention, but for impact. For 12 years, she stood beside Mayor Wellington E. Webb, serving as his assistant, learning the inner workings of leadership while lending her own strength, vision and voice.
From there, her influence only grew. Denise became a powerful obvious one who worked tirelessly when she believed a cause mattered. She did not rest when justice was on the line. She did not back down when voices needed
amplifying. For the people of Denver, Colorado, she became a force steady –steady, committed, unselfish.
The work she did cannot be fully counted. The lives she touched cannot all be named. But this much is certain: her legacy did not end with her labor. It lives on in the changes she helped create, and the people she inspired, and in the love and lesson she poured into her community.
Preceding Denise in death, her maternal grandparents, Vernie Scott, and Mildred Scott: paternal grandparents, Virginia, Lee Peterson; parents, Eddie Everett, Edwards, and Ulamay LaVerne Ivory; uncles, Big and Little George, Scott, wife, Barbara, Scott;
She leaves behind to cherish her memories, her brother, Vernone Everett Edwards of Denver, Colorado; Sisters, Kim, Antoinette Edwards of Muskegon, Oklahoma and Sharelle Evon Pankey of Virginia; and a host of other relatives and friends.
And so her story is told… not as an ending, but as a passing of wisdom. Because lives like Denise Michelle Edwards are not meant to fade. They are meant to be remembered. Repeated. Carried forward. ♦
uncle, Milton, Scott; aunt, Virginia, Lee Rawlins; older sisters, Vernette Louise Edwards of San Francisco, California and LaVenia Ann Jackson of Denver, Colorado.
