Afrik Digest

Category: Events

  • Denver Court Ruling Affirms Wage Protections for Adult Entertainers

    Denver Court Ruling Affirms Wage Protections for Adult Entertainers

    Denver has taken a decisive step in affirming that all workers, regardless of industry, deserve fair treatment and wage protections. In a landmark ruling last week, a Denver District Court confirmed that strip club entertainers are indeed workers under city wage and employment laws, rejecting arguments that sought to exclude them from basic labor rights.

    The case stems from investigations by Denver Labor, a division of the Auditor’s Office, into wage theft at several adult entertainment venues, including PT’s Showclub Centerfold, PT’s Showclub, Diamond Cabaret, and Rick’s Cabaret. Beginning in 2023, investigators sought payroll records, contracts, and documentation of fees that entertainers were required to pay in order to work. When clubs refused to comply, some even claiming records did not exist, Denver Labor imposed fines and issued subpoenas.

    Strip club owners attempted to argue that entertainers were “licensees” rather than employees or contractors, and therefore beyond the reach of Denver’s wage laws. However, both a hearing officer and the District Court have rejected that claim, affirming the city’s authority to investigate and enforce wage protections.


    |“Our office enforces wage theft laws for all industries and protects anyone performing work |in Denver. Adult entertainment workers are no different, and we are pleased the courts |agree,” said Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA.

    The ruling is more than a technical victory; it represents a cultural shift in recognizing the dignity of labor across various industries, which have often been marginalized or stigmatized. Denver Labor Executive Director Matthew Fritz-Mauer underscored the importance of the decision:

    |“The strip clubs have tried every tactic to avoid paying these workers properly and to dodge their wage responsibility. Even if it means creating new legal arguments that lack evidence or are contradictory. I’m thrilled the District Court recognized our legal authority to enforce sex workers’ rights. We remain steadfast in doing what’s right for all workers in Denver.”

    A Fight for Restitution

    The battle is far from over. In February 2025, Denver Labor ordered Diamond Cabaret and Rick’s Cabaret to pay nearly $13.96 million in restitution and penalties after finding that more than 230 workers, including entertainers, bartenders, and servers, were victims of wage theft. The clubs are appealing, but the city remains committed to recovering back pay for those affected.

    This ruling resonates beyond the adult entertainment industry. It signals that Denver is unwilling to allow loopholes or labels to strip workers of their rights. For entertainers, many of whom face unique vulnerabilities in their profession, the decision affirms their place within the broader labor movement: they are workers, and they deserve protection.

    Resources for Workers

    Denver Labor encourages anyone in the adult entertainment industry to learn about their wage rights and protections by visiting DenverGov.org/StripClubs. Workers may also submit anonymous complaints if they believe they have been victims of wage theft.

    A Broader Conversation

    As Denver continues to grapple with issues of equity and justice in the workplace, this case reminds us that labor rights are universal. Whether in hospitals, restaurants, or clubs, the principle remains the same: work deserves fair pay.

  • Questions linger about City Council donations, sponsorships

    Questions linger about City Council donations, sponsorships

    City Council members continue to give city funds to local organizations using a process that lacks clarity and accountability because of inconsistent terminology and unclear legal guidance involving donations, sponsorships, and grants, according to a new follow-up report from Denver Auditor Timothy M. O’Brien, CPA about City Council operations.

    “I commend the City Council for doing a great job implementing most of our recommendations from our initial 2023 audit,” Auditor O’Brien said. “But the lack of clarity around the issues of appropriate spending will be scrutinized more than ever in this economic climate.”

    The City Council implemented eight recommendations, partially implemented four recommendations, and did not implement two recommendations.

    In a positive step, the City Council adopted two policies to mitigate information technology risks. A “Technical Services Policy” requires all City Council members and staff to sign a Technology Services agreement on responsible uses of computer equipment and networks to protect city assets and data. An “Assessment Management Policy” says an inventory of technology assets is to be performed annually.

    The City Council’s Central Office also developed formal policies and procedures for collecting keys and badges from council members and its staff leaving their positions. It also improved its tracking of purchase card trainings for staff and improved processes for reviewing council members’ and staffs’ purchase card activity.

    But the lack of clarity around donations, sponsorships, or grants was not resolved. City Council members’ offices receive taxpayer funding for their office budgets and use some of it to support local organizations. Our 2023 audit found council members’ offices inconsistently followed council policies and procedures as well as some city rules associated with this type of spending. We recommended the City Council get a legal opinion from the City Attorney’s Office around the limits of what qualifies as spending for “public purpose.”

    Instead, we found a lack of clarity persists, including inconsistent definitions for “donations” and “sponsorships” in City Attorney’s Office presentations and City Council office documents. Because of this inconsistency in terminology, there is still no clear guidance regarding the appropriateness of council members providing city funds to local organizations.

    Although the City Council’s Central Office staff said they received legal advice from the City Attorney’s Office and provided some documents to us about updates to rules, we were unable to find any evidence confirming the City Attorney’s Office supports all of the updates.

    We had also recommended the City Council’s Central Office staff develop and provide training for council members and their staff on the distinction between donations, sponsorships, and grants. But we did not find any evidence this training occurred.

    “Without consistent terminology and clear distinctions between different allowable spending, noncompliant donation transactions may occur,” Auditor O’Brien said. “I applaud the City Council for addressing many of the other issues we identified and hope the City Council and the City Attorney’s Office soon develop clearer definitions to support shared understanding.”

  • Join Us to Amplify and Keep Community Voices Strong

    Afrik Digest believes in the power of storytelling to uplift, inform, and unite. Every article we publish, every youth we mentor, and every neighborhood we reach is a testament to the resilience and brilliance of our community.
    This year, through the #newsCOneeds campaign, we invite you to stand with us. Your donation, no matter the size, helps us continue our mission: to deliver culturally resonant journalism, nurture emerging voices, and ensure that stories from our communities are told with dignity and depth.
    This is calling out to Friends, Readers, and Community Partners, who we might have inspired, informed, or made to feel seen. Now is the time to give back. We welcome support from all people of benevolence who believe in equity, creativity, and truth.
    Donate today and help us keep Afrik voices strong.
    With gratitude.
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  • Aurora police sergeant arrested on domestic violence charges

    Aurora police sergeant arrested on domestic violence charges

    An Aurora Police sergeant is currently facing misdemeanor assault charges after his intimate partner accused him of confiscating her phone during a domestic dispute, resulting in a physical altercation, according to police and court documents.

    Aurora police were recently called to a southeast Aurora home at about 9 p.m. to investigate a report of domestic abuse, according to Aurora police and Arapahoe County Sheriff deputies.

    “Upon arrival, officers determined the residence was associated with an Aurora Police Department employee and immediately requested the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office to assume the investigation as an outside agency,” Aurora police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood said in a statement.

    When two deputies arrived, they interviewed Aurora Police Sgt. Matthew Schlauger, 36, and a woman investigators said was Schlauger’s intimate partner, both living at the address, according to an Arapahoe County court arrest affidavit.

    When Schlauger arrived home that night, he and the woman started arguing about their relationship, Arapahoe County deputies reported.

    “At one point, Schlauger took (the woman’s) phone from her and refused to give it back, ignoring multiple requests,” deputies said in the affidavit.

    Schlauger however has denied confiscating her phone that night.

    The argument between the two continued as they both went upstairs.

    “While in the bedroom, a physical altercation took place where (the woman) elbowed Schlauger, causing his nose to bleed,” according to the affidavit.

    Schlauger told police that the jab to the nose was inadvertent when the woman jumped on his back and he bent over to make her get off of him.

    “When (the woman) was trying to leave the bedroom, Schlauger, still obtaining her phone, stood in the doorway to the bedroom and did not move,” investigators said in the affidavit. “Jones felt the need to slide by him and while doing so attempted to grab her phone but was unsuccessful.”

    The woman headed for the stairs and Schlauger ran after her, police said.

    “When at the base of the stairs, a struggle took place once again over Jones’s phone,” deputies said in the affidavit. “During the struggle, Schlauger grabbed Jones several times, twisting her left hand causing her pain and breaking several of her nails.”

    Despite Schlauger insisting he never took the woman’s phone, deputies said details from the 911 call to police and physical evidence inside the home compelled them to insist on asking for charges and arresting Schlauger.

    He was jailed and released on bond in lieu of $5,000, according to jail records.

    Schlauger, on the APD force since 2016, is currently facing charges of third-degree assault, criminal tampering and domestic violence.

    An internal investigation was initiated by the Aurora Police Department immediately following the incident and remains active and ongoing.

  • Aurora eyes next steps after voters overwhelmingly support Colfax Downtown Development Authority

    Aurora eyes next steps after voters overwhelmingly support Colfax Downtown Development Authority

    Efforts to revitalize a key segment of East Colfax Avenue in Aurora will now move into a new chapter after voters supported the creation of a new economic tool in a special election recently.
    A vast majority of residents, business owners and property owners along East Colfax between Yosemite Street and Oswego streets who voted in that special election threw their support behind the creation of a Downtown Development Authority that is intended to supercharge efforts to improve safety, housing affordability, business opportunities and more in the area often referred to as “Original Aurora.”
    The authority, known as a DDA, is a governmental entity separate from the city and defined by state statute. The DDA will be led by a board appointed by the mayor and confirmed by a majority of the City Council to oversee implementation of DDA programs.
    The DDA will use tax-increment financing to fund work along the East Colfax corridor with focuses including safety, infrastructure, small business support, housing, and economic development as outlined in the Colfax Community Vision and Action Plan. The tax increment financing would come from reinvesting the growth in tax revenue as property values and commercial activity in the DDA area increase over time. It will not create new taxes.
    The boundaries of the East Colfax DDA stretch from Yosemite Street on the western end, East 16th Avenue to the north, the Fitzsimons Urban Renewal Area to the east, and East 14th Avenue to the south.
    Now that voters within those boundaries have supported this approach, the city’s elected officials will be tasked with forming the authority’s board. Board members will include one City Council member and between four and ten members chosen from the DDA area. Those members must be residents, landowners, or business lessees within the authority’s boundaries. Information will be provided later this year about the city’s application and appointment process for DDA board members.
    Over the last year, a draft Colfax Community Vision & Action Plan has been created to serve as a long-term roadmap for revitalizing East Colfax and the surrounding areas of Northwest Aurora. Grounded in community input, this plan lays out a shared vision for the next 10 to 20 years and suggests practical steps to achieve that vision.
    This draft plan also sets the stage for creating the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and a nonprofit Community Development Corporation (CDC). Together, these organizations would help create public improvements, support local businesses, and protect the area’s character while promoting economic growth that benefits everyone. The CDC would be able to operate beyond the DDA boundaries. It would focus on housing, economic development, advocacy, and coordination around area-wide issues. It would be governed by a community-based board and funded through grants, philanthropy, and a self-sustaining real estate strategy.
    The DDA will not immediately begin collecting tax increment or supporting projects and initiatives along East Colfax. Those revenues would only start to accumulate over the coming year.
    For more information about the process and to review the draft version of the Colfax Community Vision & Action plan, please visit engageaurora.org/colfaxplan. Information about the formation of the DDA board will also be shared on that page later this year.
  • Officials cut the ribbon on long-awaited Aurora Regional Navigation Campus

    Officials cut the ribbon on long-awaited Aurora Regional Navigation Campus

    The city of Aurora and its government and nonprofit partners celebrated the substantial completion of the Aurora Regional Navigation Campus at a special event today, marking a bold step forward for homelessness resolution in Colorado’s third largest city.

    Tier three accommodations in Aurora’s Homeless Navigation Campus. Credit: ColoradoPolitics

    The navigation campus — formerly a Crowne Plaza hotel — at 15500 E. 40th Ave., has been in the works for more than a year after the city purchased the building in May 2024 for $26.5 million.

    The 600-person facility will open to the public Nov. 17, when the operator Advance Pathways will shuttle homeless people over from the Aurora Day Resource Center as it shuts down.

    The facility has come a long way from being a hotel last year, Mayor Mike Coffman said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, adding that the facility will act “not as a handout, but as a hand up.”

    His team chose Advance Pathways as the operator in a competitive bid process because of the organization’s “holistic” approach to homelessness, he said.

    “That is what this facility will embody,” Coffman said. “A people-focused, progress-driven approach to homelessness that empowers and prepares people to come through these doors to improve their circumstances.”

    Over the past year, Aurora City Council members have moved forward with what the mayor has called a “tough love” approach to homelessness, enacting a camping ban, alongside starting a court system to address low-level offenses by homeless people.

    The campus is the final puzzle piece in that approach, Coffman revealed to newsmen previously, offering a place where people can access all of the services they need in one building while being incentivized to work toward self-sufficiency.

    The campus has three tiers that officials are calling “compassion,” “courage” and “commitment.”

    Ongoing funding for the operations of the facility will rely on private sector support. Aurora will contribute $2 million annually to support ongoing maintenance and the Tier 1 shelter. Advance is required to raise the remainder of the funding. The organization has received support from the Daniels Fund, Anschutz Foundation and other regional partners as it continues to fundraise for the campus.
    Governor Jared Polis and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado Dianne Primavera conducted a tour of the facility.
    “We are focused on creating more housing for every Coloradan, and this type of support can help make that possible for more people in our communities. I appreciate the partnerships that helped make this possible and the state is proud to support this important work,” Gov. Polis said.
    Shantell Anderson, Mike Coffman, Jim Goebelbecker and Diane Primavera cut the ribbon in a ceremony to celebrate the opening of Aurora’s Regional Navigation Campus on Nov. 6, 2025. Credit: Coloradopolitics
    “The Polis-Primavera administration is focused on helping make housing more accessible for everyone. The Aurora Regional Navigation Campus is more than a building—it’s a lifeline. And together, we are creating a Colorado where everyone has the opportunity to thrive,” Primavera said.
    Members of the public are invited to get a closer look at the facility during a community open house event on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Doors open at 3 p.m. with a short program beginning at 3:30 p.m. Mayor Coffman, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Sundberg and other local officials will be in attendance. The open house concludes at 6 p.m.
    At that event, the city will also dedicate a mural in the building’s “day room” painted by Colorado artist Mario Miguel Echevarria. The mural, titled “Weaving Together Improves the Pattern” was commissioned by Aurora’s Art in Public Places program and features a variety of birds, including a variety called “sociable weavers.” Sociable weavers build enduring communal nests not unlike the work Aurora and Advance will be carrying out at the campus.
  • Ousman Ba Throws his Hat in for APS Board

    Ousman Ba Throws his Hat in for APS Board

    The energetic, passionate and charismatic finance professional  launches his bid for Aurora Public School Board.

    The city of Aurora has always been home to everyone. The city’s diversified and dynamic nature is one of the reasons immigrants have been able to contribute positively to its growth. One of those people who have done so is Ousman Ba. He brings an uncommon zeal, positivity and charisma that makes him a worthy and formidable candidate as he announces his election bid for the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education.

    His Beginnings

    Ousman was born in a refugee camp in Senegal to Mauritanian parents. At the age of six, his family immigrated to Colorado as refugees, where he began school in the 3rd grade with Denver Public Schools. From an early age, Ousman understood that education was a privilege he did not have in Senegal, and he embraced every opportunity to learn.

    “When I first arrived in Aurora as a young immigrant, I carried a suitcase full of hope and determination. Like so many families who come here, I believed in the promise of America—that if you work hard, stay focused, and pursue an education, you can build a better life. Education was the bridge that helped me cross into new opportunities, and it is still the most powerful tool we can give to our children”.

    After graduating from George Washington High School, Ousman attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins, where he majored in Political Science and International Relations.

    After completing college, Ousman completed a year of service through AmeriCorps City Year, where he supported more than 100 9th-grade students from low-income communities in inner-city Miami. That experience solidified his commitment to equity in education. Ousman saw firsthand how the education system often benefits some students while leaving others behind. At his Red Jacket Ceremony, he made a promise: to always be an advocate for our students.

     

    Why he’s running for the Aurora Public Schools Board of Education

    For Ousman this is not just politics. This is personal.  “I have lived the challenges that many of our students and families face—navigating a new language, trying to understand an unfamiliar system, and wondering whether people like me would ever be fully seen and supported. I have also seen the difference it makes when schools step up with care, resources, and high expectations”.

    Over the years, he has mentored young people who were close to giving up until someone reminded them of their potential.  He has sat with families who desperately want the best for their children but feel shut out of decision-making and has also talked to teachers who pour their hearts into the classroom, often without enough resources or recognition. These experiences has constantly reminded him of one truth: our schools can either open doors or close them. We cannot afford for any door to be closed.

    “Aurora is one of the most diverse communities in the nation. That is our strength. Our classrooms are filled with students from every corner of the globe, speaking dozens of languages, bringing incredible resilience and creativity. But too often, our diversity has been treated as a challenge instead of an opportunity. I believe it is time to flip that script. We should celebrate what makes our students unique while making sure every child, regardless of zip code or background, receives an excellent education”.

    His priorities are straightforward:

    Students First. Every policy, every budget decision, every conversation should start with a simple question: does this help our kids thrive?

    Support for Educators. Teachers and staff are the backbone of our schools. We must ensure they have the resources, training, and respect to do their jobs well. When educators succeed, students succeed.

    Family Engagement. Parents and guardians deserve to be partners, not afterthoughts. We need stronger communication and meaningful opportunities for families to be involved in shaping their children’s education.

    Transparency and Accountability. Taxpayers and families should know how decisions are made and how dollars are spent. Trust is built when people feel informed and included.

    Four Ousman, this is about right and wrong. He strongly believes it is wrong to leave any student behind and it is right to ensure every child in Aurora has a fair chance to succeed.

    He is stepping forward because he believes our district can do better. Better at preparing students not just for graduation, but for colleges, careers, and citizenship. Better at making families feel like true partners. Better at creating an environment where teachers are valued and supported.

    In all of this, Ousman admits this is something he cannot do alone. “No single person can fix our schools. Real change comes when a community comes together—when parents, educators, students, and neighbors stand side by side and say, “Our children deserve the best, and we will not settle for less.”

    That is what his campaign is all about. It’s about building a stronger Aurora, one classroom at a time. It’s about honoring the promise of education that brought him here years ago and ensuring it is alive for every child today.

    Ousman believes our kids cannot wait. Their future—and ours—depends on what we do now. That is why he is running, and with your support, that is how he intends to serve.

  • Ambassador64: Notes from Arapahoe County

    Ambassador64: Notes from Arapahoe County

    Rocky Mountain Public Media, the home of Rocky Mountain PBS, KUVO Jazz, and The Drop 104.7 has developed a partnership with Colorado Ethnic Media Exchange to launch this monthly essay series, as part of our vision to co-create a Colorado where everyone feels seen and heard. These stories are sourced from community members across the state—told in their own words and selected from our 64-county community ambassador program. They are not editorial products of our journalism team, but are first-person reflections on life in Colorado – building bridges through empathy. To learn more about all of our brands and content, check us out at https://www.rmpbs.org/about.

     

    The Community Aurora Taught Me

    By Maureen Maycheco

    I love Aurora. I say that without hesitation, without apology, and with a kind of deep pride that feels rooted in my bones. Aurora is home, not just because I live here, but because it has taught me what community truly means.

    In Aurora, community is a lived experience. It is exchanged through a bag of tomatoes over the fence, through a knock on the door to check in on a neighbor, through the unspoken understanding that we are looking out for one another. My neighborhood is stitched together with people from all over the world, refugees, immigrants, and families, who carry with them stories, recipes, music, languages, and traditions that make Aurora one of the most diverse cities in the country.

    This diversity is not something I observe from a distance; it’s what I participate in every day. I have a food-trade system with my neighbors: herbs for eggrolls, squash for eggs. We share abundance, and in doing so, we share pieces of ourselves. It is a quiet, powerful act of belonging.

    Serving on Aurora’s Immigrant and Refugee Commission (AIRC) has given me another vantage point on this truth. I’ve seen how Aurora becomes both a sanctuary and a launchpad for families who have crossed oceans, borders, and hardships. I’ve listened to their concerns about housing, health care, schools, and safety, and I’ve seen how, despite obstacles, they continue to give back, to contribute, to weave themselves into the fabric of this city. Aurora doesn’t just welcome, it absorbs, transforms, and reflects back the richness of the world.

    But loving Aurora also means understanding the challenges we face. Our diversity, our collective strength, and the way we care for each other are all things that challenge systems built on exclusion and control. Too often, Aurora is spoken about in headlines that reduce us to crime statistics or deficits, instead of celebrating us as a model of shared humanity. What they miss is that the very thing they point to, our difference, is our power. It’s a power we must protect and nurture, a responsibility we all share.

    That power goes beyond city borders. Today, as I sat in an Indigenous tattoo shop in Denver, my partner getting his first tattoo as part of a fundraiser for the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC), I felt it again: community is expansive. The people CIRC serves are my people. The families COLOR (the organization where I work) stands alongside immigrants, Latine, young, low-income, LGBTQ+, and are my people. When I show up there, I am showing up for Aurora, too, because community is not a zip code. It is a responsibility. It is love in action.

    There are versions of “community” that are about individualism and ego, about curating the right neighborhood, the right coffee shop, the right school. But the kind of community Aurora teaches me every day is different. It is ancestral. It is energetic. It is about what is shared, not what is owned. It humbles me, and it calls me to keep giving.

    When I stretch my arms wide and think of Aurora, I don’t just see my street. I see the vast web of neighbors who check on each other, the families building new lives with courage, the children running between backyards, the elders passing down knowledge, and the organizers fighting for dignity and rights. That web stretches outward into Denver, into Colorado, into every place where care outshines ego and solidarity outlasts division.

    And right now, as I walk back from my garden, arms full of tomatoes and herbs to share, I feel it: this is community. Aurora taught me that when we give, we are never empty; we are woven tighter together. That is why I love it here, fiercely, endlessly, with all of me.

    *Maureen Maycheco (she/they), is the Vice President of Strategic Partnership and Growth at COLOR, and an 80013 resident.

    __________________________________

    We Want to Hear from You
    We’re inviting community members across the state to share their own stories of living in Colorado —of identity, discovery, and what it means to belong.

    Tell us about a moment or a place in Colorado that changed how you see yourself or your community. Share your reflections at ambassador64@rmpbs.org

    This is part of Ambassador64, our statewide listening initiative to ensure public media reflects the voices of all 64 counties in Colorado—starting with yours

  • America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission Launches Unprecedented Statewide Drone Show Spectacle

    America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission Launches Unprecedented Statewide Drone Show Spectacle

    The America 250 – Colorado 150 Commission is taking its milestone celebrations to new heights with Stories in the Sky, a series of nearly 150 community drone shows lighting up Colorado’s skies from September 2025 through December 2026, creating unforgettable moments for millions of Coloradans and visitors alike. This sweeping effort was developed in partnership with the Commission, Colorado Tourism Office and Visit Denver, and is built on two major programs working in concert through the end of 2026.

    One program, the Stories in the Sky Statewide Series, is being sponsored by Chevron, Tallgrass and UCHealth and will bring dazzling drone shows to communities across Colorado. The tour kicks off on September 27, 2025, at the University of Colorado football game in Boulder and will travel across the state, from the Eastern Plains to the Western Slope, throughout 2026.

    The second program, Mile High Holidays Nightly Drone Spectacular, is hosted by Visit Denver. This beloved annual celebration will serve as a cornerstone of the anniversary festivities. The 40-night extravaganza will light up the Denver skyline nightly starting November 21, 2025, and continue throughout the 2025 holiday season, and will return for an encore in 2026.

    “Drone shows are a fresh, family-friendly way to celebrate these anniversaries and connect communities,” said Dick Monfort, America 250 – Colorado 150 Commissioner and CEO of the Colorado Rockies Baseball Club. “They’ll inspire pride in Colorado and the United States as we mark these milestones while offering a modern, jaw-dropping spectacle.”

    “Nightly drone shows return for Mile High Holidays, and we are thrilled to partner with the Commission to elevate this celebration for the state’s historic anniversary,” said Richard Scharf, President & CEO at Visit Denver. “We’re proud to run the longest-running series in the state, welcoming locals and visitors alike to celebrate the season as part of this incredible statewide event.”

    Both programs are produced by Brightflight Drone Shows and will feature hundreds of synchronized drones creating dazzling animations. Visit Denver’s holiday show will feature festive scenes and tributes to Denver landmarks, while the “Stories in the Sky” series will feature custom animations unique to each host location—like trains steaming across the plains in Fort Morgan or snow-capped peaks over Breckenridge.

    “As a company focused on developing the energy that improves lives and powers the state forward, Chevron is proud to help light up Colorado’s skies,” said Bobby Hulett, Chevron Director of the Colorado Region. “These shows are a perfect way to bring people together and honor the spirit of innovation and resilience that has defined our state.”

    “As a Colorado native and lifelong resident, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our state’s 150th birthday,” said Gary Watkins, Chief Financial Officer of Tallgrass. “These shows will bring our communities closer, celebrating the values we share as Coloradans, and at Tallgrass we’re honored to join in marking this historic milestone.”

    “UCHealth is excited to partner on this inspiring initiative,” said Manny Rodriguez, Chief Marketing, Experience and Customer Officer at UCHealth. “Just like great health care, these shows will reach people where they are, bringing joy, connection, and celebration to communities across Colorado.”

    The commission, established by the state legislature, aims to create significant celebrations including long-lasting commemorations and signature events, with this drone display being one planned highlight. 

    The commission was directed to develop and promote plans for activities between July 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026, including historical activities, publication of historical documents, public ceremonies, educational activities for Colorado youth, and other commemorative events, to be supported by comprehensive marketing and tourism campaigns.

    The commission was also required to identify, celebrate, and build knowledge around the history of Black communities, Indigenous communities, communities of color, women, and people with disabilities. In addition, the commission also set out to ensure that the activities planned by the commission represented the geographic and demographic diversity of the state and are accessible to people with disabilities and to communities throughout the state on an equitable basis.

  • Colorado Diasporic Film Festival Celebrates Global Stories

    Colorado Diasporic Film Festival Celebrates Global Stories

    DENVER, CO — Film enthusiasts in Colorado are in for a cultural treat as the Colorado Diasporic Film Festival (CDFF) kicks off today, Thursday, August 28th, bringing a vibrant tapestry of global cinema to the Mile High City. The festival, running through Sunday, August 31st, is a celebration of diverse cultures and a powerful platform for voices from across the globe.

    Founded by Senegalese-American filmmaker Ousmane Ndoye, the CDFF is a passion project with a mission: to use the art of film to build bridges and foster understanding between people and communities. “It’s all about community building,” Ndoye said in a recent interview. “It’s all about trying to learn from one another as neighbors.”

    Over the four-day event, more than 20 filmmakers and actors from various countries including France, Nigeria, Senegal, Canada, and Cambodia will be in attendance. The festival’s lineup features a curated selection of films and documentaries that explore themes of migration, identity, and belonging.

    A special highlight of this year’s festival is the tribute to the late Ousmane Sembène, often called the “father of African cinema.” His legendary works, which include powerful social commentaries like Black Girl and Xala, will be featured, offering a chance for audiences to experience the films of a master storyteller who used cinema as a tool for social change.

    The festival will be hosted at three prominent venues: the SIE Film Center in Denver, the Vintage Theatre in Aurora, and the Village Exchange Center. This multi-venue approach underscores the festival’s commitment to reaching different communities throughout the Denver metro area.

    Don’t miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in global stories and connect with filmmakers and artists from around the world. For a full schedule of screenings and events, visit the official festival website, Askkanwii Filmmaking Hub.