Standard Blog Whole Post - Bucket List Community Cafe

Off to the Chihuahua Races

Folks say the Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports but on Saturday May 6 at the Cinco de Mayo Festival at Civic Center Park the highlight of the day was the Chihuahua races. The 12th annual races hosted by JAMMIN’ 101.5 was one of many exciting activities at the NEWSED Cinco De Mayo Festival. The speedy little pups had the whole crowd saying, “Aye, chihuahua.”

The races kicked off at 1 pm on a grassy area by the contest stage. All of the furry contestants weighed under ten pounds, and their owners competed in groups of two: one person would release their chihuahua when the referee said “go” while the other attempted to lure them to the finish line with squeaky toys and treats. Yelps, yips, and yaps filled the air as the pups scurried off as fast as their little legs could carry them. There were four individual lanes roped off for the chihuahuas to run down, separated by orange cones, but that didn’t stop some of them from running off course. Gracie May, for example, a three-year-old chihuahua, decided halfway through her race that she wanted to turn around and run backward rather than continue toward the finish line.

“We saw the chihuahua races here last year and thought, ‘We should put Gracie May in this! She’d be perfect!’ And then she just ran backward,” the father-daughter duo laughed, relaxing on the grass with their dog after the race. (Gracie May had no comment.)

Five-year-old Oliver is another chihuahua who played by his own rules at this year’s competition. Oliver ran zig-zags during his race, weaving in and out of his competitor’s lanes and bumping into them. Unfortunately for Oliver, this was not a game of bumper cars, so he was promptly disqualified.

“He loves to cause trouble with our other two chihuahuas at home, and that’s exactly what he did today,” his owner said. “He didn’t last very long, but he got a treat anyways.”

Cousins Priscilla and Nichole are both chihuahua owners, and decided to enter their dogs in the race this year after hearing about it on the radio station. Priscilla’s chihuahua, Lila, is only one, and was quite distracted by the other furry friends across the ropes, so she decided to run sideways and was promptly disqualified.

“She runs for me all the time, but I think she just got overwhelmed with all of the other dogs,” said Priscilla. She tried her best, so she’s a winner in our hearts.”

Nichole’s chihuahua, Honey, was a little bit quicker than her tiny cousin. She is three years old (and that’s 21 in dog years, mind you) and she placed third in the final round. Well done, Honey!

Denver locals Natalie and Eric entered their chihuahua, Cassie, into the race after seeing it advertised on JAMMIN’ 101.5’s Facebook page.

“She can run pretty fast, so we figured, ‘Why not?’ She made it into the semi-finals, so maybe next year she’ll win,” Eric said.

Cassie headed home for some well-deserved peanut butter. Ten-year-old littermates Wolfie and Blackie participated in the chihuahua races for the second time this year, so their owner Dave considers them seasoned pros.

“Blackie made it to the fifth round, but Wolfie just sat down in the very beginning,” he chuckled. “She was having none of it. That’s what old age does to you!” (We feel for Wolfie. After all, she is 70 in dog years.)

And then, of course, there was the Usain Bolt of chihuahuas: the winner of the 12th annual chihuahua races, Douglas. He was tiny, mighty, and fond of peanut butter and squeaky toys. His final race was a real nail-biter. He started out a little slow but quickly pulled ahead of his competition to claim the throne. The blonde, long-haired chihuahua’s prize was a $500 giant check (made out in his own name, of course) which was quite humorous in photos considering his small stature. Douglas didn’t get a blanket of roses across his withers but rather a large trophy, and a basket full of toys, treats, and other goodies. Muy bien, Douglas!

May 7, 2023

1 Comment

Folks say the Kentucky Derby is the

Voices

Panaderia Rosales’ Perfect Cinco de Mayo Pasteles

Laura Lechuga, the sole owner of North Denver’s Panaderia Rosales Mexican Bakery, said her plans for this Cinco de Mayo weekend with a beaming grin: “I will work.”

The bakery’s shelves are stacked high with freshly baked, intricately designed pastries available to the public fifteen hours a day, seven days a week. Neighbors need only step outside their front door and smell the fresh dough and toasted sugar swirling through the air, wafting from Panaderia Rosales like an invitation to come in and find what’s inside.

The cozy little bakery on West 32nd Avenue is tucked below a bright blue sign and is as colorful and vibrant on the inside as a box full of crayons. Stacks of homemade pastries—from fresh churros and authentic conchas, to frosted cake and pumpkin empanadas—gleam behind sliding glass doors as customers struggle to make their choices.

After decades of successful years in business, it’s clear that people come from all over the Denver area to enjoy Panaderia Rosales’ best-of-the-best pastries, turning customers into regulars on the very first bite. Though the bakery’s name now proudly stands on many Denver ‘must-do’ lists, as with every small business, things were not always this way.

“On our first day of sales, we only sold $5,” Lechuga said. “We were not even sure how we were going to pay our rent.”

Back when Lechuga opened the bakery with her father nearly 50 years ago, she endured the struggles and growing pains that every small business owner faces at the start.

“My dad told me that I had to be patient, that we just had to work at it and we would get there,” she said. “But for me, I just wanted everything to happen, like right now.”

Her father began recreating the pastries he sold at his original bakery back in Mexico. He wanted people to walk in and “feel happy to see something they saw back home,” to mirror his own love for baking and the sense of warm nostalgia it brought into his own life.

“Slowly, we built the bakery. We used to have only one showcase, where we would just put out our most popular items from my dad’s bakery in Mexico.”

Close up of a concha pastry from Panadería Rosales Mexican Bakery. Photo from Andrew Jacobson on Yelp in 2022.

Being the businessman that he was, Lechuga’s father made minor adjustments to some of the recipes that he felt would bring in more people from the surrounding area. Rosales Panaderia began preparing selections of both cream-filled and classic Mexican desserts that people soon fell in love with.

“Most people here, when they ask for a pastry, they expect it to be filled,” Lechuga said. “But in Mexico, it’s not very popular to have them filled because it is more expensive, especially when they are buying one or two pieces for each member of the family. They don’t want to spend a lot. But here, it’s the other way around. You don’t have a lot of kids. You have maybe one or two kids, and they want something that is the best.”

Lechuga learned from her father not only how to bake, but also how to run a business. After she graduated from Regis University, Lechuga began running the financial side of the bakery while also working a job with the IRS. In 1992, she took over Panaderia Rosales and became the sole owner after her father passed.

“We of course weren’t planning on losing him. So, we didn’t have the recipes written down. And my dad used to bake like this: do a handful of this, and a handful of that…but it would always come out,” Lechuga said. “He taught several of my cousins how to bake, because, in my house, there were all girls. And he didn’t think us girls would make good bakers because in Mexico, it’s mostly men. Men are the ones who dominate the field. My dad told me, ‘You can clean, you can sweep, you can do whatever. But this is not your spot.’”

However, her father was a teacher at heart, and “loved to teach anybody who wanted to learn. He wanted to teach them. And nowadays, people don’t have that kind of patience, especially with baking.”

His patience undoubtedly paid off for the generations ahead, as Panaderia Rosales nears its 50th Cinco de Mayo. When asked if her family had any special Cinco de Mayo traditions, she said, “we work.”

“My dad used to like a lot of family time, and sometimes, after closing, we would make a barbecue in the back, or just take it easy with the family. But mostly, we would work,” Lechuga said. The bakery is stocked with tres leches cakes, Cinco de Mayo-themed cookies, and all the usual delicious treats for one of the shop’s busiest weekends of the year.

“Just this Sunday, I was talking to a friend, and she said, ‘you shouldn’t work on Sundays anymore,’ and I said, ‘What would I do at home?’ I would just be sitting there, and I wouldn’t see my friends because they come into the bakery, even if to just say hi or have a small chat. And I just like to know that they’re well, you know.”

Lechuga admits that she struggles to take time off because she genuinely wants to be there, and loves running Panaderia Rosales and seeing the regulars who stop in daily.

“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t love it. I can’t even explain it. Most people wouldn’t even think about putting more than 40 hours into a job, but for me, I like it.”

May 4, 2023

0 Comments

Laura Lechuga, the sole owner of North

Neighborhoods

Mexican Folklorico a Highlight of Cinco de Mayo

Denver’s Cinco de Mayo festival is here! The celebration of the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 is May 6 and 7 at Denver Civic Center Park. This year, the festival’s Local Stage is being produced by Lisa Trujillo who runs Lisa Trujillo Dance Folklorico, which will be performing on both days.

“Colorado is one of the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebrations and it’s a fantastic opportunity for my students to get out and perform. I do it mostly for my students and to incorporate my culture and keep it alive,” Lisa said.

Folklorico dance is known as the dance of the people and represents the traditional dances of different regions and states within Mexico.

“Every different state has its own culture. The Chiapas have their own Chiapanecas costumes and they have their own instruments which are the marimbas. Jalisco is the Mariachis with the Mariachi suits and the rancheras for the girls. Nayarit has its own music and Veracruz has the harps with the white lace costumes. Each region has its own costumes and its own style of arms and movement of the skirts,” Lisa explained.

Folklorico is most known for its bright and colorful apparel where people can either wear skirts—perfectly designed to twirl and fan—or embroidered jackets and hats while tapping their feet to the beat of Folklorico music.

“There are so many more Mexican groups now, it’s more alive now than it has ever been and there’s room for all of us which is wonderful!” Lisa said.

Folklorico was always in sight for Lisa ever since she saw a group of dancers in Mexico City when she was seven years old. She later went back to Mexico City to study the dance. Since then, she has incorporated it into her dance academy and company and has included a variety of styles of Folklorico dancing in her students’ performances.

Female dancers with the Lisa Trujillo Dance Folklorico at Denver Civic Center Park.

“To be a Folklorico dancer means to be yourself. When you’re on stage performing or in the rehearsals, I feel like you become yourself,” said 21-year-old Shenae Trujillo, Lisa’s daughter. She has been dancing since she was two years old at her mother’s studio. This year, Shenae has flown in from California to dance with her mother’s company at the festival.

“It’s fun and you just want to party to it,” said Shenae. “A lot of people love dancing to Mariachi music and it just brings people together.”

To Lisa, Folklorico dancing brings out your personality and culture through music and costumes and it creates a magical experience.

“The music gives a lot of inspiration and a lot of energy,” Lisa said. “You hear a lot of times with Mariachi music the ‘El Grito’. It makes you want to yell and it gets in your soul. It’s exciting.”

Lisa’s dancers began rehearsing for the festival in January. Learning Folklorico routines and ordering costumes, hair pieces, and shoes are all a part of the busy preparation for the festival. Lisa attempts to create a blend of different Folklorico styles to keep the audience engaged.

“I’ll do two or three dances from Veracruz, two or three from Nayarit so that they can see and hear the differences between the regions of Mexico,” Lisa said.

Lisa provided Bucket List Community Cafe a sneak peek into what audiences should expect at their set this year.

“My little guys are doing the Mexican hat dance to “Jarabe Tapatio” and they are just darling! You’ll see the progression from the kids doing “Jarabe Tapatio” and “Jarabe Mixteco” with the little bull and the flowers and then the progression into my company. The company is doing a really cool Jalisco set this year,” Lisa revealed.

Lisa hopes that the audience enjoys the beautiful costumes, music, expression, and presentation of Mexico through their Folklorico dancing.

“Once you do Mexican dance it’s a different style and it stays in your soul and you continue it because it’s a part of your culture,” Lisa said.

May 4, 2023

0 Comments

Denver’s Cinco de Mayo festival is here!

Casa Bonita’s Upcoming Opening has Neighborhood Buzzing

It’s a sunny Monday afternoon on West Colfax, and a relic of Denver history stands tall above the rest of Lamar Station Plaza. Once mariachi music filtered through the doors of Casa Bonita, but today, there is the roar of power tools and the clacking of equipment.

In just 60 minutes, over 15 people stop in front of the taped-off entrance to take pictures, pose in front of the icon, and take a moment to share in the hype over the reopening of Casa Bonita sometime this May.

“Man, I am 46! I have been coming here ever since I was in elementary school. I mostly remember the divers and the huge cliff pool inside, but I am thrilled to see how they changed it up,” said Tony Taliercio, a longtime member of the West Colfax community.

Casa Bonita is an anchor in Lakewood. A restaurant with a history and a brand like no other, offering customers a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience; dinner and a show! The reach of Casa Bonita extends much further than a normal restaurant—it is a place of childhood memories for Denverites, a hub of the community for the neighborhood, and an experience native to the city’s heritage itself.

With the creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, buying the restaurant after its closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new customer base has come to the restaurant: hardcore fans of the adult animated comedy show.

Mark and Tracy Main were visiting Denver from Southern California, and after seeing Casa Bonita on the show, decided to have a look for themselves.

“After seeing it on South Park and looking into it, apparently, it’s a staple to people around here. It sounds like quite the sight! Divers, mariachi bands, marionettes, a little bit of everything,” Mark said.

Construction workers outside Casa Bonita.

James Coulter, who grew up around the Denver Metro area stopped by after work to snap a couple of photos of the restaurant to send to his friends who live out of state, who had only seen the restaurant on an episode of the show.

“Friends of mine who love South Park are excited to go and see it for themselves,” Coulter said. “I also know people who grew up here and moved away. Now they are trying to figure out a flight and time to come back and bring their kids to experience it.”

For Coulter, Casa Bonita means good times with family and friends. It is an important part of Denver culture which has been lost, but he is thrilled to see it come back to life.

“It is the closest thing you would get to Disneyland in the immediate area,” Coulter said. “You got the shows, the atmosphere, and the themes. It’s fun to watch the divers doing their stuff, and as a little kid you can run through Black Bart’s cave, you could play hide and seek, you can go check out the arcade. As an adult, the food isn’t great, but there are margaritas, and it’s still kinda that weird fun of going into a whole new little world.”

Although Casa Bonita is known equally for the immersive atmosphere as it is for the bad food—the exception being the sopapillas—with a new chef, the legendary and “loca” Dana Rodriguez, the menu is expected to make a huge shift.

Out behind the restaurant, where construction workers are buzzing in and out of the building with materials and hustling away on the roof, a woman in a black chef’s uniform steps out for a quick break.

Gabriele Lyons is the pastry chef for Casa Bonita, recently hired by Rodriguez. Lyons oversees numerous new desserts that the menu will offer. She was born and raised in Colorado and grew up coming to Casa Bonita all the time.

“I am so excited about how things have changed since I was a kid here. Many things, but the arcade room alone, that wasn’t the arcade room I grew up with!” exclaimed Lyons.

And the arcade isn’t the only thing changing. Lyons said the menu is going to be drastically different from the old restaurant. Among other changes, the menu will now include gluten-free and vegan entrees and desserts.

“The old [menu] didn’t have desserts; they only offered the free sopapillas,” Lyons said. “We are bringing more variety and more range, different types of foods, looking out for everything and everyone. More scratch-made foods. It’s no longer going to taste like what it did beforehand, it’s so much different. It’s better!”

Gabriele Lyons, Casa Bonita’s new pastry chef.

With a whole new kitchen staff, Lyons said the atmosphere is one of the best she has ever worked in. Rodriguez ground her way through the culinary scene from the very bottom, and now sits at the utmost apex. But she knows what it’s like to be in her employees’ shoes.

“It’s been great. There are a lot of times where she’s like, ‘Okay, here is a recipe, go have fun!’ It’s one of those things where you get open ideas, and you get to show her a couple different ways and she gives you feedback on what she wants.”

According to Lyons, Rodriguez works very closely with Matt and Trey on the new menu and aligning the original Casa Bonita with the new brand. If the head chef isn’t working at the restaurant, she’s off hanging out with the South Park creators.

“One time I remember Matt and Trey had to run off to New York and they just brought Dana to tag along with them!” laughed Lyons.

Everyone in the West Colfax community is counting down the days until Casa Bonita once again opens its doors. The businesses that surround the restaurant are thrilled to see an influx of customers coming to the area.

Anna Le is a manager for The Yabby Hut, a Filipino-inspired seafood restaurant a few doors down. As a kid, she went on many school field trips to Casa Bonita when she attended Oakland Elementary.

“My childhood was at Casa Bonita, and we get customers coming in all the time who are excited for the new opening,” Le said. “We are just excited to see the new exposure we get from all of Casa Bonita’s customers.”

The community, the employees, and the surrounding businesses are ecstatic about the hustle and bustle that Casa Bonita will bring to Lamar Station Plaza. The only worry, folks say, is that there won’t be enough parking!

May 4, 2023

0 Comments

It’s a sunny Monday afternoon on West

Community

EmpowerHer Guides Girls Through Loss

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. For some, it’s not much of a celebration but a sad reminder of what they’ve lost. EmpowerHer seeks to change that.

EmpowerHer is an international nonprofit that connects children and young adults that have lost a parent. Denver is one of 10 chapters in the U.S. and this is the first year in Denver that mentors have been paired with young girls. The organization pairs women who lost their moms years ago with young girls who are just starting the grieving process, as a way to make them feel less alone in the process.

It’s raining cats and dogs on a Tuesday night in April—a perfect evening to go bowling. Carol Porter and Sidney Meyer walk into Bowlero in Littleton and are excited to knock down some pins. It is Sidney’s second time ever and she is on a mission to avoid the gutter.

Carol, a Denverite, mother, career woman, and mentor for EmpowerHer was paired in August with Sidney an 11-year-old who had recently lost her mother to cancer. They were the first match made in Colorado along with Sidney’s two sisters and their mentors.

Sitting in lane 31 after a spirited bowling match between mentor and mentee, Carol and Sidney talk about what this pairing has meant to them while chowing down on some pepperoni pizza. Carol’s mother was diagnosed with brain cancer when she was five and passed away when she was seven. She said she was lucky to have a support system of aunts and neighbors but longed for a non-relative to talk with.

“Sometimes you feel a little scared or judged if it’s someone close like a family member. So having someone to talk to outside of the family is something I always wished I had. I wish EmpowerHer existed when I was Sidney’s age,” Carol said. “As a young child who experienced mother loss, and now a mother myself, I have found a great sense of purpose in helping build a community for children who may be silently suffering the loss of their mother or father.”

Carol said the EmpowerHer events and mentorship programs remind the children they’re not alone in their grief, and that loss is survivable.

“Sidney’s like my adopted daughter, sister, friend. All of the above?” said Carol looking at Sidney. “Yeah,” Sidney replied.

Among many other titles such as Taekwondo red belt, middle sister, flutist, horseback rider, and bookworm—or as she likes to say, “Bookdragon”—Sidney is a dragon aficionado.

Carol Porter and Sidney Meyer playing arcade games in Bowlero Littleton.

“Dragonette?” says Carol. “That is the correct term,” Sidney said enthusiastically.

Sidney has read the full series of Wings of Fire, a series of children’s epic dragon fantasy novels written by author Tui T. Sutherland. She often keeps Carol on her toes, quizzing her about the vast histories of the different dragons.

“Sidney loves dragons, so I’ve been learning all different things about them. There are so many different names and tribes and different superpowers,” Carol said. “Sidney asked me today in the car, ‘If I was to give you every superpower in the world, what would you do?’ I said, ‘World peace.’ Sidney said she’d rather rob a bank.”

“To start your path in villainy, you have to start early,” a giggling Sidney said.

“And then maybe you can do some good deeds,” Carol responded.

Carol and Sidney have done a myriad of activities together such as a sugar scrub-making class, a yoga class with EmpoweHer partner Athleta, a hike and picnic at Red Rocks, a visit to the iconic Denver bookstore Tattered Cover, and a quest for the best boba tea in the city. The program is extraordinarily impactful for the pair.

“These outings are a great way to connect with Carol and to talk. Just hang out. To have someone who listens to me and who I can be ridiculously silly with. Sometimes it’s nice to just get out of your own environment for a little bit,” Sidney said.

“We did pumpkin painting which was a disaster,” says Carol said, chuckling.

“It wasn’t a disaster. It was chaos and art,” says Sidney replied.

“Growing up I never had anyone who shared the experience of losing a mother. Now at 36 years old, I have this network of 15 incredible women who are just awesome and who have been through what I have been through and can understand that. I adore Sidney. She’s like, my favorite, favorite friend in the whole universe. She’s the sweetest girl ever and just so beautiful and mature. Sometimes she has to tell me to be more mature,” Carol said.

In the near future, Carol and Sidney are planning on doing a girls’ night at Sidney’s house with her two sisters and their mentors.

“We’re going to have a movie night at the house and we will tell James to go disappear. That’d be fun to kick your dad out right?” Carol jokingly asks Sidney.

“Yes. As long as we don’t burn the house down,” Sidney replied.

“We won’t. We’ve got you there. You’re the most mature one,” Carol said.

For Mother’s Day weekend, EmpowerHer is doing a luminaria event in Denver’s RiNo district among the beautiful murals. Luminarias are lanterns with a votive candle set inside a small paper bag. Participants will write messages honoring their loved ones and light the candle. The lanterns will be displayed along the alleyways of RiNo. People from around the world can purchase a luminaria for a suggested $25 donation in support of children who have experienced parental loss. All proceeds fund year-round events and mentorship and ensure all programs remain free of charge to the family.

“Mother’s Day is about celebrating the mothers who are here but also about celebrating those mothers who are no longer here and whose impact will never be forgotten. Luminara is a beautiful way to honor them,” Carol said.

May 4, 2023

0 Comments

Mother’s Day is just around the corner.

Neighborhoods

Leah Discovers Her Path After Autism Diagnosis

Leah Rosenthal described her early childhood education experience as difficult. She was initially diagnosed with ADHD, and struggled with anxiety and depression.

“School just wasn’t easy for me, with the way that things were taught and how I learn. I definitely got bullied a lot, and I had to stay back a grade. It was super hard for me,” she said.

Her parents pulled her out of public school in fifth grade due to her learning disabilities, and she enrolled in a catch-up program. She excelled in math, and went to college on the east coast, where she received a bachelor’s degree in business. She moved out to Colorado in 2008, but struggled to find employment in her field.

“I worked a ton of different odd jobs, but I felt like I didn’t fit in anywhere,” she said. “I kept on getting fired from jobs, and I was really surprised, because, I was educated. I felt a lot of shame. It was really hard.”

She decided to go back to school for her bachelor’s in nutrition at MSU Denver, but struggled with her classes. Something wasn’t adding up. Then, in 2020, with the help of a therapist and job coach, she got a referral to the Autism Society of Colorado.

“Look, I feel weird, because I have two college degrees, but I was driving for Uber and Lyft and doing grocery store delivery, so it wasn’t making any sense.”

At the age of 40, Rosenthal was officially diagnosed with austism. Of children diagnosed with autism, only 25% are female. However, there is growing evidence that this is due to underdiagnosing and misdiagnosing girls, rather than autism being more common among boys. Autism also looks different in girls because girls are more likely to engage in masking behaviors and fly under the radar throughout adolescence, according to the National Autistic Society.

“I knew I had ADHD, but I didn’t know much about autism,” Rosenthal said. “Once I got my diagnosis, just to be told ‘Nothing’s wrong with you,’ it felt like a lot of shame had been lifted from my shoulders.”

Once she had access to the right resources and met other women on the spectrum, she found her real passion was helping others who were going through similar challenges. Initially a support group attendee, Rosenthal was hired last year as a facilitator. Although there are some younger support group attendees, the women tend to be in their 40s or older, with the oldest woman in her late 70s.

“When you find out you’re autistic when you’re older, it’s just so much harder. A lot of people that get diagnosed later in life have a ton of grief, and wish that they had been able to know what was going on, and to get support sooner,” Rosenthal said. “A lot of them have been in burnout and they don’t know much about their diagnosis. Plus there’s so many resources available to younger people on the spectrum that they never got to take advantage of.”

Since she began facilitating the support groups, Rosenthal noticed that other women in the group were struggling with friendships. This is one of the areas in her life that she found to be the most difficult, too.

“I struggle with friendships a lot. I’ve been here since 2008, and so I’ve made some friends, but a lot of them weren’t on the spectrum. And so that’s why I started Denver Neurodiversity Network. I just wanted to meet other people who are like me, and to feel less alone.”

She also recently launched her own consulting business, called Neurorock.us. She offers one-on-one coaching to other neurodivergent people on executive functioning skills, and acts as an accountability partner to help them reach their goals. Neurorock.us also offers group facilitating, workshops, and speaking engagements available for booking. Rosenthal said what sets her apart from other coaches or personal consultants is her personal experience and credentials including a fellowship from CU Anschutz. Her focus is on women with autism.

“I think the main two things that made me realize I was autistic were friendships and jobs. Those were just such huge areas of hardship for me, so I decided that a typical nine-to-five job is just not what I want to do. It’s nice to meet other people with autism who have had some of the same struggles. I really like talking to people, and sharing my story, and helping others who are going through similar challenges.”

Rosenthal has come a long way in the past three years, but life isn’t without its challenges. In May 2022, she was featured in an NPR Morning Edition piece where she spoke about the challenges she’s faced with dating on the spectrum and in the year since, she still finds dating to be difficult.

“I’m not a big drinker, and so I don’t really feel like going out all the time, and my friends who are neurotypical don’t always get that. The main reason I go out is to try to find a partner and meet other people, but I get so burned out and exhausted.”

In her free time, you can find Rosenthal watching a baseball game, (her favorite team is the Washington Nationals) biking, or hiking the beautiful Colorado trails with her best friend, a golden doodle named Rocky, who is also a certified therapy dog.

“I think it’s hard for people to understand the things that they can’t see,” Rosenthal said, reflecting on her experience living with autism.“It used to be that if people had anxiety, or depression, or autism, or whatever, they wouldn’t speak about it, because it’s kind of taboo, but I think it’s been different after the pandemic. More people are willing to talk about mental health, and disabilities, and get the resources that they need,” she said.

April 27, 2023

1 Comment

Leah Rosenthal described her early childhood education

Voices

Voices: Why Denim Day is Important to Me

Warning: The subject of this story is sexual assault, including a firsthand account of the aftermath of being attacked.

In the Summer of 2021, I was sexually assaulted by a student at Northwestern University while attending a Fraternity party for “Dillo Day,” a music festival hosted annually on the university campus. I fell into a deep depression soon after. The only reason I got out of bed each morning was to go to work. I rarely went out, and for months I couldn’t even think about returning to that area of Northwestern. All I needed was support, but I didn’t know how to talk about it.

Survivors of sexual violence often feel isolated and alone. Only 20% of college-aged women report their assault to the police, citing reasons like feeling the police can’t or won’t do anything, that they would face retaliation, or that they reported it to someone other than police, according to RAINN.

If I didn’t have to report my assault I wouldn’t have. The experience of getting the rape kit, being poked and prodded, and being looked at like a basket case was traumatizing. I cried the entire way to the hospital and during the police interview. The officers who questioned me tried to make it easier for me to talk but it’s hard being asked about something you can barely even think about.

The month of April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, with the last Wednesday marking Demin Day. The day of action is devoted to supporting the survivors of sexual violence. Events such as these are a way to show silent solidarity with survivors. Anyone can wear denim making it a safe way for survivors to engage with a support network without having to disclose anything.

The origins of Denim Day started in 1992 when an 18-year-old girl in Muro Lucano, Italy was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor during her first driving lesson.

The case was taken all the way to the Italian Supreme Court, where they ruled that because of the young woman’s tight skinny jeans, the act of violence had to have been consensual. His rape conviction was overturned, and this became known as the “jeans alibi.” The next day women in the Italian Parliament wore denim clothing in protest of the court’s ruling.

“No matter what someone’s wearing, they don’t deserve to experience sexual violence,” said Rachael Reed-Maloney, violence prevention education coordinator at The Phoenix Center on Auraria Campus.

The Phoenix Center hosts an annual event on Denim Day to show support and raise awareness for their organization. This year, they hosted an event on the Lawrence Street Mall with a photo booth and information.

The organization does much more than just raise awareness. They provide support for those facing interpersonal violence with a 24-hour helpline and counseling services in person for CU Denver, MSU Denver, and CCD students.

“I think that interpersonal violence affects college students a little differently than folks in the general community,” Reed-Maloney said. “They are surrounded by certain entities. And unfortunately in many of those spaces, there’s rape culture and toxic masculinity and those types of cultures which breed the normalization and dismissiveness of sexual violence,”

Nationally, among undergraduate students, 26.4% of women and 6.8% of men experience sexual violence, according to RAINN. Reed-Maloney explained that there often aren’t resources for college students to get the right kinds of support and often the trauma can be too much to be able to continue their education. The Phoenix Center aims to change that.

I was lucky enough to never have to see my assailant again. I don’t attend Northwestern anymore and I had the entire summer to recover from the assault so it didn’t affect my education. Disconnecting myself from that space was a luxury that many college students may not have after an assault.

If no one had believed me when I told them about what happened I don’t know what would have happened to me. My first Denim Day as a survivor was an empowering one. Seeing people wear denim and speak up made me feel a little less alone in my grief, I was able to look around me and see and feel the support for survivors. That is why Denim Day is so important to me.

April 27, 2023

0 Comments

Warning: The subject of this story is

Women Take Over the Screen at Women + Film Festival

From April 13-16, The Sie FilmCenter celebrated its 14th year of the Women + Film Festival, where a variety of films with diverse narratives—produced by and primarily starring women—took to the big screen.

The festival supports the work of women filmmakers from Denver and around the world to ensure ways for them to succeed as storytellers. This local event continues to introduce new boundaries to the film community of Denver to expand and represent women of all backgrounds.

“You know, you can say women plus film, but women are not a monolith,” said Ambriehl Turrentine, programming manager of the Sie FilmCenter and emcee of the weekend’s premieres. “They experience a variety of experiences and come from different backgrounds and cultures. So we’re making sure that we approach this festival with a global lens.”

The festival featured films ranging in topics from the first Black Barbie which took 12 years to make, access to reproductive rights in Brazil, and how women fall victim to beauty standards. The festival highlighted the importance of women in the film industry as it reflected many experiences those in the audience have faced and felt.

Through laughs shared among the audiences to the moments of silence where familiar issues were mirrored on-screen, the bond between women took its seat in the cinema. As one film—Lucia Small’s “Girl Talk,” a documentary following a high school debate team in Massachusetts and the gender bias they face—came to an end, a row of young girls raved about how they would like to become a part of debate when they enter high school.

Producers Dia Sokol Savage and Stephanie Sunata continued the conversation in a Q&A, which led to a powerful discussion on Small’s intent in creating this film. Small unfortunately passed away from cancer, but Savage continues the conversation Small began.

“Debate is a pipeline to help women get into politics. If girls are being discouraged to be debaters it cuts off a large investment of women being leaders,” she said.

Savage shared her excitement to be included in the film and the festival. But she was most enthusiastic about being able to share the story of these girls in a meaningful way.

“It’s all about the amazing things girls are doing in front of the camera and on debate it felt so perfect to be able to share it. When you have the perfect film that goes with this film festival it’s so awesome .”

Ambriehl Turrentine, programming manager of the Sie FilmCenter and emcee of the Women + Film event.

Turrentine expressed her optimism regarding more women participating in the film industry. She said she has seen more progress on that front, but it’s an ongoing crusade.

“I think it’s also kind of always an ongoing conversation on how to uplift these filmmakers, and what exactly are we able to provide them with, and how they can take what we’ve given them, or the aid that we provided, and move on to bigger and better things,” Turrentine said.

According to a study from Celluloid Ceiling Report, Forbes reported that only 24% of directors, writers, producers, editors, and cinematographers were women among the top 250 grossing films in 2022. There are still walls to be torn down in order for women in the film industry to be recognized and represented the same as men.

Women + Film’s variety of narratives and styles allow for more doors to open for women and queer and trans people in the industry. The film “Blue Jean” captures the experience of a lesbian living under the oppressive government of Margaret Thatcher in 1980s England. “Monica” presents the riveting perspective of a trans-women coming to terms with the hardships of family, relationships and reconnecting to her own self. The film is set to release in May 2023, and the lead actress of “Monica,” Trace Lysette was able to sit down with the audience and discuss what she anticipates to come from the film.

“I hope it puts me as a leading lady, not just as a trans woman,” she said. “ I hope that it also allows me to get to a place in my career for more films and opens the door for other trans folk.”

As years go by, it is anticipated that the torch will be passed to more women with more diverse stories to share and visualize with the community. But the battle is still yet to be won, as Simone D. Ross, a board member of the Colorado Women Chamber of Commerce, said before the screening of “Black Barbie.”

“We have to keep pushing the question of how we can ensure we’re making space and passing the mic down the line for women.”

April 26, 2023

0 Comments

From April 13-16, The Sie FilmCenter celebrated

Neighborhoods

Bonverts Farm Feeds Community with Hydroponics

Nestled next to a warehouse in one of Denver’s industrial districts sits a custom-built freight container, equipped with everything to grow 8,000 plants. For the past two years, Bonverts Hydroponic Farms has been growing greens, herbs, and edible flowers on vertical panels that hang inside the environmentally controlled container providing clean, safe food year around.

“When you love people, you feed them good food and a lot of times we don’t get good food at grocery stores. This is what we need to be doing, feeding people healthy good food,” said Anne Espenan, the co-founder and owner of Bonverts.. “I’m growing for them; I want to make sure people are getting good nutrition and that their children are learning to eat food that tastes good.”

The energy-efficient freight container is controlled using technology that consistently monitors temperature, CO2 levels, and wind speed. Inside the container, you can hear fans mimicking natural wind, helping the plants become sturdier. LED light panels replicate sunlight and a recirculating drip irrigation system waters the plants every 35 minutes.

“The water runs into the gutter and goes down into the reservoir in the back, recirculating into the filter, gets clean and it comes back around again,” Anne said. “In this controlled environment we don’t have to worry about E. coli or salmonella, I don’t have to use any pesticides, so I can very carefully control the amount of nutrition that these things have. I can give people good food that is truly nutritious and that lasts a long time.”

Anne checks temperature, CO2 and wind readings.

Anne and her brother Paul created Bonverts with the idea of sharing fresh food with people. She said nearly 40% of food is wasted because it gets old and loses its nutrients. By creating this space they believe they can help solve that problem.

“We harvest and deliver right after we harvest, and it can last up to three weeks,” Anne said.

With very little experience, Anne took over Bonverts when Paul left it in her hands after receiving a job offer. For the past two years, Anne has learned her way around the container and meticulously managed to create an environment where lush greens can grow safely.

“I basically learned by doing. I wouldn’t call it trial and error. I would probably call it error, error, error,” she said.

During the pandemic, Anne set out to find a space for the container in Denver. She told her realtor she really only needed about four parking spaces. Bonverts’ new home became a strip of unused land next to a wine storage system warehouse at 4690 Joliet St.

“I feel like this is what I was supposed to be doing in this neighborhood. We started to talk about food deserts and Montebello is a food desert,” she said. “So, this is what we are supposed to be doing for people.”

The farm grows several varieties of lettuce—like Red Oak and Red Butter—that are normally not seen in grocery stores. Other crops include Thai basil, rainbow chard, Red Dragon arugula, and watermelon radishes. For Anne, it is important to share her fresh food with the community.

“Once a week we donate to Struggle of Love [and] Rocky Mountain Food Bank. I love donating to Metro Caring. We take the same stuff that we sell to our customers,”

Sustainability is also important for Bonverts. Food in grocery stores often travels thousands of miles in fuel-guzzling refrigerated trucks. Anne does her part to cut down on emissions while still providing fresh food to customers by offering pick-up or delivery within a 10-mile radius. Customers can place orders on their website or through the Too Good to Go app.

Bonverts also offers an internship program for students interested in sustainable farming, giving Anne an opportunity to pass her knowledge down to the next generation. But Anne is hoping to get folks even younger excited about growing their own food.

“Kids will eat this, especially if they come to tour the farm,” she said. “They come in, put on gloves and lab coats, and they go up and down the aisles trying everything. Kids get excited, it’s also why I want to give people the growing kits so they can grow at home.”

Bonverts will begin opening to the public on Saturdays from 12-2 p.m. to share free lettuce mixes, plants and hydroponic experiments. Anne is very passionate about her work and takes pride in the food she grows and shares with the community. She also experiments with different plants to create recipes for her customers. Food is her gift to the community.

“Since this is a passion, feeding people seems more important than trying to figure out how to save a penny here and there,” Anne said.

April 20, 2023

0 Comments

Nestled next to a warehouse in one

Community

Four Generations of Family Behind Pacific Mercantile

Family-owned small businesses play a big part in bringing a community together. Pacific Mercantile has done that for almost 80 years in Denver. The Asian grocery store, located on Lawrence Street, carries a variety of items, including fresh produce, snacks and gifts. When you enter, you are greeted by a red circle window representing the Japanese flag.

Its story started in Sacramento, California. George Inai ran a small grocery store up until World War II when people of Japanese descent were sent to internment camps. George and his family were sent to Camp Tulelake. They closed the shop and left it behind. After the war, George heard Governor Ralph Carr was welcoming Japanese families to Colorado.

“He found out that Governor Carr opened up the state to Japanese Americans, no questions asked,” said Jolie Noguchi, George’s granddaughter who now runs Pacific Mercantile. “And that’s where he decided to restart his business.”

Pacific Mercantile opened after the war on Larimer Street and was the first Asian market in Denver. It moved to its current location next to the Denver Buddhist Temple in Sakura Square when the neighborhood was founded in 1973.

The store got its name with help from Carr. The original name was Nippon Market, but knowing the bias and xenophobia Japanese-owned businesses faced, he wanted to help George be successful.

George Inai, founder of Pacific Mercantile.

“The name Pacific is due to Governor Carr,” Jolie said. “My grandfather wanted to name it Nippon Market and Governor Carr said, ‘You know, we want the Americans to come to your store. Can you think of another name?’ So, he said he came from the Pacific coast. So the name in itself has history. “

Carr also suggested carrying basic American goods such as milk, bread and detergent. Over time, the store brought in not only Japanese products but food and goods from other countries like China, Vietnam and Korea. They also sell Hawaiian specialty treats.

George also supported local vendors, buying vegetables from the farmers that he used to deliver groceries to. Now his great-granddaughter, Jolie’s daughter Alyssa, looks for local vendors in Colorado.

“My grandfather, he knew, especially the farmers—they couldn’t come to the store because they were busy farming and growing vegetables,” Jolie said. “We bought from them also, and we carry their Napa cabbage. We like to carry local a lot. And that’s where Alyssa comes in. And she’s finding a lot of these local vendors.”

Jolie shared that her grandfather used to deliver groceries, not only in Colorado but also Wyoming. Families have visited the store for generations. Alyssa shared how an older woman would drive all the way from Fort Collins to shop. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, she placed orders over the phone and had them delivered. She and Alyssa grew so close that Alyssa started calling the woman her second grandma.

Kyle Nagai, Mayor Michael Hancock, Susie Inai and Jolie.

The store has been run by four generations of family. George passed away in 1993 and the business was passed down to his four children—Naomi, Susie, Sam, and Robert. It’s now run by the third generation, Susie Nagai and her children, Kyle Nagai and Jolie. Alyssa is the fourth generation in the family business.

“We take care of our customers. We treat our customers like they’re family. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. If we don’t have what you want, we can probably get it for you,” Alyssa said. “It is getting harder for us to stay in business compared to everything else that’s being built downtown. But we still want that—the niche of being small and being an older business.”

Jolie added, “Having this history of this legacy of what my grandfather started is so important. Pacific Mercantile is a rich part of Denver history and a legacy.”

April 20, 2023

1 Comment

Family-owned small businesses play a big part

Off to the Chihuahua Races

Panaderia Rosales’ Perfect Cinco de Mayo Pasteles

Mexican Folklorico a Highlight of Cinco de Mayo

Casa Bonita’s Upcoming Opening has Neighborhood Buzzing

EmpowerHer Guides Girls Through Loss

Leah Discovers Her Path After Autism Diagnosis

Voices: Why Denim Day is Important to Me

Women Take Over the Screen at Women + Film Festival

Bonverts Farm Feeds Community with Hydroponics

Four Generations of Family Behind Pacific Mercantile

About Us

News tip or story idea?

Related Posts

Five Points Walking Tour Showcases Japanese-American Culture

Love and Latkes for Hanukkah

Follow Us On Instagram

Newsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on all of Denver’s community news!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Email