ALA Denver: A bit of history + some places to visit
ALA Mid-Winter is this weekend and we are STOKED. Before you arrive, we wanted to invite you to explore some history of this great city and introduce you to some great places and businesses that are owned, operated, and/or serving POC, LGBTQIA+ folks, and Indigenous people.
Denver, a stolen frontier
Denver’s history is something we’re learning, interrogating, and building all the time. Like any US American city; families were nurtured here, people fall in love here, communities have been erased and communities have thrived here.
Racism is embedded into the fabric of our city and not easily untangled from the Denver that exists today. For example, streets and institutions celebrate and bear the names of John Evans and John Chivington, two leaders responsible for killing 200 Indigenous Cheyenne and Arapaho people in the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre. The University of Denver is an institution founded by Evans and Chivington, and an institution from which we both earned our MLIS degrees. We believe our work, as librarians and activists, is in examining the injustices of the past so we can join others to build a city where community means all people are safe, heard, valued, and equitably resourced.
In writing about the context and history of our city, we first must acknowledge that the land we know as Denver belongs to the Apache, Ute, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Arapaho Indigenous tribes. Prior to colonization, and the Sand Creek Massacre, this land belonged to the Indigenous tribes that lived here. As you visit this land/city that we now refer to as Denver, please be aware of the history of the land and acknowledge the history that was here before us. We recommend visiting the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and going to their North American Indian Cultures Exhibit since the American Indian Art exhibit at the Denver Art Museum is under construction.
Beyond cowboys
The history of Denver is not just the one that you see in western movies; filled with cowboys and rattlesnakes with no mention of the land’s Indigenous peoples. Denver’s history is one of many movements and communities; and individuals who serve as movements themselves.
Did you know that that the Five Points neighborhood (which you might see being called RiNO) had a thriving jazz scene in the 1920’s? Or that Justina Ford was the first African American doctor AND first female doctor in Denver in the early 1900’s? Denver is home to Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library and the Black American West Museum filled with the history of Denver’s own African American cowboys and other history makers.
Did you also know that in the 1960’s the Chicano Movement was HUGE in Denver? Or that in 1968 Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales and Denver’s Crusade for Justice supported the students at Denver’s West High School with their historical Blowout (walkout) to protest the racism that Chicano students experienced at West High School? Corky Gonzales played such a crucial role in Denver’s history, there’s even a library named after him, and there’s also an entire exhibit about El Movimiento at History Colorado.
And did you know that the ADA (American Disability Act) has roots in a protest that happened near the State Capitol?
These stories barely scratch the surface of this beautiful city that we call home home. If you look past all of the cranes across our mountainous skyline, you can really start to see the rich culture of Denver.
Intentional spending
The ALA put out a list of businesses and while we think you should definitely check those out, we wanted to give you more resources to explore the city we love. There are a lot of folks in our community doing amazing work — many places committed to equity, access, and creativity and we highly recommend you spend your time and money with these folks.
Agua y Sangre Healing is woman, POC, and queer owned and operated! Our healing team, or comunidad, consists of Michelle Castor + Tameca L Coleman.
Our work is rooted in tradition and ancestral medicine — and aims to be both empowering and nurturing, all while facilitating the process of awakening your body’s own innate healing abilities.
This month, Agua y Sangre is offering 15% off all massage services for Self Love Saturdays — really good timing for y’all visiting! Conferences can be exhausting and what better way to take a break than to get a massage?
Coffee at The Point is a POC owned and operated business in Denver’s Five Points Neighborhood by Ryan Hobbins. They offer a great selection of coffee drinks, wine, and pastries in addition to being providing a great space for work or recharging. Coffee at The Point (located at Welton & 27th Street) is right across the street from Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library (located at Welton & 24th Street) so be sure to check out both when you’re in the neighborhood.
A dance studio owned and operated by Denver native, Victoria Quintana. Located right off the Alameda Station lightrail stop, EVQ fosters a warm, LGBTQ-affirming, environment for adults and youth to take class.
More business guides!
Black Owned Business Shopping Guide
Originally created holiday season 2016, this guide features Black Owned Colorado and web-based companies. Some listings may be outdated.
“DenverBlackPages.com was created by Innovative Internet Marketing Solutions (IIMS), a Black, woman-owned company. IIMS and the advertisers/sponsors of this website are dedicated to the development and growth of Denver’s Black Community. Our goal is simple — to assist business owners to market their goods, services, and events to Denver Metro’s Black residents and visitors.” — About DBP
A community sourced list “for people to add businesses and professionals that they love, that are minority/woman/lgbtq-owned, and businesses that give back.”
What to read while you’re here (if you don’t receive enough reading material at the conference)
- A. + kane
