Denver Talks Discussion of Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric

Central Park Recreation Center, Nov. 14, 6:30–8:30pm – a discussion facilitated by Erika Wurth. Ms Wurth is a writer of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, she teaches creative writing at Western Illinois University and has been a guest writer at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Participants in this discussion will join the citywide conversation about race, social justice and Claudia Rankine’s Citizen: An American Lyric.​ Attendees will discuss what we can learn from the experiences presented in Citizen, and how can we use what we learn to create a more inclusive and accepting community. Lighthouse Writers Workshop, the City & County of Denver, and NEA Big Read want Denver-area residents to read the book and start talking.

The Denver Public Library system has 10 kits for book clubs to check out; currently, all are checked out and there is a queue of 5 holds. Individual copies of the book are available through the library as well as Lighthouse Writers Workshop at locations across the city. https://lighthousewriters.org/events/denver-talks

 

Listening Panel in Late November – Stapleton Name 

Community meetings in August, September and October of Stapleton United Neighbors (SUN), the Stapleton Development Corporation (SDC) and the Citizen’s Advisory Board (CAB) were attended by residents requesting reconsideration of the community name (i.e., the elimination of the use of the word Stapleton). As opportunities for public comment have been insufficient within the constraints of meeting times, specific times for public comment will be offered to the community at which a professional facilitator will be present and the following organizations will be represented: the Stapleton Foundation, SUN, SDC, MCA, CAB, Forest City, City Council and the Greater Stapleton Business Association. Final arrangements are not yet available for these sessions.

SUN board timeline for continued review of community feedback on the name Stapleton

Oct. 17–Ongoing through the day of listening (announced above): Gather community input on name change. Community members are welcome to email SUN and/or post comments on SUN website.

TBD – SUN will participate in two meetings with the combined SDC, CAB, MCA, SUN, and Stapleton Foundation (see above) for gathering community input in a dedicated block of uninterrupted time, with assistance and reporting by a professional facilitator.

From electronic and in-person input, the SUN board will begin the development of a pro/con document.

At the subsequent SUN Board Meeting 7:30-8:45pm, Central Park Rec Center– review available feedback.

Upcoming SUN Meetings:

Dec. 5, Central Park Rec Center

The typical third Tuesday SUN meetings conflict in Nov. and Dec. with holiday schedules. Instead, SUN will meet Dec. 5.

Outreach hour (6:30-7:30) Dec. 5: State Historian Dr. Patty Limerick will join us for a planning hour to discuss the shape and nature of an annual community event centered around the concept of reflection. At such an event, the community would utilize assistance from trained historians who are armed with methods, strategies and techniques for leading conversations, thus allowing attendees to engage in thoughtful dialogue about where we are now and how we can learn from our past.

SUN Board meeting (7:30-8:45) Dec. 5: A vote on SUN board candidate Mandle Rousseau will occur at the meeting’s start; biography below.

SUN Board Candidate Bio: Mandle R. Rousseau

My wife and I are Stapleton residents. I am also a Denver native. After living in separate states, commuting back and forth between Denver and Arizona, my wife accepted a job in Colorado. We decided to move to Stapleton from the Park Hill area in August of 2016. I am a small business owner. I own and operate Control FREQ, a home automation and systems integration company I launched in 2005. Having weathered the storms of the economic downturns, with the help of others, I have been able to successfully navigate the market and keep the company prosperous. I was a founding member of the Rotary Club of Five Points Cultural District. It was there that I learned to assess the needs of the community, mobilize and address those needs. I also served in a leadership capacity for more than 14 years at Colorado Christian Fellowship in Aurora, Colo. As Director of Media, I was responsible for a small budget and for managing a team of volunteers, who were responsible for weekly operations of the audio and visual components of the church. While serving in this capacity, I had the opportunity to work with individuals who had experienced the recent loss of loved ones. I worked with these families to produce the media associated with the memorial services for their loved ones. Due to the limited timeline and sensitive nature of the circumstances, this required a high level of professionalism, sensitivity, and interpersonal skills.

Often people have misconceptions about individuals due to their lack of experience in interacting with individuals who are not like themselves. One of my greatest honors is that I have had the opportunity and privilege to work with a wide range of individuals from various socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. I am looking forward to broadening my own experiences serving my community as a board member of SUN.

SUN Board Vacancies 

SUN is comprised solely of community volunteers. SUN board elections occur annually in May, or ad hoc when vacancies exist. If interested in becoming involved with SUN, please attend a monthly meeting and contact: stapletonunitedneighbors@gmail.com.