Info

Changing Denver

The show about our city, how we make it and how it makes us. Each month, we highlight one of Denver's most interesting people or places, telling their story through a relevant political or cultural lens. Our fourth season is a series all on one topic. We're calling it Unclear Danger: The Colorado Story of Rocky Flats. Start with Chapter 1: Project Apple and the Wind.
RSS Feed
Changing Denver
2021
April
March


2020
April


2019
August


2018
August
July
June
May
April
March
January


2017
December
November
October
August
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
October
September
August
July
June
May
March
February


2015
December
November


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: 2017
Dec 4, 2017

Our third agent of change is a group of people, the newcomers and the transplants. It comprises two interviews, one with Helen Thorpe, author of a new book about refugee and immigrant teenagers at South High School, and the other with Zena Ballas, creator of a new digital archive of transplant profiles.

-

You can learn more about Helen's book, The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom, here.

And you can find Zena's project here.

-

Music for this episode provided by D.A. Evosirch. He's @noirguitarsuperstar on Instagram.

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

-

Learn more about Changing Denver at our site, www.changingdenver.com, or follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver.

For behind-the-scenes goodies, personal tidbits, local music recommendations, occasional bonus interviews and more, sign up for our newsletter.

Thanks for listening!

Nov 26, 2017

In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, we revisit our episode about Five Points, “The Five Points and the Six.” In that piece, we shared the story of a local business, Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen, that got caught proudly advertising the fact that it was changing the culture of one of Denver’s most important, traditionally Black neighborhoods.

Well, as you may have seen on social media last week, all that happened again. This time the business was Ink! Coffee and the incident has already made national news.

This CDBBB features Paul’s report from a protest against Ink! and gentrification, as well as a rebroadcast of our Five Points episode from a couple years ago.

-

Changing Denver is a proud member of the Denver Podcast Network.

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

-

You can find us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

Nov 2, 2017

Earlier this week, we brought you the story of Tay Anderson, 19-year-old candidate for the Denver Public School Board. In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, we bring you the audio of a candidates' forum that aired on Channel 8 back in October. This was Tay's first televised debate, and it offers the chance to delve deeper into the politics of local education.

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

-

You can find us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

Oct 30, 2017

Our second “Agent of Change” is Tay Anderson, the 19-year-old running for the Denver Public School Board. What does his Trump Era campaign mean for us and for our schools?

--

Further reading:

You can read all about Tay’s platform on his website: www.tayanderson.org

And here’s a recent piece Melanie Asmar wrote about the District 4 race: Inside the three-candidate battle for northeast Denver’s school board seat

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

Also heard in this episode: “When I See You” and “If You Got the Blues” by Dragondeer; “Love Isn’t Enough” by Pink Hawks; and “Just Look at My Habits,” “This is the Girl,” and “Cobraskin Wallet” by Man Mantis. Huge thanks to all three for the use of their music.

-

Learn more about Changing Denver at our site, www.changingdenver.com, or follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver.

Changing Denver is a proud member of the Denver Podcast Network.

For behind-the-scenes goodies, personal tidbits, local music recommendations, occasional bonus interviews and more, sign up for our newsletter.

Thanks for listening!

Oct 9, 2017

In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, Paul offers a personal report on his experience at a fancy cannabis pairing dinner put on by Mason Jar Events Group.

In some ways, Mason Jar is following in the footsteps of Jane West, the subject of last week’s episode. It’s a woman-led company on the vanguard of public consumption, and they are constantly trying out new ways to normalize and maximize the experience of getting high.

-

Former Cannabist editor Ricardo Baca, who you heard on last week’s episode about Jane West, interviewed Mason Jar’s founder Kendal Norris back in January. Check it out here for a very different perspective on these events.

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

-

You can find us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

Oct 2, 2017

On this episode of Changing Denver, we tell the story of Jane West, “ganja-preneur” and advocate, and explore the role of women in the cannabis industry.

This episode marks the start of season 3, a mini-season highlighting people we’re calling “agents of change,” instead of neighborhoods or other made spaces.

-

Further reading:

We highly recommend reading John Schroyer’s extensive report on Women Grow. You can find it here.

Also from Marijuana Business Daily, here are the results of their surveys of women in the cannabis industry: 2015 is here and 2017 is here.

You can learn more about Jane and her new line of products at her website: www.janewest.com

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

Thanks to Safe Boating is No Accident for the use of their songs “Never Change” and “Day Planner,” which can be found on the album Bonus Features. Thanks also to Chella & the Charm for the use of their tracks “Queen City of the Plains” and “What of Dreams” from the album Denver Delay.

Leighton of Safe Boating and Chella are co-hosts of Discover Weakly, our partner show at the Denver Podcast Network.

Also heard in this episode was a selection of tracks we found on the Free Music Archive. All were used under a creative commons license.

-

Learn more about Changing Denver at our site, www.changingdenver.com, or follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver.

For behind-the-scenes goodies, personal tidbits, local music recommendations, occasional bonus interviews and more, sign up for our newsletter.

Thanks for listening!

Aug 28, 2017

We have a major announcement: Changing Denver is now a proud member of the Denver Podcast Network.

Rounding out the founding partner shows:

Beyond the Trope, a podcast for nerds

Left Hand Right Brain, an exploration of creativity

Discover Weakly, music talk. You could do worse.

Reel Nerds, a new movie every week

Denver Pizza Podcast, the only show hungry enough to review every pie in Mile High

Jon of all Trades, a weekly show featuring interviews with successful people from all across the employment spectrum

The Revisionists, an alternate history podcast

Aug 18, 2017

It's been a while since we released the last episode of season two. Here's an update on what we've been working on and a taste of what's to come.

-

Changing Denver is a proud member of the Denver Podcast Network.

In the shadow of the mountains, we speak

-

You can follow the show on Twitter and find us online at www.changingdenver.com.

Thanks for listening!

May 8, 2017

On this episode of Changing Denver -- the finale of season 2! -- we venture into the animal kingdom (as far into it as we can get without leaving the city, that is). This is a story about societal norms surrounding animal exhibitions, and it only begins at the Denver Zoo.

Thanks for another successful season, everyone. Your continued support means the world to us. We'll be back in a few months with new episodes, and we may have a few surprises in store before then.

-

Make sure to watch one of the slick promo videos on the Wild Animal Sanctuary's site here

Here's where you can find Marc Bekoff's new book, The Animals' Agenda.

You don't need me to give you this link to the Denver Zoo.

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

Also heard in this episode were the songs "Goodbye Graveyard" by Shark Dreams
"Riverside" and "Greyhound" by The Milk Blossoms, "Baby Seal" by Weird al Qaida, "Tweak a Bit" by Dr. Zilog, and a selection of tracks off the album Container Ship by The Kevin Costner Suicide Pact.

-

Learn more about Changing Denver at our site, www.changingdenver.com, or follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver.

For behind-the-scenes goodies, personal tidbits, local music recommendations, occasional bonus interviews and more, sign up for our newsletter.

Thanks for listening!

Apr 21, 2017

A few weeks ago, Paul started hosting a new weekly podcast for the local news outlet Denverite. We think you'll like it, so we wanted to give you a taste.

Subscribe to Denverite Now on iTunes! 

And check out all the stories discussed in this episode at www.denverite.com

Apr 10, 2017

On this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, we bring you the story of Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton and his relationship with the Ku Klux Klan. 

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

The other song heard in this episode is "Dekalb Station" by Shady Elders. You can hear it on their new LP, Inside Voices

-

You can find us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

Apr 3, 2017

On Changing Denver this month, we bring you the story of Stapleton, the would-be New Urbanist paradise, and its upsetting connection to the Ku Klux Klan. 

-

Recommended Reading

If you want to learn more about the business side of Stapleton, Paul has covered related subjects a couple times for Crain's Denver:

From the Block: Thriving neighborhood rises from grounded Stapleton

Stanley Marketplace readies for takeoff in Aurora

For another take on Stapleton and New Urbanism, here's a worthy article from CityLab about street design.

And here's a link to the Green Book and one to Forest City's Stapleton website.

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

The other songs heard in this episode are "Storm" by Sam Glover and a selection of tracks by Kai Engel that we found on WFMU's Free Music Archive. 

-

You can find us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

Mar 24, 2017

A few months back, Rebecca Aronauer invited your host to give a presentation about Changing Denver at her quarterly event at Lighthouse Writers' Workshop, Making the Mountain

He did his best.

-

You can hear more of Paul and Louis Present the Blues by Martin Scorsese here. The Denver Pizza Podcast is here. The other shows mentioned in this episode are no longer on the internet. Feel free to email us if you want to hear them!

-

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can listen to more of his music on Soundcloud.

Follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

If you like this episode, think about writing us a review on iTunes or Stitcher. It's the best way for you to support Changing Denver.

Thanks for listening!

Mar 13, 2017

In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, we check back in with historian Phil Goodstein to learn about one of Civic Center's most storied structures, the McNichols Building.

-

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can listen to more of his music on Soundcloud.

Follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

If you like this episode, think about writing us a review on iTunes or Stitcher. It's the best way for you to support Changing Denver.

Thanks for listening!

Mar 6, 2017

On Changing Denver this month, we explore the history of Denver's Civic Center with our favorite historian, Phil Goodstein. 

-

Like the show and want to support us? We'd love it if you voted for us in Westword's Best of 2017 Readers' Choice poll. It'll take a minute to set up a profile, but you'll win our undying gratitude in return!

-

You can hear DJ Deep Rawk on KGNU's hip-hop show Eclipse. It airs every Sunday night at 7 pm.

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

 

-

Follow us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

Feb 20, 2017

In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, we sit down with Courtland Hyser, Denver's principal city planner, to talk about neighborhood plans.

Our Arapahoe Square episode specifically highlighted the lasting impact of two of these plans, so we thought it was fitting to further explore why neighborhood plans are so important in general, especially in light of Denver's new Neighborhood Planning Initiative.

-

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can listen to more of his music on Soundcloud.

Follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

 

If you like this episode, think about writing us a review on iTunes or Stitcher. It's the best way for you to support Changing Denver.

Thanks for listening!

 

Feb 13, 2017

In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, we revisit an episode from season one, How to Climb Stoner Hill. Our partner on that show, local journalist Andy Kenney, gives us an update on what's been happening on the ground at Stoner Hill. Then, we talk to some people at Civitas, the landscape architecture and urban design firm that's been contracted to work on the park now. 

-

If you like the show and think we deserve it, head over to Westword and write in Changing Denver for Best Denver Podcast in their readers' choice poll!

-

Here's a few stories that Andy's written about the situation in Commons Park since our episode came out: 

Denver police have been banning alleged drug users — mostly pot — from individual parks — mostly Commons Park

Denver will try to liven up Commons Park with free activities

Commons Park’s future might start with an “unorthodox” private process

-

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can listen to more of his music on Soundcloud.

Follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

 

If you like this episode, think about writing us a review on iTunes or Stitcher. It's the best way for you to support Changing Denver.

Thanks for listening!

Feb 6, 2017

On Changing Denver this month, we explore the convergence of two trends -- Denver's explosive economic growth and the increasing persecution of our homeless community -- in a neighborhood you may never have heard of. It's called Arapahoe Square. 

This episode was produced in partnership with the Denver VOICE. For further reading on Arapahoe Square, check out their February issue. 

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

The other music heard in this episode includes the songs "Evil Eye" and "Versus" off Snake Rattle Rattle Snake's 2014 album "Totem," which is available on Bandcamp; a selection of tracks by Lee Rosevere that we are using under a Creative Commons license; and an original rendition of "This Land is Your Land" by Jackie Zubryzcki, with additional vocals by Laura Hartenberger. Jackie performs around town under the moniker Five Mile Woods. Her work is also available on Bandcamp.

-

Follow us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

 

Jan 9, 2017

In this installment of Changing Denver Bit By Bit, historian David Forsyth tells us a little about what it's like to research the history of Lakeside Amusement Park. Turns out, he's more than the authority on Lakeside history; he's the park's biggest fan!

-

Our theme song is “Minnow” by Felix Fast4ward. You can listen to more of his music on Soundcloud.

Follow us on Twitter at @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

 

If you like this episode, think about writing us a review on iTunes or Stitcher. It's the best way for you to support Changing Denver.

Thanks for listening!

 

Jan 2, 2017

On Changing Denver this month, we head northwest to Lakeside Amusement Park. For more than a century, Lakeside has been a popular destination for people of all ages, but only between May and September. What happens during the park's off-season? Where do the people of Lakeside go? And who are they? 

-

Here's more information on David Forsyth's book, Denver's Lakeside Amusement Park: From the White City Beautiful to a Century of Fun

-

Our theme song is "Minnow" by Felix Fast4ward.

Elk Minister and Chimney Choir generously allowed us to use their music in this episode. "Into the Void of Emptiness" was the first single of Elk Minister's upcoming album, "There's a System of Control," which will be available through iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, CDBaby and other distributors, like Elk Minister’s website, bandcamp, and Soundcloud on January 13. The tracks "In this Light," "I Know the Way," and "In the Underworld" all appear on Chimney Choir's album "Boomtown". Their new album "(dream)" is available now. 

-

Rebecca Aronauer is a fiction writer who organizes Making the Mountain, a quarterly event series featuring local artists at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop. 

-

You can peruse crime data for Lakeside at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation's website

-

Follow us on Twitter @ChangingDenver and sign up for our newsletter at www.changingdenver.com/about

Thanks for listening!

1