In Towaoc, capital of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, there are about 347 households and no place within 15 miles to shop for fresh, healthy food. That’s a significant barrier to improving health in a community where rates of obesity and diabetes are nearly three times higher than the rest of Colorado. An ambitious plan […]
grocery store
Posted inEconomy, Growth, Health, Housing, News
One of Denver’s poorest, most diverse neighborhoods was a food desert. Until now.
When Selena Ramirez was growing up, shopping for groceries was an hours-long ordeal that involved riding the city bus miles away with her mom and little brother and lugging home bags of food. On days when that was too much, they bought instant noodles or Hot Pockets at the 7-Eleven on Federal Boulevard, the only […]
Posted inOpinion, Write On, Colorado
What will I remember about the time the coronavirus turned lives inside-out?
These are COVID-19 times. What will I remember about this pandemic and what stories will be passed on to future generations? What will my narrative be? Will I talk about today; that I went for a walk with a friend for the first time in months. sun shining on us, miller moths dive bombing us […]
Posted inOpinion, Write On, Colorado
To quell the panic and anxiety of coronavirus, I seek survivor’s discipline and take note of details
As a writer, I think I should be writing about the pandemic. But I don’t want to. Not that I haven’t written in my daily journal about my fears and questions over the last two months, but I wrestle with perspective, with what exactly exists in between the drumbeats of COVID-19 and the requisite rhythms […]
Posted inOpinion, Write On, Colorado
I went on a terrifying journey — to the grocery store
Coronavirus blues Daydreaming in aisle fivetoothpaste and shampoosilent sparkling commerceair conditionedred arrows on scuffed white tilea guide in the labyrinthwhole aisles are wastelandshandwritten signs: OUT OF STOCKno one looks at menot masked employeesshufflingignoring everyoneafraidnot shopperssome unmaskedaggressivecenter-of-the-universeothers kind, warmsmiling behind masksat the absurditya blackbird loops above the bakeryscouting crumbsI’ve been here too longthey don’t have what […]