COLORADO’S #1 HISPANIC-OWNED BILINGUAL PUBLICATION VOL. XLIII NO. 12 National Association of Hispanic Publications March 22, 2017 LA VIDA LATINA Semi-Autonomous Motor Vehicle Celebrities fight for their life. BY JAMES MEJÍA Page 7 By now the world has heard of driverless cars, but how about a car that is driven by a quadriplegic, only controlled by head movements and breath? Not only is this vehicle a reality, it was created right here ESTA SEMANA in Colorado. The technology is named SAM, THIS WEEK short for Semi-Autonomous Motor Vehicle, but not coincidentally, also a nod to former race-car driver Sam CommUniTY Schmidt. Schmidt has inspired COMUniDAD engineers, software developers, and mechanics with his desire to get back behind the wheel after a racing crash left him paralyzed. Denver neighborhoods Schmidt was Rookie of the The gentrification of Denver neighborhoods. Year in 1995 when he debuted his 2 racing career in the Hooters circuit at the age of 31. In 1997, Schmidt first raced in the Indianapolis 500. By 1999 he won his first CommENTARY Indianapolis Racing League event ComENTARIO at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and ended the year fifth in IRL series standings. In January of 2000 during a training run for the La ruta del lenguaje Indy Racing League, Schmidt hit a americano Su conferencia trató pre- CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 >> guntas importantes acer- ca de mi propio trayecto Vehículos como orador bilingüe. 6 motorizados semiautónomos SPORTS En este momento todo el DEPORTES mundo ha oído de autos sin chofer, pero que pasaría con un carro que es manejado por un cuadripléjico, controlado solamente por mov- Nuggets tough road imientos de la cabeza y la respi- The Denver Nuggets lose ración. No solamente este vehículo back to back games to the es una realidad, fue creado aquí en Houston Rockets. Colorado. 13 La tecnología se llama SAM (por sus siglas en inglés), apocope de Semi-Autónomo-Motorizado- Vehículo, pero no coincidencial- mente, es una aprobación a un antiguo corredor de carros de car- ¿QUE PASA? Photo courtesy: Arrow Electronics Facebook rera Sam Schmidt. Schmidt ha WHAt’s HAPPENING inspirado a ingenieros, creadores de software, y mecánicos con su EVENTS CALENDAR, PAGE 10 deseo de estar detrás del manubrio después de que un choque lo dejo paralizado. Schmidt fue el Rookie of the Year en 1995 cuando debutó NAHP Latina Publisher en su carrera de corredor en el circuito Hooters a la edad de 31 of the Year años. En 1997, Schmidt corrió en Indianápolis 50º por primera vez. Para el 1999 el ganó su primer evento de la Indianapolis Racing League en el Las Vegas Motor CONTINUA EN PÁGINA 15 >> 2 COMMUNITY / COMUNIDAD LA VOZ Bilingüe March 22, 2017 Gentrification hits Denver neighborhoods BY JAMES MEJÍA non-profit institutions that have been serving Five Points Brother Jeff is a fixture in Five Points as a histo- residents for decades. “Good Samaritan, St. Francis Center, rian, photographer and perpetuator of culture in the African Jesus Saves, Stout Street Clinic, and Catholic Charities all American community. From his recent perch as chair of the hold their own properties. They have insisted on being part board of directors for the Denver Foundation, he enjoyed of the process, forcing other people out of their silos to be a view of the entire metro area but has always remained part of community conversation to solve problems.” steadfast in advocating for Five Points and her people. A Not all non-profits have been able to withstand the prop- native of Northeast Denver, Jeff has seen an influx of capi- erty increase in gentrified neighborhoods. For many years, tal and investment in Five Points, not equally or equitably Servicios de la Raza was located in North Denver. When dispersed among residents and forever changing the neigh- Executive Director, Rudy Gonzales came on board several borhood that is the heart of African American history, music years ago, he saw the writing on the wall. Property values in and culture. the newly monikered “LoHi” caused the Latino-centric non- The historic importance of Five Points gives Jeff added profit to look for a new headquarters. “Yes, the gentrification passion to the plight of those moving on from the neighbor- played a part in the decision by the Board of Directors to hood. “The fact that Denver is the seventh most affected city move out of North Denver to Colfax and Federal. With the speaks volumes, it creates tension. The effect of gentrifica- displacement of Latinos in North Denver and Latinos and tion depends on what side you’re looking from. For some it’s African Americans in East Denver; and now encroaching a great opportunity, great re-emergence. However, there are in West Denver, [with] wildly increasing home prices the individuals who are no longer able to be in a community they ramifications will be myriad; but, I think the loss of political grew up in, a neighborhood their people established. Many Photo courtesy: coloradotrust.org influence and power in the bell weather city of the State of are no longer able to access the community and are treated or 71 percent are from North, Northeast and West Denver. Colorado will be the most negative outcome of this rapid as outsiders, getting strange looks for sitting in front of their To be gentrified, a neighborhood starts at a lower average homogenizing of my our native city.” homes.” resident income and has reduced home values and lower Low income housing developer, Veronica Barela, CEO of Jeff’s mention of Denver as the country’s seventh most educational attainment marked by numbers of college NEWSED, hopes the City of Denver can work differently with gentrified city comes from a recent Governing Magazine graduates. Denver’s eligible neighborhoods were in the bot- community redevelopment authorities to combat gentrifica- report on the top 50 gentrified U.S. cities. Denver has over tom 40 percent on these measures compared to all neighbor- tion and provide more housing. “The City gave us a map of 42 percent of eligible census tract neighborhoods meeting hoods in the metro area. Those gentrified neighborhoods gentrification, it’s the whole city. In La Alma/Lincoln Park, the definition since 2000. Colorado Springs is not too far now have home values in the top third compared to other people are pushed out of the city, they are being pushed into behind as the 23rd most gentrified U.S. city. Colorado’s two metro area zip codes. The dramatic change in just a decade the suburbs. We need a relationship with the City of Denver largest cities are the only two that made the list of the 50 has forced out residents unable to keep up with higher taxes and CHAFA that helps develop low income units on a small largest cities prone to gentrification. and unforgiving neighbors and incentivized others looking scale. Gentrification will have far reaching consequences Denver holds a total of 144 census tracts and 24 have to cash out on their real estate windfall. in both the brown and black communities. It’s going to get gentrified seventeen of Denver’s gentrified neighborhoods, For Jeff, the neighborhood’s saving grace may be the worse, not better.” Gentrificación afecta a barrios de Denver El hermano Jeff es un elemento conocido de Five Points gar por Five Points y su gente. Nativo del noreste de Denver, de la bonanza en los bienes raíces. como historiador, fotógrafo y perpetuador de la cultura en la Jeff ha visto un gran flujo de capital e inversiones en Five Para Jeff, la gracia salvadora del barrio pueden ser las comunidad afroamericana. De su reciente silla en la junta Points, que no ha sido distribuido igual o equitativamente instituciones sin fines de lucro que han prestado servicio a directiva de la Denver Foundation, el disfrutó la vista de toda entre los residentes y cambiando para siempre el barrio que los residentes de Five Points por décadas. “Good Samaritan, el área metropolitana pero siempre ha seguido firme en abo- es el alma de la historia, música y cultura afroamericana. St. Francis Center, Jesus Saves, Stout Street Clinic, y Catholic La importancia histórica de Five Points da a Jeff una Charities todos tienen sus propias propiedades. Ellos han pasión adicional al sufrimiento de quienes se alejan del barrio. insistido en ser parte del proceso, forzando a otra gente a “El hecho de que Denver sea la séptima ciudad más afectada salir de sus locales para que sean parte de la conversación Fuerza. Resiliencia. Justicia. dice mucho, crea tensión. El efecto de la gentrificación comunitaria para resolver sus problemas”. The Center for Trauma & Resilience depende de qué lado estás mirando. Para algunos es una No todas las organizaciones filantrópicas han podido auspiciará los siguientes eventos gran oportunidad, una gran reemergencia. Sin embargo, hay resistir el aumento de las propiedades en barrios gentrifica- en ocasión de la celebración nacional de la Semana individuos que ya no pueden estar en la comunidad en donde dos. Por muchos años, Servicio de la Raza estuvo ubicado de los Derechos de Víctimas de Crímenes crecieron, un barrio que su gente creó. Muchos ya no pueden en el Norte de Denver. Cuando el director ejecutivo, Rudy tener acceso a la comunidad y son tratados como extraños, Gonzales entro a la junta hace varios años el vio las señales recibiendo miradas raras por sentarse al frente de sus casas”. escritas en la pared. Los valores de la propiedad en el recién 3 de abril Yoga comunitario* (6pm) Jeff menciona a Denver como la séptima ciudad más llamado “LoHi” obligó a las organizaciones Latinas centrales 4 de abril Yoga para personas que hablan Español* gentrificada del país proviene de un informe reciente de a buscar otros lugares.