Honoring American Indian and Indigenous Communities’ Histories
Published on February 27, 2023
Project kicked off with vibrant launch party at Denver Indian Center;
City seeks to fill community roles and collect oral histories
On Saturday, February 25, the City and County of Denver hosted a launch party at the Denver Indian Center for the second project in the “Denver in Context” series, which seeks to explore the diverse ethnic and cultural history of Denver. Over 100 community members were in attendance including Denver Indian Center executive director Rick Waters, tribal elder and historian Rick Williams, and Denver American Indian Commissioner Danielle SeeWalker. Funding for this event came from the Rose Community Foundation. See a photo gallery from the event (credit: Andy Colwell).
In partnership with Native communities, Denver Landmark Preservation and the Office of Storytelling will develop a written study and film documentary to honor and share the history of American Indian, Native American, and Indigenous Peoples in Denver.
“The city’s first study in this series – focused on Denver’s Latino, Chicano, and Mexican-American communities – was very successful and is already allowing the city to become better advocates for, and stewards of, our rich cultural history,” said Laura E. Aldrete, executive director of Community Planning and Development. “Our team looks forward to learning from our American Indian and Indigenous communities to ensure these stories and significant places around Denver are given the same level of care and appreciation.”
“This is the start of a long over-due recognition of our Indigenous communities in Denver,” said Council President Jaime Torres, District 3. “We know through the prior Historic Context Study that we are able to unearth stories of people, families, places, and spaces that are important to the true story of Denver and one that centers on communities that have often been unrecognized. Our Indigenous communities have such brilliant and deep stories to share, such catalytic people and events that we need to ensure are not forgotten.”
Over the next two years, this “Denver in Context” work will guide future efforts to ensure more inclusive historic preservation practices in Denver and will also help shape future land use planning and policy, based on a deeper understanding of our diverse local cultures. A full description of what the project will accomplish is available on the project website.
Ways to Participate
The city will seek out public participation throughout this project. During the launch phase, this includes:
- Survey – This survey will gather the stories and histories of Denver’s American Indian and Indigenous Peoples communities to inform the historic context. It is designed for those who self-identify as members of the various ethnic communities associated with Denver’s American Indian and Indigenous Peoples heritage; however, anyone who has valuable information to share about this important history is welcomed to participate.
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- Advisory Board – The Advisory Board will meet regularly to provide guidance for the project team, including input on proposed outreach strategies, study themes, and overall perspective on the project.
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- Community Connectors – The city is seeking up to 10 trusted and passionate people to help build relationships between the city and Native communities. The ideal candidate is deeply connected to Native communities and is interested in ensuring this project reflects Denver’s diverse history and honors the cultural significance of the area. These will be compensated positions that are expected to last through 2024.
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- Oral Histories – We are also looking for members of the community who would like to provide an oral history for the project. Oral histories generally last about an hour and will be recorded. Recordings will be donated to the Denver Public Library at the conclusion of the project.
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Learn more about this project and ways to participate by visiting www.denvergov.org/denverincontext.