I am Denver: A Storytelling Event
Inside the Robert and Judi Newman Center for Theatre Education, a woman shared photos with stories of Denver’s oldest neighborhood: Westside Auraria.
Before 1968, a close-knit, thriving, Latino and Chicano neighborhood created this lowland region. Along with immigrants, the working-class poor also lived there. At the time, everybody knew everybody.
After a devastating flood in 1965, the neighborhood went through gentrification. As a result, this made way for the present-day Auraria Higher Education Center campus.
The urban renewal ousted 90 percent of the neighborhood residents. They are now known as displaced Aurarians.
The woman with the photos showed an old grocery store she used to shop at. Now, it’s the Merc Cafe. Her uncle’s house was in another photo. These days, the campus fountain sits there. She visits the fountain every now and then to reminisce.
Preserving Stories Through Place
This woman participated with nine other Denverites to share stories at I Am Denver’s Storytelling Lab on Saturday, June 26. They documented six personal stories to connect with specific places in Denver’s Latino and Chicano communities. The Lab gives recognition for historic stories and locations.
Following the free event, Rowena K. Alegría, chief storyteller for the City and County of Denver, thought 100 participants would attend the event. Eighty-nine tickets were “sold,” and 800 people claimed interest, according to the Facebook event page.
“The problem is that people don’t know what a storytelling lab is,” said Alegría.
In short, the Lab holds space for all storytellers-amateur and expert. It assists people to identify their stories. The Lab also helps refine the stories. Ultimately, it’s hands-on training to support community members, even if they’re just curious about storytelling.
Alegría said the participants gave positive feedback. They felt grateful to know that their stories were captured, shared and not forgotten.
“People feel connected to you, honored by you and excited to share their story,” Rowena says.
Documenting community members’ stories is self-gratifying. However, it also benefits the community as a whole.
“Stories represent people who don’t show up at city meetings and don’t have a relationship with the mayor, but their voices are still heard,” says Rowena. “Resident voices are influencing policy.”
Continuing on
Other stories I Am Denver documented include an interview video with Fran and Anna Simon, Denver’s first married, same-gender couple. They also covered Prohibited to Be Proud—a history of Denver’s drag scene since the 1880s.
The next Storytelling Lab they’re preparing for will be about food insecurity. There, people will share stories on how to better serve populations through food.
These stories, along with others, can be seen on iamdenver.org.
