Welcome to Cafe Cultura's 

January 2015 newsletter! We're excited to keep in touch with you as we work to fulfill our mission.

#CafeCultura #XpressYourself #TellingOurStories

Caf� Cultura is an award-winning arts, culture, and youth development organization that promotes unity and healing among Indigenous peoples through creative expression while empowering youth to find their voice, reclaim oral and written traditions, and become leaders in their communities. 

We hope this message finds you and your family in good health and spirits.  This newsletter helps us keep you informed of our growth as an organization. You can find more updates on our Facebook (facebook.com/cafecultura), Issuu (issuu.com/cafecultura/docs), Instagram (instagram.com/cafeculturadenver), Flickr (flickr.com/photos/cafecultura/sets), and Youtube (youtube.com/user/cafeculturavideos) accounts.

Cafe Cultura's Open Mic
w/ spoken word, music, art, & community!

 

Spread the word...Bring your family & friends!!!!!  

   

VOLUNTEERS PLEASE ARRIVE AT 6:15pm :-)  

 

Note: Make sure to come early to sign up and get a good seat.

 
WHAT: All ages open mic (alcohol/drug free event)
 
WHEN: 2nd Fri. of every month....January 9th, February 13th, March 13th (Rise Up! event @ Denver Indian Center)

--->Doors open w/ Vendors, Food, & Live Art @ 7pm
--->Show starts @ 7:45pm

WHERE: Denver Inner City Parish/La Academia (9th Ave & Galapago St)

$3 (nobody turned away)

Everyone is welcome!

Featured performers:
 
---->Sunny Red Bear "Luta" is a writer, poet, flow artist, & survivor of abuse who now has a voice that she uses to empower women. Her words of iron are being used to sharpen iron & she is ready for her story to be heard far & wide! Words are life, give life!

---->Fashion Show with Warrior Statusa unique company marketing fashion and art works of Lakota designer Sun Rose Iron Shell. Warrior Status is a fashion concept and trademark business focused on empowering Native youth, promoting cultural sustainability, and making Indigenous Global connections. As a company, we provide a specific genre of art that frames a life style based on Indigenous concepts of living as a warrior. Our mission is to uplift Indigenous youth by embracing cultural values to enlighten future generations. We represent a new generation of intellectuals, leaders, and most of all warriors. We challenge the warriors of the globe to stand and reclaim their status. We promote cultural sustainability and telling the truth about our histories. #warriorstatusfashions

Warrior Status promo
Warrior Status promo

Community Feature
 ---->Together Colorado is a non-partisan, multi-racial, multi-faith community organization that unlocks the power of people to transform their communities through community organizing. Comprised of 60+ congregations, schools and youth committees from Pueblo to Fort Collins and a growing statewide clergy network, we are building a moral and democratic voice in Colorado through a racial and economic lens. Grounded in our faith and democratic traditions and in the everyday concerns of the people in our congregations, schools and communities, we train and equip faith leaders and volunteer community leaders to join together to resolve community issues on their own behalf at local, state and national levels. Current key issues include education, health care, public safety, immigration, economic justice, and gun violence prevention.


---->Concessions by JeffCO Indian Education PAC

For more info: info@cafecultura.org; 720-394-6589; www.cafecultura.org

 

 

During the Grant Beacon Middle School showcase & book release on Nov. 5th, participants in Cafe Cultura's "Telling Our Stories" workshop series performed their poems in front of their family, friends, & teachers during the book release. A few of the students also performed at Grant's winter showcase as part of larger program on Dec. 17th.


 


 
We also had the honor of partnering with Su Teatro in presenting a Winter Performance Showcase on Dec. 16th featuring youth from La Academia. Some of the students who participated in our "Telling Our Stories" spoken word class performed as part of their book release

 


 

La Academia students wrote amazing poems as part of the 2nd book we published for them. Click here or on the book cover below to read some of their work. You will be impressed by what they have to say! 


Here are a few excerpts:

 

"I will always remember the woman

who has been here for many years.

She weaves her story into a blanket

about a place

where brown faces and hands

rise to honor the people.

I am a Native American

and I am proud to be here,

following my ancestors' footsteps.

We use our Native tongues

to tell where we are from.

As the blanket slowly develops,

so does my story."

 

"The diploma I will be holding

will not be just a piece of paper!

It will be my future.

When people throw negativity at me,

I just remember what my sisters says,

"put you shield up and walk away."

Their bullets of negativity

and doubts

will get blocked.

I will make my sister proud.

Their doubts will push me to try even harder.

I will be a graduate of 2020!

I will prove everyone who doubted me,

wrong!

My sister taught me different!

I will succeed!

2020!" 

 

"I ask my peers,

'What is your passion?'

Most of the time,

they do not understand what I am asking

or simply do not have an answer at all.

That really stresses me out,

because if you hold no passion,

do you even really know what your life is about?

Maybe you do,

but to me,

passion is a necessity.

It is how we survive distress,

with the secret ingredient to life's recipe

and the key that opens up the doors

to your desired destiny.

It helped me tell my demons rest in peace,

when I was living recklessly

and now negative energy,

can never get the best of me."

 


 

We continue working with our partners to allow youth participants opportunities to express themselves and tell their stories through the publishing of books and coordinating showcases. They currently include Mi Casa Neighborhood Center @ Lake, La Academia, Heart & Hand, Grant Beacon Middle School, and STRIVE Prep SMARTWe look forward to adding more sites in the near future. 

 

We are excited to make our recent youth-written books available online. To access each collection of powerful spoken word poetry from participants in our workshop series, simply click on the book cover.

   
 

 
Make sure to read future newsletters for more updates.

Make a one-time or monthly donation to Cafe Cultura!

 

You have the opportunity to invest in Cafe Cultura's work in the community. Click on the following image to make a tax-deductible donation.

In this newsletter....
-Cafe Cultura's Open Mic 12/12/14-
-Telling Our Stories Spoken Word Workshop Series-
-Make a one-time or monthly donation-
-Xpress Yourself Spoken Word Workshops for Youth-
-Spoken Word Workshop @ Cafe Cultura Office-
-Exciting Updates-
-Internships w/ Cafe Cultura!-
-2013 Annual Report-
Cafe Cultura Logo

Join Our Mailing List!

Contact Information

Cafe Cultura
P.O. Box 11791
Denver, CO 80211

Office: 1029 Santa Fe Dr Unit #6
Hours: Mon-Thurs from 9am to 2:00pm
Fri from 9am to 5pm

info@cafecultura.org

Xpress Yourself

Basic Spoken Word Workshops for Youth (#XpressYourself)

We have worked with numerous schools and organizations throughout Colorado to give underserved youth an opportunity to express themselvesOur most recent partners have included: GOAL Academy (Pueblo)

If you are interested in having Cafe Cultura present at your school or organization, feel free to contact us. Our basic version is a one time, 1 to 2 hour session. We have used this highly engaging and culturally relevant workshop structure for over eight years to encourage Chicana/o and Native youth to use spoken word to give voice to our stories of love, struggle, injustice, and celebration. They serve to supplement and support Language Arts/English curriculumWorkshop structure was designed by a spoken word artist with 4 years experience teaching at the middle and high school level with contributions from other poets and youth advocates.Click here for a detailed information sheet.

Cafe Cultura's Xpress Yourself: Hip Hop, Poetry, & Spoken Word workshops
Cafe Cultura's Xpress Yourself: Hip Hop, Poetry, & Spoken Word workshops

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced poet, join us as we workshop poems you are currently drafting or will write during our time together.

WHEN: Last Saturday of the month (Jan. 31, Feb. 28, March 28)
 
TIME: 11:00 to 12:30pm

WHERE: Cafe Cultura Office (1029 Santa Fe Dr)

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 
 
Questions: 720-394-6589; info@cafecultura.org

Exciting Updates

Thank you to everyone who attended and shared in the amazing energy at our last open mic. Shout out to those who shared on the open mic. We especially appreciate our features (Byron Aspaas, 2MX2, & Diego Florez) for offering their words, art, and energy to uplift us. Special thank you to Dom Barrera for sharing information about the Denver Freedom Riders who went to Ferguson, MO. We also appreciate all volunteers who made the event possible.






-Cafe Cultura will be collaborating on an HIV/AIDS prevention research project with Assistant Professor, Ramona Beltran and the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. Funded by the Public Good Fund through University of Denver's Center for Community Engaged Scholarship and Service Learning, the project will work with several other Denver-based organizations to develop a culture-centered HIV/AIDS prevention curriculum for Indigenous youth and to support increasing education and participation in our annual Rise Up! community event to be held in March, 2015.  Recruitment efforts are slated to begin soon, so stay tuned if you want to be involved.

-We continue to receive support from important members of the foundation community. Thank you to our recent funders: Bowen Family Performing Arts Fund (The Denver Foundation), National Association for Latino Arts and Culture Fund for the Arts, Seventh Generation Fund, Peyback Foundation, Hispanics In Philanthropy, Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, WESTAF, and The Chinook Fund.

-We were honored to have been selected for the 2013 Mayor's Award for Excellence in Arts & Culture (Youth Arts). Here is the video they produced for us: 
2013 Denver Mayor's Awards for Excellence in Arts and Culture - Youth Arts Award: Caf?? Cultura
2013 Denver Mayor's Awards for Excellence in Arts and Culture - Youth Arts Award: Cafe Cultura
 
-Performances/shows from Cafe Cultura poets: If you want us to host an open mic featuring our spoken word artists, contact us ASAP. Funds will go to sustaining our organization and the work we do in the community (especially our workshops for youth).
 
-Feel free to visit our website
often for updates (click on the image).
Internships w/ Cafe Cultura!

  

If you are interested in helping build our organization while gaining valuable experience and making connections in the community, below are the unpaid internship positions we hope to fill ASAP.


Development Intern: provide assistance in organizing activities that will lead to the growth and development of our organization. This includes being involved with implementation of strategic plan, fundraising, and engaging Board of Directors. 

Click Here for Development Intern Job Description


Communications Intern: help in coordinating effective and efficient communication within the organization as well as with the community. In addition to internal communications, this person will focus on promotion and documentation of our programs. 

Click Here for Communications Intern Job Description 

 

Programs Intern: be actively involved in planning and carrying out programs including events, workshops, and our youth leadership program.

Click Here for Programs Intern Job Description

Cafe Cultura's
2013 Annual Report
click on image below to view online