Have you ever noticed how LANGUAGE shapes your worldview? How you think & how you speak can radically shape your perspective. Deaf Comedian Greg Bland illustrates the incredible advantage of sign language in our first-ever ASL talk.
Greg believes in you. Life can be challenging, but he thinks you’re a badass and he’s darn proud of you. Next time that nagging voice in your head has plenty to say, remember he’s got the same voice and he’s Deaf! Just stick it through. It worked for him: as a serial entrepreneur with a Masters in Public Administration and an American Sign Langauge comedian, Greg loves to explore how humor can be a great equalizer and bridge-builder between Deaf and hearing cultures. His dog Kallie, who loves to bark, agrees.
The biggest controversy you’ve never heard about: wild horse management. “Wildish” Podcast Producer Anna Coburn reflects on what it means to live in this messy, polarized world.
Anna Coburn is the producter and host of High Country News’ podcast series “Wildish.” When she’s not producing podcasts, Anna earns money cleaning houses she cannot afford, playing guitar over cocktails she cannot afford, and selling tourists ski passes, which she can also not afford. Still, it’s worth it to fulfill a promise she made to herself at 12 years old: to play in the snow in the mountains of Colorado. Born and raised in Alabama, Anna carefully navigated the South as both religious and closeted. Now, she lives in Gunnison with her deadbeat roommate, a cat named Tombigbee.
Watch the news and you’ll be confronted with anger, hate, vitriol, divisiveness. How do you survive, or even thrive, in a world that’s so harsh? Author Steven Dunn has a unique solution: cataloguing moments of softness.
Steven Dunn (aka Pothole because he’s deep in these streets) is the author of two novels: Potted Meat (2016) and water & power (2018). Potted Meat was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award and shortlisted for Granta Magazine’s Best of Young American Novelists. It was adapted into the short film, The Usual Route, which played at the L.A. International Film Festival and the Houston International Film Festival, among others. Steven was born and raised in West Virginia, and teaches Creative Writing in the MFA programs at Cornell College and Regis University.
Suzi Q. Smith is an award-winning artist, activist, and educator who lives in Denver, Colorado. She was the founding Slammaster of Slam Nuba and a two-time finalist in the Women of the World Poetry Slam. She has worked extensively with Poetry Slam, Inc., Youth on Record, Minor Disturbance Youth Poetry Slam, and the Lighthouse Writers Workshop. She has a degree in English writing from the University of Colorado at Denver and has published two collections of poems: A Gospel of Bones & Poems for the End of the World.
Dr. Nita Mosby Tyler is the Chief Catalyst and Founder of The Equity Project which supports organizations and communities in building diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, and The HR Shop – a human resources firm for non-profits and small businesses. She is the former Senior Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer for Children’s Hospital Colorado & the former Executive Director of the Office of Human Resources for the City and County of Denver. She holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership from the University of Colorado.
A question religious leaders, scientists, and philosophers have debated for centuries: does free will exist? Neuroscientist Sukumar Vijayaraghavan explains what the research tells us & why it matters for modern life.
Sukumar Vijayaraghavan is a professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. His research on neurotransmitters could one day help explain how the brain responds to drugs of abuse and also the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s disease. He is deeply interested in neuroscience research affects society, law, and ethics. He has a Ph.D in Plant Biochemistry and in his spare time, he moonlights as a standup comic. He’s performed locally and – in the age of zoom – internationally. He hopes to be good at it someday.
One of the biggest risks to your aging parents or grandparents: elder crime. Senior Deputy District Attorney Jane Walsh explains how these crimes happen and how we can prevent them.
Jane Walsh has worked as an attorney in Scotland, England & Wales, and Colorado. In Boulder, she established the Community Protection Division of the District Attorney’s office. She prosecuted cases involving elderly victims, people with disabilities, and immigrants. Through this work she became involved in legislative efforts to protect vulnerable victims. In Denver, as a Senior Deputy, she is Director of Elder and At-Risk Protection. When we’re not in a pandemic, she plays Irish fiddle music in bars around Colorado.
After getting her certification from Denver DJ School, DJ Xoomie started Live-streaming every Sunday, calling the event ‘Beauty And The Beats’ to highlight two things she’s passionate about: music & fashion. She acquired a following, who enjoy her song selections and mixing abilities. She also plays with The Reminders from time to time. Her future, like her energy, is bright.
Immigrant rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra shares her own experience as an immigrant from Mexico and the life lessons she’s learned in our second-ever TEDx Talk in Spanish.
Jeanette Vizguerra is a proud Mexican woman, mother, and grandmother with 23 years in the U.S. as an immigrant. She moved to the U.S. to be a janitor, worked as a union organizer, and built her own company. After eight years of fighting off deportation, she went public with her story & sought refuge in Denver’s First Baptist Church. She founded Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition, Sanctuary4All, and Abolish ICE Denver. She was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2017, but remains a simple & humble being full of dreams and idea.
Antoine “Big Samir” Zamundu is a bilingual artist who brings together hip hop, soul, reggae, and African rhythms. With his eclectic style & his smooth flow (seamlessly transitioning from English to French), and his inspirational, socially conscious music, the Congolese lyricist bridges cultural gaps and sends a positive message. He was born in Brussels, Belgium, but spent most of his childhood in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Much of his music is inspired by memories of his African upbringing. “Big Samir” also performs with his wife, Aja Black, as The Reminders.
