In today’s Rocky there’s a very worthwhile article about anti-gang programs in North Denver. The article starts off by describing a mural with anti-gang themes, located in the Cole-Whittier neighborhood. A similar mural was recently unveiled in Globeville. I’ll try to get pictures up next week.
The mural is part of a concerted anti-gang effort in District 9, one that hasn’t gotten a whole lot of attention. Earlier this summer, Judy helped put together an anti-gang event at the Swansea Recreation Center. Sponsored by Denver Parks and Recreation in conjunction with the City Life Leadership Center, it featured a hip-hop concert and outdoor barbecue — but the main event was a speech from City Life gang-intervention specialist Eddie Armijo.
Ever since the New Year’s Eve murder of Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams at the hands of gang members, gang-related activity has been in the news. The minor gang flareup at the Jazz in the City concert this June kept the issue in the forefront. Judy wants to put more funding into DPD’s gang-enforcement unit, but she’ll also continue to support community-based anti-gang activities like the ones described in the Rocky today.
