[ Boulder County ]

• Newly formed Boulder County Employees Union, representing 1,400 employees, accuses the county of delaying negotiations during layoffs and a budget deficit.
• Russell Vought, the director of Office Management and Budget under the Trump Administration, has called to close the National Center of Atmospheric Research, located in Boulder, claiming it was a leader in climate alarmism.
• Erie hometown hero, Jacob Slavin, will be representing the United States in Italy as he joins the roster for the national Olympic hockey team.
• For commuters taking the Diagonal Highway from Longmont to Boulder, be aware that speeding fines doubled on January 12.

[ State ]

• Colorado Springs Utilities is stating that they are unable to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030, as requested by the state, without shutting down the Nixon 1 coal generated unit near Falcon, which they refuse to do.
• More than 20 female faculty members at the University of Colorado Denver filed a class action lawsuit in Denver district court Friday, alleging systemic wage discrimination based on gender.
• 46-year-old Kristen Marie Kovatch of Fort Collins was the victim of a mountain lion attack. This is the first death caused by the animal in Colorado since 1999.

[ National ]

• The Trump administration sent shockwaves through the U.S. mental health and drug addiction system late Tuesday, sending hundreds of termination letters, effective immediately, for federal grants supporting health services. Many of the group impacted are non-profits working at the street level.
• The House Oversight Committee will seek to hold former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress after she did not appear for a scheduled deposition as part of the Republican-led panel’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, Chairman James Comer announced Wednesday.
• The Environmental Protection Agency says it will stop calculating how much money is saved in health care costs avoided and deaths prevented from air pollution rules that curb two deadly pollutants.

[ International ]

• The United States has started evacuating hundreds of troops from its largest air base in the Middle East ahead of potential military action by President Donald Trump against Iran, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the matter.
• Last year was the third-warmest in modern history, according to Copernicus, the European Union’s climate change monitoring service. In 2025, the average global temperature was approximately 2.65 Fahrenheit higher than from 1850 to 1900,  the period scientists use as a reference point, since it precedes the industrial era in which massive amounts of carbon pollution have been pumped into the atmosphere.
• Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are hosting the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland today amid President Donald Trump’s efforts to take over the vast, semi-autonomous Danish territory. Buying Greenland could cost the U.S. as much as $700 billion

[ Quotes ]

“I tend to think of death as the last and best reward for a life well lived.”

–Bob Weir, founding member of the Grateful dead who passed away at the age of 78 this month.

“Every summer everybody got sick. One summer it was my turn, not just to get sick but to get disabled from it.”

–Carol Boigon: a Colorado resident, Polio survivor, and a new member of the pro-vaccine team that is working amidst the revised federal guidelines.

“[This was an] extraordinary, aggressive action that is deeply concerning and raises profound questions and concern around the constitutional protections for our work.”

–Matt Murray, Executive Editor of the Washington Post after federal agents executed a search warrant at reporter Hanna Natanson’s home in search  of classified information.

“I agree with President Trump, I agree with Marco Rubio. I think Vice President Vance would be a great nominee.”

-Governor of Virgnia, Glenn Youngkin adding to the bid to push J.D Vance towards the Republican nomination for the 2028 election.

“Spain did not recognize the Maduro regime. But neither will it recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence.”

– Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez

[ By the Numbers ]

1000+

The number of protests across the country asking for accountability or the abolishment of ICE after the murder of protester Renee Good.

7%

The decrease in land inhabited by prairie dogs in 2025 due to the lethal removal program put in place by Boulder County.

$2.7 Billion

The estimated amount of lost economic productivity and revenue in Colorado due to disruptions in childcare for in families with infants and toddlers. A crucial number as affordable childcare becomes at risk.

1500+

The number of attack ads the Trump administration has put out against transgender participation in sport, despite the occurrence being extremely rare.

Like journalism like this? Consider becoming a sustaining supporter — and get our print edition delivered to your home each month.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. For 25 years, we’ve told the truth — your support helps us keep doing it for the next four and beyond. Administrations come and go. Our team stays, ready to lead no matter who’s in charge.

The post Month In Review | December 2025 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Last November, Republican Yazmin Navarro defeated incumbent Democrat Rhonda Solis in the race to represent Colorado’s 8th district on the State Board of Education. Navarro’s victory marks the completion of a silent coup that threatens to undermine its public schools and election integrity.

Navarro is an unconventional candidate. A former substitute teacher, she entered the race with limited teaching and political experience. By contrast, Solis brought years of service as a local school board member, over a decade of broader community engagement, and the advantage of incumbency. How did a first-time candidate manage to overcome these odds and flip a key seat? While multiple factors were at play, one stands out: over $300,000 was spent on Navarro’s behalf. The outsized role of dark money in this race cannot be ignored.

What is Dark Money?

The term “dark money” has become ubiquitous in discussions of Colorado’s education races, often leaving it feeling like a vague buzzword. Dark money refers to funds spent to influence elections by organizations that are not required to disclose their donors. Unlike other forms of campaign funding, which are subject to strict rules regarding limits, transparency, and reporting, dark money operates largely in the shadows. This lack of accountability is one of the primary concerns. Voters have no way of knowing who is behind the influx of money shaping elections. Beyond transparency issues, dark money undermines democratic processes. Millions of dollars poured into newspaper ads, television, and YouTube can easily sway election outcomes, especially in low-turnout races like those for school boards. According to the National School Boards Association, as few as 5 to 10 percent of eligible voters participate in these elections. In such contests, money holds disproportionate sway, potentially allowing a handful of wealthy donors to determine outcomes. 

Dark money played a documented and substantial role in Navarro’s success. A significant contributor was the Colorado League of Charter Schools (CLCS), a nonprofit organization whose stated mission is to advance the interests of charter schools. This group poured thousands of dollars into Independent Expenditure Committees (IECs) supporting Navarro. Unlike Political Action Committees (PACs), which face strict contribution limits, IECs can funnel unlimited funds into campaigns to further their agendas. Navarro’s win appears less like an unexpected triumph from a passionate political newcomer and more like a demonstration of the power wielded by deep-pocketed interests. Navarro offered few concrete policy proposals during her campaign, with one notable exception: her strong support for school choice and expansion of charter schools. Navarro made this stance explicit on her Facebook page: “A win for Navarro this year would mean a win for charter schools.” She also stated, “This election will shape Colorado’s charter schools for years to come.”

Her messaging left little doubt about who stood to benefit from her victory.

Bribes, giving money from behind, hidden transactions

A Broader Trend: Money’s Influence in Education Elections

While the focus thus far has been on the 8th district race for the State Board of Education, this is far from an isolated case. Dark money’s influence has been felt in other education-related elections across Colorado, signaling a broader trend with significant implications for the future of public education and electoral integrity. Although much of the focus thus far has been on the 8th district race, it is just one of many education elections where dark money has played a role.

Last June, nearly $1 million was spent supporting Marisol Rodriguez’s attempt to defeat Kathy Gebhardt in the District 2 race. The spending was ostentatious enough to draw attention from various news outlets, including Forbes, and prompted a response from Rodriguez.

“I’m not fighting for charter schools, so no one is buying me in this election,” she told Boulder Weekly.

Despite Rodriguez’s statement, her ties to the charter school agenda are difficult to ignore. She is a former employee of the Walton Family Foundation, a prominent proponent of charter schools. Rodriguez has also worked as a consultant for several pro-charter organizations, including the Colorado League of Charter Schools (CLCS)—the same group that backed Yazmin Navarro. Rodriguez’s campaign, history, and associations all reflected her strong support for school choice—a stance that earned her substantial backing, most notably from an IEC called Better Leaders Stronger Schools (BLSS). BLSS, like CLCS, supports charter schools and is connected to a network of pro-charter organizations, including CLCS, which it has donated to. Despite the significant financial opposition, Gebhardt managed to retain her seat. 

Following her victory, she said, “I feel like people have spoken in support of public education and their public schools.”

Gebhardt entered the race with a strong foundation: years of experience on both local and national education boards, support from the teachers’ union, and the advantage of being a well-regarded incumbent. Her win demonstrates that candidates can overcome the influence of dark money and convey their message to voters despite substantial financial barriers. Unfortunately, this is not the entire story.

It has become increasingly clear that the attempts by organizations like CLCS and BLSS to funnel money into their preferred candidates are not isolated incidents. In 2023, Better Leaders Stronger Schools poured tens of thousands of dollars into education races in Districts 1 and 5, as well as the at-large seat. That time, they succeeded in ousting the incumbents. As in past races, their chosen candidates were all vocal, pro-charter advocates. One such candidate, Kimberlee Sia, was even a former CEO of the pro-charter organization KIPP Colorado and a board member of CLCS.

It is evident that very wealthy groups have a vested interest in promoting pro-charter candidates, investing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, into Colorado elections. But why the sudden surge in spending? One answer lies in the power of the State School Board. Charter schools have a strong interest in maintaining control of the board, as it provides a way to bypass uncooperative local boards. If a charter request is denied at the local level, it can be escalated to the state board. Historically, decisions have been evenly split in favor of and against charter schools, but recent events have heightened concerns among school choice advocates. Gebhard, for instance, drew the ire of charter school supporters after she denied a charter program that refused to include non-discrimination protections for gender identity and expression. This placed her on the radar of pro-charter organizations as a potential “threat” to their interests. Similarly, Solis raised alarms by voicing concerns about charter schools’ lack of transparency and accountability. Further rattling pro-choice advocates was a bill introduced last March aiming to enforce greater transparency in charter schools—a move some viewed as an  “attack.”  Though the bill was ultimately defeated in April, it reflected a growing push for regulation and accountability. As charters face heightened scrutiny, these recent electoral wins have been instrumental in securing a pro-charter majority on the state school board, offering them a measure of protection.

Charters and Discrimination

It’s important to clarify that neither Solis nor Gebhard could fairly be described as anti-school choice. Both have been vocal in supporting quality charter initiatives, and their records reflect that. Their criticism, however, centered on the lack of oversight for charter schools compared to public schools, particularly regarding issues of discrimination. It’s also worth noting that evidence, both in Colorado and nationally, suggests their concerns should be taken seriously.

In October 2021, charter schools in Colorado were found guilty of discriminating against disabled students. An investigation found that they not only enrolled fewer disabled students than public schools but also had lower enrollment compared to other charter schools in other states. The following year, a law was passed attempting to circumvent this ruling by allowing charter schools to deny disabled students enrollment. A complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging that the law essentially permits legal discrimination. This legal matter is still ongoing and has not yet been resolved. Beyond disabled students, Colorado charter schools have faced criticism for potentially discriminating against racial and sexual minorities. 

As recently as last November, Liberty Common Charter School was found guilty of racial harassment, and Rocky Mountain Classical Academy is facing a lawsuit (still unresolved) for allegations of gender discrimination in its dress code. Nationally, similar cases of discrimination have consistently emerged from charter schools.

These cases point to two critical issues: First, there is legitimate cause for concern regarding discrimination and the lack of accountability in charter schools. Second, a state education board that is uncritically supportive of charter schools could lead to students—particularly those from already marginalized groups—being mistreated, harassed, or otherwise discriminated against. This situation underscores the significant risks we face when wealthy and powerful interests are allowed to influence and undermine our elections.

The Rise of City Fund

The nature of dark money, particularly when funneled through nonprofits, is its lack of transparency. These organizations face fewer requirements to disclose who is funding them and why, but that doesn’t mean we know nothing about their operations. We’ve already identified two nonprofits, CLCS, and Progressives Supporting Teachers and Students, that are focused on advancing the goals of charter schools. Tax documents reveal that both organizations receive much of their funding from a national nonprofit known as City Fund.

City Fund was co-founded by Netflix billionaire Reed Hastings and John Arnold, and they’ve been vocal about their goals. Hastings has publicly stated his opposition to democracy in school boards, advocating for an end to school elections instead. Why? He says appointed boards lead to consistency and “stable governance.” He leaves unsaid that this approach shifts power away from the average citizen and into the hands of charters and their wealthy donors. Hastings has also expressed a desire for the near-elimination of public schools, stating, “So what we have to do is continue to grow and grow… It’s going to take 20-30 years to get to 90% of charter kids.”

Through City Fund, Hastings and his associates have funneled millions of dollars into nationwide organizations solely dedicated to undermining public schools and promoting charters. Examples include Engaging Redefined Atlanta in Georgia, KIPP Nashville in Tennessee, New Schools for New Orleans in Louisiana, and Newark Charter School Fund in New Jersey, among many others. Louisiana provides a stark example of what Hastings considers a success—and where Colorado could be heading. In New Orleans, Hastings has celebrated the city’s nearly 90% charter school enrollment rate, achieved after an aggressive push to shut down public schools and redirect funding to charters.

However, this “success” has been a monumental failure for students. “After spending $6 billion of taxpayers’ money to become the only all-charter system in the state, a staggering 73% of our children are not performing at grade level—worse than the 63% in 2005, when the state took control of over 100 schools,” wrote a Louisiana senator. When charters replace public schools, students suffer. The fact that Hastings views this model as a national blueprint is alarming. To be clear, this is not a claim that all charter schools are inherently bad, but they face serious issues, from discrimination to underperformance, making the push to replace public schools with charters shortsighted at best. What charter schools need is more oversight, not less.

Hastings’ money flows into various organizations in Colorado that align with his broader agenda, creating concerns, especially considering his ties to Governor Jared Polis, one of the state’s most influential political figures.

Polis has a long history with charter schools, having worked for one and founded several. He is also closely linked to Democrats for Education Reform (DFER), a prominent pro-charter group. From the start of his governorship, Polis has faced criticism for appointing a pro-charter team to oversee education in Colorado.

Cheating and bribery, using money in exchange for votes

While Polis’s connections to Hastings and City Fund are more indirect, they are still significant. His charter schools received $59,000 from Denver Families for Public Schools, which, according to 2023 tax filings, received over $1 million from City Fund. Polis’s ties to DFER, also funded by City Fund, further link him to this network. The clearest connection came during the recent election season when he appeared in ads for a pro-charter group, endorsing Marisol Rodriguez through Progressives Supporting Teachers and Students.

 Polis often shows up when charter money is involved.

It’s hard not to be concerned that Polis’s financial ties and associations may bias his agenda. While there is no definitive proof of wrongdoing, the many connections raise serious questions about a politician who appears to be heavily influenced by charter interests. We’ve presented enough evidence to justify skepticism about charter schools and how a charter-dominated era could impact Colorado’s students and teachers. However, it’s unclear whether Polis even cares about addressing these concerns. Also troubling is criticism from The Colorado Sun, which has pointed out Polis’s lack of transparency regarding the substantial amounts of money he receives from private donors and how it may influence his decisions. There are too many backroom deals, too much money, and insufficient transparency from the organizations and politicians involved.

Why is so much money and energy being invested in charter schools in the first place? Several groups stand to benefit from expanding these schools. For one, charter schools face less government regulation, allowing them to make decisions without the constraints of community oversight. Charters also operate without teacher unions, limiting teachers’ ability to organize, protest, or influence decisions within these systems. They’re also often money-making machines. Though charter schools are technically non-profits, they often function as profit-driven entities through various loopholes. A 2021 report exposed how individuals profit from these schools while students suffer from inadequate resources and educational outcomes. If the well-being of students, families, and education is not the priority, many reasons exist to advocate for expanding charter schools.

Money has played a significant role in the 2023 and 2024 Colorado school board elections, shaping how we talk about school choice locally and nationally. The recent polls in Colorado mirror trends across the U.S., with grassroots candidates overshadowing pro-charter candidates backed by dark money. Many of these groups have strikingly similar names and origins, often with City Fund money involved. We must stay alert to what’s happening and recognize what’s at stake. This isn’t about banning charter schools; it’s about demanding accountability, knowing who’s influencing our elections, and questioning whether they truly have our best interests in mind.

Gebhard said after her victory against Rodriguez, “We’ve shown that people’s voices are stronger than money.” Now, we must ensure our voices continue to rise above the influence of money and special interests.

Like journalism like this? Support the local press that’s been telling the truth for 25 years. Become a sustaining member and get our monthly print edition at home. We’ve weathered 9/11, floods, fires, economic crashes—and some deeply chaotic years. With your support, we’ll keep going. Because democracy still depends on journalism.

Democracy needs journalism more than ever. We’ve been telling the truth for 24 years. Your support helps us keep telling it for at least the next four years.

The post Dark Money in Education appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

DENVER, CO – Disability Law United, Newman | McNulty, LLC, and Brooklyn Law School’s Disability and Civil Rights Clinic today filed suit against the City and County of Denver on behalf of Housekeys Action Network Denver (HAND) and disabled, houseless people who have been forced to sleep on the streets after being denied access to shelters and shelter-based services in violation of disability law.

Shelters and facilities under contract with and funded by Denver systemically fail to provide accessible services to disabled people. From shelters that are inaccessible to wheelchair users, to inadequately trained shelter staff who confiscated necessary medical supplies or prevented individuals with disabilities from utilizing existing resources earmarked for accessibility, the six named plaintiffs were left without shelter, experienced significant medical complications and emotional distress, and lost personal property with no recompense. As a result, HAND was forced to expend its valuable resources helping these individuals survive being cast into the streets with nowhere to shelter, at times paying for hotel rooms for houseless individuals in crisis.

Frequent reports were made to Denver officials about these discriminatory practices, but despite the alarms raised and Denver’s own acknowledgment that 42% of homeless individuals in the area report a disabling condition, Denver has failed to ensure their contractors and grantees do not discriminate against people with disabilities in violation of federal and state laws.

The plaintiffs’ stories demonstrate the illegal and inhumane actions of Denver through its contracted shelter providers. One plaintiff was hospitalized to treat infection and excruciating pain after shelter staff confiscated the medical scissors she needs to maintain her colostomy bag. After release from the hospital, shelter staff kicked her out because she was physically unable to bend over and clean around her sleeping area.

Her confiscated belongings were never returned, and she was forced to return to sleeping on the streets. Her colostomy bag froze to her body because of Denver’s actions.

Another plaintiff was forced to crawl upstairs at shelters without elevators or ramps for wheelchair users. On other occasions, he was turned away because – while beds were available – shelter staff had not set aside these accessible beds for people who need them. On multiple occasions, shelter staff moved his wheelchair away from him without any communication, leaving him immobile and without access to his only possessions.

Another plaintiff was ejected from a shelter after he was forced to urinate outside because the shelter’s bathrooms were not accessible him in his power wheelchair.

Unable to meet his basic needs in shelters, and punished for attempting to do so, he sleeps outside.

Still another plaintiff was refused an accommodation to be placed in an available bed near the communal bathroom and showers because she could not make long, frequent trips from her bed at the back of the shelter before she would soil herself. She observed other shelter residents with disabilities were similarly denied beds closer to the bathrooms.

HAND, a nonprofit organization established to address systemic issues and advocate for houseless individuals in Denver, was forced to redirect resources and staff to fill the gaps in service left as a result of the listed failures by the Denver-funded shelters, including providing financial support to disabled people who were ejected from or unable to access shelters and devoting staff time to linking disabled people to caseworkers. Preventing disabled houseless people from facing harm cost the organization’s efficacy at its core mission.

Denver has failed to address these grave issues, despite the fact that the individual plaintiffs, HAND, staff from related agencies and the shelters, and numerous members of the Denver community have repeatedly reported these practices to Denver officials.

This failure is a clear violation of federal and state law.

In October HAND, through its attorneys, offered to work with Denver to design a process that would address these issues. That offer was rejected, necessitating this lawsuit.

HAND continues to divert staff and resources to disabled houseless individuals who find themselves without shelter and in crisis because of Denver shelters’ discrimination on the basis of disability. “Shelters continually treat people with disabilities as an extra burden they shouldn’t have to deal with and do not give accommodations for their disabilities,” said Terese Howard of HAND. “It is the shelter’s purpose to provide shelter for those in need, yet disabled houseless people who are particularly vulnerable are continually kicked to the streets in extreme weather and other dangers. This must be stopped.”

“While the Mayor raced to house 1,000 people for the cameras, he was ignoring the pleas of Denver’s disabled houseless residents who were repeatedly being forced out of shelters and onto the streets simply because of their disabilities,” said Andy McNulty.

“Denver’s repeated refusal to provide our houseless and disabled neighbors with shelter because of their disabilities not only violates the law; it runs counter to basic human decency.”

“Access for those with disabilities cannot be an afterthought. It has to be an integral and planned part of every City program,” said DLU attorney Kate Thorstad, “and Denver must hold its contractors responsible for meeting the basic human needs of those in wheelchairs, and those with other disabilities who are houseless.”

The post Disability Advocates Sue Denver, Allege Systemic Discrimination & Failure to Provide Accessible Shelter & Services to Disabled, Houseless People appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

As America’s Supreme Court rolls back freedoms for protected classes, a day of celebration became heavily focused on what voters need to do.

Longmont Pride 2023 Rally, Photo credit: Kenneth Wajda

Yesterday, Yellow Scene Magazine had a booth at Pride Longmont. A few weeks before, we also had a booth at Pride Boulder. Out Boulder County hosts both events. They are always spaces of joy, happiness, acceptance, and love. While both days celebrated the right to be who you are in society, Longmont Pride took a very serious turn in spirit based on the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing businesses to discriminate based on religious beliefs.

Out Boulder County Executive Director Mardi Moore, Photo credit: Kenneth Wajda

After hearing the ruling, Out Boulder County quickly added several local legislators to speak on the latest attacks on civil rights. Executive Director Mardi Moore started out by stating, “As a 60-year-old lesbian, I can’t believe I am back fighting this again, but fight is what we will do.”

Former Deputy Attorney General for Colorado Jean Dubofsky spoke next. She addressed the legal ramifications of this ruling. She is best known for leading the fight for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Colorado’s Amendment 2, which prevented the LGBTQIA community from obtaining redress for discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy stated, “We are now being governed by six people who have life tenure, and let’s be clear: This case would not have arisen but for the fact that people continue to hold homophobic views.”

Representative Brianna Titone, Photo credit: Kenneth Wajda

Representative Brianna Titone, the first transgender state legislator in Colorado, encouraged people to vote. Especially young people. She says, “We’ve got a lot more bad things that are going to be coming upon us, but we have to band together and fight back, register to vote, get other people to vote, and vote for the good people.”

Statistics and results show that younger voters need to show up.

Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett, Longmont Mayor Joan Peck, and Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty expressed similar sentiments. 

Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Photo credit: Kenneth Wajda

District Attorney Dougherty addressed the crowd, “Normally, when we come together for Longmont Pride, it is a cause for great celebration, to be in this wonderful community and be together. Today is no cause or reason to celebrate. In fact, the last 48 hours have been no reason to celebrate because when it comes to affirmative action and LGBTQ rights, the U.S. Supreme Court, in just two decisions, took two giant steps back for equality in this country. And that is unacceptable.”

Boulder County NAACP President Annette James, Photo credit: S. Blades

In a show of solidarity, Boulder County NAACP President Annette James spoke on the need for the organizations to unite and fired the crowd up speaking about America’s long history of injustice. 

Also present at the event were Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta, Lyons Mayor Hollie Rogin, State Representative Karen McCormick, State Representative Jennifer Parenti, State Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, State Representative Judy Amabile, Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann, and Boulder Chamber’s Senior Director of Policy Programs & former State Representative Jonathan Singer.

Rep. Karen McCormick, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, Rep. Brianna Titone, Rep. Jennifer Parenti, Rep. Judy Amabile, Photo credit: S. Blades

Statement from Out Boulder County on Facebook

Since Trump’s time serving as the most corrupt POTUS in history — if nothing else, the only one to be indicted twice — in addition to the mess he left us with, he also gave us three new ultra-conservative Supreme Court Justices. One can only imagine Justice Robert’s glee when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg died. 

After all, he’s been waiting almost 20 years to rule the courts from his religious views. 

The right-wing majority on the Court includes current corruption investigations into two Supreme Court Justices. Justice Clarence Thomas (who is facing calls for impeachment) and Justice Samuel Alito for hanging out with billionaires he was hearing cases for.

The perfect storm to roll our country back has been created. And the Supreme Court is, in fact, turning the hands of time backward. 

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/significant-supreme-court-cases-in-the-2022-2023-term

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/slipopinion/22

Since the overturning of Roe vs. Wade (removing women’s rights to control their own bodies), the Supreme Court has struck down Student Loan forgiveness, struck down Affirmative Action for universities (while allowing Legacy Admissions to remain), ruled against environmental protections and climate change, stripped down gun regulations, given cyberstalkers the right to harass, and now have ruled for businesses to have the right to discriminate based on their religious beliefs. The argument that it is anything other than personal beliefs guiding them is evident in the willy-nilly way the Supreme Court follows precedent. Toss it out when they don’t like it, and use it when it suits them. Ethics be damned.

“Precedents that had stood since the 1970s were overturned, explicitly in the case of abortion and effectively in the affirmative action context.”

Justice Roberts must be in Sadism heaven. 

Currently, 23.88% of America identifies as Republican, while 46.89% identify as Democrat, 61% believe abortion should be legal, 63% are dissatisfied with current gun regulations, two-thirds want climate change addressed, and 71% think gay marriage should be legal. Yet the religious right and the GOP are controlling more legislation than they have actual public support for. The Supreme Court is overruling the will of the people.

The ruling was based on a website designer’s claim that she did not want to make content for a gay wedding, but the case itself was based on a call that never happened. 

“When Smith and her attorneys, the Christian right group Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, brought this case for the first time, it was to the United States District Court in Colorado in 2016, and they lost. Smith and ADF filed the case on September 20 of that year, asking the court to enjoin the state anti-discrimination law so that Smith could begin offering her wedding website design services to straight couples only. Up to this point, Smith had never designed any wedding website. (In fact, her website six months prior to the lawsuit being filed in 2016 does not include any of the Christian messaging that it did shortly afterward and today, archived versions of the site show.) The initial lawsuit did not mention the “Stewart” inquiry, which was submitted to Smith’s website on September 21, according to the date-stamp shown in later court filings, indicating that she received it the day after the suit was originally filed.

It is unclear exactly when—or if—the inquiry from “Stewart” was examined and verified in the course of this legal battle.”

https://newrepublic.com/article/173987/mysterious-case-fake-gay-marriage-website-real-straight-man-supreme-court

Ultra-right-wing Christian groups like Moms for Liberty and Alliance Defending Freedom (the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) has deemed the ADF as a hate group) are major influencers in moving our country backward. They claim to be grassroots efforts but are actually funded by Dark Money. Citizens United is another attack on Democracy brought to us by the Supreme Court. 

We are not alone in our concerns regarding the flagrant disregard for human rights by this Supreme Court. 

Justice Elena Kagan’s dissent: “Kagan wrote something unusual. She didn’t just challenge the chief justice’s reasoning, she questioned whether the court’s decision was even constitutional.

“From the first page to the last, today’s opinion departs from the demands of judicial restraint,” Kagan wrote. “At the behest of a party that has suffered no injury, the majority decides a contested public policy issue properly belonging to the politically accountable branches and the people they represent.”

She continued: “That is a major problem not just for governance, but for democracy too. Congress is, of course, a democratic institution; it responds, even if imperfectly, to the preferences of American voters. And agency officials, though not themselves elected, serve a President with the broadest of all political constituencies. But this Court? It is, by design, as detached as possible from the body politic. That is why the Court is supposed to stick to its business — to decide only cases and controversies and to stay away from making this Nation’s policy about subjects like student-loan relief.”

The court, Kagan concluded, “exercises authority it does not have. It violates the Constitution.”

In August 2020, President Biden said, “What we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy. It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism.” 

(President Biden, if it looks like a duck..)

But hey, so much more to look forward to. The Supreme Court will next decide if domestic abusers can own a gun. What could go wrong since they have already decided it’s okay to walk around with a loaded one with no serial number?

More on the United States Supreme Court:

Longmont Pride 2023, Photos by Kenneth Wajda

The post How a day of celebration, became a day of protest; Longmont Pride 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Boulder County, Colorado, June 30, 2023
There will be a community rally responding to the Creative 303 Decision today at 6PM today in Roosevelt Park in Longmont during the Longmont Pride Festival that is open to the press. Local experts and elected officials including legal expert Jean Dubofsky, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, Representative Brianna Titone, Boulder County NAACP President Annett James, Senior Director of Policy Programs at Boulder Chamber Jonathan Singer, and Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett, and Longmont Mayor Joan Peck. They will be available for comment after the rally.

Community Rally (Open To Press)
Date and Time: Friday, June 30, 6 – 6:30pm
Location: Longmont Pride at Roosevelt Park, 700 Longs Peak Avenue, Longmont CO

Statements from Leadership of Out Boulder County and the Boulder Chamber

Mardi Moore, Executive Director of Out Boulder County
“If you have never watched your rights be taken away on television, you cannot begin to understand how LGBTQ+ people are feeling today. Today’s Creative 303 decision does not include a clearly defined legal limiting principle, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a 6-3 ruling, granted the right to some businesses to discriminate against a legally protected class of people for the first time in our history. This opinion is unclear, unsound, and may have an immense impact on the rights of all members of protected classes including LGBTQ+ people. The implications and parameters of this decision will be worked through the legal system for years to come, but we know that today, it allows discrimination against protected classes, including LGBTQ+ people.”

Bruce Parker, Deputy Director of Out Boulder County
“Today is a devastating day for LGBTQ+ people and anyone else who cares about equality and justice. Although the Creative 303 case was focused on LGBTQ+ people, this decision impacts anyone who is a likely target of discrimination and makes anyone in a protected class a potential target. We are sad, angry, and determined to continue fighting to ensure that LGBTQ+ people, and all other protected classes, have fair and equal access to goods, services, and opportunities.”

John Tayer, President and CEO of Boulder Chamber
“Discrimination, including that based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, is abhorrent to the values of our business community and should be for our society at large.”

Jonathan Singer, Senior Director of Policy Programs of Boulder Chamber
“A free market should never guarantee freedom to discriminate. We will be reaching out to our businesses with opportunities to demonstrate their public support for the LGBTQ+ community in the shadow of this historically tragic decision.”

About Out Boulder County
Working independently and in collaboration, Out Boulder County facilitates connection, advocacy, education, research and programs to ensure LGBTQ+ people and communities thrive in Boulder County and beyond.

About the Boulder Chamber
The Boulder Chamber builds community through business.

The post Supreme Court Strikes a Blow to Non-discrimination Protections for LGBTQ+ People and other Protected Classes with Creative 303 Decision appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Boulder and North Metro need to build for their future while addressing environmental concerns, confronting racism, and alleviating homelessness.

The suburban dream paints a rosy picture of America, but underneath that green lawn is a whole host of environmental problems and a dark story of discrimination. The low density development that a sea of single family homes creates also reinforces structural racism, environmental issues, and even mental health aspects of daily life.

That white picket fence, 2.5 kids, and a Golden Retriever have been the aspirations for so many families since the end of World War II. Yet that simple — and not so achievable anymore — dream has only been realized by excluding non-whites and focusing on car-centric models of development.

Suburban living is so ingrained in the American experience that few of us ever take time to question and examine its origins and impacts. It is in some way a continuation of Manifest Destiny, the racist idea that white Americans are meant to occupy the so-called “empty” continent, right through Jim Crow era policies meant to prevent African Americans from attaining equality, into our modern reality. Equal segregation, an oxymoron, was the law of the land as suburbs first were constructed in the 1950s. 

Urban sprawl in the United States has its origins in the end of World War II when millions of military members serving overseas in Europe and Asia returned back home. However, the entire concept of “home” was altered by this. Congress recognized that soldiers needed support for their transition back to civilian life. The Bonus March of WWI veterans who were never paid their full monetary compensation from the Great War loomed on the minds of policymakers and politicians alike when crafting a solution.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

The G.I. Bill was Congress’ answer to compensating returning service members this time around. It provided cheap loans for returning service members and, on paper, was a policy to help reintegrate military members into civilian life. Military considerations also spawned the creation of the interstate freeway system as a way to quickly transport heavy equipment, like tanks, in case of an invasion by an adversary, namely the U.S.S.R. 

This model of development also explains why European cities tend to have more vibrant downtown areas, more walkability, and less visible poverty. Massive freeways do not typically cut through major European urban centers the way they do in the U.S. These multi-lane freeways create a physical divide through established cities, and the long stretches of road throughout the nation also allow towns and suburbs to spring up in areas that would previously not be suitable for development.

Moving forward, low density development needs to be planned with the acknowledgement that so many have been systematically excluded from these areas and also address the environmental impacts that suburban sprawl presents, while touching on the healthy aspects of more walkable and interconnected cities.

During the 1950s, several University of Colorado professors formed PLAN Boulder, an organization that advocates for planned city growth. Even today PLAN Boulder receives criticism from affordable housing and homeless advocates for not considering the needs of our most vulnerable members of society. Concerned Boulder citizens also created the blue line boundary in 1959, which meant that city water lines could not be extended to elevations above 5,750 feet. Property owners in these areas could still develop their lands, but they would have to use their own sewage systems rather than the city’s, which purposely limited their growth. These founding organizations and principles have shaped the way BOCO has developed over the years.

City of Boulder housing, NoBo

Those in favor of the Open Space program argued that the proposed green areas near the Rockies would benefit everyone because it would provide all the city dwellers with space to breathe. The end result was that the citizens of BOCO eventually became responsible for over 60,000 acres of land. These properties are currently managed by the Boulder Valley Open Spaces program, an organization that has every intention of expanding their horizons in the future. 

However, the Greenbelt Amendment was not the last ruling that was passed to protect Boulder Valley residents from the harmful effects of urban sprawl. By the 1970s Boulder residents had already become worried about the pace of growth in their community. Plans to limit development and population increases were passed, including one known today as the “Danish Plan.” 

A 2% cap was ultimately placed on housing expansion. However, this limit on growth steadily increased the cost of living. A service boundary was likewise implemented in 1970. This line clearly delineates portions of the county that are to be considered rural or urban for planning purposes and public services residents of these areas can expect. The boundary protects rural land by reducing the population and preventing urban sprawl.

The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP) was eventually created in 1977. This lengthy document governs the basic infrastructures and land use in Boulder Valley and is still referenced frequently today when planning new development. The ongoing fight that has historically pitted growth advocates against environmental concerns continues.

Growth

Kristan Pritz, the director of Open Space and Trails for the city of Broomfield said it best: “The entire Front Range area has become a very popular place to live and work. It’s a beautiful area. There are some exciting jobs for people and so on. That means growth, not just for the Boulder area, but for other parts of Colorado.”

Peter Mayer, the co-chair of PLAN Boulder, suggests that urban sprawl has not been an issue in the area, mostly due to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and similar programs, all of which concentrate growth in urban areas and help preserve the rural outskirts. The growth in the North Metro area is undeniable, with populations and development spreading quite rapidly over the past few decades. 

Overflow from Boulder itself has ended up increasing the size of other nearby towns like Longmont, Broomfield, and Erie. Erie for example has grown from just over 6,000 residents in 2000 to over 60,000 residents in the last two decades. Even if specific plans limit growth within the city of Boulder, the desire for more people to live here has created a sprawl of suburbs in the surrounding areas that were once small towns housing miners and farmers. 

When asked if the current policies were helping or hurting development in the area, Mayer said, “It’s all about what you value.”

But the question remains: How can the citizens preserve the beauty of BOCO and North Metro without pricing potential residents out of the area? Affordable housing is a growing issue, particularly since housing prices continue to skyrocket around the country and the zoning in Boulder County Greenbelt policies restrict development in certain areas.

Loop Net235, E.South Boulder Rd, Lafayette, CO

Many Boulder residents are against higher density neighborhoods that could reduce sprawl. The argument is that creating more places to live could cause housing costs to go down. Lower cost housing allows a more diverse group of residents to have the option of owning a home here. The average Black family has accumulated 1/6th the wealth of the average white family. This disparity traces its insidious roots back to the lack of reparations after slavery, continued to grow into the Jim Crow era, and has borne fruit today in the inability for many non-whites to afford the high-cost suburban lifestyle that urban sprawl encourages. 

Locating affordable residences near transportation hubs would have a positive environmental effect as well. Car-centric models of development have been the standard in the U.S. with developers of suburban areas expecting everyone who lives there to have access to individual vehicular transportation. Low density discourages bus routes and other mass transit options from being implemented. It creates a dependency on cars that increases air pollution and environmental degradation. Currently about 60,000 people commute to Boulder from outlying areas.

“The only solution to affordable housing is government intervention,” Mayer said. He points out that this may require the creation of programs to help middle income buyers make down payments on homes. “The market is not the solution though. The only hope is to require homes to be constructed to be affordable.” He continued, “More important is preserving the affordable housing we have and not allowing it to be replaced.”

To that end, a series of land use codes passed in 2022, creating more mixed use areas in East Boulder. One-fourth of the housing units built there must now be considered affordable. The plan also creates parking maximums to encourage alternative transportation. There are nonetheless some significant safety concerns for residents who end up living near old industrial sites like the planned affordable housing in East Boulder. Less wealthy residents can end up living on formerly polluted land and near industrial operations that can lead to a whole host of health problems like cancer clusters. Even affordable development can lead to reinforced power structures where the wealthy are healthier than those with fewer resources.

“The only solution to affordable housing is government intervention.”

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are another option to consider that will create more living spaces without creating separate zones for affordable housing, but that option was not enthusiastically welcomed in Boulder. The city government has placed limits on these buildings. Boulder County citizens have also fought against the current occupancy rules. 

Another idea is to convert unused retail spaces, like old shopping malls, into housing, in what is called “mixed-use development.” This type of zoning is popular in Europe, with apartments often located above ground-level shops that line the boulevards, but it has yet to take off nation-wide in the U.S. This would also increase walkability, decrease traffic, and create a stronger sense of community where people can work and live in the same neighborhood.

Affordable housing and easy access to job opportunities would also directly help address the homelessness crisis. We as a society cannot continue to allow individuals to live on the streets in such high numbers. There are numerous causes for homelessness, from unaddressed mental health issues to addiction causing financial hardship to the simple fact that the cost of living has increased so much that it now takes four minimum wage workers to afford a two-bedroom apartment, with homeownership absolutely out of the question. 

The American Dream with the white picket fence that has driven development for the last 70 years or so needs to be re-envisioned. What is becoming a waking nightmare for so many can be alleviated by just increasing the amount of affordable housing. There are several avenues that developers, residents, and city officials can take, from ADUs to rezoning to mandating more affordable housing. Something needs to be done. 

Instead of wading through a sea of homes, the vision for a more environmentally sustainable future could be focused on creating spaces that are walkable, affordable, and diverse. Mixed-use developments would give more reason for city officials to plan public transit routes. Re-zoned empty retail spaces could be converted into desperately needed housing. The border between “downtown” and “suburb” may need to be blurred to accommodate growth and potentially reduce the feeling of alienation and loneliness that many people feel. 

Urban sprawl and the associated high housing costs in Boulder and surrounding areas affect so many of the most pressing issues society faces today. From environmental concerns of car-focused development to the systemic racism built into the creation of suburbs and home ownership to the obesity epidemic that can be partially helped by creating more walkable areas to homelessness that springs from a lack of affordable spaces to live to the mental health of individuals who feel alienated, alone, and lacking community, envisioning a new American Dream could help solve the nightmares we face today.

SOURCES

• https://www.colorado.edu/center/west/sites/default/files/attached-files/firstunderacademicnonfictbelfordopenspace.pdf
• https://boulderreportinglab.org/2022/10/07/boulder-city-council-approves-plan-to-bring-5000-new-homes-and-apartments-to-east-boulder/
• https://www.city-journal.org/boulder-colorado-affordable-living?wallit_nosession=1
• https://www.lincolninst.edu/publications/articles/controlling-sprawl-boulder
• https://bouldercolorado.gov/projects/boulder-valley-comprehensive-plan
• https://bouldercounty.gov/departments/parks-and-open-space/
• https://planboulder.org/
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/a-holy-war-on-sprawl-states-seek-to-shape-new-housing-development-by-limiting-local-control-090100263.html
• https://bouldercounty.gov/open-space/management/acres/
• https://www.dailycamera.com/2019/12/21/upcoming-fee-hikes-on-boulder-commercial-construction-latest-headwind-facing-developers/

The post Drowning in a Sea of Homes appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

[WORLD]

• Earthquake strikes Turkey killing over 20,000 people. President Erdogan has been heavily criticized for his response to the disaster and has arrested over 100 contractors despite himself being caught on camera bragging about relaxing building codes.
• February 24th marks the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion and occupation of Ukraine. Slava Ukraini!
• President Biden makes a surprise visit to war-torn Kyiv in a demonstration of support to the Ukrainian resistance.

[NATIONAL]

• The U.S. military shot down multiple objects attempting to enter North American airspace in wake of a high-profile Chinese balloon making its way across the continent. It probably wasn’t aliens.
• Train that likely should have been labeled as Highly Hazardous derails in East Palestine, Ohio leaking toxic chemicals into the environment killing wildlife and farm animals – with deep concerns for human health as well.
• SNAP benefits to help provide food for those in need during the COVID pandemic have ended on February 28th, many food banks are anticipating increased demand.
• Harvey Weinstein is sentenced to 16 years in prison for his sex crimes.
• Marjorie Taylor Greene calls for a “national divorce” to separate the Red and Blue states, essentially calling for the dissolution of the United States.

[LOCAL]

• Multiple local schools across the state, including Boulder High, were evacuated after an elaborate fake gun threat.
• Members of Dacono City Council oust long term City Manager A.J. Euckert in a surprise vote during the February 13th meeting. 
• Black farmers in Aurora County have been stalked and harassed by their neighbors in what is believed to be a racially motivated community effort to drive them off their land.
• Pueblo County Sheriff’s sued for the wrongful death of Richard Ward, who was killed while he was with family picking up his little brother from middle school.
• Boulder County law enforcement used money from opioid settlements to purchase controversial surveillance equipment.
• CBS News report reveals a New York-based hedge fund has been buying Colorado River water rights over the last five years, sparking debate over who should have access to limited river resources.
• Adam Frisch announces he will run to unseat Lauren Boebert, Colorado’s national embarrassment, in 2024.

Small Talk

“The time is now for Democrats to take the lead when it comes to fulfilling our promise to create safer communities and pass real solutions that will cut down on gun violence in our communities today.” – Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) affirmed while introducing four new gun safety bills

“The physics of the air in our buildings and the climate in which we live affect things that can make us sick and how long they persist. Now we have conservative indications of how long coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 can stick around in the air and be an infectious disease threat.” – Professor of Engineering Mark Hernandez said about CU Boulder’s research on airborne diseases

“The commissioners’ decision to approve these new positions is a first step in building the capacity required to advance our wildfire mitigation efforts.” – Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy on adding twelve new wildfire mitigation staff positions

“[We need] more flexible zoning to allow more housing, streamlined regulations that cut through red tape, expedited approval processes for projects like modular housing, sustainable development, and more building in transit-oriented communities.” – Governor Polis on Colorado’s efforts to create more walkable cities

By the Numbers:

The post Month in Review | March 2023 appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It is beyond ironic that today’s conservatives are passing laws restricting what can be taught or even talked about in America’s schools.  They claim that “government schools” have been indoctrinating young people into a radical “leftist” view.  The endless campaign to defund public education through vouchers and school choice schemes is based on the same claim.  But exactly who has been indoctrinating whom?

For those of us “of a certain age,”  indoctrination was always the intent, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance, a daily practice required by law in America’s schools.  As any dilettante historian knows, the Pledge is not a constitutional artifact but began as a one-time Flag Day celebratory utterance written by a socialist – quite an irony itself.

We, small children, put our little hands over our hearts and pledged allegiance to a flag and to a complex nation under a “God” we could not comprehend.  The “God” part was added in 1954 because of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, part of the never-ending effort to establish a de facto Christian nation.  The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of this blatantly unconstitutional religious indoctrination by the gimmick of allowing children to “opt-out.”  It would take a mighty brave child to “opt-out” and face scorn and humiliation.  We were then instructed through the day on what to think and what to read.  We sang My Country ’Tis of Thee and America the Beautiful.

There were only “right” answers to questions that might have many answers to the critical mind.  In a world of wondrous riches, we knew primarily of white male leaders and the art and music of white males in the Eurocentric realm.  Columbus “discovered” America and Indians were savages to be vanquished by brave explorers in our textbooks and by cowboys on our weekend movie theater screens.

The only Black faces we encountered were caricatures like Amos and Andy and we chanted “eenie, meenie, miny moe, catch a n***** by the toe” without a smidgen of discomfort.   I do remember one lesson about George Washington Carver and associated him – wrongly as it turns out – with peanut butter.

Gradually I became “woke” to the truth, but the long years of indoctrination are very hard to overcome.

Having sworn a daily oath to God and flag and singing “sweet land of liberty” and “God shed his grace on thee,” it is unimaginable to contemplate that this “sweet” land was stolen by force and that, if there is a God, he might well withhold his grace from a nation born in the subjugation and dehumanization of Black men, women, and children.  Or that “amber waves of grain” grew in forcibly confiscated fields and that the “fruited plains” were stained with the blood of conscripted workers.

And, of course, homosexuals were unnatural – perhaps mythological – as I knew no such person in my 3,000 student high school.  I finally came to understand the pain our society inflicts on gay folks when a very popular and funny college friend knelt at my dorm room bedside at 3 a.m. with a razor blade pressed against his wrist because it was becoming unbearable to live a lie.  He didn’t die quite then. I learned of his suicide a decade later.

The laws like the aptly nicknamed “Don’t Say Gay” law (CS/CS/HB 1557) in Florida do immeasurable harm to millions of children – those who are gay, lesbian or transgender or those whose parents are of the same gender.  Their experience – their existence – is minimized or erased for political gain.  Similarly, the many legislative campaigns seeking to outlaw anti-racism teaching are contradicting the lived experiences of children of color, their teachers, and their families.  It is as though being Black will be tolerated, but expressing what that really means will not be tolerated.

The direct harm is compounded many times over by the residual harm done by teaching millions of other children that there is something wrong with differing ways that gender and sexuality are expressed.  Or that they may ignore or deny the truth of history and the ongoing effects of racism in America.  Or that they, by God, have the unrestricted right to interpose their religious (Christian) beliefs in schools or any other public setting.

This is the true indoctrination, and it is exactly what conservatives want.

Steve Nelson is a local author and freelance columnist.

The post Who is Indoctrinating Whom? Part II appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Homeownership is one of the strongest tools for generating wealth in America. Home values tend to appreciate over time, loans and mortgages make it easier to make such a large purchase, and equity grows as mortgage payments are made. However, though the homeownership rate in the U.S. sits at 65.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020, the racial gap in homeownership is alarming, and has been so historically. There are changes happening, and programs available, to reverse this trend.

The U.S. has marginalized most non-white groups in its 400-year history and the institutionalized groundwork that prevented minority groups and the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community from generating wealth in America continues to still play a very real and active role today. It is as vital to understand the historical events that led up to our current situation as it is to understand the available opportunities that exist today, and what needs to be done to create viable change for the BIPOC community.

Colorado Homeownership by Race Over Time. Source: The Bell Report Analysis of American Community Survey Data, 1960-2017

Data from the Census Bureau shows that homeownership for White people in America sits at 74.5 percent, or roughly 9 percent higher than the national average. White people make up 76.3 percent of the population, or roughly 250,000,000 people. Black people make up 13.4 percent of the population, or roughly 43,000,000 people, but the homeownership rate sits at 44.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2020. The homeownership rate for Asian, Native, Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander is 59.5 percent and for Hispanic the rate is 49.1 percent, the population makeup of those two groups is 8.5 percent and 18.5 percent (27,000,000 and 60,000,000) respectively. Any argument that higher population numbers correlate with higher homeownership rates is inherently wrong because those percentages are specific to the populations, meaning it’s more common for certain races to purchase a home than it is for others.

In Colorado, the numbers are roughly the same. According to the report, “Colorado’s Racial Wealth Gap: Homeownership & Credit” (2019) by Mateo Parsons from The Bell Policy Center, “Colorado’s black families are 62 percent less likely to own a home than the state’s non-Hispanic White families. Latino families are 43 percent less likely,” “Native American families are 38 percent less likely, and Asian families are 36 percent less likely.”

Homeownership rates have improved since the 1960’s for all races but the gaps between BIPOC groups and White people have all increased, signifying an increase in racial wealth gaps.

Poverty, Unemployment, and Bad Credit

According to the Bell Policy report, poverty and unemployment rates are large factors playing a role in homeownership, especially in regards to credit creation, which is a key factor in acquiring loans. Parsons states that, “[r]esearch from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2015 shows a strong correlation between income level and both ‘credit invisibility’ and ‘unscorability’ – that is, a lack of credit record altogether, or having an insufficient credit history to generate a credit score.” Parsons continues that the “CFPB also finds ‘credit invisibility’ and ‘unscorability’ are strongly correlated to race.”

Racial Disparities Apparent in Colorado’s Poverty Rate. Source: American Community Survey (data for some groups unavailable)

Even when using federal or state programs for loans or down payment assistance, good credit scores are incredibly important. In an interview with local Realtor and (Woman of Color) Ella Marie Taylor of the Wall Street West Group explains that “[b]ad credit is one of the main obstacles keeping POC away from homeownership.” Taylor continues that, “there will always be minimum credit requirements in order to qualify for a loan.” Taylor says that even programs designed to assist require a score of at least 620, and one program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires a score of 580 but it can go as low as 500 with a larger down payment.

Source: Center for Responsible Lending

The Bell Policy report analyzed Colorado and found that “[b]oth black Coloradans and Native Americans are twice as likely to be impoverished than non-Hispanic white Coloradans.” The national average poverty rate in 2019 was 18.8 percent for black Americans, 15.7 percent for Hispanic Americans, and 7.3 percent for white Americans. The national average for Asian Americans is also 7.3 percent.

As to what’s causing these continued trends today, Parsons blames discrimination in lending, predatory lending, and the subprime crisis and Great Recession. Parsons points to, “2009 data from the policy think tank, The Greenlining Institute, show[ing that] Latinos and Blacks were disproportionately steered into the subprime lending market leading up to the housing crash.” Non-white groups are also more likely “to have high-cost mortgages.” Parsons explains that the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) says this is due to a combination of high-risk lenders and “differential treatment by those lenders.” Parsons further explained that The Greenlining Institute found “even among borrowers with the highest credit scores, 13.5 percent of Latino and 12.8 percent of black borrowers received high-cost loans, compared to 2.6 percent of white borrowers.”

The effect of the great recession on home equity for the next generation of whites and blacks (aged 30-40). Source: ACLU

In a report by the ACLU titled, “Impact of the US Housing Crisis on Racial Wealth Gap Across Generations,” they found that “without the Great Recession, Black and White home equity values for this group [next generation] were headed toward parity by 2050.” But because of the Great Recession, the ACLU found that the gap in home equity for the next generation of White and Black Americans, will remain large far into the future.

Historical Implications

The United States has committed undeniable atrocities against its own population, starting way before it’s founding and continuing today. Some of those atrocities were institutionalized and lingered, but all of them combined have led to the discrepancies that exist today between groups. Slavery, indentured servitude, lynching, internment camps, the deportation of 3 million Latinos from 1930 to 1954, Jim Crow laws, redlining, the murder and forced assimilation of Native populations (and theft of native lands/violation of treaties), and so many other examples, stain the very fabric of our nation with the blood of our own and other countries people. Parson explains, that “[t]he history of racial discriminatory policies shows today’s racial wealth gap didn’t originate naturally – it was purposeful.”

Redlining was the racist methodology that marginalized BIPOC and foreign communities and came about after the New Deal, which was said to have revolutionized the ability to acquire loans for homeownership. The Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) created “Residential Security” maps, color-coding American cities in four different categories including the lowest, “Hazardous” zone which were subsequently redlined by lending institutions impacting the decades to follow. According to the study, “HOLC “Redlining” Maps: the persistent structure of segregation and economic inequality” conducted by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), 74 percent of the neighborhoods that were marked hazardous “eight decades ago are low-to-moderate income (LMI) today.”

LEFT: Percentage of areas with HOLC grades that are currently majority non-Hispanic white, or majority-minority nationally; RIGHT: Percentage of areas with HOLC grades that are currently low-to-moderate or middle-to upper income nationally

National HOLC Grades and Race: Percentage of areas with HOLC grades that are currently majority non-Hispanic white, or majority-minority nationally

The University of Richmond offers an interactive guide for all U.S. cities mapped by the HOLC including original descriptions of each area when available. In the description of Denver section ‘D13’, which today would be near Five Points, it was referred to as “one of the best colored districts in the United States,” and “[w]ere it not for the heavy colored population much of it could be rated ‘C’.” The section was rated D and like all other ‘hazardous’ zones redlined. This is just one example of how the HOLC codified racism across the nation, something that continues to influence the development of those redlined areas to this day.

Redlined map of Denver by the HOLC.

Redlining was made illegal with the enactment of the 1968 Fair Housing Act and predatory lending has largely taken its place. Vestiges of redlining remain.

What Can Be Done

Boulder County Realtor (and person of color) Amirah Counts of West + Main Homes says, it’s a tough time to be a home buyer. “It’s a sellers market,” Counts tells YS. “Some properties have gone over contract for over $100,000 of the asking price.” When asked what’s one of the biggest hurdles first time homeowners face, Counts points to education. “It’s not just you’re paying a mortgage, you’re also paying upkeep.” First time buyers need to be aware of “not only the process of becoming a homeowner, but what it’s like to be a homeowner.” She explains that, “it starts with the financial portion and I think that should be taught in schools.” In Colorado, Operation Hope is providing financial literacy empowerment and economic education and the CHFA has a free Homebuyer Education program.

Federally, The Bell Policy report lists several ideas and bills that are being worked on as partial solutions. Baby Bonds, first studied by William Darity Jr. and Darrick Hamilton and then popularized by Senator Cory Booker during his Presidential Campaign, are one such answer and would provide each child $1,000 at birth that could grow to $40,000 by age 18. Such a seed fund would be used for wealth generation and asset acquisition later in life by the benefactor. Another approach is [former] Senator Kamala Harris’s LIFT the Middle Class Act to provide “refundable tax credit for most middle- and working-class Americans.” Other solutions include down payment and renter’s assistance and progressive tax reform.

Locally, programs are currently working to assist Coloradans when it comes to purchasing a home. Notable programs include Habitat for Humanity, the Affordable Homes program at Central Park, and NeighborhoodLIFT which provides down payment assistance to qualified first time homebuyers. See below for more programs.

Realtor Ella Taylor also shared that community members can use the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which “[t]hrough the FHA (Federal Housing Administration), helps home buyers who don’t qualify for conventional loans obtain affordable mortgages.” Taylor explains that “[t]he FHA’s mortgage insurance program offers low-income home buyers, or those with bad credit, the ability to qualify for FHA loans, which are secured by the government.” Taylor also became certified as a credit repair specialist, which they offer their clients free of charge.

Home Buyer & Financial Education

• CHFA Homebuyer Education
www.chfainfo.com

• Operation Hope
Veronica.Robles@operationhope.org  |  720-327-9367

Home Acquisition Assistance

• Boulder County Down Payment Assistance
longmontcolorado.gov  |  303-651-8530

• City of Boulder Home Ownership Program
bouldercolorado.gov/homeownership  |  303-441-3157

• City of Denver Affordable Housing Ownership Program
denvergov.org

• CHFA Down Payment Assistance Program
https://www.chfainfo.com/homeownership/down-payment-assistance

• Colorado Community Land Trust
https://coloradoclt.org  |  303-829-8744

• Department of Housing and Urban Development
hud.gov/states/colorado

• Elevation Community Land Trust
elevationclt.org  |  720-822-0052

• Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver
habitatmetrodenver.org  |  303-534-2929

• MetroDPA
denvergov.org

• NeighborhoodLIFT
crhdc.org/lift  |  719-589-1680

Data from the Census Bureau shows that homeownership for White people in America sits at 74.5%, or roughly 9% higher than the national average.

Conclusion

Homeownership is vital for wealth generation and allows individuals to add security to their own future and to that of the next generation. As Taylor puts it, “[a]s you build equity in your home over the years, you can borrow against that wealth. Homeownership is far and away the most powerful driver of wealth creation in the U.S. economy and one that must be made accessible to more POC if we hope to increase their financial security.”

The historical timeline of racism in the U.S., leading up to today, has systematically worked to prevent the BIPOC community from acquiring wealth and homes as easily as White people. It will take the effort of all Americans – specifically including political will – to change and work towards a future where all Americans have the same opportunities that White people are privileged with; this will not help BIPOC recover the wealth that has been systematically denied them, but it will allow for a more equitable future. It requires addressing a multitude of factors that certain communities and the BIPOC community face that perpetuate a cycle of poverty and the stunting of growth and development. For now, local, state, and federal programs and organizations are working to make it a little easier, with hopes that one day the playing field will truly be level.

The post The Injustice of Real Estate: History, Hope, and Solutions for a More Equitable Future appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

I won’t pretend to be completely objective about the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I’ve been in the military for four years, which gives me regular access to gay and homophobic soldiers.

So in the midst of fresh DADT briefs prepping us all for the repeal, as rights were reviewed, lines were drawn and questions answered, something seemed…off. Then the injustice came clear: The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell does not come with a policy of nondiscrimination, unlike those policies incorporating women and ethnic minorities. Lesbian, gay and bisexual service members and their family members will still experience limited rights, benefits and assistance due to the federal Defense of Marriage Act and Title 10 of the U.S. Code.

The government and military repealed a nearly defunct policy; sexual orientation is no longer a basis for investigation into service members’ personal lives, nor is it a basis for separation from the military. It’s a big, but underwhelming deal, said David McKean, legal director for Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

“For those people who are serving, (the repeal of) Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is an incredible step forward,” he said. “It’s an incredible stride toward full military equality and toward LGBT equality in this country, but it’s not everything. It’s not even everything in the military.

“There are going to be a whole host of benefits that DOMA and Title 10 prevent from being conferred to people who would otherwise be qualified spouses just on the basis of sexual orientation.”

It’s bullet five in Title 10 USC Section 101: “‘spouse’ means husband or wife, as the case may be.” It’s Defense of Marriage Act Section 7: “‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife.”

It—the definition of spouse under DOMA and Title 10—means same-sex spouses of active duty service members:

1. Will not be allowed a legal say in directing the disposition of remains if their spouse is killed on active duty.

2. Will be notified after “qualifying” next of kin in the event of death or hospitalization of their spouse.

3. Will be severely limited in their ability to travel with their spouse when that spouse is ordered to relocate, or to travel to their spouse in the event of a hospitalizing injury.

4. Will not receive the basic housing allowance provided to the spouses of service members on active duty.

5. Will not receive TriCare, the military’s healthcare provided to “qualified” dependents including spouses, or other healthcare services such as grief counseling.

6. Will not be allowed access to their spouse’s retirement benefits after the death of their spouse.

7. Will not have access to the commissary, post/base exchange and other similar on-post or base services.

8. Will not receive any of the above benefits for their children unless those children are legal dependents of the active-duty service member.

Same-sex marriage is recognized in six states and in Washington, D.C. Roughly 40 other states have constitutional provisions or laws that restrict marriage to one man and one woman. With a new legislature on its way in, Rep. Jared Polis said he hopes not just civil unions, but same-sex marriage will soon become a reality in Colorado.

“Colorado had a very close vote on civil unions last legislative session,” said Rep. Jared Polis. “It came within one vote of passing.”

Federally, following DADT’s repeal, he said he’d like to see the Respect for Marriage Act replace DOMA. RFMA would recognize and allow marriages between same-sex couples, he said.

“(Under RFMA) married couples would have the full rights and support the military provides to opposite-sex couples,” Polis said. “…With the military, there will be a new education opportunity, that hasn’t happened yet. There’ll be very sympathetic cases that, once Americans see, (they’ll ask:) How can you not give grief counseling to the spouse of somebody who lost their life? I think that will kind of wake people up to the need to recognize those unions.”

It’s a battle of moralities surrounding marriage that fuels the fight outside fo the military.

Inside of the military, however, protests are largely sexual, not moral: “Do I have to/I don’t want to share a room or shower with gay service members” comes up during most briefings, discussions and occasionally during room assignments.

So much of military service—physical tests, room assignments, clothing and hair regulations, even friendships—revolves around gender and sex that service members new and old find the open acknowledgement of homosexuality inappropriate. Do you house a lesbian with men? Would she be safe? Shouldn’t she be? Which is more important, anatomy or sexuality? Where do you put a bisexual?

The military has attempted to dodge such questions by making no additional provisions to care for homosexual service members following harassment or discrimination. To paraphrase a brief I received: The military decided sexuality is no longer its business, period.

If open homosexual or bisexual service begets discrimination or harassment, service members’ avenues of reproach are limited to the chain of command or inspector general, McKean said. Unlike religious and ethnic minorities, women and blacks, LGB service members may not seek justice through the military’s equal opportunity office.

McKean said SLDN and the LGBT community now look to the president to issue an executive order establishing a policy of non-discrimination through the Military Equal Opportunity office.

Although the chain of command may take legal action against ill-behaved service members, if a chain of command were the source of the problem, the inspector general’s role to act on its findings is not clear, especially in cases involving discrimination or harassment of LGB service members, McKean said.

“For gay and lesbian service members to have the full range of options with respect to addressing discrimination and harassment when it arises, they really need access to MEO,” he said.

But discrimination isn’t likely to come from service members, McKean, Polis and service members said. They’ve been briefed, know how to behave and most just don’t care. This isn’t an integration, McKean said, LGB service members are integrated, they’ve been serving. Polis compared it to atheists serving in a largely Christian military—they’re not persecuted, they’re just there, part of the masses. The organization is still the same (Christian, white, male, heterosexual or otherwise) and service members in varying degrees of homo- or heterosexuality, feminity, color and ethnicity might only have issued a collective sigh of relief that this battle, albeit not the fight, is over.

Today the government gave us this:

“…The military will not, from Sept. 20 forward, view (openly gay service) as so detrimental to unit cohesion, good order and discipline that the mere fact that people in the unit know it requires that service member to be discharged for the good of the unit,” McKean said.

But as the country “defends” marriage, it attacks so much more.

The post Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is Done, Discrimination Isn’t appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.