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Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Celebrate Lafayette Parade & Festival
Well, the parade went off with only a few minor hitches! I was joined by friends & supporters, including an Eagle mascot and two basset hounds. I think Dudley and Gracie Mae Smith (the bassetts) really stole the show, but it was a lot of fun and everyone told me they want to do it again next year, even though it won't be a City Council election year!
We made t-shirts for the walkers, had candy for the kids, and I picked up some red "Celebrate Lafayette" tote bags offered by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce (6 for $5) a great deal to carry the candy in. With the Hollywood theme, I figured the red shoes and sparkly earrings would be appropriate.
Following the parade, we refreshed the dogs with water and ourselves with coffee at the Cannon Mine Coffee and then took to the candidate booth, which the candidates shared. It was great to speak with so many Lafayette residents and I was pleased to hear how many people are looking for change, and I am looking forward to being part of that positive change for Lafayette. A special thanks to my friends and family for helping prepare for the parade by making t-shirts (Brittany, Anna & Becky), for bearing the heat in a very hot eagle suit (thanks Alli), and to my campaign creative director, Becky Carlson, for designing the t-shirts and banner (along with all other media and graphics for my campaign).
We made t-shirts for the walkers, had candy for the kids, and I picked up some red "Celebrate Lafayette" tote bags offered by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce (6 for $5) a great deal to carry the candy in. With the Hollywood theme, I figured the red shoes and sparkly earrings would be appropriate.
Following the parade, we refreshed the dogs with water and ourselves with coffee at the Cannon Mine Coffee and then took to the candidate booth, which the candidates shared. It was great to speak with so many Lafayette residents and I was pleased to hear how many people are looking for change, and I am looking forward to being part of that positive change for Lafayette. A special thanks to my friends and family for helping prepare for the parade by making t-shirts (Brittany, Anna & Becky), for bearing the heat in a very hot eagle suit (thanks Alli), and to my campaign creative director, Becky Carlson, for designing the t-shirts and banner (along with all other media and graphics for my campaign).
I had funnel cake and snow cones, picked up literature from some city departments and even got a little sunburned; it was wonderful.
Me, my godson & supporters, thank to everyone for coming out to the parade and marching with me!
The basset rescue -- as we were nearing the end of the parade route. Dudley was almost through, but had a second wind and made the rest of the walk of his own power. The parade was only paused for a few minutes while we sorted this out. 
Playing with the Eagle:
The Eagle needed some refreshment from the Sonic drink:
The group at the grand finale. Thanks again everyone!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Viva la Independencia!
I had the pleasure of attending the Viva la Independencia festival in downtown Lafayete at Festival plaza on Saturday. The festival was established by the Latino Advisory Board and I want to mention what a great job the organizers did to put on this event. There were several bands & dancers, with people of all ages and many cultures enjoying the festivities.
I have to admit that anytime I see these types of displays of costume and culture, I feel a tinge of jealousy about the fact that here in the US, we don’t really have a recognizable traditional dress, dance or song. While there is definitely a huge amount of pride in the US being a melting pot of other cultures, it serves as a reminder of how "young" the US really is compared to many other cultures and countries. I was just so impressed with the colorful dresses and hairstyles and talented dancing of the dance groups: one a traditional Mexican dance group, Baila Conmigo,
I have to admit that anytime I see these types of displays of costume and culture, I feel a tinge of jealousy about the fact that here in the US, we don’t really have a recognizable traditional dress, dance or song. While there is definitely a huge amount of pride in the US being a melting pot of other cultures, it serves as a reminder of how "young" the US really is compared to many other cultures and countries. I was just so impressed with the colorful dresses and hairstyles and talented dancing of the dance groups: one a traditional Mexican dance group, Baila Conmigo,
and the other was Danza Azteca, a group of three Aztec dancers, including Enrique Maestas and his fiance, Angela. A picture of me and Enrique below:
In addition, I had the pleasure of meeting Ramon Del Castillo and hearing him speak and recite a poem celebrating independence and the responsibility that we all have to guarantee continued independence for everyone and protection of human rights. Ramon Del Castillo is currently a Professor and Chair of the Chicana/o Studies Department at Metropolitan State College.
As I introduced myself and thanked him, I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. When there was a brief break in the program, I had the privilege of being asked by Dr. Del Castillo to take a moment to address the crowd. Rosabelle Rice, the Chair of the Latino Advisory Board, was kind enough to translate. While I speak German and some French, I do not (yet) speak Spanish. I recognized the City Council members who were in attendance, thanked all the performers and organizers for their contribution, and said what a wonderful time I was having. I mentioned my stong belief in an inclusive and diverse community and that I would appreciate their vote for City Council.
To close out the events at Festival Plaza before moving for the evening location at Angevine, the group Danza Azteca, an Aztec dance group, invited everyone to join in the Friendship dance. It included a circle of dancers from the crowd combined with rhythmic drumming, conch shell calls, burning incense or herbs, stomping and warrior cries that we could all follow. I believe we should all learn something new every day and I learned a lot in the 3 hours of my attendance at the festival. Two items struck particular interest:
*Aztec dancers were among the first to be killed in 1519 when Cortes invaded from Spain, conquered the Aztecs and took control of the region.
*The traditional women’s dress from Veracruz, a state in Mexico, is a beautiful, long, white lace dress with red trim and a black apron. These talented women performed an entire traditional dance with a glass of water atop their heads.
I’m so glad that I was able to attend and I would encourage all the residents of Lafayette to pay attention to other upcoming events sponsored or recommended by the Latino Advisory Board. Viva la Independencia!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Constitution Day & Citizenship Day
September 17th is Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. I was alerted about this important day through the Latina Initiative, which is an organization founded “to more fully engage and empower Latinas in the issues and decisions that impact their lives and the health and well-being of their families and communities. LI recognizes the culturally-respected and influential role Latinas play as leaders and role models.” They have registered thousands of latinas to vote, and are helping many latinas get citizenship in the US> I’ve included an overview of the history of this important day from the Library of Congress below:
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787 and “recognize all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.”
This commemoration had its origin in 1940, when Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing and requesting the President to issue annually a proclamation setting aside the third Sunday in May for the public recognition of all who had attained the status of American citizenship. The designation for this day was “I Am An American Day.”
In 1952 Congress repealed this joint resolution and passed a new law moving the date to September 17 to commemorate “the formation and signing, on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution of the United States” but the day was designated “Citizenship Day” and also retained its original purpose of recognizing all those who had attained the status of American citizenship.
The law urged civil and educational authorities of States, counties, cities and towns to make plans for the proper observance of the day and “for the complete instruction of citizens in their responsibilities and opportunities as citizens of the United States and of the State and locality in which they reside.”
In 2004, Congress changed the designation of this day to “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and also added two additional provisions: first, that the head of each federal agency provide each new employee with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution and also provide such materials to every employee on September 17 of each year; and second, that each educational institution that receives Federal funds shall hold an educational program on the Constitution for students on September 17 of each year.
For more information, visit the Library of Congress website and the Latina Initiative.
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787 and “recognize all who, by coming of age or by naturalization, have become citizens.”
This commemoration had its origin in 1940, when Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing and requesting the President to issue annually a proclamation setting aside the third Sunday in May for the public recognition of all who had attained the status of American citizenship. The designation for this day was “I Am An American Day.”
In 1952 Congress repealed this joint resolution and passed a new law moving the date to September 17 to commemorate “the formation and signing, on September 17, 1787, of the Constitution of the United States” but the day was designated “Citizenship Day” and also retained its original purpose of recognizing all those who had attained the status of American citizenship.
The law urged civil and educational authorities of States, counties, cities and towns to make plans for the proper observance of the day and “for the complete instruction of citizens in their responsibilities and opportunities as citizens of the United States and of the State and locality in which they reside.”
In 2004, Congress changed the designation of this day to “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and also added two additional provisions: first, that the head of each federal agency provide each new employee with educational and training materials concerning the Constitution and also provide such materials to every employee on September 17 of each year; and second, that each educational institution that receives Federal funds shall hold an educational program on the Constitution for students on September 17 of each year.
For more information, visit the Library of Congress website and the Latina Initiative.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Spending Locally
Studies have shown that when you shop locally, about 68% of what you spend stays in the community. This is due both to the sales tax revenue that goes directly to the city, and because the local shop owner in return spends the money on employees and on personal expenditures locally.
With an awareness of this impact, I have made a commitment to spending locally whenever possible, and make conscious decisions about all my purchases and decide whether I can make a local purchase vs. spending outside the Lafayette borders. So far, I’m finding that I just have to plan ahead a little each day but I can find an alternative and I end up feeling better about my purchases.
For example, I used to put off getting gas until I was headed into work in the morning, and the gas station is easily accessible in and out, but that gas station is actually in Louisville. There isn’t another gas station in Lafayette that’s convenient to get to on the way to work because they’re all on the wrong side of the street and involve a lot of left turns & lights and turning around, etc. However, if I just go the night before when I notice I am low on gas, then I can stop in Lafayette on the way home and still purchase my gas locally.
Groceries are another area where I have to plan ahead. There is a grocery store immediately across from my office in Boulder, so it’s very easy to run over there at lunch, for snacks, etc. In order to spend more locally, I have to make sure I get to the grocery store (or stores) in Lafayette and have what I need to make lunch without having to make a lot of extra trips (and spend all that money) in Boulder during each week.
While I wan to encourage everyone to spend locally, I fully recognize that the available local options need to be compelling and comprehensive to enable people to make that choice. Of course, there will likely be some specialty stores outside of the town for items that simply are not available in town, but we should try to expand the local offerings to fill those needs for the local community. I feel that if businesses know that Lafayette residents put a high priority on shopping locally, and if we have a concrete program in place to show local support, Lafayette will be able to attract businesses over neighboring communities.
I am doing an experiment to see what percentage of my discretionary (i.e. not bills) spending I can keep local, and be able to identify what is spent outside Lafayette for certain items. If we can all commit to a certain percentage, I think it can make a big impact. I’ll post more on this over the next couple of months, and I’d like to hear from you, so please comment if you’d like to join this commitment, or if you’re already doing something similar, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
With an awareness of this impact, I have made a commitment to spending locally whenever possible, and make conscious decisions about all my purchases and decide whether I can make a local purchase vs. spending outside the Lafayette borders. So far, I’m finding that I just have to plan ahead a little each day but I can find an alternative and I end up feeling better about my purchases.
For example, I used to put off getting gas until I was headed into work in the morning, and the gas station is easily accessible in and out, but that gas station is actually in Louisville. There isn’t another gas station in Lafayette that’s convenient to get to on the way to work because they’re all on the wrong side of the street and involve a lot of left turns & lights and turning around, etc. However, if I just go the night before when I notice I am low on gas, then I can stop in Lafayette on the way home and still purchase my gas locally.
Groceries are another area where I have to plan ahead. There is a grocery store immediately across from my office in Boulder, so it’s very easy to run over there at lunch, for snacks, etc. In order to spend more locally, I have to make sure I get to the grocery store (or stores) in Lafayette and have what I need to make lunch without having to make a lot of extra trips (and spend all that money) in Boulder during each week.
While I wan to encourage everyone to spend locally, I fully recognize that the available local options need to be compelling and comprehensive to enable people to make that choice. Of course, there will likely be some specialty stores outside of the town for items that simply are not available in town, but we should try to expand the local offerings to fill those needs for the local community. I feel that if businesses know that Lafayette residents put a high priority on shopping locally, and if we have a concrete program in place to show local support, Lafayette will be able to attract businesses over neighboring communities.
I am doing an experiment to see what percentage of my discretionary (i.e. not bills) spending I can keep local, and be able to identify what is spent outside Lafayette for certain items. If we can all commit to a certain percentage, I think it can make a big impact. I’ll post more on this over the next couple of months, and I’d like to hear from you, so please comment if you’d like to join this commitment, or if you’re already doing something similar, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Open Space?
New York City - September 2009
So, this doesn’t look like the Open Space we’re all used to here in Colorado. However, it represents the same principles -- a desire for a break from sprawling development, a commitment of the city representatives to forego some of the revenue that could have been realized from building on the spot, and a resulting better quality of life for residents.
I enjoy a visit to New York every couple of years if I can manage it. I grew up on the East Coast and attended college in Philadelphia. My sister went to college in Brooklyn, so I’ve had a lot of chances to visit, see the sights and enjoy all that New York has to offer. New York is such an amazing city and I am always surprised by a few things I see there, I enjoy the visit immensely, and am always so pleased and relieved to return to Colorado’s open space, panoramic views and the lack of humidity!
I was amused to see this sign on a subway station in New York – this open space was a bit of a plaza area on the corner, with a subway station in the middle, and several planters lining the area. They were nice planters mind, but I had to stop and take a picture and it made me think about how much I enjoy our open space in Colorado. One thing I love about my condo is a huge balcony which overlooks 287 and open space to the South. I actually enjoy my commute because of the open space that exists around my community. It has been especially delightful this summer, with the sunflowers and everything looking so green from the rain. Some mornings, when I’m headed to work early enough, I love seeing the pink glow the rising sun throws onto the Flatirons and the snow-capped peaks beyond. Looking out at the open space helps me decompress at the end of a long day of work.
It’s easy for us to say that we want to expand open space, but can be a tough decision to decide against commercial growth and development in a certain area. Long term planning is critical to making sure the resources are available for expanding open space and keeping this a priority for the city, while making sure we are pursuing commercial business opportunities in existing shopping centers and vacant buildings. As a City Council member, I would make sure open space remains a high priority, despite the economic downturn and declining budgets.
We’ll be rewarded with health and recreation opportunities, higher property values and enjoyment of our surroundings. And we won’t have to rely on a concrete plaza as our open space!
I enjoy a visit to New York every couple of years if I can manage it. I grew up on the East Coast and attended college in Philadelphia. My sister went to college in Brooklyn, so I’ve had a lot of chances to visit, see the sights and enjoy all that New York has to offer. New York is such an amazing city and I am always surprised by a few things I see there, I enjoy the visit immensely, and am always so pleased and relieved to return to Colorado’s open space, panoramic views and the lack of humidity!
I was amused to see this sign on a subway station in New York – this open space was a bit of a plaza area on the corner, with a subway station in the middle, and several planters lining the area. They were nice planters mind, but I had to stop and take a picture and it made me think about how much I enjoy our open space in Colorado. One thing I love about my condo is a huge balcony which overlooks 287 and open space to the South. I actually enjoy my commute because of the open space that exists around my community. It has been especially delightful this summer, with the sunflowers and everything looking so green from the rain. Some mornings, when I’m headed to work early enough, I love seeing the pink glow the rising sun throws onto the Flatirons and the snow-capped peaks beyond. Looking out at the open space helps me decompress at the end of a long day of work.
It’s easy for us to say that we want to expand open space, but can be a tough decision to decide against commercial growth and development in a certain area. Long term planning is critical to making sure the resources are available for expanding open space and keeping this a priority for the city, while making sure we are pursuing commercial business opportunities in existing shopping centers and vacant buildings. As a City Council member, I would make sure open space remains a high priority, despite the economic downturn and declining budgets.
We’ll be rewarded with health and recreation opportunities, higher property values and enjoyment of our surroundings. And we won’t have to rely on a concrete plaza as our open space!
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