The Colorado Dream

The Colorado constitution includes a provision that told the state legislature to care for the forests. But not many people know it's there. This is episode two of The Colorado Dream: Happy Birthday podcast.

Colorado will celebrate its 150th birthday on August 1. But the road to statehood wasn’t easy. It was a 17-year journey filled with stolen land, racism, and protest, but also perseverance, thoughtfulness, and determination. This is episode one of The Colorado Dream: Happy Birthday podcast.

Colorado is known as the Centennial State. It gained statehood in 1876, the same year the United States turned 100, but the road to statehood wasn't easy. It's a complicated story of statehood. I'm Stephanie Daniel. Join me for a new season of the Colorado Dream podcast, as we celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday with some impactful moments and movements that helped define our state and our country...

One day, a fourth generation of family members will run Lenz Farms on Colorado’s Eastern Plains. They plan to bring back innovative ideas and implement new things to help the farm continue to grow. But will these fresh ideas be enough to offset a shrinking water supply? The Colorado Dream shares stories of Coloradans who are overcoming obstacles to create a better life for themselves and their fam...

Lenz Farms in Yuma County, Colo., was started by a father and his four sons in the 1970s. They created a unique business model that keeps management and ownership in the family. This has allowed Lenz Farms to survive and thrive over the decades, unlike hundreds of thousands of other family farms.

Family farms have been disappearing across the country for decades. From extreme weather to fluctuating crop prices to water scarcity, building a business off the land is hard. But row by row and harvest after harvest, one Eastern Colorado family is bucking that trend. This is their story.

Growing a Future: Family farms have been disappearing across the United States for decades. From extreme weather to fluctuating commodity prices to trade policies, building a business off the land is hard. But one Eastern Colorado family is bucking that trend. This is their story of four generations of farming. The Colorado Dream theme song: Jason Paton Bue Dot Sessions track Lahaina

In the final story in our series, “The Colorado Dream: Ending the Hate State,” we ask Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a police chief and a long-time legislative aide: Where does Colorado stand today with the "Hate State" label? 

The handling of gender identity in schools is heating up in communities across the country. Many districts have adopted guidelines detailing how to best support transgender and non-binary students, others lack specific procedures. Some schools are facing lawsuits over their handling of this issue. Meanwhile, students continue to explore who they are. This episode focuses on one family's experience...

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Amendment 2 in 1996, Colorado has emerged as a leader for LGBTQ+ rights and laws this includes ensuring transgender and non-binary people have access to the health care they need. Plus a Northern Colorado medical recsidency program is normalizing HIV care in a primary care clinic.

The number of Pride celebrations are growing across Northern Colorado but in some communities it's still a struggle to hold these events. This includes in Weld County where a local librarian - and their friends - took over organizing Greeley Pride after it was cancelled. We also hear from the organizer of another local Pride event. She was harassed and received death threats online after photos of...

Colorado is known as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly states in the country. But it wasn't always that way. In 1992, voters passed an amendment to the state constitution that labeled Colorado "The Hate State" and sparked a landmark legal battle for gay rights. 

Colorado is considered one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly states in the country, but it wasn’t always this accepting. In 1992, Colorado voters approved Amendment 2 which prohibited protections for queer people in the state. Four years later, the Supreme Court overturned the amendment. In the nearly three decades since, Colorado has done a 180 and is now known for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ righ...

The town of Breckenridge is building a new neighborhood specifically for local workers. But with just 61-units for sale which residents will end up with a home? Plus, Summit County is partnering with the U.S. Forest Service on a first-of-its-kind housing development that’s been 60 years in the making.

Episode 5: A lack of affordable housing is causing a severe staffing crisis in schools in Eagle County, prompting the school district to break into the affordable housing development business.

Steamboat Springs created three different zones to regulate short-term rentals, including a red zone where no new permits for those rentals can be issued. Three people living within that zone share their experiences with how the regulations have shaped their lives.

Steamboat Springs nurse Sanaya Sturm wants to buy a home. She’s put in over a dozen offers but gets outbid by cash offers, or the house she wanted is converted into a short-term rental. Meanwhile, the local housing authority wants to build over 2,000 homes by 2040. Will this plan solve the housing crisis for her and thousands of other residents?

Breckenridge is a little over five square miles. Despite its size, preserving the past is a priority for Breckenridge—the town has 249 Historic District structures and seven historical exhibits and museums. Preservation also is an important part of the town’s plan to curb the housing crisis, now and in the future. One initiative is called Housing Helps, which helped locals Anne and John Lowe buy t...

There is a housing crisis in Colorado’s mountain resort communities And it’s left longtime locals, like 29-year-old Summit County resident Javier Pineda Rosas, unable to find a stable living situation. A recent survey taken by county residents shows just how dire the situation has become. The county will need over 2,300 rental and for-sale units - at all price points - to meet the housing demand....

In the newest season of The Colorado Dream, we examine the affordable housing crisis in mountain r esort communities where land and inventory are scarce.

Aurora has a large foreign born population and some of them turn to local ethnic media outlets for news and to stay informed about their home countries. There are over three dozen ethnic media organizations that serve the city and the greater metro Denver area. They are print, digital and broadcast outlets that publish in many different languages including English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Pol...

Foreign-born residents have higher rates of entrepreneurship than those born here in the U.S. Aurora supports these business owners as part of its immigrant integration plan. The goal is to increase entrepreneurship by providing information, training and lowering the barriers to entry. There are hundreds of immigrant and refugee owned businesses throughout the city including Msosi Kenyan Cuisine f...

KUNC hosted a live community event and panel discussion to talk about the themes explored in The Colorado Dream: Newcomers Welcome podcast. The panel included podcast host Stephanie Daniel and people featured in the series including Salwa Mourtada Bamba, Mariem Dia and Amanda Blaurock. The conversation took place at the historic Aurora Fox Arts Center and was moderated by Scott Williams, Museum Di...

Aurora is home to immigrants and refugees from around the world. To help them succeed, the city created an integration plan, one of the first local governments in the country to do so. Aurora has made a conscious decision to welcome foriegn-born residents but should the city get all the credit for embracing newcomers?  “I think it just happens to be the city that people were relocated to,” said Ma...