A new and growing movement launched in September by a handful of community thought leaders is seeking to revive the foundational values of Aspen. They are reaching back 75 years to the lofty moral tone that Albert Schweitzer brought here when he honored another moralistic avatar: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Category: Social justice
Posted inSocial justice
Pueblo Azul provides peer-support and resources in Spanish for parents raising kids with disabilities
Raising a kid with disabilities can be challenging, and for many Spanish-speaking parents in the valley, the challenges are magnified when a majority of resources and services are offered primarily in English.
Posted inSocial justice
‘Hospitality Matters’ spreads the word about mental health care and better treatment for service employees during the holidays
The holidays are meant to be spent with family and loved ones, but for many who work in hospitality in our valley, it can mean demanding clients and long hours. That’s why Aspen-based “Hospitality Matters,” which recently became a 501(c)4 nonprofit, is spreading the word about ways for people working at restaurants and other service […]
Posted inSocial justice
‘Free-For-All’ book fair in Glenwood Springs aims to increase community access to a diversity of books
Although Percy did not intend for the book fair to be a political statement against book-banning, she acknowledged that with local and national efforts to restrict certain books from libraries, it’s hard to separate an event that celebrates free access to a diversity of books from the controversy.
Posted inSocial justice
Garfield County commissioners appoint two new library trustees amid book restriction controversy
Amid ongoing controversy over Garfield County’s library board appointment process and whether book restrictions should be considered at the county’s six county’s six libraries, officials received 27 applications for three seats that were open or up for reappointment by the end of this year.
Posted inSocial justice
What would it take to achieve an equitable transition to clean energy in Garfield County?
According to a recent Garfield County Economic Update from the Davis School of Business at Colorado Mesa University (CMU), oil and gas jobs grew significantly in the county in the mid-2000s, and have since been declining over the past 15 years, falling below 1,000 in 2023 from roughly 3,000 jobs in 2008.
Posted inSocial justice
Aspen Meadows promises pay parity for returning J-1 students after international workers raise concerns
Each year, hundreds of young people from around the world get J-1 visas to work on the mountain and at local businesses in Aspen. But complaints about housing and working conditions raise questions about a program that can make international students vulnerable to unfair treatment.
Posted inSocial justice
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains braces for increase in people traveling to Colorado for abortion care
The mixed results among states, on top of the reelection of former President Donald Trump, probably mean even more people will be traveling for care.
Posted inSocial justice
New openings on the Garfield County Libraries’ board renew debate over book restrictions and government oversight
“There’s enough controversy about this that my perspective is we want to see some diversity of opinion on the library board, where there’s discussion back and forth, instead of what I would call, I guess, ‘like-think,’” Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said in an interview.
Posted inSocial justice
Mobile home park water-quality testing program gets underway, but residents will have to wait for fixes
Although it’s too early to know the full scope of water quality issues at mobile home parks across Colorado, Hosie expects that problems are more likely to be found in communities such as Apple Tree that have their own water system.