• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
    • Our Advertisers
  • Distribution Locations
  • Past Issues

The Denver North Star

Your Guide to Community, Politics, Arts and Culture in North Denver

Hot off the Presses!
Check out the Jan 15 – Feb 14 issue here.

Help Us Improve!

Take our community survey and help
guide the direction of the The Denver North Star!

 

  • Community
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Arts
  • Dining
  • Community Calendar
  • Become a Member

Street Seen: A Cruise Down Fedz

September 14, 2020 By Basha Cohen 1 Comment

Growing up in the 1970s, Northside meant cruising down Federal on a Saturday Night. In spite of the changing neighborhood, there is comfort in the fact that Chicano culture is alive and well in Northwest Denver. “La Raza Barnum Park Day: A Cruise Down Fedz” celebrated lowriders and cruising in the second annual event. In 2019, Denver City Council unanimously passed a “Cruise Down Fedz” proclamation in support of the history of cruising culture. Council Members Amanda Sandoval and Jamie Torres continue to bridge and create solidarity between Denver neighborhoods to ensure this rich legacy. 

Masked Breakdance competition

The spirit of the annual cruise is about peace, love, unity and celebrating the Chicano/Chicana culture. It is also shedding light on a bigger purpose. The profound recognition of the forefathers and mothers of the movement that have been working tirelessly since the 1960s to rename Columbus Park, on 38th and Osage Street, to La Raza Park. The effort will honor Chicano heritage and its immense contribution to North Denver. Jolt, a renowned North Denver artist and organizer noted, “The Cruise was on the surface, but the purpose was to rename the park. We want to ensure that this is a commitment to representing our culture and not letting it be whitewashed, buried or forgotten.” He continued, “It’s important to hold a sacred space. Our neighborhood has been gentrified. Those that grew up in the hood feel they can’t be a part of it anymore. We want to hold these public places and make people from the community feel welcome.”

Jolt, organizer

The day was, indeed, peaceful, loving, family-oriented and above all, colorful. It kicked off at Barnum Park with opening prayers by the gloriously decorated Danza Azteca.The riders then revved their engines cruising down “Fedz” for a party at La Raza Park. 

A colorful explosion surrounded the curbsides and its centerpiece, Kiosko Plaza de la Raza. Classic car beauties shone in cherry bomb red, electric orange, peacock blue and rich painterly patterns. Brilliantly colored Aztec headdresses, plumes and feathers celebrated North Denver’s indigenous heritage. An exuberant mask-clad breakdance competition created an electric vibe of solidarity. Bringing together brothers and sisters of all colors, B-Boys & B-Girls celebrated the Chicano spirit on stage. Free food fed hundreds of attendees, in part donated by City Council, and a large number of contributors. Sandoval even offered to buy masks for the crowd when giveaways ran out. It was a celebration created within the community for the community.

Ben Chavez, organizer

The event was a pre-celebration of sorts. While it hasn’t officially been renamed yet, Sandoval’s park petition efforts have gotten over 2,000 signatures to move forward. The City has already removed the Columbus Park signs to avoid vandalism. Behind the scenes, other progressive moves for the future of the culture include raising money to put up a sculpture in the park. 

Next generation organizers like Jolt, Juan Fuentes and Ben Chavez carry on the torch guided  by elders like Emanuel Martinez who attended the event. A longtime activist and artist, he helped rename Lincoln Park to Las Alamas Park, created the Chalk Art Gallery and is featured in the Smithsonian Institute. Martinez’ passion for persisting and creating change for the last 50 years is embraced and carried on by today’s young leaders. Jolt reflects, “It is important to have a space set for future generations where they can break bread together. We want to make sure that by setting the table, friends and families can come to this park, celebrate our culture and always know they have a place at the table.” Viva La Raza!

Filed Under: Community

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sherry Romero says

    September 17, 2020 at 7:21 pm

    Thank you to our Counsel Members Amanda and Jamie to our Organizers Jolt, Juan and Ben for all your hard work, and to the past Community leaders and Family Members who taught us to Brown and Proud! Thank you Mr. Trujillo for walking over to sign the petition, your community service by example said it all, Viva La Raza! Forever Northside!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates about The Denver North Star, your new guide to community, politics, arts and culture in North Denver.

Community Events

The Denver North Star community calendar is coming back! We’ve updated our form to better accept physical and virtual events, as well as to collect additional information possible attendees would like to know.

Please use our new form to submit your event!

Jan 23 2021

Local Quilt Shop Day

Jan 23 2021

Necessity Drive for Latina Safehouse at Denver Elks Lodge #17

Feb 16 2021

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (BRUN) Monthly Meeting

Mar 16 2021

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (BRUN) Monthly Meeting

Apr 20 2021

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (BRUN) Monthly Meeting

No event found!
Load More

Connect With Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Keep Up With Us

The Denver North Star

Recent Comments

  • Catherine O’Neill Thorn on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Karen F Kalavity on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Kathleen Cain on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Lois Harvey on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Lois Harvey on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Mark Barnhouse on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Alan Culpin on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community

Our Columnists

  • Educator and mom Jill Carstens writes about parenting in her column, Letters from Miss Jill.
  • Librarian Hannah Evans discusses great reads in her Checking Out: Book Reviews column.
  • Dennis Gallagher tells all in his column, Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Past.
  • Erika Taylor advocates for community wellness in her Taylored Fitness columns.
  • Kathryn White focuses on issues of interest to older adults in her column, The Gray Zone.
  • District 1 Community Resource Officer Bob Anderson focuses on public safety issues in his monthly column.

Our Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019

All Categories

  • Arts and Culture
  • Cannabis
  • Checking Out Book Reviews
  • Community
  • Community Voices
  • Coronavirus News
  • Denver North Star News
  • Dining
  • Editorial
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Featured
  • Globeville
  • Guest Column
  • Health
  • Legislature
  • Local Dining
  • Opinion
  • Parenting
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Past
  • Student Voices
  • Taylored Fitness
  • The Gray Zone
  • Transportation
  • Uncategorized

Copyright © 2021 · All Rights Reserved