BUILDING POWER IN MONTBELLO
We are sons and daughters of immigrants, like much of America. We are many cultures within one community. We are new and old—a diverse community rooted in struggle and resilience. We are Black and Brown, and we have brothers and sisters. We are extremely local and very international. We are a work in progress. We are mothers and fathers trying to hold on tightly to our children. We are super young, and we are trying to take flight.
We are a collection of childhood memories rooted in parks, churches, schools, summer camps, bikes, basketball, soccer, green spaces, and mature trees. We say hi at grocery stores and everything closes by 8PM. We are the Montbello barbershop, the Rec Center, and the memory of Montbello High School. We are simple dreamers who came to build a future for our families.
We are parents, students, teachers and organizers. We often live in fear because of who we are and how society treats us. But we are strong and resilient. We are battling racism, violence, ignorance, gangs, and technology that is taking us out of our parks. We are creative, we have fun, and we are figuring out how to use technology as a tool. We should really throw more block parties.
We are all working to see each other as human beyond our skin color, so sometimes we try to avoid the issue when we are all together. We are a community filled with potential—a faraway gem, and we see development closing in on us. As Denver changes overnight, we maintain the foundations that make Montbello...Montbello.
We have yet to fully claim it, but our strength exists in unity. We are developing relationships to strengthen the present and build the future. We carry inspiration and we aspire to loyalty. We are reaching for our neighbors. Montbello is like a story right after Raisin in the Sun. We are raising sons and daughters, and we are just now coming into what’s possible.
