B2BxKGNU - January 2025

Back2Basics

Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In the spirit of Dr. King, our conversation today connects to his dream of uplifting marginalized voices. Dr. King once said, 'Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman. I’m tackling a critical story that sits at the intersection of journalism, community trust, and equity. All values that are near and dear to me. Recently, Colorado Public Radio’s investigative series on Caring for Denver has sparked heated debate. While it raises important questions about transparency, it has also left many nonprofits—particularly those serving communities of color—dealing with accusations and bias. These organizations are pillars of culturally responsive mental health care, services in which my family has personally benefited, and are now defending their legitimacy in ways that feel deeply unjust. I sat down with Angell Perez who is the executive director at Colorado Circles for Change, Kenneth Crowley who is the founder and president of the Crowley Foundation, Wendy Talley a Denver resident and tax payer and Jason Vitello who is the Equity and Community Development Manager at Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. Together, we discuss how we can advance truth and healing and why it’s critical to hold journalism accountable without losing sight of the communities that most need our support. Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!