2022 in review: The Coloradans we met
The war in Ukraine. The reversal of Roe v. Wade. The death of Queen Elizabeth II. Unexpected results in the midterm elections.
In 2022, we saw how those national and international stories had impacts on Colorado. On a more local level, the journalists at Rocky Mountain PBS were able to travel the state and help share the voices of hundreds of Coloradans as part of our mission to create a Colorado where everyone is seen and heard.
Just as we did last year, Rocky Mountain PBS journalists came together to highlight some of our favorite pieces from 2022. The end result is an eclectic list. The stories came from across the state, from the mountains to the plains, and featured Coloradans dealing with things like housing and farming, and also weighty topics like death and end-of-life care.
A common thread in several of the stories was accessibility. In a state that prides itself on outdoor recreation, we spoke with individual Coloradans and organizations who are working to make sure all people can experience all that Colorado’s natural landscapes have to offer.
Audio trekkers
Access is so important. And this year, a group of hikers gave Rocky Mountain PBS senior multimedia journalist Jeremy Moore a deeper understanding of why. Jeremy met the Audio Trekkers at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park. They're a team with a theme: treat us like anyone else, and give us access.
Learn more here.
Greater mobility in state parks
They've been called "the Cadillac of mobility chairs."
These track-chairs are available for rent at Staunton State Park, one of the few places in the country that allows people with limited mobility to still enjoy the outdoors.
Journalists Julio Sandoval and Amanda Horvath joined a hike this summer to learn more about the program, which you can read about here.
Cycling without age
A little bit of Denmark has made its home in Colorado. Due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Littleton chapter of Cycling without Age has grown by nearly 100 times over the last three years. In this story from Brian Willie and Kyle Cooke, learn how Cycling Without Age offers a chance for seniors to be outside, cruise along the Platte River and create some smiles.
Learn more here.
Gigi’s playhouse
Earlier this year, Rocky Mountain PBS KIDS digital content producer Theresa Ho met with families and staff at GiGi's Playhouse during their Destination Discovery program — one of the organization's many programs that supports individuals with Down syndrome and their families.
Spending some time with these little ones while they played and learned was a joy all on its own, but also a reminder how community can help support families. Read more here.
The housing crisis in Colorado's mobile homes
In 2022, Rocky Mountain PBS produced a full episode of Colorado Voices about the sale of the land from underneath mobile home communities. Our journalists found that a lot of parks are going up for sale, putting homeowners in tough situations. Do they get together with the community to try to buy the land themselves? Or start looking for a new place to live?
Below is a story is about a park in Durango that was in the middle of negotiations when Rocky Mountain PBS got in touch with them. Spoiler alert: you're going to want to watch until the end.
A new take on a historic practice
When it comes to taking steps to become better stewards of the land, one family used to the city life in Denver took a risk and became homesteaders.
This year, Rocky Mountain PBS multimedia journalist Lindsey Ford met Terrance Boyd, co-owner of Wild Boyd Farm.
He and his family shared how their new life as ranchers creates a healthier life for not only their family, but the community as well. Read more here.
The women behind the first statewide prison radio show
Here at Rocky Mountain PBS we want to create connection by sharing the voices of people from across Colorado who haven't always been seen and heard. This includes one of the women behind the first statewide prison radio show.
Cynthia Gonzalez wants to control her own narrative. She's 25 years into a life sentence for felony murder. Her message to the outside world is that rehabilitation for incarcerated people is possible.
Learn more here.
Gregg Deal's bike ride through history
Artist Gregg Deal of Pyramid Lake Paiute descent has spent his career infusing contemporary art spaces with reflections of the realities of the brutal mentality that laid the foundation of the American West. He grew up in Utah biking with his dad on day trips that to this day inspire his advocacy work.
This summer, Rocky Mountain PBS journalists Kate Perdoni and Jeremy Moore followed Deal as he endeavored a 150-mile bike ride from a suburb of Colorado Springs to the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site.
Read more here.
The importance of talking about death
It's something that we as a culture usually avoid thinking or even talking about — death.
But according to the Denver Deathwives, talking about it and understanding different after-life options can help make these life-altering transitions a little easier. Senior producer Alexis Kikoen gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the Deathwives. Learn more here.
As always, none of these stories would have been possible without the Coloradans who shared their stories with us, or without the support of our community.
We look forward to continuing the work toward our vision of a Colorado where everyone feels seen and heard in 2023.
Part I of "Colorado Voices: Your Stories 2022" airs Thursday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. on Rocky Mountain PBS. Part II airs Thursday, Jan. 5.