tonight on studio 12 as Dia de Los Muertos approaches.

We meet an artist who built an ofrenda honoring Denver's first lady of Mexican folk art.

Then we go along for a ride on the famed tour de Mont Blanc trail in Europe, showing the 105 mile journey from a different lens.

Plus, a conversation with chef and entrepreneur Mary Nguyen on leaving behind the finance world to start a restaurant business and what it means to follow your passion.

Then we close the show with a performance from Trampled by Turtles, filmed live at the Grand Lake Folk Festival.

All of that and more right now on studio 12.

From the Five Points Media Center in the heart of Denver, Colorado.

This is studio 12.

Hi, I'm Bosie Kanani, and I'm Ryan Hare.

Welcome to studio 12.

As Dia de Los Muertos approaches, starting on November 1st, we follow artist Cal Duran as he brings new life to an age old tradition in our heart of the West segment.

Tonight, Cal shows us his ofrenda installation at History Colorado in honor of the late Rita Flores de Wallace.

She was known as Denver's First Lady of Mexican Folk Art, a teacher and storyteller who helped shape Colorado's cultural heritage.

Now, through Cal's hands, her legacy continues.

We caught up with Cal as he created this year's altar, blending his own indigenous and Latin roots with Rita's textile work and a powerful tribute that connects generations.

Take a look.

I grew up, my mom was adopted and my father was in and out of prison.

So we didn't have this, like, grounding of a cultural presence, but I always had this longing of knowing where I come from.

So art was a way for me to remember, like where I came from.

I didn't go to art school.

I didn't graduate high school.

It was my senior year, and they wanted me to go to a gym class, and it was two months before my graduation, and I was in art like, art class all the time.

I was winning awards, with this organization called Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

My art got sent to New York, and I just knew I wanted to be an artist.

So Jim was just like, so they kicked me out and I was like, okay, I'm not going to go to art school, but I am just going to keep creating it.

So I work with clay, and Clay, I believe holds all the memories of the earth.

And it holds all the elements.

It's earth, air, fire and water.

And I teach clay as well.

And when I see that when students create from clay, it's that intuition.

It's that inner remembering of working with the earth.

And so my art is really about honoring my ancestors, my identities.

Doctor Rene Vado, I am the director of the Metropolitan State University Journey to our heritage program.

So I was one of the very fortunate young people back in the day and a young member of the Chicano Humanities Arts Council in the 80s to come upon a teacher, our maestro, Rita Wallace de Flores, who was one of the people that came to Colorado, and really helped young Chicanos establish, what Dia de Los Muertos was and began teaching it.

And Rita Wallace, the Flores and the Luna Boys, as we call them, from the pirate Bob Luna specifically, were really instrumental in bringing those traditions here to Colorado.

I met her probably when I was about 17, when I was in an organization called Chalk Chicano Humanities for the Art Council, and also had a gallery called pirate Art Gallery.

And every year they did a Dia de Los Muertos celebration.

And you can make an a friend, an altar.

It was extremely important that when she came, she brought a lot of the traditions surrounding the building of our friends.

The traditions of this, the cuantos storytelling.

So timelines kind of traveled.

And then about five years ago, I met Renee, and she's just been a great advocate and, just really a beautiful, kind, open hearted person I've been learning from.

And Rita was her teacher.

So it was kind of this full circle moment.

And Rita was, you know, kind of ailing and, has dementia.

She was in the hospital a few times, almost passed away, but she told me, I'm not ready to leave the earth.

I have one more student, and lo and behold, she was right.

She had a cow.

Cow is her last student.

And, she was iconic, for her hostiles.

And we all know that Cal Duran, we're talking ojos Dios.

He is the cream of the crop.

So she really brought her knowledge back in the, my native me back in the 70s and 80s because she was from a small town in Mexico.

And really just shared those traditions with the community when she came here.

And she brought the traditions that she knew of Dia de Los Muertos, she was very adamant.

You have to understand that this holiday is this incredible holiday.

It's a woven mixture now of many people's traditions that have come together.

And where they live is the way that they celebrate it.

And there is no right or wrong way to really celebrate it.

She was very, very, intent upon us realizing that you come together as a community.

Is it time to support each other?

So she passed away on April 27th.

Close to the, day of the children, Dia de Nino.

And when it came time to celebrate her life, Cal made her a huge altar.

So she passed away April 27th.

And then this is really just in honor to her and her legacy.

There's also photos of other women, and lineage.

They're called the Queen mothers, that have passed away as well.

And I'll tell the marigolds represent the ancestors.

So they say when you smell a marigolds, it's the, food of the ancestors.

It's the scent of the ancestors.

That's why, that's always represented.

I've been creating friends all over Colorado, probably for the last 15 years.

Probably ten years ago.

That was one of my first skeletons I created.

And it survived.

I wanted to give it wings as it's flying.

Back home.

And then these are all photos of Rita.

An ofrenda is an offering.

So meaning offering.

But it's an also an altar.

I refer to as an a friend, as a little pet stop.

Like a beacon, a beacon of light.

This is actually one of Rita's, pieces.

So she works a lot with corn husks and crate paper.

She loved dolls.

And communicators up there is a big Sacred Heart.

Me and my friend built about ten years ago.

I sell papier maché, and behind it is an offer de deals.

That's, a God's eye.

And traditionally, Rita, made those as well.

And we made those together.

The other us muertos can really be celebrated by anybody.

And why I say that is because we're all going to die.

You know, we're all on this universal cord of death and life.

And I see Dia de Los Muertos as a celebration of life and death, as one more of those.

We think it's just about honoring our ancestors and those that came before us and their hard work and their sacrifice.

But the very core of it is gratitude.

It's celebrated so differently, like in Mexico and each Puebla, they celebrate it differently.

So it has deep, roots in the Mexican roots.

And it was, celebrated was, meets the aunt Lee.

She's the goddess of the dead.

Since colonization happened, it really moved on to like All Saints Day.

But I was always taught it was three days.

And November 1st is when all the little babies come and lead the procession.

And November 2nd is really when we build the ofrenda we, like, kind of build the bones of the offender on the first and the second is really when our loved ones come and greet us.

And then on the third day is when we get to say goodbye.

I think it's good that, you know, that culture of Dia de Los Muertos is brought into that forefront, and that kids are really recognizing that, and then it's not so taboo to talk about death, you know, and to really, you know, be grateful that we get to wake up every day and to really just give offerings that, you know, every footstep that we take is an offering, you know, for the ones, before us when when I was younger, I think it was kind of a smaller pocket.

But I think, like, with the commercialization of it, too.

It's gotten wider spread.

But I think that's also, a gift because I think people need to know more about it.

I think we definitely.

And preserving traditions in a way, because this is honoring Rita and her traditions of what she taught us.

And I'm always kind of a big I have an open heart.

And I think, you know, we can preserve and preserve, but also that kind of puts a lid lid on our traditions when I think we need to meet our community where it is now and having in front and center here, you know, this is a community altar.

So people could add messages to their loved ones.

This is just isn't about Rita.

This isn't just about the women on the altar, but it's really a connective thread to everybody.

And that's really what I want to preserve.

And this and I think that's what Dia de Los Muertos is really about is the connective thread within everybody.

And these are all messages I see that, community is already offered.

I believe that this is every day, all day.

We should celebrate, you know, the ones that have left this realm, because their memories are like seeds planted inside of us.

And we get to just really share that with everybody we meet.

What a special connection these two have.

And obviously Rita was an excellent teacher, given Cal's beautiful work, a colorful and really touching tribute.

Absolutely.

Cal's exhibit will be up through November 9th.

For more information, you can go to History colorado.org There are lots of Coloradans who would describe themselves as outdoorsy.

Always looking for that next hiking challenge.

If that happens to describe you, you might want to add this one to your bucket list.

It's pretty cool.

The tour de Mont Blanc is one of Europe's most iconic treks, a 105 mile loop that circles the tallest peak in Western Europe, passing through France, Italy and Switzerland.

In today's viewfinder segment, PBS Twelve's own photojournalist Rigo Romero took to the trail himself, bringing back stunning footage and a firsthand look at what it takes to complete this incredible journey.

Here is Rico's tour.

Dumont block.

Hi, I'm Rick Romero, photojournalist with PBS 12, here in the small town in the French Alps at the start of the tournament.

Blanc.

And I'm going to take you with you.

For outdoor Coloradans looking to try something new.

Let me introduce you to the tour de Mont Blanc.

This.

I recently did this 100 mile hike with my wife and some friends.

Mont Blanc is one of the most iconic peaks in Europe and one of the tallest as well.

It's a little higher than a fourteeners sitting at 15,766ft, but on this trail you will not be hiking to the top.

You can start this hike pretty much anywhere, but the traditional starting point for this is just outside the French town of Shamone.

This is a loop hike and the most popular way to hike.

This is counterclockwise, but lots of hikers still prefer hiking clockwise as well.

We started right here in a town called Le Hush, which is just outside of Shamone, and hiked down to the cable car to get started.

This is a really popular way to start the hike, plus it saved our legs for the long journey ahead.

That's my friend Karlie.

And over there that's my friend Steve.

We met this really cool dog at the top wearing a rain jacket when we got off the cable car.

Here's our first photo we took to start our trip.

That's my friend Karlie on the left.

My wife in the middle and my friend and on the right.

Slight rain all day.

Actually made for great hiking conditions.

This was our introduction to the trail and despite the rain, we couldn't have asked for better conditions.

I have to admit I was pretty nervous wondering if I had trained enough for this, but to our advantage.

Most hikes we do in Colorado are higher in elevation, so it means hiking in this area of the Alps a little bit easier.

La Quinta mino would be our first pitstop on the trail.

Our accommodations for the night would be in a really cool motel style place, but each night it would change.

As you will see later.

Packing like is essential on this hike, so that sometimes means washing clothes in the sink and hand drying, or in this case.

So you start started day two on the hike and we made it to the Notre-Dame de la Gorge, which is basically the base of when we start the next uphill.

It's like a flip it around show you.

Heading that way.

We met some friendly cows right before we started our next big uphill section, and also this friendly cat from a refugio nearby that we didn't stay at.

He decided to hike with us for a few minutes.

This section was our longest hike on the trail and also the highest elevation gain.

There are two different ways you can travel in this section.

There's the regular way on the trail and then there's a variant trail if the weather permits.

The variant is a little bit shorter but steeper in elevation.

Even though it was a little bit cloudy, we took a chance and took the variant route and it really paid off.

After we trekked through a little snowy patch, the valley opened up to some amazing views.

We had a slight run in with a cow.

No thanks to my friend and for mooing at it.

No.

Oh god no no no no no no.

But then we made our way over to our first Refugio Motel.

If you're wondering what a refugio is, it's basically a mountain hut, similar to a bed and breakfast.

But instead of breakfast, you get dinner.

This was our first experience with family style dinner, and they played some interesting music for us as well.

This is the type of experience you could expect for most of the few shows, minus the music performance.

You'd typically be sharing a table with some strangers and enjoying the evening with everyone's company.

Day three was an exciting day because we would be crossing into Italy each day.

You can expect to gain around 2300 to 3500ft of elevation, and then lose about the same each day.

So a lot of hiking uphill in the mornings and then downhill in the afternoon.

Crossing into Italy felt like such a big accomplishment.

It was fun to take some pictures at the border and head down to our next refugio.

Day three.

Now on the tour de Mont-Blanc trail, I have just crossed into Italy and for the first time I can see my walk.

We made it to one of my favorite refugio is on the trail and rested up for what I thought was the most picturesque hike on the trip.

Day for now.

On the trail.

It's definitely a little bit warmer today, which is nice because it was quite cold yesterday.

But today it's set to be the best views of Mont Blanc.

And boy did we get lucky and got blue skies.

And that at the peak of this hike, most hikers will experience the highest altitude on the trail.

Unless you take a variant on the very northern end of the loop, where the altitude is a little bit higher.

But it was a great place to stop and take some pictures of Mont Blanc.

The temperatures can vary from day to day.

In the summertime we got lucky with most of our days being in the 60s, but be prepared for days in the 80s with a decent amount of humidity in the summertime.

We ran into some hikers who got caught in a snowstorm.

Yes, that's right, a snowstorm on the variant trail that we were on just the day before.

So you have to be prepared for all weather conditions.

After the stunning views of Mont Blanc, we came down a very steep mountain and into the Italian town of Cormier.

This is a great spot to take a rest and even an extra day off.

If you'd like.

Since there are plenty of accommodations and restaurants, as well as shopping for supplies or even souvenirs, we had an extra day of much needed rest.

And then we headed back up the mountain.

For my orders, consider the halfway point from Sharmini.

And if you're only looking to half the trail, there is a tunnel that connects Shamone and Cormier.

So you could start hiking in one town and take a shuttle back to the other town.

When hiking, you'll want to take anywhere from 2 to 3l of water with you each day.

There are plenty of places to fill up on the trail, too.

If weight is an issue for you and you're trying to keep your weight down to a minimum.

Take less and fill up.

Often you'll see a lot of fountains or faucets similar to these with running drinking water in several spots throughout the trail.

Typically, as you pass through the villages, we made it to Refugio Benarty early in the day and had a lot of time to enjoy the area around the refugio.

Day six on the TMB trail and today it is quite cold.

The wind is howling.

But hopefully going to let up.

We have blue skies and sun, so I think that's going to help.

We left Refugio Benarty which was great accommodation, great food, great fun and today we are headed to La Fuli.

I really hope I pronounce that correctly.

But we will be crossing the border into Switzerland today, so that's quite exciting.

We had a pretty steep ascent and once we made it to the crest, we'd be in Switzerland.

This was a pretty challenging stretch for all of us.

All right.

After a windy, cold hike, ascent to the top.

This is the border to Switzerland.

Okay, it's funny how deceiving pictures can be, because you can't tell how cold and windy it was here.

But I can assure you, we were struggling to stay warm here at the border into Switzerland.

The good news was, it quickly warmed up on the descent down into Switzerland.

So as I've said before, be prepared for all weather conditions.

Lovely was a tiny mountain town, but it did have a grocery and outdoor supply store for you to restock.

Anything you might have needed.

The difficulty of each day will vary, and you can break the trip up into as many days as you feel you need.

If you're a more experienced hiker, you may only need 5 to 7 days to finish the trail, or if you're a little bit on the slower side, which is perfectly fine.

You might want to give yourself 12 to 14 days to finish.

We were now at the top of the loop and getting ready to cross back into France.

We passed this really cool house that had quite the collection of gnomes.

I couldn't believe we had made it this far, and I was so excited at the idea of finishing this hike and the accomplishment we'd feel.

Oh, and we had to avoid stepping on these slugs because they were pretty much all over.

Okay, seven out on the TMB and about making it to the summit for today.

Try it again today.

Eight foot.

I wanted to give you guys this view of this valley with this town below.

Just incredible.

The trail is marked really well with markers similar to this, so it's pretty easy to stay on trail.

We did a good job following the markers right back into France, but we also had a GPS navigation app, which was super helpful and I highly recommend it.

This was a cool border crossing for us because the clouds were super low and we felt like we were walking in them, but just like the other border crossings, the weather was completely different.

Just on the other side, we can see Sharmini in the valley in the distance and only had one more night on the trail.

We came up to a really cool section of the trail, which we so creatively called the ladder section.

You have to climb a series of ladders to get up to the next and last pit stop.

We did it and made it to our last refugio on the trip log blank, which turned out to be our favorite with the absolute best views of Mont Blanc.

But seriously, just look at these views.

Our bunk room at the Refugio was a room for five, which worked out perfectly since there were five in our group.

Here's what it looked like to give you an example of what you can expect from a similar room on the trail.

A good night's rest, and we were off to hike out to the cable car, and then down into Harmony to finish this incredible journey.

But before we headed down, we stopped to watch some hang gliders taken off above Shamone.

But we've made it to the end of the TMB.

We have decided to take the cable car down into Shamone.

It's been a heck of a journey.

Lots to share.

Lots to think about.

But overall just very pleased to be able to share this experience with you.

and unforgettable experience and amazing views from up there.

You can definitely see why it's one of the world's most celebrated hikes.

Absolutely.

And hard to believe some of those trail sections gained more than 3000ft of elevation in a single day.

So tough.

But Rico said that the best part was actually meeting fellow adventurers from all around the globe, including a few other Coloradans who had made the trek.

No surprise there.

A big thank you to Rico for bringing us along for the journey.

Colorado Startup Week celebrates the people who are turning their passions into profitable businesses, just like chef and entrepreneur Mary Nguyen of Olive and Finch, she left a career in finance to follow her heart into hospital, building all of invention to one of Denver's most beloved restaurant brands known for healthy, accessible food and community.

PBS 12.

Frannie Matthews sat down with Mary to talk about her journey from Wall Street to Main Street and the lessons she's learned along the way.

Thank you for joining us today.

It's exciting to be here at Colorado Startup Week.

Tell us a little bit about your business.

I am a huge fan of all of them, but there's more.

I'm only seeing the tip of the iceberg.

There's a lot of depth under there.

So tell me a little bit about it.

There is.

So, you know, we started our first location, all of invention 2013.

And I had other restaurants at the time and they were, you know, fine dining and full service.

And so I decided to open up a restaurant next to my pick, my parallel 17 at the time.

So I had parallel 17 on 17th Avenue, and I decided to open up all of their air.

And it was I wanted it to be a restaurant that served breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I didn't want anything on the menu to be more than $13 because I wanted it to be affordable, but I still wanted to be chef driven and scratch made.

And so everything in the back of house that we do, everything in the kitchen is made from scratch.

It was really important for me to be able to have accessible, healthy and affordable food, but in an environment that was accessible.

Right.

So you come in, you order from the counter or you order from a QR code, and then we bring the food out to you.

But everything in the back of house is made as if it was a fine dining restaurant.

So, you know, 2013, we opened Olive and Finch and nobody understood what we were trying to do.

They thought we were trying to open up a fast food restaurant because you order from the counter.

And back in 2013, Olive and Finch, I mean, just the concept.

The format was unheard of.

And so, you know, we opened up December 3rd, 2013 to a line out the door.

And the next year, 2014, we were awarded Best New Restaurant by 50 to 80, by the Westword and by Zagat.

And that was the first time that any casual counter style restaurant had not just even won, but have been nominated, you know, since 2013.

Our early days, we've opened now for all of In Finch locations.

We've opened also a little Finch, I like to call it all of them.

Finch's little sister.

It's our cafe all day, that focuses on pastries and breakfast items in the morning, but then cocktails at night.

But we also have a wholesale company, so it's a it's a company that serves institutional clients.

We make grab and go meals, pastries, cold pressed juices.

And we sell that to hospitals, hotels, grocery stores.

And we have a lot of different accounts at the airport.

And that actually is the biggest part of our business.

It's 60% of our sales, is our wholesale business.

You know, in recent weeks, I've had several conversations that have talked about short supply chains.

So I'm assuming that you also are buying local.

We are we're buying local.

And I think, you know, we're at a point now where we have we have economies of scale, as you mentioned.

So, you know, we have really great buying power.

And because of that, we are able to buy at really great prices.

But because we have this wholesale company, we also control the production and the distribution of our products.

And I think that's a part of our secret sauce.

That's awesome.

Yeah.

So let's step back a bit, a little bit, because you have not been a restaurateur your entire career.

So you started out in finance and working in commodities and kind of in, in corporate environment.

Very.

Yeah.

So what was this?

Was this a brewing passion of yours, and what was the tipping point that made you say, I'm doing it?

Well, you know, I would say first, leaving finance was the scariest, thing I've ever done, but also the best thing I've ever done.

You know, my background's.

I'm a I'm a first generation Vietnamese-American.

My parents came here as refugees, at the fall of Saigon.

So they came here with literally nothing but the clothes on their backs.

And they had four kids, and my grandmother came with them.

And, you know, they came here to pretty much give us a better life, you know?

And I think that is really something that's true.

That stuck with me.

And it helps me work harder than I normally I think anybody would normally work, because of the sacrifices they've made.

But because of that, I think that, you know, in my early days when I was working as an investment banker and then as a commodities trader, while it was really financially fulfilling, and it was something that my parents were really proud of, it I didn't find the connection.

And now, in retrospect, you know, 20 some years later, I think about like, okay, well, what has driven me to hospitality, you know, and I think about those moments when I was young, you know, and I would never see my parents because they were working all the time.

But when I did see them, you know, maybe it was once a week and we would have dinner together as a family, all of us together.

And that connection and that those times where you're enjoying a meal like that really was something that stuck with me.

And so as I was going through my career in finance, it's like, well, this is really great, but I'm missing something.

And, you know, the funny thing is, like, I didn't even start cooking until I started cooking for myself in college.

You cannot.

Yeah.

And, so I decided in 2001 to leave finance because I wanted to learn how to cook and I wanted to open up a restaurant, and so I did that.

Are you so Olive and Finch, we found out that there's a lot more than what we see on the surface.

Yeah.

And you've scaled, but you scaled.

It looks like really in an organized and thoughtful manner.

And you're going to continue to scale.

So can you talk to me about, lessons in scaling and how you look at this?

So that you're making good business decisions and yet you're not, stifled by fear of growing?

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, I, I, I think for me, scaling, especially in hospitality, is it's really it has been one of the hardest, but also most eye opening parts of building my business.

I think people assume the challenge is replicating food.

But actually, that's the easy part.

You know, what's harder is really translating the heart of a single neighborhood location and being able to put it into completely different environments.

And, you know, I think, you know, if you look at our cafe, Little Finch on 16th Street or our location in Cherry Creek, or our location at Union Station or the arts complex, you know, I think that each space has its own rhythm and it has its own demands.

But the guest, you know, what's important is that they feel the same way.

Right?

Because I think what hospitality is, is also community.

You know, like we are a part of neighborhoods, we are a part of activating those neighborhoods.

And we do that by creating community.

And it's important for for you, Franny, to come in and to feel the same thing, whether it's in Union Station or the arts complex or Cherry Creek or Uptown.

And and I also think that as I've been able to scale, you know, we opened our first location, 2013 is 2025.

We now have seven locations.

We have 300 employees.

We're about to open up, you know, five more locations within the next 18 months.

And the biggest lesson for me, being a founder of a of a small business was really making sure that I was building a team around me that I could trust to be able to do things that I could do because, you know, just because it's my business doesn't necessarily mean that I'm the best manager, right?

Or the best chef or the, you know, the best marketer, you know?

And so when you're scaling a business, you know, you have to remember, like what is your role?

You know?

And for me, I'm the founder.

And I think that I have the vision of where we're going, and I have and I have to be able to make sure that I'm inspiring and motivating everyone around me so that we have the shared vision to be able to go after that goal.

All right.

So, when you if we look at, if you if you ran into somebody said, I want to start in the restaurant business and here's my concept.

Yeah.

What would you tell them?

What was your big piece of advice be about, jumping off on this?

Yeah, well, I'm.

Well, first, know your why and hold on to it, because it's not going to be easy.

Like this industry.

It's going to test you, in ways that you really can't imagine.

I think that you have to really understand what you're walking into, because the hours are long and the margins are really laser thin.

And I think that, you know, people see busy restaurants or they see, you know, shows on TV or they you see a Top chef or, you know, this or that and, and it's very glorified, right in what we do because you're just throwing a party every day, you know, like, you know, it's like having a great party at your house, right?

It's like, well, why can't I do this?

You know, every single day.

But it's a lot harder than just cooking and hosting.

You know, I think that if you're.

Why is just.

I want to own a restaurant.

I don't think that that's going to carry you through all the hard night, hard nights.

And, you know, I think that if you're wise about something bigger, maybe it's sharing flavors that you grew up with.

Or maybe it's creating places for people to feel seen and to be seen, or to be a part of a community or to, provide something for the community.

Then I think that that will, that will really carry you when you want to give up.

Mary in was great to sit down and talk to you today.

I really appreciated it.

And one of the things that was kind of an that you said really early was that you really created a market.

We had a, we had a vision of a counter ordering to be coupled with fast food and not so healthy.

Right.

And you overcame that.

And I have been to three of your restaurants, the one DCP, the one in Cherry Creek, and the one on 70.

Each has a unique feel.

But what is, is, so, much that's consistent is that I've always felt welcome.

So I want to thank you for that.

Thank you.

That means a lot.

from her family's immigrant roots to her success as a Colorado restaurateur.

Mary Nguyen showed us that knowing your Y can turn any challenge into a reason to keep going.

If you'd like to catch our full Colorado Startup Week conversations, go to our YouTube channel, or you can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple and Amazon podcasts.

The debate over safety and privacy is heating up again as more cities are turning to technology to help police solve crimes.

And that debate spilled over onto the table at Colorado inside out.

Let's check in now with Kyle Dyer.

I, Basie and Ryan.

You know, we talk all the time about what more can be done to keep us safe and keep us feeling safe.

How do you feel about surveillance cameras and facial recognition technology to help make more arrests?

There are definitely two sides do what it takes to make our community safer.

Or is this rather an invasion of privacy for law abiding citizens?

Here's what our insiders had to say.

Now, let's talk about the push for more cameras around us to assist law enforcement.

Aurora City Council has signed off on the use of facial recognition technology to help solve some cases.

Arvada and Meade are already doing this.

And despite urges before the City Council this week in Denver, Denver is upping up its contract with flock safety.

Tyrone, where would you like to start?

I just think that this is a huge mistake.

I mean, we have seen the data and, these facial recognition, the technology is not there yet.

And, the I think bias that are within these machines is very much present.

The statistic from MIT.

Right.

And I think that it has not been disproven, is that there is a 34.7% error rate for identification of black women versus a 0.8%, error rate for white men.

I think that this is significant as one of the, folks who actually authored the complaint, for the Gilliam family, which if you remember, back in August of 2020, a group of girls with their aunt and mother going to like, girls getting their nails done, outing all held at gunpoint, face down on the hot pavement because they misidentified them.

And it was actually a license plate for a motorcycle when all of them were in a rather large SUV.

So the technology is not there.

And to roll out a facial recognition technology that our AG has already found has systematic racial bias in it.

Our own state AG finds this is just, I think, not the right path.

But interestingly, I think it was Ice who searched it 1400 times.

I mean, they are the primary user of this.

So I think we'll probably talk about it a little bit later in the program.

But this does seem to be consistent with, a trend of bowing to Ice and the administration as well.

All right.

And so I had a conversation with the mayor about this and other Latino leaders who were very concerned about what kind of protections are going to be available for this data.

And I think we all sit here and say, do we have people on staff are going to be sure and have oversight to make sure that this database never gets cracked or nobody ever gets into it.

I think there's all that concern in the background.

I did talk to, some council members on both sides of the issue, feeling like the fulfilling of this $500,000 grant, no cost extension.

And I think, you know, they're kind of split on whether or not he's using the powers that he has versus coming back with a better contract in the long run.

I will say that hundreds of people packed a room to have this conversation.

I've been getting texts since, 20, since Covid, there was a ballot issue that was circulating around banning facial recognition, and it was only because of Covid and the inability to petition successfully that that one disappeared.

So I feel like this is just the beginning.

And when you think about the the collusion of the surveillance state as a millennial since the Patriot Act, I think there are a lot of people who don't want to see it.

You mentioned the meeting Wednesday night, but even before the City council Monday night, a lot of people were standing up and saying, please do not go for a flock.

One the meeting had already been set up for Wednesday because it was a neighborhood meeting, and it was amazing that all of a sudden the announcement of the extension came right before that meeting, which definitely irritated many of the people who'd organized it.

The concern on that is, yes, the Johnston says that we will not release this.

This will the information will not go to ice.

But I think all of us are feeling not too secure in what we're going to be able to keep from the federal government right now.

I mean, they certainly the federal government is certainly making moves like they will take anything they can get.

The other reminder that we all have is cameras are everywhere.

Even if the government doesn't have access, the media does.

And all you need to do is look at the further giant span who got into an altercation with people leaving the No Kings rally, and it was a mess and it was all over and wound up with one person being arrested for the wrong action.

And that's been changed now.

But cameras are everywhere.

Behave yourselves.

Yeah, I think two things.

If you're going to build something that's controversial, don't name it flock.

Just think that could be problematic.

Secondly, there is an inherent tension between privacy and safety.

And I'm I'm very empathetic to the privacy concerns, especially given the flaws that you pointed out in the technology.

The fact that it is is still evolving and still needs some improvements, but there's also the safety side of it.

And they have arrested criminals and they have gotten people stolen cars returned to them.

So it is an important part of law enforcement.

We're talking 100 cameras and a pretty good sized city.

So it's not that there's a camera on every street corner.

These are these are placed pretty strategically.

So even though I'm aware that there are some problems, I also think that there are some benefits.

And as somebody who's been a victim of crime, I tend to on the side of giving the police those tools to be able to arrest those criminals and return stolen property.

And I do hope that the governor's or the mayor's word and the systems they're putting forth together in the contract, that they will be able to keep this information in-house and that it doesn't go inappropriately ties.

That was just one of the topics we talked about on the latest episode of Colorado Inside Out.

You can catch the entire show on YouTube, the PBS passport app, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts, and you can also find past episodes and those places as well.

So take some time to get informed and then don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November the 4th.

social media is a big part of how many teens communicate with each other.

And there are more social media platforms than ever before.

From group text to apps like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.

But for parents, this hyperfocus on social media raises a lot of important questions.

How much time on social media is too much?

Should I say no to it altogether?

And what's the best way to respond when concerning images and information pop up?

To help families navigate those difficult conversations.

We spoke with licensed family therapist Ryan Long, who has worked with teens and parents for nearly three decades.

Here's what he had to say.

Parents.

Social media.

It is tricky.

Some parents say no social media, no Instagram, no nothing.

And I know that there are some parents that truly believe in that and think that that's what's going to be best for their kids.

Also, some parents, it's unlimited social media, you know, every day, all day scroll every platform from TikTok to to Snapchat to Instagram to, you know, all of it.

I have noticed with the parents that I work with, somewhere in the middle is the best for the kids.

I'll tell you what, if they have no social media.

I've noticed a lot of kids.

They're almost not even connected to their generation.

Like to the means and the humor and to to all those different things that are being spread.

Now, I know a lot of it's not good or healthy to see, but it is the way they connect when they don't have any access to it.

They're kind of like at times I've noticed a lot of kids are like losing out.

On being able to connect with other peers when there are no limits.

That is also very scary because that is.

Yeah, as you read in and see all day long in the news and media.

Higher suicide rates, higher depression, higher self-harm.

So I have noticed that having some limits is what's best.

I have five of my own kids between the ages of 11 and 21, and all go down stairs in the basement and I'll look around and a lot of the kids I know, I know, it's different.

I know it's different than my generation, but a lot of them are looking on their phones, sharing different memes and TikToks with each other and just laughing their heads off.

It's a little tricky because you want them to have it, but that you don't want them to be overly overexposed to it.

Parents, it's important for you, though.

Whatever you do, decide that you're making it clear and realistic boundaries around it.

And the reason I'm saying that is a lot of parents try to limit all access to their kids, and a lot of kids will find very creative ways to get their social needs met through social media in other ways or formats.

So a lot of times, parents just don't know.

Our kids.

Hide.

Hide it.

Parents have to realize it for a lot of kids.

Being a part of group text messages, snaps, DMs, that is the way teenagers communicate.

The number one way teenagers communicate nowadays is through Snapchat.

So if you don't allow Snapchat, you are now cutting out the way kids communicate.

So parents, if you do decide to be a house or a household that limits or doesn't have any access to social media, make sure that they have ways.

Creative ways are figuring out creative ways for them to communicate with their friends.

We had telephones.

It'd be like saying, no, you can't have a telephone in the house.

That's how we talk to each other in my day.

We called each other on the landline.

So when parents take away cell phones and social media, they're isolated.

When you find something through a text message or you overhear a conversation with your kid, they'll be talking to their friend on the phone and they're talking about, you know, drinking or drugs or sex or vaping or maybe, yeah, maybe you find a vape cartridge in your kid's room.

How do you approach it?

Most parents just jump right in and it becomes this all on battle fight screaming match.

You can't this don't do this.

It becomes like, you know, like a war in the house.

Typically, as therapists, we don't recommend that.

I know it's hard at times because when we find that, you know, vape cartridge or we find or that text message where our kids are engaging in sex, we're scared.

We're worried, we're freaked out.

We're also shocked.

And we come across as maybe angry, judgmental.

The key for us as parents is almost, in a sense, to do the exact opposite, to allow for whatever you find are here, allow it to be a conversation.

Allow it to be a time to connect.

Allow it as a time to figure out what's going on or how or why or when.

Use it as a way to to know your kid better rather than focusing on punishments and anger and focusing on the the rules.

And you're you're not going to be able to do this or that.

Sure, some of that.

Yeah, that can come later, at least temporarily, or at least at the beginning.

It is about finding out what is your kid doing.

Maybe why are they doing those things?

Maybe how long have they been doing it?

What safeguards are maybe in place?

Really just trying to listen to them and know them and validate them and see their side.

Sure.

Can there be a time later where there's punishment?

Can there be a time later where you're able to say, hey, I've noticed that I have felt shocked or angry or maybe even disappointed?

Sure.

But the initial needs to be connection.

And why parents?

It's because when we lead with that, our kids are going to feel safe.

And when our kids feel safe and seen and heard and cared for, guess what they're going to do?

They're going to come talk to us when something else happens, or when something else comes up.

They're going to be like, you know what?

My family, my parents, they can handle it.

That they get me, that they see me, that I know that they're going to be on my team and then they care about me, and then I can open up about what I'm going through.

The key is, as parents, we want that safe place.

We want that safe space so that our kids can feel safe opening up about the things that they're involved in.

Thanks again to Ryan for those tips.

Also, we want to add here that if you or a loved one are facing a mental health challenge, there are resources available to help.

And we'd like to remind parents, teens and everyone in our community here in Colorado what some of those resources are.

So the nine eight in Colorado mental health line is available for free.

Immediate human support 24 over seven.

You can call, text or live chat with 988 today.

They're ready to listen.

Colorado youth can also receive up to six free therapy sessions through I matter, with English and Spanish language services available.

Visit I Matter colorado.org to learn more.

Season one of Colorado Sound Stage takes us on a musical journey of live performances at stunning venues all over Colorado.

This PBS 12 original series showcases the band Trampled by Turtles at the inaugural Grand Lake Folk Festival.

It's called Speed Grass for a reason.

Watching the dizzying banjo and mandolin plucking from this Minnesota based band really gets the crowd going.

Thanks for watching studio 12, and don't forget you can follow us on social media and on YouTube.

We look forward to seeing you again next Tuesday night at eight.

I'm Bosie Kanani and I'm Ryan Hare.

Thanks for joining us.

Have a good night.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh oh.

Oh.

Oh.

I want to understand what that process is like for you when you're coming up with songs that, for me, feel like longing or maybe even self-doubt or catharsis or being alive or like you put a big wide spectrum, I guess is the point.

Well, I think I use songwriting as as a mode of communication in that way.

I hate to use the word like therapy because it's maybe a little off the mark, but for me, it is it is as a way to explore, all sorts of places.

I've always tried to, maybe describe more of a time and place and, it might maybe lean a little abstract.

Sometimes when I listen to your music and I, I've been way off before, but the things that come to me are things like, a certain yearning victory, for example, was very much there's an aliveness to it, like the song ends and I'm just, like, left on this rush of, like, I feel alive right now.

That's great.

And I have overcome something in that narrative, but I'm wondering what it is like for you as you're being generative about that stuff and the sort of the creative torture that goes on.

The torture part for me is like, is writing, and I love it.

And every writer I know that I've talked to goes through something similar, but it can be a real hard thing to do and to keep doing and to keep searching for, new places to explore, new ways to write a three minute song that rhymes, you know what I mean?

After 20 some years, you're like, well, what else do I have to say?

So for me, that's the struggle.

Part is, is the creative process.

The, the joy is when you get that piece of work to a place that you're really happy about, that you're proud of, and that you're ready to kind of share with everybody, which is the, the scariest part of my job, really, the creative part of, like, the writing part of it is this for me, is the part I like the most and the part I'm most interested in and the part that I explore the most and, and really the point of all of this for me, I mean, I started playing guitar and singing as a vehicle to write songs, you know what I mean?

Our community has been a big, a big part of my artistic life, and I have to think about it when I say that, because I generally do most of my work completely alone.

I've only recently started writing songs with other people, which is a pretty common practice for a lot of songwriters.

But, I used to like, especially before I had kids, I would kind of go sequester myself in a cabin or some place off the beaten path off the grid.

Half the time to write for me like they're creative.

The writing part is very personal, but when it comes to bringing that anywhere outside of my own brain, it takes a community, right?

Fans of the music as a community, that that we have a relationship with now for a long time, the group of guys that's on the road, group people we work with, all of our families together, all of that man, and all takes the support of all of that to make even one show happen.

Yeah.

Victory was actually, started and ended up becoming about because that was the song I took like a year to write.

I remember I don't remember every song, but that one that sticks out to me in particular because it took so damn long.

But it was when we were expecting, my daughter this and, the idea of victory in that way for me was that we made a person, you know what I mean?

And that's like, the most common thing in the world.

But it's obviously a huge deal for everybody that does it.

And so that was like, it was more like the mood I was in at the time.

And so I was exploring that.

And there's not a lot of like lyrics in there about I don't even know her yet, you know, but, about your pregnancy or anything.

But that was where the victory came from.

And.

It.

All of us.

Now it it.

Was something.

Where if you shave your head.

Very quickly.

You're in there when you make.

This it.

Come on in.

Oh, it's a broken arm.

I know.

It feels like a. Hey!

I fell to the ground.

And it will pass.

Just like if you.

Wanted it to be.

Next time around.