b'COMMUNITYNortheast Park Hill Figthting to Protect Right to Make Decisions for FutureE mpowerNortheastDenvercam- whatwouldtheydoifwealthy,spe-paignsupportersandcommunitycial interests like SOS Denver decided members from Northeast Park Hill heldthattheywantedtotakeawayyour a press conference recently to encour- communitysdecision-makingpower? agetheirfellowDenveritestoprotectWhatifyourcommunitydidnthave therightsoftheirdiverseneighbor- the resources to fight them?hood by voting Yes on 302. The com- TheNortheastParkHillneighbor-munity has filed Ballot Initiative 302 inhood has experienced divestment and response to Ballot Initiative 301, fileddisenfranchisementfordecades.Due by people living outside their commu- todisplacementandanaffordable nity, which silences the voice of theirhousing crisis, many of the Black fami-neighborhoodandallowsthewholelies and business owner who founded city to decide the future of the defunct,this community have been forced out.privately-owned Park Hill Golf Course. The neighborhood currently does not Unfortunately, our community haseven have access to a grocery store. beenhistoricallymarginalizedandThecommunitysurroundingthe silenced, and yet again SOS is trying toParkHillGolfCourseiscurrentlyin silence our voices by putting 301 on theavisioningprocesswiththecityto ballot,saidInitiative302proponentdetermine how best to use the defunct,openspace,wouldstopthisvision-andNortheastParkHillCommunityprivatelyowned155-acrepropertytoing process and silence the neighbor-Leader Dr. Carroll Watkins Ali. I wantrevitalize their neighborhood. InitiativeThe other side wants to say this toaskmyfellowDenverresidents,301, misleadingly claiming to be abouthoodsvoicebyallowingtheentire citytodeterminethefutureofthisis about open space, this is really property. about people who believe they This is not about green vs concrete, thisisaboutprotectinglocalchoic- have the right to choose for other es and local voices," said Communitycommunities.Pastor Del PhillipsAdvocateLaMoneNoles.Iviewthis entire issue from many different lensesthe local community and City Council asalongtimeParkHillresidentandwill have final say over the property\'s aformermemberofSOSDenver.Ifuture.walked away from SOS Denver becauseTheothersidewantstosaythis they did not respect the voices of theisaboutopenspace,thisisreally peopleinmycommunityandwereabout people who believe they have the infactattemptingtosilencethemright to choose for other communities, throughcharteramendments,ballotsaid Pastor Del Phillips. What would initiatives and lawsuits. happenifTheHighlandsandCherry While claiming to be about protect- Creek and other prominent communi-ingopenspace,initiative301onlyties had to come to Northeast Park Hill applies to the Park Hill Golf Course. Ifand ask for permission to build critical passed,301setsadangerousprec- housing or other needed projects? That edentagainstlocalcommunitycon- would never happen, and we shouldnt trol,especiallyforalreadymarginal- let it happen to our community.ized communities that dont have the resources to fight against these typesLearnMoreabouttheEmpower of power grabs. If 302 passes, the ease- NortheastDenverCampaignatwww.mentremainsontheproperty,andyeson302denver.com.4 NOVEMBER 2021 BOCNEWS.com'