MLK Project Complete!

We completed the video from our Martin Luther King Day Stop & Serve Project!

Check it out at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6vM5sBtMeQ

A big thanks to UCD's Experiential Learning Center for collaborating with us on this project, and to their student staff for putting together footage gathered by their students and CEC Middle College students in January. We hope you enjoy it!

Alex

Wear Denim, Save Lives of Women

Hey Everyone-

Tomorrow, April 21st is Denim Day. Denim Day has been internationally celebrated since 1999 in protest of an Italian High Court ruling that overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing jeans. Enraged by the verdict, women of the Italian Legislature protested the decision by wearing jeans to work. As news of the decision spread, so did the protest. On April 21, 2010 universities, colleges, junior high and high schools, businesses, organizations and individuals will participate in Denim Day events. Join the campaign—step forward take a stand against rape.

Please support CCD, Metro Women's Institute, Center for Urban Connections and Metro State Feminist Alliance with this campaign by wearing denim tomorrow.

For more information about this day, April 21st,2010 please visit:

http://supportdenimday.com/


Thanks much and our Center really appreciates your voice!

Have a wonderful day!

-Rachelle
Student Staff
Center for Urban Connections

Interesting Article about Composting

Hi All-
I found a really interesting article about having an indoor composting bin without creating a stench. A lot of us live in urban apartments and houses where beautiful grassy lands are limited to composting. Please read this if your interested. Also, if you have interest in composting please come by Tivoli 243 and sign up to support our Auraria Compost with volunteering and spreading the message !



http://one-change.com/blog/2006/04/indoor-compost-bin/

Have a great weekend!

Ethiopia Book Drive

Hi blog readers!

Have you ever considered donating your books to support a cause? If not, you should consider donating something that is very appreciated in all countries! Metro is participating in a Ethiopia Book Drive, they have a lot less bookstores than we do at our Auraria campus. Any book that any individual gives will be loved and happy at its new home!
!This is not solely for students trying to get rid of their books. Bring any book.Mary Ann Watson, a professor of psychology is collect 5 tons of textbooks over a three-week period. The dates for the bookdrive are April 19th through May 7th and will be at Comcast Cares day on April 24th.

Please drop off the books at any major department such as, The King Center's English Department, The Central Classroom History department or The Center for Urban Connections Tivoli 243.


Dr. Watson and her colleagues also need students who could take empty, labeled boxes around to each of the department offices and other visible campus spots on Friday, April 16th, from 9am to noon. Students would meet at Dr. Watson's office in the psychology department (Plaza 220), to be dispatched throughout campus with boxes. She needs five volunteers. Interested students can contact her directly at watsonm@mscd.edu.



Please participate in this wonderful opportunity to give to those in need and help be apart of this!

Have a great week!

Cafe Botanique Talk!

Hi Everyone-

Just wanted to let you know there is a discussion CAFÉ BOTANIQUE on April 15th. If you are interested in plant art, please consider going! It will be very informative. It will be from 6:30 to 8pm in the Denver Botanic Gardens- Gates Hall.

Have a great weekend!



This is the current Art and Illustration Program:


Effective pollinators in a rare
and endemic Colorado Penstemon
Carol English, Colorado Natural Areas Program (CNAP)

Degener’s Beardtongue (Penstemon degnerii), a rare Colorado endemic forb sets fruit using a combination of outcrossing affected by bees and a small amount of self-pollination in the absence of bees. Effective pollinators were determined by linking visitor frequency, behavior and body pollen in 2007 and 2008. This study demonstrates the importance of observing and understanding long term plant and pollinator interactions in both space and time when attempting to manage rare endemic species.

Carol English worked for several years as a naturalist and interpretive specialist for Jefferson County Open Space. While working as a naturalist, she became increasingly interested in the relationship between native plants and pollinators. Subsequently she completed her master degree in biology with Dr. Leo Bruederle at University Colorado Denver in 2008. Her research included detailed field and laboratory work over several years to determine the effective pollinators for the rare Colorado endemic, Penstemon degeneri.

Café Botanique is a part of the Botanical Art and Illustration Program and is open to everybody. The 30-40 minute talk starts at 6:30 p.m. and is followed by a discussion. There is no admission fee and pre-registration is not required. This lecture offers one elective credit hour in the BI-program.


Mervi Hjelmroos-Koski, Ph.D., D.Sc.
Botanical Art & Illustration Programs Manager
Denver Botanic Gardens
909 York Street
Denver, CO 80206
720-865-3653 Phone
720-865-3723 Fax
mervihj@botanicgardens.org
www.botanicalillustration.blogspot.com
www.botanicgardens.org

Upcoming Metro State Events

Hi Everybody!

Just wanted to let you know whats happening in the busy, lovely month of April!
We are doing our first annual awards ceremony for our Community Engagement Awards. The deadline is on April 9th. If you would like to nominate a Student, Staff, Community Partner or Staff please visit our website http://www.mscd.edu/urbanconnect. Go to the middle of our page and make a nomination! If you have any questions, please go to Tivoli 243 for more information!

Also, We are still accepting applications for the Summer Grant Application that is due April 15th @ 5pm ! If you are involved in a project either on campus or off-campus and would like to receive money for the summer, please sign up! All you have to do is fill out a common grant application.For more information come to Tivoli 243 and ask us about the Summer Grant Application!

Spring Fling is April 21st and 22nd!! We are hosting two booths and two lovely organizations. The Women's Craft Initiative is on the 21st and will display jewelry and information about the organization. There will be a representative from the Women's Craft Initiative for information and questions. On April 22nd, we will have the GREAT non-profit Women's Bean Project. Not only will we have information about the Women's Bean Project, but will also be giving out samples in the form of stew with beans included! Please stop by and learn about these awesome organizations and eat and purchase goods for a good cause!

The last wonderful event we are doing is Comcast Cares Day. Comcast Cares day is on April 24th and it will be from 8am to 1pm. Comcast Cares will be painting and doing outdoor work. We would love as many volunteers as possible! You will get a free t-shirt and hat, breakfast and lunch. If you are interested please e-mail us @ mscd.urbanconnect@gmail.com OR come into the Tivoli 243 to get signed up!

Have a great week!

April Fools Forum Article Becomes Discriminatory

Just yesterday, the CU Denver newspaper wrote a couple of " April Fools" articles. that wrote of topics like health-care, illegal immigrants "Dear White Guys" and eating babies or the elderly. I quote in an article called, "Enjoy Obamacare If You Like Payin for Illegal Mexicans", " say goodbye to the land of the free because AMERICA is now the land of socialism and forced abortions." The author even misspelled a lot of words. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be humorous or if thats how he usually writes. These articles have taken an April Fool's day joke to one of discrimination and unnecessary demeanor from the CU Denver paper. It is interesting that a school, CU Denver and probably a CU student writer, did not receive any criticism by his boss or was asked any questions. It makes one think that some individuals are just trying to stir up unnecessary information involving racism and prejudices. In our country, we do have the first amendment rights, but it is not proper for a school like CU Denver, to display any form of discrimination, when clearly they do not care that this article would not attract students of different races and ethnic backgrounds. I also think that CU Denver,wants to keep a reputation of being an anti-discriminatory school and not cause controversial acts over many problems that University of Colorado has had in past. If you are interested in reading the original Forum article please copy & paste the link below. There will be a rally on Monday, April 5th from 11 to 2.


http://www.ucdadvocate.com/theforum/the-hairy-eyeball-enjoy-obamacare-if-you-like-payin-for-illegal-mexicans-1.1290635