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September 2016

In 2015, 2,250 refugees and those eligible to receive refugee benefits (asylum grantees, for example) made Colorado their new home. Individuals who receive this official refugee status can come from a variety of countries and ethnicities, with varying cultural practices and religions. However, they all have been granted asylum because of their experiences – fear of persecution based on their race, religion, nationality, social group or political opinions. Many have lived through war and other traumas.

On a hot Sunday afternoon in June, Fawaz Suleiman sits in a well-lit living room in Thornton, Colo., and offers up a pitcher of water and dried dates. When he speaks, he switches back and forth between English and his native Arabic. On the occasion when he struggles with a word or needs to convey a more complex explanation, his son, Mazen Suliman (last names spelled differently), steps in to translate. Together, the two explain the story that brought Fawaz across the world from his former home in Syria to what he hopes will be his future home in Adams County.

In 1987, E.D. Hirsch sparked a national debate with his book, Cultural Literacy. His claim was that there is a common foundation of knowledge that every American should know. Hirsch put forth that claim by providing a list of 5,000 facts and references in his book. This list was both celebrated and attacked for its inclusions and its omissions.

We all have opinions – and we like to think that we’re right about those opinions. So what does it take to convince someone else? Science has a few things to say about it. Consider the following before your next dinner table conversation with relatives.

Colorado is no stranger to variation – it’s almost a point of pride to people in the Centennial State that it can go from 70 degrees to a blizzard in less than 24 hours – and its landscape is no different. Here are five hikes that represent Colorado’s diverse scenery.  

For Boyd Norton, photography is less about taking beautiful pictures and more about getting dirty. The preeminent conservation photographer has used his photography to help fight for places and causes. In addition to being the recipient of the 2015 Ansel Adams Award for lifetime achievement, an honor bestowed on him by the Sierra Club, Norton is also the founder of Serengeti Watch, a non-profit organization aimed at safeguarding one of the world’s greatest scenic and wildlife treasures.

Citizens across the country will soon make their voices heard and decide the next President of the United States of America, in addition to a number of other measures, referendums and elected officials. While the official ballot won’t be made public until Sept. 26, here’s what you need to know about casting your vote in Adams County.

Eligibility

To register to vote in Adams County, you must:

We’re all familiar with first, second and third person, but when it comes to narration, what about an entirely different point of view – like a child, an alien, a tree or a painting? Anythink buyer Jennifer Hendzlik shares some of her favorite titles with surprising perspectives.

“He stood breathing, and the more he breathed the land in, the more he was filled up with all the details of the land. He was not empty. There was more than enough here to fill him. There would always be more than enough.”
– Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451