COMMUNITY VOICES BUILT WITH HEART: HOW CREATIVITY IS REVIVING COLORADO COMMUNITIES STORY BY MARIANA ORTEGA RIVERA CYNTHIA CAZAÑAS GARÍN (LEFT) DIRECTED THE DOCUMENTARY “BUILT WITH HEART,” AND JESSICA CAZAÑAS GARÍN (RIGHT) EDITED IT. | PHOTO BY MARIANA ORTEGA RIVERA A NEW DOCUMENTARY directed by CU Denver professor Cynthia Cazañas Garín explores how art has brought new life to communities across Colorado. In “Built With HeART,” Cynthia explores how the arts help revitalize small towns like Ridgway and Trinidad. A collaboration with Colorado Creative Industries and edited by Cynthia’s sister Jessica Cazañas Garín, the 26-minute film’s Denver debut was on Nov. 20 at Su Teatro in Denver’s Santa Fe Art District. Hosting the documentary at Su Teatro connects two worlds: the rural towns redefining themselves through art, and the city district that helped spark the statewide movement. For Cynthia, the story began on the road. She visited towns that had weathered economic downturns. “They were really struggling, people told me they lost a lot of visitors, their sales went down,” she said. But she discovered that targeted investments, including grant programs and affordable artist housing, not only bolstered the local economy but also gave people a reason to stay. “By investing in the arts, these towns are not forgotten,” she said. “Now these towns can thrive because they already have the potential, they already have the creativity, it’s only about getting seen.” The film traces three major CCI programs: Creative Districts, Community Revitalization Grants, and Space to Create through communities actively using them. “Ridgway, Trinidad, and the Santa Fe Art District became our focus because they allowed us to highlight both rural and urban communities,” Jessica said. “Each one faces unique local, economic, physical, and social challenges, and the programs support them in different ways.” The Santa Fe Art District offers an urban mirror to the rural communities she documented. As one of Colorado’s first certified Creative Districts, its collaborative model helped inform statewide efforts. “They feel like they have a union … they’re not alone,” she said. Jessica felt an unexpected personal connection to the footage. “I was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and before this project, I had never experienced rural towns,” she said. “When I visited these Colorado towns, I felt something familiar. People knew one another deeply and often described their towns as ‘living in the same house but in different rooms.’ That sense of closeness reminded me of home, and it drew me into the story.” The documentary is centered around the people carrying these efforts forward. In Ridgeway, she met the town’s longtime mayor, John Clark, who also works as a computer repair technician and paints during his spare time. “He wears multiple hats,” she said. In Trinidad, she spoke with Rich Alford, a former sociology professor turned painter whose multi-talented background reflects the richness Cynthia hoped to capture in her film. “That openness was unforgettable,” she said. From an editing standpoint, the two sisters built the narrative around emotional truth. “We centered the film on real people—artists, residents, and community leaders,” Jessica said. “Everyone we interviewed spoke with such passion and pride. As an editor, I made sure to highlight those moments where you can truly feel their connection to place and the transformation the arts brought to their communities.” In Trinidad, Jessica was struck by one story of resilience: She talked about how a place called “The Space to Create” burned down, and the community transformed it into building that provides affordable housing for artists and hosts installations and events. Jessica said the most challenging part of editing wasn’t structure, it was restraint. “These towns are small but full of remarkable, layered histories. Compressing all of that into a 26-minute film was extremely difficult.” Yet the reaction has already affirmed the work. In Ridgway, Cynthia said, “People were crying. They were clapping. They asked a lot of questions. Everybody knows each other. It’s like a big family.” In Trinidad, viewers told her they felt seen. Jessica hopes that feeling resonates even further: “I hope audiences understand the transformative power of the arts, what they can mean to a community, and how they can spark real change. And yes, absolutely, I hope the film inspires more initiatives like these statewide and even nationally.” For both sisters — one shaping the footage, the other capturing the voices — “Built With HeART” became more than a documentary. It became a testament to resilience, collaboration, and the belief that creativity is not a luxury but a foundation. “It’s about giving hope even in the darkest times, the arts have that power,” Cynthia said. RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR MY CHRISTMAS WISH I LOVE CHRISTMAS TIME with the snow and the holiday lights up and all the excitement in the air. On top of that, some folks have birthdays during the holiday season, including me. My Christmas wish for December is that every single person finds true happiness and love, finds true peace within themselves to enjoy life, and to see how beautiful it is to be alive this holiday season. I’ll be looking out to see who I can help this holiday season because even though I have gotten off the streets don’t mean that I forgot where I came from or those who are still out there struggling to find a home. I’m going to share kindness, a smile, a surprise gift, an encouraging word, or even a hug or acknowledgment of being on this earth. For people who are homeless, holidays are the worst. I hope everyone will be able to find warmth this winter. If you have a warm place, don’t forget to think about blankets, socks, or jackets for people who are fighting the elements out there. Try to give somebody a happy Christmas. You could even wrap presents for them to make them feel special. It doesn’t take much to share kindness. My wish is that the Denver VOICE receives the funding it needs, and that all of the vendors thrive during the winter. Winter can be a difficult time because vendors don’t sell a lot of papers in cold weather. May you all find your blessings and enjoy your family this holiday season. Happy New Year from your vendor, Raelene. See you next year! December 2025 DENVER VOICE 7
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