Even though February is nearing its end, our commitment to supporting the Black community remains unwavering, and we urge you to do the same. The contributions of Black individuals to our culture and the country's foundation are immense. Today, we encourage you to acknowledge your privilege, continue educating yourself, and actively participate.

Did you know that Colorado passed the first-in-the-nation Fair Housing Act in 1959? Click here to learn more about how it came to be and how it attempted to rectify discriminatory housing practices against Blacks and members of other ethnic and religious groups that was legal in Colorado and the rest of the nation for over 100 years.

Scroll below to read an inspiring poem by Amanda Gorman on unity and creating positive change.

Continue your impact by supporting the following Black-Owned GBC Members Businesses!

**The Ray Of Justice Legal Services and Holistic Care**

The Ray Of Justice Legal Services and Holistic Care educates, empowers, and advocates for crime victims while providing access to holistic wellness modalities so clients can heal.

Founding Attorney: Rachel W. Robinson, Esquire

Learn more: https://www.therayofjustice.com/

***A message from TeaLee's Owner, Risë Jones***

**Reflective - Grateful - Hopeful**
February, in addition to being a celebration of Black History, is also the month TeaLee’s opened it’s door (02/20/2018). This is year number 7 for the Tea House and Bookstore… and what a journey it has been from inception to the present.
What’s significant about the number 7… in humans our skin cells regenerate on average every 7-10 years for the purpose of healing and health. In numerology the number 7 can mean overcoming obstacles and achieving inevitable success. In astrology Libra is the 7th astrological sign and “a symbol of unwavering truth”.
So…what does it mean to be a 7 year old Tea House and Book business? For TeaLee’s, we know there are tea drinking connoisseurs, tea converts and coffee addicts (we don’t attempt to change them - we have an expresso machine). Our quiche is hard to beat and tea is very edible in addition to drinking it, (even in cocktails)! Customers love a good book with their tea and High and Afternoon Tea make a way for people to have face to face conversations while eating and drinking.
I’m **grateful** for community and neighborhood support near and far - local, national and international. The diversity of people who walk through TeaLee’s door are amazing.
I’m **hopeful** that true to the astrology of the number 7 we will continue to be a place of comfort, good food and conversation for healing and health. That the challenges that come before us are used as a way to grow, learn and achieve.

Learn more: https://www.tealeesdenverteahouse.com/

**Herbal Honey**

Herbal Honey provides custom formulated easy to use solutions to everyday health concerns using tea, the world’s top beverage choice second only to water.

Their mission is to help others improve and maintain their wellness through thoughtful formulation and high quality ingredients, grown and processed sustainably from the farm to the consumer. They are changing the way people think about their wellness one sip at a time.

Learn more: https://herbalhoney.net/

**Original Account Strategies**

Original Account Strategies is a communications and design agency that amplifies voices and makes it easier for people to connect with their communities. From logos and branding to advanced website design and development, OAS helps organizations share their stories and information with their audiences in vibrant and meaningful ways.

Learn more: https://originalaccountstrategies.com/

**Social Links:**
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/originalaccountstrategies/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/original-account-strategies/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/originalaccountstrategies/

**Quince Coffee House**

Quince Coffee House was reestablished in 2021 as a majority Black-woman-owned business and has been thriving as a community hub in East Denver ever since. The award-winning cafe resides in a 19th century home and hosts a variety of local BIPOC artists and food vendors. A true coffee house with a wraparound porch and large back yard, the coffee shop regularly puts on events such as live music and open mic nights and provides space rentals for private parties.
Quince Coffee House roasts their own specialty coffee, one of the few Black and BIPOC roasters in the industry. Featured in 5280 Magazine, Voyage Denver, and 303 Magazine, Quince Coffee House is a truly unique third space for the Denver community that embodies their motto "our house, your home".
Learn more: quincecoffee.com

**Modern Woodmen**

Modern Woodmen exists to improve quality of life for their members and the communities where they live, work and play. They do this through financial guidance and social, educational and volunteer activities.

Reach out to *Rebecca M Gibbs-Thompson, FIC* for more information at: https://reps.modernwoodmen.org/rgibbs-thompson

**CiferNoise**

CiferNoise, established in 2019, is not your typical event production company. Their unique focus on silent disco popups sets us apart, offering a diverse range of creative applications beyond the conventional DJ set. From silent disco drawing classes to co-working days and wedding receptions, we strive to redefine how customers experience and utilize silent disco, opening up new dimensions of entertainment and engagement.
At the heart of CiferNoise is a team dedicated to creativity and inclusivity. They take pride in crafting events that resonate long after the last note fades. Their participants don't just listen to music; they become integral contributors to the event's energy and ambiance, creating unforgettable moments.
Their ultimate pride lies in the words we often hear at the end of our events: 'I can't believe I experienced this event through silent disco.' They invite you to join them on this transformative journey, where every event becomes a unique canvas for innovation and connection. Welcome to CiferNoise – where silent disco becomes an extraordinary experience that lingers in the memories of those who encounter it.
Learn more: https://www.cifernoiseproductions.com/

Beautiful poem by Amanda Gorman

May this be the day

We come together.

Mourning, we come to mend,

Withered, we come to weather,

Torn, we come to tend,

Battered, we come to better.

Tethered by this year of yearning,

We are learning

That though we weren't ready for this,

We have been readied by it.

We steadily vow that no matter

How we are weighed down,

We must always pave a way forward.

*

This hope is our door, our portal.

Even if we never get back to normal,

Someday we can venture beyond it,

To leave the known and take the first steps.

So let us not return to what was normal,

But reach toward what is next.

*

What was cursed, we will cure.

What was plagued, we will prove pure.

Where we tend to argue, we will try to agree,

Those fortunes we forswore, now the future we foresee,

Where we weren't aware, we're now awake;

Those moments we missed

Are now these moments we make,

The moments we meet,

And our hearts, once all together beaten,

Now all together beat.

*

Come, look up with kindness yet,

For even solace can be sourced from sorrow.

We remember, not just for the sake of yesterday,

But to take on tomorrow.

*

We heed this old spirit,

In a new day's lyric,

In our hearts, we hear it:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne.

Be bold, sang Time this year,

Be bold, sang Time,

For when you honor yesterday,

Tomorrow ye will find.

Know what we've fought

Need not be forgot nor for none.

It defines us, binds us as one,

Come over, join this day just begun.

For wherever we come together,

We will forever overcome.

We're Still Celebrating Black History Month! Are you?

Continue your impact by supporting the following Black-Owned GBC Members Businesses!