Bucket List Community Cafe Podcast

Podcast: Renowned Veterinarian and Funny Guy Kevin Fitzgerald

When Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald arrived at our publisher’s house to record our podcast last week, his first instinct was to greet our feisty three-and-a-half-month-old canine correspondent, Daphne. She can be a bit of a talker, as you’ll hear on the podcast, but she was instantly soothed by the 72-year-old veterinarian’s peaceful demeanor. But Kevin isn’t just a dog whisperer. Given a microphone and an audience, he makes crowds of all ages and demographics erupt with laughter during unique standup comedy sets. He frequently says he loves all animals; “anything with a heartbeat,” in fact. Well, except for spiders.

Podcast: District Attorney Beth McCann

Denver’s outgoing district attorney Beth McCann, who is leaving office after two terms, has made a lasting impression on the city. Many will remember her for a legacy of legal reforms, community safety initiatives and her steadfast commitment to justice. This Women’s History Month, she sat down with us for the Bucket List Community Cafe podcast to reflect on her tenure, the challenges she has faced throughout her career and the path ahead for Denver’s criminal justice system.

Podcast: Reflecting on 10 Years of Legal Cannabis With Mason Tvert

He’s been called the “Don Draper of Pot,” a “Jewish Pot Activist,” and “Marijuana’s Top Evangelist.” In 2012, he paid a protestor to dress up in a chicken suit and follow then-Gov. John Hickenlooper around the streets of Denver with a sign that said, “Hey Mayor Chickenlooper, What’s So Scary About Marijuana?’” Hickenlooper, who voted against Amendment 64, has since said he “was wrong” to oppose legalizing cannabis at the time.
He co-authored the book, “Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?” and founded Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation, or SAFER, as well as the SAFER Voter Education Fund. His skillful debate tactics, in-depth policy knowledge and incredibly dry sense of humor ultimately led to the successful legalization of cannabis in the state of Colorado. The rest of the country began to follow suit.
These days, he just goes by Mason. He enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles in his free time. He also plays in a band. He doesn’t spend much time coordinating chicken suit stunts anymore. As the state marks a decade since legalizing marijuana, Mason Tvert shares his reflections on the movement’s trajectory, its triumphs and setbacks and the road ahead on the Bucket List Community Cafe Podcast.

Podcast: Crime Fiction Writer Twist Phelan

Award-winning author Twist Phelan didn’t always want to be a writer but she always knew how to tell a story. Phelan started her professional career as a lawyer in one of the only all-women law firms in Arizona. She wasn’t known for her law skills but for her ability to capture the jury in her closing statements. After retiring from the world of law at 30 years old, Phelan bought a yacht and began cruising around the world. Ten years later she found herself writing short stories that she wanted to read: thrillers and mysteries. 

Podcast: Helping Migrant Families

Over 30,000 migrants from Venezuela and other Central American countries have made the grueling journey to Denver in the past year and thousands are here to stay.  Denver Public Schools (DPS) has had more than 2000 new students enroll. 
“What I always focus on as a community organizer, is making sure that there are very few barriers to entry, creating a very inclusive environment for folks to help,” President of the Tre-Vista PTA Mariah Kamei said. “You know, some folks, maybe all they can give right now is money. Some folks might not have any money and they can give time, right?”
Kamei has “adopted” three of these families and has been helping them with jobs and housing but beyond that Kamei has been building relationships with the family she has welcomed into her life. 
To hear more about Denver’s migrant crisis and how you can help, listen to our Mimi Herrick interview Mariah Kamei in this month’s Bucket List Community Cafe podcast.

PODCAST: What’s Next for Anne Trujillo?

After almost 40 years of storytelling for Denver’s channel 7, Anne Trujillo is retiring–or as she calls it reinventing.  Already her fans and community are missing her.Trujillo has received a multitude of thanks and well wishes in her last week on air. Her social media comments are flooded with love and support. Trujillo grew up in Colorado, and didn’t know she wanted to be a journalist until her first internship with the press and communications team for a member of congress. After that she went all in, leaving the University of Colorado a semester early to pursue her dream and take  a job in ScottsBluff, Nebraska. Trujillo was one of two journalists in the newsroom and figured out pretty quickly what she was good at and what she wasn’t. 

Podcast: Rep. Brianna Titone

This month on the Bucket List Community cafe podcast, our Mimi Herrick speaks to Rep. Brianna Titone about her journey, working in the state legislature and trans activism.
Titone was elected in 2019 to Colorado House District 27 in Arvada and became the first openly transgender person in the state legislature. But entering politics was not originally in Titone’s plans. In fact, she was a geological consultant before getting elected. Titone decided to run for HD-27 because a member of the Colorado Democratic Party asked her to. 

Podcast: Randle Loeb on Homelessness in Denver

This month on Bucket List Community Café’s Podcast homeless activist Randle Loeb discusses Mayor Mike Johnston’s plans to end homelessness in Denver. Loeb has been advocating for ways to help the unhoused in Denver for most of his adult life. Loeb was unhoused for six years, and in 2001, he attempted to die by suicide. After this attempt, Loeb became a prominent activist for the unhoused and has represented our community working to find solutions.

History Colorado Showcases John Fielder

John Fielder stands as Colorado’s most influential landscape and nature photographer, with his career spanning over the last four decades. Fielder has captured breathtaking and unique scenic views from all over the state. On July 22, the History Colorado Center proudly unveiled its latest exhibit, “REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place.”
This month on the Bucket List Community Cafe podcast, we sat down with Luke Perkins, History Colorado’s manager of communications and public relations, to gain insight into what sets John Fielder apart from the rest, and what Denverites can learn from his photos.

Chantal Furaha - Rwanda Genocide Survivor Shares Her Story

During the devastating Rwanda genocide of 1994, members of the Hutu ethnic majority in Rwanda unleashed slaughtered the Tutsi minority. Over 100 days, the violence claimed the lives of up to 800,000 people and an additional 2 million individuals were forced to flee their homeland. Among the survivors was Chantal Furaha, who now calls Denver home. Chantal Furaha’s journey began in Rwanda, where she was born and raised alongside her family, consisting of her mother, father, and 9 siblings. She was just 13 years old when hostility escalated. As tension grew closer to Chantal and her family, they decided to separate hoping that it would increase their chances of survival.