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🚫 ICE Out Protests Take Over Denver

A nationwide general strike is scheduled for today as anti-ICE protests are planned for cities across the country, encouraging people to skip work and stay home from school. Event organizers are calling on businesses and individuals alike to close up shop or make donations in solidarity with the citizens of Minnesota. Here’s what to expect around Denver.

Participating Businesses

Restaurants, cafes, and shops across the city are closing their doors for the day. Award-winning Vietnamese restaurant Sắp Sửa even promised to reschedule and comp guests whose reservations would be cancelled. “The entire point is to grind the economy to a halt,” said Ni Nguyen, the restaurant’s chef and co-owner.

The places that can’t afford to lose a full day of business are finding different ways to participate. Several are donating portions of their proceeds to advocacy organizations. Others are creating specialty anti-ICE products to show their support.

Protests and Events

There are also multiple anti-ICE events scheduled around the Denver metro, from rallies, strikes, and protests to sign-making events, open mics, and a “Know Your Rights” training. If you’re looking for local immigrant advocacy organizations, we have a list.

Are you participating? Let us know how 💌

Tune into the City Cast Denver podcast for more coverage 🎧

🧑‍⚖️ Former State Senator Convicted of 4 Felonies

Former State Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis has been found guilty on three counts of forgery and one count of attempting to influence a public servant. The charges go back to a situation last year when the lawmaker was being investigated by a Senate Ethics Committee over accusations of mistreating her aides. Jaquez Lewis was caught creating fake letters of support purported to be from former staffers. She could face several years in prison. Her sentencing hearing is set for Feb. 27. [CO Sun]

• In her own defense Jaquez Lewis told jurors, “I ran out of time. I was not working on the letters, until the very end. I was overwhelmed, and I had to get it in.”

🔪 Denver Chef Stars in New CBS Cooking Competition

The Michelin-honored Chef Michael Diaz de Leon is slated to be one of 16 contestants on the first season of “America’s Culinary Cup.” The show is scheduled to premiere on March 4. The prize? $1 million. Diaz de Leon was the executive chef at BRUTØ when it earned one of Denver’s first Michelin stars. Most recently he partnered with Chef Tommy Lee — another local culinary king — to open Molino Chido at the Stanley Marketplace. [Westword]

• Hear from the chef: We had Diaz de Leon on the show just shortly after he earned his Michelin claim to fame. You can listen back to that conversation here. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

Last week’s answer: This detailed wheat diagram can be spotted at Rebel Bread in Baker. The beloved wholesale bakery expanded its footprint at 675 S Broadway last year where it now has the room to offer a cafe space for lingering, a full coffee bar pouring local brews, and a teaching kitchen where it hosts quarterly baking classes on everything from tortillas to pasta. The photo above is a hand-illustrated mural detailing the grains used in Rebel Bread’s loaves.

📣 A special shoutout for this week’s correct guessers:

• Keith S. was the first to write in with the correct answer!
• But Ben R., Aleea E., Elisa E., Ronna G., and Jessican N. weren’t far behind!
• And a special thanks to Hey Denver reader Joe C. for sending us last week’s photo 📸

This Week’s Photo:

🕵️ Do YOU recognize the view at the base of this rock-climbing wall? Be among the first to respond with the right answer and you’ll get a special shoutout in next Friday’s newsletter!

📸 Want to submit a photo? Send me a snapshot of somewhere in Denver, and I’ll consider it for an upcoming photo trivia segment!