We all have a story, and each story deserves to be told. For the local Latino community, their history has been left untold in many educational systems, including those in the Boulder and St. Vrain valleys.
However, Esther Blazón—a first-generation college Latina who not only earned an undergraduate degree at CU Boulder, but also a master’s degree at the University of Northern Colorado—knew that with great vision, intent and diligence, she could help give voice to these untold histories. From her own understanding of the value of education, Esther wanted to ensure that local students had access to accurate histories that come straight from our own community.
With determination, the Latino History Project emerged. Esther and 14 other community leaders in the area, including CU Boulder Distinguished Professor Emerita Marjorie McIntosh, who wrote Latinos of Boulder County, Colorado, 1900-1980, set out on a mission to establish, share and teach the history of the local Latino community.
As a partner in this endeavor, CU Boulder faculty, staff and students worked with the Latino History Project's team to gather stories in the community and then translated McIntosh’s book into applicable curriculum for local K–12 schools to adopt and implement in their history classes. The new curriculum is being taught this fall in schools across St. Vrain and Boulder valleys.
The material is critical for the community at large, as each child can now gain an accurate understanding and appreciation for the stories that comprise our community’s history. Esther hopes the movement continues in Colorado and beyond, encouraging others to ask questions, to document stories and to celebrate cultures: “You know, we all have a story. We all want to be heard, we all want to be seen. None of us want to be invisible, because we are here, we are all human.”
