AURORA, Colo. — As kids and their parents walk into an art class at the Downtown Aurora Visual Arts nonprofit, they’re welcomed, no matter where they come from or what language they speak.
“Every single kid is unique, every family is unique, and we value them for who they are,” said Priscilla Montoya, DAVA’s executive director.
While the recent national spotlight on Aurora has raised fears of immigrant communities, Montoya said nonprofits like hers hope to show that the city is a safe and welcoming place.
“We are literally in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the whole state of Colorado,” she said, and the focus on potential gang presence in Aurora doesn’t capture the experience of most people in the city.
“I have always felt very safe here,” she said. “For most of our kids, that's their same experience.”
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Just east of Denver, in Aurora’s Arts District, DAVA has been offering free classes for children for more than 30 years. Their classes teach everything from film to pottery, painting and a variety of crafts.
“Our doors are open to everyone,” Montoya said. “They're welcome to come as they are with their languages, with their customs, with their cultures, with their art.”
But Montoya said their space is for more than making art, especially as the community looks ahead to a second Donald Trump administration.
“When something's going on in the world or in the community, we allow our kids to process that here, to talk about it, to have a safe space to explore,” she said. “For them to be able to counter that national narrative through art, and process their own feelings through art, has been incredible.”
Montoya recently became the organization’s first Latina director. She grew up in a similarly diverse neighborhood and believes cultural arts can connect people with their roots and support healing.
She said hosting events like DAVA’s recent Día de los Muertos celebration and “being able to communicate in Spanish with our families that live around here,” helps children feel proud of their heritage.
Last summer, DAVA partnered with the Askkanwii Film Hub to help kids make their own films and documentaries. Some decided to tell the stories of their family’s immigration to the United States.
“All of them went through this process of really digging deep down and looking at their own lives, their own reflections, their own family journeys,” Montoya said. While some of their parents previously felt ashamed to share their immigration stories, the films offered the families a chance to take pride in their experience, she said.
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DAVA also teaches family arts classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, starting at 10 a.m. Their studio is open every weekday afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for kids ages 6 to 14. DAVA also offers job training for middle schoolers and opportunities for high schoolers to create and exhibit their work.
In their art studio, a white board shows students how to say words like "hello," "good morning" and "thank you" in languages ranging from Spanish to Russian. Pride flags hang on the wall. And smiles spread across the faces of children expressing their creativity.
“It's a place that feels much like home,” Montoya said.
But to keep this space open, DAVA needs to bring in more donations and support. At a holiday art show on Dec. 6 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., DAVA will raise money by selling art made by their students and local professionals.
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