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President Trump carried the county in 2016. Salida, at the south end of the county, is generally more progressive than Buena Vista, 24 miles north, where churches are the social glue. Progressives and conservatives contend for the soul of the place. Deep pockets of poverty are embedded here, too, and affordable housing is minimal.
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Second homeowners discovered Salida and helped drive real estate prices through the roof. There’s no shortage of art galleries, restaurants and shops in the picturesque Victorian downtown of red-orange brick buildings. Outdoor adventurers have found a paradise in this former mining and railroad stop. Salida, a small city of about 5,700 people, is just one of many rural communities across the state-none of them alike. In a separate report in April 2019, MAP pointed to national research that shows, roughly, 10% percent of rural youth identify as LGBTQ-the same as in urban areas. The percentage of LGBTQ youth in rural and urban areas is roughly the same. The report found that, generally, spaces that exist may not be able to support the multiple intersecting aspects of someone’s identity for instance, rural areas are less likely to have resources specifically directed toward LGBTQ youth of color. The nonprofit noted that in rural areas, having fewer people can mean differences are noticed right away.Īdditionally, LGBTQ people of color who are struggling with acceptance or coming out have fewer places to turn to for social or legal support, or even basic information. The report said public opinion in rural areas, though diverse, is less likely to be supportive of LGBTQ people than in urban areas, and that LGBTQ organizations and communities have less organizing and political power. In September 2019, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), a nonprofit equality think-tank in Boulder, released a nationwide report that found lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, including those of color, in rural areas are more vulnerable to discrimination. Yet, what is certain is that rural life can amplify acceptance or rejection, and reactions ripple through communities. “I felt really supported.”Īcceptance is difficult to measure or quantify. “Everyone in the stands was cheering,” she said later. When Berry looked up into the crowd, squinting through the Friday night lights, she said she felt joy. Everyone saw Berry that night.Īnd she saw them, too. They roared their approval of their chosen queen, radiant with a megawatt smile and tight brown curls that cascaded around her crown.
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The packed football stands held the weight of Berry’s classmates and their families, many of whom had been evacuated as the fire reached into their neighborhoods. Dressed in slacks, a button-down shirt, bow tie and a rainbow belt, she was the first gay girl to receive the honor. My first reaction when I saw Devon’s tweet was ‘Ew, no Dee Ford.’ I have a feeling a lot of Chiefs Kingdom probably felt the same way.In October, as flames from the Decker Fire lit up the mountainside above Salida High School in rural central Colorado, Zakiah Berry was named homecoming queen of 2019. But I just don’t think a Chiefs-Ford reunion would be. Some player and team reunions can be spectacular. Imagine the first time Ford were to get another offsides penalty? The boos would never end. The offsides penalty is just too much for most of us to overcome. I’d still try rather them try and bring back Justin Houston, but that’s probably unlikely given how his tenure with the team ended.Įven if Ford was signed for a reasonable price, and somehow stayed healthy enough to make the reunion worth it, it’s hard to imagine he return going over well with most of Chiefs Kingdom. The only upside I can see of a Ford reunion is that he would come extremely cheap, and the Chiefs do need some pass rushers pretty desperately. who is now one of their stud linebackers. On the other end of that trade, the Chiefs got a second round pick, which they went on to use to draft Willie Gay Jr. He was even more injury prone with San Fran, and in the last two years has only played 7 games. In his tweet, Devon Clements points out part of the reason why: Just like he was with the Chiefs, Dee Ford is extremely injury prone. The Chiefs traded Ford to the Niners right after that fateful AFC game, and have pretty much come away looking like the bona fide winner of that trade. DE Dee Ford is reportedly going to be cut by the #49ers in the coming weeks.ģ1 years old and has only played 7 games over the last two seasons, which means he could be cheap for the next team that wants him.