Taylor Allen

Reporter

Taylor Allen was a business reporter for CPR News from 2019-2020.

Women Gather In Denver To Work Toward Social Change & Peace

In Syria, when Rajaa Altalli was 12 years old, she saw her father arrested for being an activist. Years later, her sister was forced out the country for her work as a human rights lawyer. Despite that, Altalli still fights for peace in her home country. And now she’s here in Colorado to continue that work. She is the co-founder of the Center for Civil Society and Democracy that aims to create peace in Syria. She’s also one of 16 women from 15 countries around the world who are in Colorado, focused on social change and international women’s leadership. It’s part of the University of Denver’s Summer institute. Marie Berry is a professor at D.U. and the institute’s director. Both women join us to talk about the mission and the message of this project.

Colorado Classic Empowers Women Bicyclists With 220 Mile Race

The Colorado Classic cycling race comes back this year, with a twist. It is now a women’s event, touted as the only one of its kind “in the western hemisphere.” It’s comprised of four stages, starting in Steamboat Springs, onto Avon, Golden and ending in Denver. Cyclist Erica Clevenger, of Golden, will compete in the 220 mile race. She juggles the sport and her studies at the Colorado School of Mines. She joined us to talk about the race and its message of empowerment.

Noise Pollution Is Taking A Toll On Wildlife, But There Are Ways To Reduce The Impact

It’s a threat to wildlife that isn’t seen, so much as heard. Let’s imagine you’re on a mountain hike as elk bugle in the background until a vehicle passes by. It turns out, noise pollution does more than ruin an escape to the Great Outdoors. Research suggests if it goes unchecked, it puts wildlife at risk. Rachel Buxton is a conservation biologist who researched this with Colorado State University. Audio of elk bugling courtesy of Dr. Jacob Job, Sound and Light Ecology Team, Colorado State University.

Colorado Writer Reflects On Toni Morrison’s Influence And Legacy

Toni Morrison died on Tuesday at the age of 88. She was the first African-American woman to win a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993. She also won the Pulitzer in 1988 for her work, “Beloved.” Morrison was notable for her stories centering on black people and the hardships of the African-American experience. One of the writers she inspired is Ruth Ellen Kocher, a poet and associate dean at the University of Colorado Boulder.

“Into The Canyon” Explores Allure, Future Of The Grand Canyon

How many pairs of shoes does it take to hike from one end of Grand Canyon National Park to the other? Pete McBride and his friend Kevin Fedarko wore through 8 pairs and sprained 4 ankles between the two of them. They’re among about three dozen people who have completed the 750 mile hike. It took them 71 days spread over about a year to section hike the Grand Canyon. McBride has made a documentary about the trek, and about development in and around the park that he sees as a threat to pristine wilderness.

NASA’s Brush With Mars 50 Years Ago

On July 21, 1969, Mariner 6 came within 2,100 miles of the Martian surface. That may not sound all that close but remember Mars and Earth are never less than 34 million miles from each other. For a look at Martian exploration then and now, planetary scientist Nick Schneider, of CU Boulder speaks with Colorado Matters. He’s currently on the Mars monitoring team: MAVEN.

How Apprenticeships Could Help Close The Skills Gap In Colorado

It’s an age-old vicious circle. You can’t get a good job without experience, but you can’t get experience without a decent job. Enter an age-old idea that’s regaining importance and popularity: apprenticeships. It’s why Ivanka Trump visited Lockheed Martin in Littleton Monday. Noel Ginsburg from CareerWise Colorado talks about how apprenticeships can help close the skills gap in the state.