Real Talk

How community colleges fill a gap

What are some options for Coloradans beyond a traditional 4-year degree?

Disability access 35 years after the ADA

Colorado’s disability community has led national efforts to create a more accessible country. In the 1970s, advocates surrounded two buses in Denver and demanded the public agency equip the buses with wheelchair lifts. The demonstrations helped bring about the Americans with Disabilities Act. But today, people with disabilities and their advocates are still fighting for access in transportation and other aspects of life in Colorado and the U.S. You’ll hear from civil rights attorney John Holland, transportation official Gabe Christie, and advocate Jaime Lewis from the Cross-Disability Coalition. RealTalk is hosted by Colorado Public Radio’s Nathan Fernando-Frescas and Denver 7’s Micah Smith.

Middle-income housing in Colorado

If you're in the middle class and in the market for a home, you might be stuck between a landscape rock and a hard place. That often means making too much to qualify for housing assistance but not enough to afford a home in much of the state. There's a shortage of starter homes, according to Peter Lifari, board chair of the Colorado Middle Income Housing Authority. So what can you do? Real estate agent Sam Neumann of the Alchemy Group says has some ideas of where to look in metro Denver. Plus, find out about a new development in Frisco, Colorado.

How the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could impact Coloradans

It’s dubbed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and Republican lawmakers and President Trump promise that plenty of good will come from the new federal tax-and-spening law. Some Coloradans weigh in on the challenges it'll bring across the state. You'll hear from Monica Buhlig of Food Bank of the Rockies on how changes to SNAP benefits will hit rural areas. Adrienne Mansanares, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rockies, shares how funding cuts to the organization will affect vital health resources. And a Denver restaurateur, Delores Tronco, talks about some limits to “No Tax on Tips." Real Talk airs on CPR News and KRCC on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m. The TV show airs on Denver7 on Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. It also airs on Local3 on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m.

First-time campers in Colorado

More people are exploring Colorado’s outdoors and camping for the first time. For the state’s LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities, gathering in nature is not only rejuvenating, it's validating. A new study from The Dyrt says that since 2021, more than 25 million people have gone camping for the first time. CEO Kevin Long shares more details from that survey. You'll also hear from Amber Barnett with Colorado’s Outward Bound, who says their programs help new campers learn essential outdoor skills. Jeanette Patterson, who directs Lincoln Hills Cares, says they aim to connect Black Coloradans to the wilderness through the history of Lincoln Hills west of Denver. And Nathan Turner, CEO of Rocky Mountain Diversity Events, previews a new camping weekend event for the LGBTQ+ community. Real Talk airs on CPR News and KRCC on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. and Mondays at 6:30 p.m. The TV show airs on Denver7 on Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. and Sundays at 5:30 p.m. It also airs on Local3 on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. and Sundays at 6:30 p.m.