Today. I am excited to bring you another twenty twenty inducted into the Colorado Women's hall of fame. Today's guest is Rosalyn. Jay Harris also known as be she is the owner publisher art director of the Denver Urban Spectrum newspaper since one thousand nine hundred eighty seven. She and her contributors have been spreading the news about people of Color and celebrated thirty four years. This year be has received numerous awards over the years including the Martin Luther King Junior Humanitarian Award. The National Council of Negro Woman Trailblazer Award the girl scouts. Two Thousand Women Women of distinction honorary and numerous awards from the Colorado Association of Black Journalists in February twenty twelve. She received the President's Volunteer Service Award. From president. Barack Obama enduring the Denver Urban Spectrums Twenty Fifth Anniversary Celebration. Roselend be Harris was bestowed with an honorary doctorate. A public service from the Denver Institute of Urban Studies Adult College in twenty thirteen. She received the lifetime achievement award from the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce in February. Two Thousand Fifteen B was recognized as one of the top twenty five most powerful women in Denver by the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce. In October she received a lifetime achievement. An excellence award from the Colorado Black Women for political action. And that's not even all of the awards that have been bestowed upon her for a full list. Check the show nuts. Now let's Meet Be Harris a twenty twenty Colorado Women's hall of fame inductee welcomed extraordinary women. Radio be thank you. I look forward to chatting with you this afternoon. I do too. Congratulations on being inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame Twenty Twenty industrialised. Thank you. It is a great honor. Our wasn't expecting it but I'm so happy about it and look forward to the induction ceremony and much ideas away. It's the day before my birthday. So what a great birthday present that is for me. That's a great birthday present for you. Congratulations that's really good. So you founded the Denver Urban Spectrum newspaper Nineteen eighty-seven tell us about the story and how the seeds were planted for the newspaper. You know it's funny that you would say how the seeds were planted. Because I always start that off when I talked to When I when people ask me that question and I refer to them I refer to it because my from my two partners that helped start the publication thirty four years ago. I was approached by Robert Stewart. Who actually in it? I think he was working in the computer systems and here approached me and said he was looking for I think he's looking for a graphic designer and I've always had a graphic design studio. Were worked in that worked in that field for many years and And I still do I still do as a matter of fact. I'm fortunate that I've been working on the publication in that area. Also as in addition to the publisher but I was doing freelance Moguls business cards stationery menu Annual reports and you know he asked around the community and several people say well he would be harassed anyway we met talked about the publication and I asked him I said well. Can you go and get Working on the business planning come back and see me and he said okay. So I don't know must have been three. Maybe six months went by and then I got another. I got another call from Ron. Still and he's a photo journalist. He's the timeframe and he wanted to start a publications like knock on my head again Publication keeps coming my way and so after I talked with him. I said well Ron. Let's go see Robert and see how business plan is going and called Robert and we met. I called them and actually he just said Oh. I forgot all about that publication. It's like shame on you so anyway we got together. The three of us get together and talk about it and We went out and I went to a printer in and found out that to print publication. It's going to be about eleven hundred in two thousand eleven hundred dollars to print publication small publication twelve pages and so we went out to get about eleven hundred and two dollars worth of advertising temperate. This announced the coverage is to get that first one going and so after that you know Ron still in A. He's Oh God that was too much work for me. So he said he wants to be a photo journalism. I think he went to the Indianapolis Star. So Robert Nigh continued it on but I always say that Robert Plant the seed then run feel came and he kind of water did and I'm I'm out of there so all I can say is the rest is history and then going on for thirty four years. Now that's Awesome. And and what was your drive. What was your. Why did you want to create this? What's interesting because I was a graphic designer My wife was just really kind of support the community. We didn't have Where there were a couple of other publications and you know there's a couple of two round but I think there was a need for the communities of Color and I think our perspective with just a little bit different we We actually Stirred the focus was on women who Latino Women African American Women Asian and native American but That was on women initially the first the first year actually the first year we did a story on. Oh Gosh you know. They were Dell a bad wound. She was a native American community. There was one who I don't even nephews women where they are. Today she was Asian We K- you the OH Gosh okay Florence Hernandez Komo's will also be the story on Cleo Parker Robinson worried cover stories And they were phenomenal. You know phenomenal people that we have the covers on but the first year. We did have a little glitch So well we had a little glitch. And there was a fire we There's a fire in our building and we lost a lot of material some of the original artwork. Kinda change the focus but the other thing too. You know a kind of evolved more to the African American community because the Asian community had you know they they. I'm sure they still do have a lot of publications in Hispanic Community A Lotta publications. Also so they kind of evolved to the African American community over the years. Okay awesome awesome and as you were dimming. So is this something that you dreamed about was something that just happened to unfold for you. I did not dream about it. You know and you're right. It consists is just actually something that unfolded for me. I was a graphic designer and I it just it just came to me. I I went to school in Omaha and I. I was a fine arts. Fine Arts majoring in finance and a minor in journalism. So I always feel that you God has a plan for everyone you know and it. Kinda it was Kinda destiny because I would agree with that. I can tell you that it was something that are meant to step into. And all of the signpost showed up for you to lead you in the right direction exactly and I feel that way with a lot of things people were saying. What are you you know you know when people are talking? I say I've got a I've got a little Assistant and She's she's from Micronesia. And I love her dearly like a granddaughter and she always says whatever plan that God has for me that's where she's going and so that's what I feel also I think there's a reason and a purpose for his plan on everyone's life and I feel like this is my year purpose because I do have a few more things that you know. I WANNA