By Phuong Tran, SW Denver Community Connector
My name is Phuong Tran and I am a community connector for Denver CALC. I’m excited to share that I’ve accepted a position with the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, where I will continue to pursue my passion for community health. While I am excited about this new chapter, it is hard to leave the CALC team and many partners that I have connected with during my time here. I want to thank you for the three years that I spent here with CALC. My time here has been full of unforgettable memories, and I want to share a few of them.
I grew up in Southwest Denver and my community has been an inspiration for me to create a healthier Denver. In the three years I spent with CALC, I have completely loved every moment of it. When I started with CALC, I had the opportunity to do a small project in Southwest Denver. This small project did not come easy for me. I had many ideas about what I wanted to do with this small amount of funding but quickly realized that it wasn’t what I wanted or what I thought communities wanted. I took a step back and connected with residents in SW Denver. I attended community meetings, events, potlucks and had 1-1 conversations with residents. During this time, I have connected with people and built a deeper understanding of my community. While connecting with people in SW Denver, I connected with a Harvey Park resident. She told me that she felt disconnected from her community and wanted to find a way to be more active. That was the start of the Southwest Denver Walks - our first small project. It was to bring communities together and provide a space where people can feel connected while being active.
When I think of CALC, I think of a passionate, kind, caring, powerful, and fun group of people who care about the health and safety of people of all ages and abilities. I had so much joy in helping organize a series of community intersection murals with different neighborhoods. These intersection murals allowed me to connect with residents and come together to make their streets brighter and safer. Whether we are doing intersection murals, bike rodeos, pop-up traffic calming, walking, or biking groups, we always make sure it is FUN.
As I move on to the next chapter of my life, I want to say thank you to the CALC team and partners for being a remarkable set of people with whom I’ve greatly enjoyed working and connecting with. You all have made my work so meaningful.
I am grateful that I had the opportunity to connect with all of you. As I leave CALC, it is with a full heart that I wish you all the absolute best.
Phuong