Becoming Colorado

Our Land, Our Roots introduces audiences to the deep, layered histories that shaped Colorado long before statehood and continues through the settlement era of the 19th century. Establishing the thematic foundation for the entire series by highlighting land, roots, movement and adaptation, this story reinforces that Colorado’s identity has always been shaped by many peoples whose connections with place continue to evolve, intersect and endure.  It establishes the thematic foundation for the entire series by highlighting land, roots, movement and adaptation. This story reinforces that Colorado’s identity has always been shaped by the many peoples whose connections with place continue to evolve, intersect, and endure.

Explore Episode 1 lessons.

Voices in the Hall explores how diverse Coloradans fought for representation, civic participation and expanded civil rights across multiple generations. Connecting early struggles for inclusion with modern movements that reshaped Colorado’s political and social landscape through interviews with disability advocates, supported by accessibility subject matter experts, illuminating how Colorado became a focal point of disability justice.

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Building Futures: Entrepreneurship and Identity traces the entrepreneurial spirit of Coloradans who forged economic pathways despite discrimination, limited capital, and systemic barriers. Revealing how enterprise, labor, and innovation built communities and created lasting cultural legacies, this episode introduces children's voices—including students from immigrant families, Indigenous, Black, Latino, and neurodivergent youth—reflecting on work and identity, connecting historical entrepreneurship to modern opportunities. Utilizing archival materials and visual sequences emphasizing Colorado’s economic development that has always been driven by diverse individuals who carved opportunity from challenge.

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The Places We Call Home examines how geography, settlement patterns and community formation created the Colorado we know today. Emphasizing neighborhoods, migration, displacement, and the cultural identities tied to specific places, this film shares short reflections about what “home” means to children and teens from these communities, what they love about their neighborhoods, and what they hope Colorado becomes. Demonstrating Colorado’s cultural geography is inseparable from the lived histories of its people and that every community—large or small, urban or rural— has shaped the state's ongoing story.

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The Cultural Ties that Bind celebrates Colorado’s cultural traditions, festivals, and shared spaces that continue to connect communities across generations, emphasizing joy, continuity, identity, and the diverse expressions of belonging. Throughout this film, children’s voices—representing Black, Indigenous, Asian American, Latino, Jewish, immigrant, rural, and neurodivergent perspectives—share reflections on their traditions, highlighting pride and the importance of inclusion. Blending vibrant festival coverage with archival imagery, The Cultural Ties that Bind closes the series on an uplifting note, showing celebration as a powerful form of survival and identity-building.

Explore Episode 5 lessons.