DENVER (KDVR) — A petition has surfaced calling for neighborhood developers and Mayor Michael B. Hancock to rename the RiNo District, “The Five Points,” which was its original and historical name.
The creator of the petition, Shannon Martin, wrote in the petition:
“In an effort to reclaim our spaces, our communities, and our history, I have made it my duty to work to regain the essence of Denver Colorado’s historically black neighborhood — The 5 Points.”
As of Monday at 2:45 p.m., just under 4,000 individuals have signed the petition. According to the petition, Martin is seeking at least 5,000 signatures.
Martin says although neighborhoods and parks in Colorado are being renamed because of their oppressive natures, she believes renaming a historically black neighborhood is just as oppressive.
“While many of the neighborhoods and parks in Colorado have been renamed because of their racist and oppressive natures, the community and I believe that it is just as oppressive to rename a historically black neighborhood ANYTHING other than that. In order to bring full awareness and change to this, I am hoping the community, the neighborhood task-force, and the city council and government will stand behind this action.”