Denver Sister Cities International (DSCI) is building Denver’s largest citizen diplomacy community.
DSCI is the Dazzle Nonprofit of the Month throughout November. Donations can be added to any ticket purchased in November or you can donate directly here.
DSCI is a citizen diplomacy organization dedicated to nurturing city to city partnerships through cultural, educational, and economic endeavors. DSCI bridges 10 cities, 4 continents, 10 municipal governments, and 20 million people. They are dedicated to building global partnerships through cultural, educational, and economic endeavors.
One Sister City at a Time
Formally, when a community of any size decides to join with a community in another nation to learn more about one another, and to develop friendly meaningful exchanges, the two communities propose a formal affiliation leading to the official designation as “Sister Cities”.
Denver currently has twelve Sister Cities:
Brest, France (since 1948)
Takayama, Japan (since 1960)
Nairobi, Kenya (since 1975)
Karniel, Israel (since 1977)
Cuernavaca, Mexico (since 1983)
Potenza, Italy (since 1983)
Chennai, India (since 1984)
Kunming, China (since 1986)
Axum, Ethiopia (since 1995)
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (since 1960)
In conjunction with being the Nonprofit of the Month, the Global Unity Fundraiser for DSCI is on Thursday, November 7 from 6 – 9PM. Be a part of something larger than yourself – foster global understanding, build meaningful cross-cultural relationships, and support the next generation of citizen diplomats.
An inspiring evening of global connection and citizen diplomacy, sponsored by Denver International Airport, includes food, drinks, and the chance to bid on silent and live auction items. The evening will feature live music by Purnell Steen & the Five Points Ambassadors.
The Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth is the Dazzle Nonprofit of the Month. Throughout August, donations can be added to any ticket purchased or you can donate directly here.
The Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth works hard to be a resource for the community to promote youth mental wellness as a means of suicide prevention. They provide scholarships that promote advancement in mental health careers; help secure mental health services for those impacted by suicide and mental health crises, and offer opportunities for community engagement to raise awareness and crisis intervention.
The Colorado Music Hall of Fame is the Dazzle Nonprofit of the Month. Sunday, July 21st is the launch event for their new partnership with El Chapultepec Legacy Project.
Throughout July, donations can be added to any ticket purchased or you can donate directly here.
Colorado Music Hall of Fame
Colorado Music Hall of Fame’s mission is to celebrate, promote and support Colorado’s music community.
Founded in 2011 by concert promoter Chuck Morris and a group of volunteer board members, including current co-chairs, Scott Tobias and Paul Epstein, Colorado Music Hall of Fame is nonprofit organization that serves Colorado’s music community through:
Inductions & Events
Hall of Fame Museum
Supporting Mental Wellness in Our Music Community
Promoting Colorado Music
Advocacy
El Chapultepec Legacy Project / Colorado Music Hall of Fame
El Chapultepec Legacy Project announces its partnership with Colorado Music Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, at a launch event to be held on Sunday, July 21, 2024 at Dazzle in Denver. The concert event, Ode to the Early Days, is a throwback to the straight-ahead be-bop standards that launched the original El Chapultepec’s long tenure as the best jazz club in town.
Colorado Music Hall of Fame will be serving as the project’s fiscal sponsor. The National Council of Nonprofits describes a fiscal sponsorship as “a nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects.” Through its fiscal sponsor, El Chapultepec Legacy Project will now be able to accept tax-deductible donations for its project work.
The kick-off event will take place on the main stage in Dazzle’s newest incarnation at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Dazzle has been a steady partner in preserving El Chapultepec’s Legacy, including naming their piano lounge in its honor. El Chapultepec Piano Lounge at Dazzle hosts happy hours and late-night shows.
Breast Cancer Can Stick It! is the Dazzle Nonprofit of the Month and there’s a show to go with it 🥁
Breast Cancer Can Stick It!
Mission: To drum up funds for treatments, research, trials, and mammograms through music-centric events that ROCK, to ultimately STICK IT to breast cancer.
Throughout June, donations for Breast Cancer Can Stick It! can be added to any ticket purchase or you can donate directly here.
In conjunction with being the Nonprofit of the Month, ‘Radio Unplugged with April Samuels’ is on Sunday, June 23rd at 7PM, doors at 6PM.
Come down for some great food, to support a good cause, and enjoy an acoustic spin on hairband 80’s rock and beyond!
April will be on hand to sign her book, ‘Breast Cancer Can Stick It!’ Limited copies will be available at Dazzle. Links to buy the book online are below.
On October 26, 2010, professional female drummer April Samuels was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer called triple negative breast cancer (ER-, PR-, HER2-). Immediately, April was motivated to “do something.” In November of 2010, combining her will to fight breast cancer with her passion for drumming, she came up with the slogan “Breast Cancer Can Stick It!”
The trademarked logo shown was designed at the same time and the drummer pictured was modeled after April. She began selling “Breast Cancer Can Stick It!” t-shirts with this logo from the back of her car, raising funds for breast cancer awareness organizations. This slogan and logo would became the cornerstone of our future nonprofit.
In October of 2011, the Breast Cancer Can Stick It! Team participated in their first breast cancer awareness walk.
In 2012, in addition to participating in its second breast cancer awareness walk, multiple “Breast Cancer Can Stick It!” fundraisers were held throughout the year. By this time, April was raising thousands in the fight against breast cancer. It was clear the next step was to establish a nonprofit.
In May of 2013, Breast Cancer Can Stick It! became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, donating funds directly to facilities that provide breast cancer care.
On October 25, 2015, the first ever Breast Cancer Can Stick It! Drummathon was held, featuring multiple celebrity drummers and raising over $13,000. Drummathon has become the foundation’s largest annual event. Since 2018, Drummathon alone has raised over $50,000 each year.
Since 2010, April’s efforts have raised over $500,000 in the fight against breast cancer.
The Book
HOT OFF THE PRESS Released in May of 2024, “Breast Cancer Can Stick It!” gives access to April’s real-time journal and present-day reflections on the intense journey to triumphantly declare herself “CURED!”
“Read this book and learn what it’s like to beat the odds and give back to the world.“
– Rikki Rockett, Drummer- Poison
“Get ready for a wild ride that will inspire you to create your own story of action and victory for the precious beings that need you.”
-Mark Schulman, Drummer- P!NK, Cher; Speaker, Author and TV Personality
NAMI Colorado is the Dazzle Nonprofit of the Month
NAMI COLORADO
NAMI Colorado envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. Their mission is to provide advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
Throughout May, donations for NAMI Colorado can be added to any ticket purchase or you can donate directly here.
Mental wellness is an issue that is very near and dear to Dazzle and we find as many ways as possible to help everyone be the best version of themselves, knowing that some days are easier than others. Some of the efforts Dazzle makes include:
Last September’s four performances of ‘Gift of Jazz Presents: Chie Imaizumi Little Big Band feat. Randy Brecker and Greg Gisbert’ was composed by Chie to musically represent the journey of feeling helpless, finding hope, and eventually coming out of the darkness. Rocky Mountain PBS did an excellent story on it.
Carefully crafted non-alcoholic drinks featuring Dhõs as a way to support those who are sober, sober-curious, or simply are not in the mood for alcohol, but still want a special drink.
As a business, Dazzle is more inclined to offer complimentary food items as opposed to alcohol because we never want anyone to feel pressured to drink. Any complimentary alcohol offers can be exchanged for non-alcoholic drinks.
During the pandemic, Dazzle not only had a food pantry, but often connected musicians with mental health resources and other life necessities.
MENTAL WELLNESS RESOURCES
If you or anyone you know is struggling, please call Colorado Crisis Services at this toll-free number, 1-844-493-8255, to speak to a trained professional.
NAMI Colorado’s website is full of resources to learn more about mental illness for yourself and those you love.
Colorado Music Hall of Fame provides a number of both Colorado and national organizations that have services available to you at no or low-cost.
Dazzle is excited to be supporting the next generation of young artists in Denver and the ever-growing Colorado creative economy during the whole month of March!
If you’re not already familiar with this all-star organization Youth on Record empowers Colorado’s underserved youth to achieve their academic, artistic, and personal best by employing local professional artists as their educators.
Youth on Record offers for-credit classes in Denver and Aurora schools free after-school music workshops for youth ages 14-20, paid internships, and more! Their programs empower 1700 teens in some of Denver’s most vulnerable communities to make life choices that positively impact their future by teaching them to develop the coping tools inspiration and wherewithal to succeed in today’s world and to become leaders of tomorrow.
You can learn more and check out other participating Music Matters March businesses by visiting youthonrecord.org
We’re excited to support this organization and hope you’ll join us in declaring that MUSIC MATTERS all month long.
Throughout January, all of the Donations added to ticket sales go directly to the Trujillo Family. You can also donate directly to their GoFundMe page.
Dazzle and the Colorado Jazz Family are fundraising on behalf of the Trujillo Family. The Trujillos are closely tied personally and professionally to Jazz in our community. Mi Vida Strings is their family business that makes and repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. There have already been a few professional collaborations at Dazzle’s new venue. Now, it’s time for a personal collaboration: fundraising for the Trujillos as they rebuild their home.
Directly from the Dad, Eric Trujillo’s Facebook post:
Hello dear family and friends. We had a house fire yesterday. Everyone is safe. All pets are safe. We have temp lodging. We are thanking God for His protection and provision!!! Our shop Mi Vida Strings is open for business and we plan to proceed as normal. Our kids are finishing up this semester of school as we speak. We have a dear friend who is insisting on a GoFundMe on our behalf. But I wanted you all to hear it from us first. We have called as many as we can, so we apologize if you didn’t hear from us personally, please know that if we could reach everyone individually we would. But this is our best way to communicate with as many people at once. Pray for us. And rejoice with us. And know that we are trusting God with every detail of our lives. And He is faithful.
(I snapped a couple of photos yesterday morning of our tree ornaments. Good news is, I know who made them, and they can be remade. )
Friends, please help by giving $10 – $1,000. Every little bit counts and together we can make a big difference.
A bit about the Trujillo’s:
Eric- A luthier, who is a craftsperson who builds and repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. A business owner, together with his wife of many years, of Mi Vida Strings
Michele- Just celebrated her 21st birthday just 5 days ago. Her Etsy shop, Michele’sMiniMercado is still open, but the majority of the inventory and supplies are lost. Most items are handcrafted by Michele. Keep an eye on the shop for updates.
Both Eric and Michele are alumni of MSU.
Daniel- Already an accomplished vibraphonist currently attends Standley Lake HS. He launched his vibes debut earlier this year at Dazzle and has plans to attend college in the fall of ‘24. He’s also a longtime CCJA student.
About Maiya- Born on April 30th, International Jazz Day! Currently a sophomore at MSU in Denver, she is an artist in many ways: Art Major, violinist and bassist.
About Lanae- An 8th grader and budding trumpet player and upright bassist. She is still fundraising for her Costa Rica trip….coming up in May 2024! She’s going with her Spanish class on their traditional 8th-grade trip. Maiya participated in this, Daniel was set to go but COVID, and now it’s Lanae’s turn. Those fundraising links are expired, but you can designate fund for her trip with comments in the GoFundMe campaign.
Funds will be used at the family’s discretion. It is undetermined if the fire is a complete loss or a near complete loss. Either way, the Trujillo’s need to replace everything they did not have with them.
Other Ways to Support
If you would like to give cash or gift cards instead, there are collection locations that will be updated as necessary:
The out of pocket expenses are starting to be revealed as we peel back the layers of insurance policy limits. We have some close friends that have volunteered to help us thru the insurance process. In the meantime, we are getting settled in our temp rental home. The T5 plus all 3 pets are under one roof and for that we are so grateful. We just passed the one month mark of the house fire. The first few weeks were a mixed bag of shock, denial, love and help. Last week was tough with insurance limits news AND we had a theft from our home garage. The process of reporting this to law enforcement, insurance and insurance vendors became its own problem. Here’s the deal though. “We ain’t goin’ out like that!” The Lifter of our heads has lifted them once again and we were renewed spiritually, physically and emotionally this weekend. We continue to be humbled by those that are giving and reaching out. And once again want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts! (Pic was a gift today from Judy Fredericksen. Circa 2005. Mercury Cafe. Eric, Michele and Maiya.)
1/10/24: From Michele Trujillo
Update: we are out of the hotel and in our rental home. I found this quilt at Goodwill. Best or worst find ever? We own several beautiful quilts thanks to Eric’s mom.(they are in abatement jail right now.) So I spotted this one, and first thought “all that hard work and it’s just sitting at goodwill? I have to buy it! And appreciate it! Plus look at all the music material.” Take home, wash, dry, fully unfold….boom I see people in the middle. Then I see foo fighters and 2008. Hysterical laughs erupt. Kids are going crazy. Maiya texts a friend….he says those are your “Foo FIRE-Fighters” guardians of the new home!!! Humor. There’s nothing like it. And now we are creating endless lore about the subjects.
1/3/24: From Michele Trujillo
What a generous offer from Dazzle for those that have donated to our fundraiser! We are overwhelmed (in a good way) with all the love and kindness that has been shown to us. And for all the precious generosity of your hard earned money, we are truly humbled and grateful. We will move from the hotel to a rental this weekend. We will be there until our home is livable again. And we will be there thru Daniel’s final semester of High school. And Lanae’s final semester of 8th grade. 2024 was already shaping up with many family events, and now the rebuilding of our home. One day at a time, one step at a time…holding to God’s unchanging hand. Thank you all so much!♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
1/2/24: Update from Dazzle
As a thank you to everyone who has donated or donates before Jan. 6 at 10am, you get a complimentary pair of tickets to Moon.unit at Dazzle on Jan. 6 at 6pm, doors open at 5pm.
Email [email redacted] to have your name put on the guest list.
12/28/23: Update from Eric & Michele Trujillo
From Eric and Michele – we are overwhelmed with gratitude for each and every person who has reached out in compassion to help our situation! The generosity of our community has uplifted us, carried us, and surrounded us. It reminds me of a song called “Lacking Nothing” that was sung in our church, based on Psalms 34. Showers of blessings and good things have been in steady supply since the fire. And we are so thankful. We are taking everything one day at a time, and trying to stay on top of all the to-do’s. The kids are on Christmas break, which has been a mercy, as we can be together as a family and support each other. We are in temp housing and will be for quite some time. All our immediate needs are being met, but we are in this for the long haul, and we know many of you are in the “long haul” camp with us. And that gives us so much strength. God bless each and everyone of you. Every gesture, no matter how small, has made a difference! Thank you from the bottom of our heart and soul.
12/27/23: Update from Dazzle
We are so grateful to both CBS & Fox who ran stories on the Trujillo family’s loss over the last week.
Thank you so much for getting us close enough to $25,000 that we doubled the goal to $50,000!
Generally, it takes 1.5-2 years for families to rebuild and move back into severely damaged homes and there are lots of cash expenditures necessary to get through that time. From basic necessities like underwear (and all of the clothes that cover it) to down payments / deposits for tradespeople to rebuild the home, there are many expenses to come.
Please continue to share this GoFundMe far and wide.
Because of the beautiful story that Rocky Mountain PBS did on on the conversations about mental wellness behind the two-night concert series, ‘Gift of Jazz Presents: Chie Imaizumi Little Big Band feat. Randy Brecker and Greg Gisbert‘ Dazzle has decided to continue to support United Suicide Survivors through October. Below you can find a list of mental wellness resources.
At United Suicide Survivors (US), we help people turn their pain into purpose. A Colorado-based nonprofit organization, we support people impacted by suicide — from suicide loss, suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, or caregiving roles — by helping them build community and find ways to make meaning through advocacy. This November 1st and 2nd, we will host the first “Living Beyond Suicide Summit” in Golden, Colorado, where people with lived experiences with suicide will convene to engage in discussion with national policy leaders on the topic of how best to address and understand suicide.
Donations can be added to any tickets purchased in September.
More information about US’ new membership program coming soon…
US is September’s Nonprofit of the Month in conjunction with Greg Gisbert’s Residency Week at Dazzle, Sept. 23 – 28. There is an overarching theme of Mental Wellness, Community Support, and Awareness for each of the shows in the Residency. Dazzle is amplifying these messages to encourage other to seek help without fear of stigma. It is equally important to help loved ones seek help. We all deal with mental wellness to various degrees. Not all wounds are visible, but that doesn’t make them any less real or minimize their need for healing.
Mental Wellness Resources
Colorado Music Hall of Fame provides a number of both Colorado and national organizations that have services available to you at no- or low-cost.
CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach Wellness) prides itself on being a Resource Broker and has a list of resources that are available anytime.
To have your organization, or one you know of, added to this list, email Kelley@DazzleDenver.com
Each month, Dazzle raises money for a different non-profit organization by adding the option to donate through our ticketing sales system. In honor of June being Pride Month, we are supporting Out Boulder County.
Out Boulder County works independently and in collaboration, to facilitate connection, advocacy, education, research and programs to ensure LGBTQ+ people and communities thrive in Boulder County and beyond.
You may wonder why Dazzle, who is based in Denver, chose to support Out Boulder County this month instead of a more local organization. One of our managers is deeply connected to the organization and not only do we want to support the LGBTQIA+ community all year, but we also want to support our staff.
Donations can be added to your ticket purchases to any show in June.
Each month, Dazzle raises money for a different non-profit organization by adding the option to donate through our ticketing sales system. In May, we are supporting the Redline Contemporary Art Center.
The Redline Contemporary Art Center’s mission is to foster education and engagement between artists and communities to create positive social change.
Not only does Dazzle like their mission and work, but one of RedLine’s Artist-in-Residence is creating an artwork for the new location. While the subject of the artwork is a surprise, Jasmine Holmes‘ mural honors a local, female jazz legend. It’s worth noting that this mural’s subject is a woman because the other two large portraits that are already on display are of men: Ron Miles and Charles Burrell.
“Rather than just hear the music, I want people to feel it. I always listen to jazz music in my studio because it helps me experience color. The more I listen to jazz music, I let the music itself determine the colors I use,” Holmes said. “Jazz is more than just music, it is a feeling, it’s a culture. I want to help people feel more than what they are hearing.” ~Jazzy, via Denverite
Donations can be added to your ticket purchases to any show in May.
