Our Summer Reads: ‘The Holly’ Shows the Other Side of a Gang Violence Story
What happens when an anti-gang activist shoots someone at his own peace rally? For Terrance Roberts of Northeast Park Hill, that question came to define his life following that very incident on September 20, 2013. Award-winning journalist Julian Rubinstein spent seven years reporting Roberts’ story. The resulting book, “The Holly: Five Bullets, One Gun, and the Struggle to Save an American Neighborhood,” came out in May 2021. It won a Colorado Book Award for best general nonfiction, and has been made into a documentary film that premiered at this year’s Mountainfilm Festival in Telluride. And recently, Roberts announced a run for Denver mayor. Roberts and Rubinstein joined host Bree Davies last May to talk about the book, the nature of gang violence in Denver, and police reform.
NOTE: This interview originally aired in May 2021, and is back as part of our special summer book series.
Learn more about the documentary film "The Holly," which Julian Rubinstein directed, at TheHollyFilm.com
Connect with us on Twitter: @citycastdenver
And sign up for our morning newsletter!
Learn more about the sponsor of this episode:
- Denver Film presents Film on the Rocks: Summer of Soul
Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Stay connected to City Cast Denver and get ready to join the local conversation.
Latest Episodes
'Your City Could Be Better': The Ultimate USA Trivia Battle. How Much Do You Know? — Presented By City Cast Denver
See if your Denver knowledge serves you well! In the first-ever Your City Could Be Better trivia episode, City Cast CEO David Plotz goes...
Who Really Won and Lost the Primaries? Dark Money, the DSA, Predictions Markets, and More
The primaries on Tuesday ushered in historic change to our Mile High City, with a 29-year-old Democratic Socialist primed to take over th...
Kiros and Weiser Win As Voters Sour on Colorado's Political Establishment
The eyes of the nation were on Colorado yesterday as “anti-establishment” candidates took on some of Colorado’s longest tenured elected o...
Mayor Johnston on His Big New Idea to Fix Parking Downtown
There’s one issue Denverites can never seem to agree on – parking. Does the city have too much or too little? Is parking too expensive or...
Your Guide to July 2026 in Denver
It’s birthday time in Denver! With America’s 250th birthday on the Fourth of July, and Colorado’s 150th birthday coming up on August 1st,...
'Your City Could Be Better': How Denver Is Fixing Its Sidewalks
Denver voters approved a tax hike in 2022 to fund much-needed sidewalk repairs, and after a lot of back-and-forth from City Council, thos...
Can Kiros Beat DeGette? Plus, AI ‘Polls,’ Astroturfing Local Politics, and Colfax Wins and Fails
Denver is on the precipice of what could be a historic moment; the city’s 30-year incumbent congresswoman, Diana DeGette, is facing a lat...
‘Quid Pro Quo Corruption’ in the Governor’s Race? Plus, Kiros’ Late Surge and More Primary Madness!
Why did Democratic gubernatorial candidate Michael Bennet just lend his campaign nearly $1 million? And is “former barista” Melat Kiros’s...
Inside Alma Fonda Fina: How Johnny and Kasie Curiel Are Beating the Odds As Many Restaurants Close
After racking up two Michelin stars and opening six restaurants in less than three years, Johnny and Kasie Curiel are the Denver restaura...
Zombies Are Attacking Denver! Where Do You Go? Who Do You Team Up With?
It’s officially summer in the Mile High City, and for many Denverites that means it’s time to high-tail it to the nearest shady spot on t...