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
Deep Lore Behind Idaho Springs’ New Gondola, Another Downtown Closure, and Wacky Weather Wardrobe Essentials
After being in business since the 1980s, Moda Man is closing the doors of its downtown menswear shop. Was the pandemic to blame? Or a los...
Local TV News vs. Instagram Influencers, Avs/Nuggs Playoff Stories to Watch, and Would You Eat a Beaver?
Denver’s local TV news scene is on the precipice of a big shake-up, with Fox31’s parent company Nexstar poised to acquire 9News’ parent c...
Can 80k Save Denver's Last Lesbian Bar? Plus, Denver's Big Pitch for the DNC and 'Third Space' Overload
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was in New Orleans last week along with someone dressed up like the Big Blue Bear to help make the case that t...
Gardening Tips for Denver's Drought Restricted Summer
From an unseasonably warm winter to the premature blooms of an early spring, Colorado’s wacky weather has left Denver gardeners stumped....
'Your City Could Be Better': Why Portland’s Considering Hiring a Night Mayor — Presented By City Cast Denver
Denverites, what do you do when your night life starts to dwindle? Nightlife is a huge economic driver for cities, but city offices are o...
Lakewood Backtracks on Housing Density, Inside the RTD Drama, and Shirtless Rockies Fans
Lakewood voters sent a big statement to the rest of Colorado this week, with the campaign to reverse the Denver suburb’s new housing dens...
Xcel Takes on Data Centers, RTD's Big Shakeup, and Former Mayor Hancock: Real Estate Mogul?
There was a huge shakeup at Denver’s transit provider RTD yesterday as CEO and GM Debra Johnson declined to renew her contract, effecti...
Why are Denver Lakes Disappearing? Plus, Blucifer on Hulu and Disneyland on Colorado Boulevard
What is happening to Huston Lake? The southwest Denver body of water has almost completely dried up, taking with it some of the park’s fl...
Polis and Boebert at the Rockies Game, Denver's Next Top Mascot, and More from the Mailbag!
Could prediction markets in politics mean more participation from voters? What if the Denver Summit FC’s mascot was a giant sun? Where’s...
Are Denver Restaurants Really in Crisis? It’s Complicated.
It feels like every week, another Denver restaurant is closing – Enzo’s End Pizzeria served its last slice on Friday, Imperial Chinese sh...