Food Justice NW Aurora celebrated its fourth birthday on April 30th!

In 2022, FJNWA was founded by a collective of community gardeners, nonprofit representatives, resident leaders, and community advocates to build a local food system rooted in equity, justice, and community power. Over the last four years, FJNWA has developed through the expertise, leadership, investment, and labor of the northwest Aurora community. We are incredibly grateful for everyone that has contributed to building the Food Justice movement, and we look forward to strengthening and expanding this work.

Each year, we celebrate food justice with the community at our annual Food Justice Festival. This year, the Festival will be on Saturday, September 12th. Stay tuned for more information in future newsletters!

Thank you to those who were able to make our Community Meeting on April 2nd at Ollin Cafetzin! We’re truly grateful for the time, energy, and care each of you brought into the space. It was powerful to see so many community leaders come together, share insights, and show up for the community. In times like these, gatherings like this are a reminder that community power exists and is growing in northwest Aurora!

Whether you were able to attend or not, we wanted to share some of the outcomes of the meeting through small group discussions and voting!

We will continue the conversation and revisit FJNWA strategies at our next community meeting this Summer. We encourage you to visit our campaign Linktree to learn more and take action with FJNWA. Stay tuned!

We are hosting our inaugural Battle of the Beans Competition on Sunday, June 7th from 4pm-6pm! The Battle of the Beans is an event for the northwest Aurora community to come together and celebrate creativity and diversity through food. Beans and legumes are a nutritious and versatile food source that are central to diverse cuisines around the globe for generations. Join us in celebrating an ingredient that connects us across cultures and showcases our creativity.

We request that attendees register for the event to help us plan for an accurate headcount. The event is free to attend; we are accepting optional donations to support the construction of our Community Greenhouse!

We invite home cooks of all experience levels to enter their dish in the competition. Competitors can make any dish, served hot or cold, that features at least one type of bean or legume as a central ingredient. Event attendees will get to sample dishes and vote on their favorites to win. Competitors have the chance to win a gift card.

To enter a dish for the event, please complete the registration form. 

The DDA Board selection process is now under way with 33 eligible applicants initially reviewed, and 12 applicants being interviewed. The first round of public interviews were held on April 29th and were recorded. The second round will be held on May 5th (open to the public in person at the Aurora Municipal Center). Here is the interview schedule. Recordings will be available on May 6th. All feedback to the committee needs to be submitted to [email protected] by May 8th.

FJNWA sees the selection process for who is on the DDA Board as critical to ensuring the Board, and therefore the development plan, reflects community values over profit and to resist the pattern of gentrification that we’ve seen over and over again throughout Denver Metro and Aurora. FJNWA knows that which initiatives in the Colfax Plan are funded and which businesses and residents are prioritized by the DDA Board will have a direct impact on food security in an area whose residents are already struggling to make ends meet.

Click below to read more about why the Downtown Development Authority matters for food justice in northwest Aurora:

Please reach out to Caitlin Trent, [email protected] if you would like to get more involved.

On April 2, 2026, Aurora announced a Stage 1 Drought, signaling the need for mindful water use across our community. As of this writing, the portions of Adams and Arapahoe Counties that include Northwest Aurora are listed as in Severe Drought. Historically observed impacts of this level of drought that negatively affect our food system include farmers reducing planting and selling cattle, and an extended fire season, which threatens agricultural land and produces poor air quality for our farmworkers who must work outdoors.

Residents are encouraged to prioritize efficient watering methods like watering at the soil-level (using drip irrigation or hoses with automatic shut-off nozzles) and watering during cooler hours (before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.). Please note that turf irrigation (with a sprinkler system or by hand) is limited to no more than two days per week and should follow assigned watering schedules.

Report water waste anonymously through Access Aurora or by filling out the Issue Reporting Form for Water Waste here. Learn more about reducing water use on Aurora Water’s Drought website. By adjusting our practices now, we can help protect local water supplies while keeping our farms and gardens thriving.

Below are some upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and workshops in the northwest Aurora from FJNWA and community partners. These are great opportunities for anyone who is interested in engaging deeper with our local food system!

If you would like to share any opportunities in our future newsletters, please contact [email protected].

Here’s your reminder to save the date for the Rebel Marketplace opening market on Mother’s Day Weekend!

FJNWA is still recruiting volunteers to assist with outreach at Rebel Marketplace. Please visit our volunteer page for more information and register on our volunteer platform, POINT, for upcoming Rebel Marketplace shifts.

All are welcome to join any of the following gardening classes at the ABC Community Hub (1635 Paris St., Room C12)!

Interested in joining a community garden in northwest Aurora? Attend the community garden membership drive to sign up for a plot! Interpretation will be provided in Burmese, Spanish, and Swahili.

Efficient water use during a drought is important, and drip irrigation in your garden can help lower water costs, minimize weeds and diseases, and provide hydration directly to the plant roots.

Learn how you can conserve water and improve your garden in a drip irrigation class at Nome Park hosted by Amanda Slover!

Join us for the Colorado Commercial Tenant Rights Forum: a first-of-its-kind event bringing together business owners and landlords to discuss the proposed Commercial Tenants’ Rights Bill.

May Day, also known as International Workers Day, is observed each year on May 1 to honor the history of labor organizing and to stand in solidarity with workers. In many cities, this day brings together unions, immigrant rights groups, and community organizations to both celebrate worker strength and a reminder that progress often comes from collective action and community power.

May Day started in the late 1800s as part of a growing labor movement calling for safer conditions, fair pay, and respect for workers. In 1884, U.S. labor unions set a goal of winning an eight hour workday by May 1, 1886. As the date approached, hundreds of thousands of workers across North America went on strike, making it one of the largest labor protests of the time. In Chicago, tensions turned violent when police shot striking workers and activists then organized a protest at Haymarket Square. During the rally, a bomb exploded, killing a police officer. Police responded by firing into the crowd, causing more deaths and injuries on both sides. Eight labor activists were arrested and put on trial for inciting violence and seven men executed. The trial following the 1886 Haymarket affair is widely regarded by historians and legal experts as a notorious miscarriage of justice and one of the most unfair trials in American history, with the Governor of Illinois post-humously pardoning three of the executed workers due to the unfair trial. These events became known as the Haymarket Affair and drew global attention to workers’ rights. Labor groups and socialist movements around the world then chose May 1 as International Workers’ Day to honor the struggle. 

May Day grew into an international symbol of worker unity and this month, May Day falls on May 1st, the theme is “Workers Over Billionaires,” led by May Day Strong, which highlights economic fairness and the strength of collective action. Organizers are encouraging people to join a general strike through actions like no school, no work, and no shopping. This year’s efforts draw inspiration from unions, community groups, and workers in Minnesota who united to withhold their economic participation in response to federal agents disrupting their city. In addition to advocating for labor rights and economic equality, participants are also protesting ICE and calling for the protection of democracy. 

FJNWA would like to honor this day by recognizing the strength, resilience, and contributions of workers everywhere and activists, past and present. This includes not only those who have organized, protested, and fought for fair wages and safe conditions, but also those whose everyday labor sustains communities in ways that often go unseen, such as farm workers. We believe in the importance of dignity in work, solidarity across industries and backgrounds, and the ongoing pursuit of economic justice and labor rights. On this day, we reflect on the progress that has been made, while also recognizing the work that remains to ensure fairness, equity, and respect for all workers.

There are several rallies happening across the Denver metro area. We understand that not everyone can step away from school, work, or daily responsibilities, but if you are able, we encourage you to stand with us this May day! Participate in May Day in whatever way you can, whether that means rallying in person or showing solidarity from where you are. 

Below are rally opportunities led by local organizations: