welcome
to unearth, celebrate, and memorialize local Asian American Pacific Islander histories
what we do
With a cultural curator mindset, Colorado Asian Pacific United (CAPU) engages in community organizing, coalition building, and various advocacy-driven initiatives to uncover and celebrate local AANHPI histories through research, oral story collection, place-making, art, and curriculum development.
As a progressive 501(c)3 non-profit with a social justice commitment, CAPU strives to advance racial diversity, equity, and inclusivity through community collaboration, celebration, and education.
Denver Chinatown Landmarks
Denver Chinatown Landmarks
Funded by Andrew Mellon Foundation and Denver Arts & Venues, CAPU installed a mural and three historic markers strategically across Downtown Denver to honor the history of our forgotten Chinatown.
community projects
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![Graphic of people walking down an alley way, "Where is Denver's Chinatown?", logos from History Colorado, CAPU, and CU Denver's College of Architecture and Planning]()
Where is Denver’s Chinatown? Stories Remembered, Reclaimed, Reimagined
Colorado Asian Pacific United collaborated with History Colorado and CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning to bring Where is Denver’s Chinatown? Stories Remembered, Reclaimed, Reimagined to life. This exhibition explores the history and resilience of Denver’s Chinatown, ensuring that this vital part of the city’s past is remembered and honored.
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![Lion dancers and people holding banners with smiles and happy and surprised faces with confetti above them.]()
Storytelling - Little Saigon
Discover the Little Saigon Memory Project, a collaboration with History Colorado that preserves over 36 powerful oral histories and will be made into a documentary capturing the resilience and community spirit of Denver's Southeast Asian community.
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![Visitors looking at the images on red fabric hung from wooden structures resembling drying racks. One person is pointing at the images.]()
Traveling Exhibits
CAPU's traveling exhibition is a comprehensive eight-panel display honoring the rich history and contributions of early Chinese immigrants in Denver. The design, inspired by traditional Chinese laundry drying racks, pays tribute to the laundries that served as vital community hubs of resilience and entrepreneurship.
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![Artist wearing sunglasses painting red paint on a brick wall.]()
Murals & Historical Markers
Funded by Andrew Mellon Foundation and Denver Arts & Venues, Colorado Asian Pacific United installed two murals and three historical markers strategically across Downtown Denver to honor the history of our forgotten Chinatown.
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![Reclaiming Denver's Chinatown Poster]()
"Reclaiming Denver's Chinatown" Documentary
In Reclaiming Denver’s Chinatown, an #IAmDenver documentary from the Denver Office of Storytelling, their descendants recall with pride their ancestors’ contributions and reject the notion that one tragic day in 1880 defined their community.
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![Sign reading "Yansing Gulch Carnage Canyon"]()
Renaming to Yansing Gulch
Thanks to the advocacy of CAPU last year, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved the change of the racially offensive name “Chinaman Gulch” in Chafee County to “Yansing Gulch” (Cantonese for “resilience”).
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![Group of people facing a screen that reads "Reclaiming our Past, Building our Future"]()
Upcoming Projects
Community projects and dreams in the works.
Recent Press
9News, Feb 8 - Denver restaurant hopes to rejuvenate the city's historic Chinatown.
Dining Out, Jan 22 – Where to Celebrate Lunar New Year in Denver - There are so many ways to ring in the Year of the Snake with celebrations across the Denver metro area.
Colorado Expression, Jan 22 – Celebrate The Lunar New Year With Dinner At MAKfam - Join MAKfam at their Lunar New Year dinner fundraiser to help raise awareness about Denver's forgotten Chinatown
Travel and Tour World, Jan 16 – How Denver Airport’s New Exhibit Brings Forgotten Asian American Histories to Life
Asian Avenue Magazine, Dec 1 – Colorado Asian Pacific United name AANHPI Nonprofit Organization of the Year
Denver Post, Nov 22 – Why did Denver’s Chinatown disappear? History Colorado looks back — and forward — in new exhibit
Rocky Mountain PBS, Oct 31 – Bringing back Denver’s Chinatown: Community volunteers reinstall historic marker
Denver7, Oct 27 – Denver’s Historic Chinatown Marker and Alley Art Celebration
Denverite, Oct 10 – Meet the descendants of Denver’s Chinatown boosting today’s Asian American communities
Denverite, Oct 9 – A new History Colorado exhibit centers the past, present and future of Denver’s lost Chinatown
Denver7, Oct 9 – History reclaimed: Denver's once forgotten Chinatown showcased in new History Colorado exhibit
