Eleanor Bennett
Social Justice ReporterEleanor is an award-winning journalist reporting on regional social justice issues in collaboration with Aspen Public Radio and Aspen Journalism. A life-long Roaring Fork Valley local, she previously was a reporter, podcast producer and Morning Edition host at Aspen Public Radio. Her stories have ranged from local protests against federal immigration crackdowns to creative efforts to solve the valley’s affordable housing challenge.
Her reporting has been featured on NPR and The World, and she has received several statewide, regional and national awards including a 2023 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her feature on an immigrant family who cut down their first Christmas tree together. She earned “Best News Feature” four years in a row from the Colorado Broadcasters Association, including for her stories about an innovative job-training program for students with disabilities and an education initiative to bring more Ute history and cross-cultural conversations to local schools. She also contributed to several award-winning series, including Raîces (Roots), Adaptation, and In The Woods.
In her previous role as Morning Edition host, Eleanor pioneered the station’s award-winning Outdoor Report, which highlights local flora and fauna, recreation opportunities, and environmental causes in the valley. Eleanor also previously served as producer of Aspen Public Radio’s teen-focused podcast, Gen Z Tea.
Eleanor is delighted to be home in the Rocky Mountains working to shine a light on the critical issues and community voices that shape our valley. Connecting with people from all walks of life and creating empathic spaces for them to tell their stories fuels her work.
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Many immigrant-run businesses were closed and some students and staff at local schools stayed home on Feb. 3 as part of the nationwide protest, "Un Día Sin Inmigrantes," calling attention to the social and economic role immigrants play in communities amidst President Trump’s immigration crackdowns. -
El distrito escolar Garfield Re-2 quiere exigir a su personal que notifique a los padres si un estudiante solicita un nombre elegido que afirme su género en la escuela, una medida que algunos miembros de la comunidad apoyan, mientras que a otros les preocupa que pueda aislar aún más a los niños transgénero e incluso ponerlos en riesgo. Los miembros de la junta escolar propusieron la idea como parte de una política de cambio de nombre que deben implementar en virtud de una nueva ley de Colorado. -
Garfield Re-2 School District wants to require its staff to notify parents if a student requests a gender-affirming chosen name at school — a move that some community members support, while others worry it could further isolate transgender kids, and even put them at risk. School board members proposed the idea as part of a name change policy they’re required to implement under a new Colorado law.
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La presidenta y directora ejecutiva de Habitat for Humanity del Valle de Roaring Fork, Gail Schwartz, anunció este mes que dejará el cargo en abril. La reportera Eleanor Bennett habló con Schwartz sobre lo que ha aprendido de sus décadas de trabajo abordando los desafíos de la vivienda asequible en el valle. -
Habitat for Humanity of the Roaring Fork Valley President and CEO Gail Schwartz announced this month that she’ll be stepping down in April. Reporter Eleanor Bennett spoke with Schwartz about what she’s learned from her decades of work tackling the valley’s affordable housing challenges.
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Criar a un hijo con discapacidades puede ser todo un reto, y para muchos padres hispanohablantes del valle, los desafíos se magnifican cuando la mayoría de los recursos y servicios se ofrecen principalmente en inglés. Por eso, Indhira Barrón, madre residente de Silt, puso en marcha el grupo de apoyo y recursos Pueblo Azul. -
Raising a kid with disabilities can be challenging, and for many Spanish-speaking parents in the valley, the challenges are magnified when a majority of resources and services are offered primarily in English. That’s why Silt parent Indhira Barrón started the peer-support and resources group Pueblo Azul.
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Para muchas de las personas que trabajan en la industria de la hospitalidad durante las fiestas, su labor puede significar lidiar con clientes exigentes y largas horas de trabajo. Por eso, la organización sin ánimo de lucro “Hospitality Matters”, con sede en Aspen, está difundiendo información acerca de maneras en las que los empleados de restaurantes y otros puestos de servicio pueden cuidar su salud mental durante estas fechas. -
For many who work in hospitality during the holidays, it can mean demanding clients and long hours. That’s why the Aspen-based nonprofit “Hospitality Matters” is spreading the word about ways for people working at restaurants and other service jobs to take care of their mental health during this time.
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Voluntarios de la localidad donaron aproximadamente 7,000 libros (nuevos y usados) en inglés y español, en la feria del libro “Free-For-All” en el centro comunitario de Glenwood Springs a principios de este mes. El evento promovió la igualdad en materia de alfabetización en medio de las iniciativas de prohibición de libros.
