In this episode, Adrián catches up with Steve Skadron (College VP and Dean of Colorado Mountain College's Aspen/Carbondale campus) to hear his unique story. Along the way, they talk WeCycle, upcycling and a new jobs training opportunity for local residents to get preparation for living-wage jobs in the sustainable apparel sector thriving right here in our region: a certificate in Outdoor Soft Goods Manufacturing, offered at Colorado Mountain College's Aspen campus and part of the college's Action Sports Industry program. The conversation reveals and honors the unique impact of Steve's legacy on our corner of Western Colorado, which stands poised (thanks in no small part to his work) to energize a diversified, circular economy that dodges the boom-and-bust development pattern so prevalent in Colorado history by teaching anyone how to produce valuable goods for themselves and their community...literally with their own two hands. Besides being the namesake notion of this podcast, it's also a vision that Steve has been thinking about, learning about, articulating and stewarding in the Roaring Fork Valley since before his twelve-year term as Mayor of Aspen. Always humble, Steve is quick to point out the contributions of others, such as Mirte Mallory (Co-founder and Executive Director of WeCycle) and Amy Kimberly (former Executive Director of Carbondale Arts), whose long-time advocacy and support for the creative economy of our valley – and for sustainable apparel and upcycling artisanship in particular – gave life to the wildly popular Green Is the New Black Fashion Extravaganza, produced by Carbondale Arts every March and featuring the work of dozens of apparel designers. As our valley engages in the work of Just Transitions Planning to build social equity, climate resiliency and a truly durable, "steady-state" economy that feeds people and planet both, we need more models like the ones Steve has been crafting over his career. We take the time to thank Steve for his leadership in public service and now in higher education.
My Own Two Hands | Steve Skadron
