Lorraine Loreda Granado - Your Light Still Shines

Jim and Lorraine Granado enjoying the pancake breakfast
at Holy Rosary parish

But your light still shines
It's one small star to guide me
And it helps me to hold back the dark
Your light's still shining in my heart

A verse from "One Small Star" by John McDermott

The communities of Globeville, Elyria and Swansea have lost a shining star. Lorraine Granado passed away Sunday, December 8th at home surrounded by those who loved her. She was 71 years old.

Lorraine spent her entire life working at making this world a more loving, kind, respectful place for all people. Her many accomplishments include a successful class action lawsuit against Asarco, the creation of many youth and family serving organizations and non-profits, and the creation of a park for families in her community. Her efforts still shine throughout the neighborhoods she served.

A Rosary celebrating Lorraine’s life will be held at Romero’s Funeral home,
47th and Tejon, on Thursday, December 11th at 3:00 pm with a viewing
from 2:00 -3:00 pm.
Her funeral will be held at Our Lady of Grace Church, 48th and Clayton, on Friday, December 13th, at 10:00 am with her burial immediately following at Mount Olivet Cemetery. 

Lorraine Granado - Cross Community Coalition

“Look at all these wonderful opportunities to make it better.” Those were the words of Lorraine Granado, a fourth-generation resident of the industrial neighborhood of Elyria who wanted a better life for her three sons and her grandchildren. Where others saw interstate highways, heavy industry, pollution, unemployment and inadequate city services, Granado saw possibilities. Granado created the Cross Community Coalition in 1987, that brought together the neighborhoods of Globeville, Swansea and Elyria. *

The Coalition established its Family Resource Center in the shadow of elevated I-70 in a storefront at 46^th and Josephine, and offered classes in English, GED preparation, job readiness and studies toward citizenship. There were programs for young adults: after-school tutoring, leadership development, conflict resolution and environmental education. Classes were also available in small business development, housing rehabilitation and home ownership.

Through the organization, citizens successfully fought the city's proposed medical waste incinerator, and a tent city for the homeless. The Coalition also joined a class-action lawsuit that required the ASARCO smelter to clean up yards and compensate residents for decreased property values. 

In 2005, the Coalition moved into a new 9,000-square-foot community center at 2501 East 48^th Avenue. Poor health forced Granado to retire in 2009, but her efforts and those of the organization helped many individuals realize their goals, and the Globeville, Elyria and Swansea neighborhoods develop a strong voice for environmental justice.

On October 31, 2017, Denver Public Schools and CDOT's Central 70 project team dedicated the new east wing of Swansea Elementary to Granado. Her compassion, kindness and peaceful resolution skills brought diverse groups of people together to make positive changes in those communities. Although Granado couldn't be present for the event, a plaque near the main entrance to Swansea School commemorates her commitment to treating people with respect and love.
* The Board of Directors listed when the Cross Community Coalition was created included: Mary Miera Saragosa, Kenneth Mondragon, Michael Maes, Paul Garcia, Alvin Lewis, Shirley Castro, and Dana Louria. The Coalition was dissolved in 2011. Focus Points Resource Center occupies the space and continues the work.