Colorado Voices
A Colorado LGBTQ couple's journey from foster care to adoption
Preview | 5m 9sVideo has Closed Captions
Meet this LGBTQ+ family and their journey through the foster care system
Riley and Matt Skelton decided to foster and later adopt two children out of the foster care system. As LGBTQ+ parents, they're one of the affirming families needed to meet the growing needs of the estimated 30% of youth identifying as LGBTQ+ in the foster care system.
Colorado Voices
A Colorado LGBTQ couple's journey from foster care to adoption
Preview | 5m 9sVideo has Closed Captions
Riley and Matt Skelton decided to foster and later adopt two children out of the foster care system. As LGBTQ+ parents, they're one of the affirming families needed to meet the growing needs of the estimated 30% of youth identifying as LGBTQ+ in the foster care system.
How to Watch Colorado Voices
Colorado Voices is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipWe've been married for almost eight years, been together for ten years.
We have two kiddos that we adopted out of the foster system.
The reason we decided to go the foster route is because, well, we can't have our own kids biologically and found that there is a ton of need and there's a lot of kids in foster care and we found that there was a larger community of LGBTQ youth that aren't wanted in the foster-to-adopt world.
So we realized that was going to be the best fit for us and our growing family.
I play this thing.
Stop, bro.
Quit playing with me, bro.
About 30% of youth in the foster system identify as LGBTQ.
Oh my god, I mean- Our daughter, unfortunately, because of her gender identity and the way she chose to express that she wasn't wanted and that makes me even sad just talking about it, like you don't - There's not a whole lot of placements for kids who are somewhere on the gender spectrum, whether they're non-binary or they're trans or anything like that.
And nobody was willing to accept that.
Most of my fostering time was spent in group homes.
It was more like the kids were all treated as one big being, not just like individual people.
I had gotten a lot of broken promises of, “Oh, you're such a good kid.
I'll adopt you.” Never saw me again, stuff like that.
I kind of learned to, like, not trust stuff like that and just kind of accept my reality.
Im most excited about my future is like probably just kind of living my life how I'm living it now.
I think there's a stigma around this perceived perception that it's more difficult for same sex couples or LGBT families to adopt unless they're an infant.
One of the questions that was posed to us by someone was, “You don't think it's going to be weird of bringing in a young boy to your house?” For some odd reason, their mind automatically goes to a grooming type of situation.
Someone said that to me.
Yeah.
With our son, unfortunately, he had to have several different placements throughout his time.
I think he had around 14 different placements.
My entire back story is just moving.
I was moving constantly.
I've also lost a ton of friends that I really liked and a lot of other people that I really cared about because I had to, like, switch schools every move.
I make dioramas, like, a destroyed landscape and it just sits right there like that.
So like right there, my diorama.
This I just punch.
There was terrible moments, like, where I just thought this was the end and I tried ending it all.
But then also, I'm glad that I didn't do any of that.
It feels way better knowing where I'm going to be in the future.
What makes me proud I guess that we're mostly the only LGBTQ family in this community, in this neighborhood.
Whether people have said something as we're walking by as a family, Im sure people have said stuff, but we don't give any relevance to that.
It's just keep moving forward.
The majority of the time on, like, mainstream media, or anything like that, you're hearing the dark, the negative side of these absolutely horrendous stories.
And if that were to switch, I think that you would see an increase in the willingness of couples and different families wanting to do this.
What prevents same sex couples from maybe diving into foster care is we're always our biggest roadblock blocks in life and it's finding out that we're not a perfect person, but that is really a benefit in the long-run because of our shared experiences.
Because, I mean, if you've had a perfect childhood, if you had a perfect life, you're not going to have any experiences that's going to be relatable to the kids that you bring into your home.
When life gives you a house, move it.
Video has Closed Captions
Owning a home had always seemed impossible. Then a historic cabin became available. (1m 30s)
Meet the election judges behind La Plata County’s voting process
Video has Closed Captions
Selected community members in La Plata County began training as election judges. (4m 26s)
Sheldon Nuñez-Velarde: Master Potter of the Jicarilla Apache Nation
The Jicarilla Apache honor their longstanding relationship to the natural world. (5m 45s)
Rowena Mora: Master Basket Weaver of the Jicarilla Apache Nation
The Jicarilla Apache honor their longstanding relationship to the natural world. (4m 27s)
Plant Medicine of the Jicarilla Apache
The Jicarilla Apache honor their longstanding relationship to the natural world. (3m 27s)
The Jicarilla Apache Creation Story
Video has Closed Captions
The Jicarilla Apache honor their longstanding relationship to the natural world. (4m 57s)
The Jicarilla Apache honor their longstanding relationship to the natural world. (5m 37s)
Ducklings Told to Protect the Lake
The Jicarilla Apache honor their longstanding relationship to the natural world. (2m 35s)
Video has Closed Captions
Inside the high-stakes world of competitive pumpkin growing (4m 58s)
Temple Grandin analyzes undercover video taken inside Superior Farms slaughterhouse Denver
Video has Closed Captions
Undercover video taken inside Denver's Superior Farm plant with commentary from Temple Grandin (1m 54s)
The costuming family behind 60 years of handmade costumes in Colorado Springs
Video has Closed Captions
The Saunders family once operated one of the largest custom costume shops in Colorado Springs (4m 56s)
Voters to decide fate of Denver's only slaughterhouse
Video has Closed Captions
Superior Farms, the city’s only slaughterhouse, would be shut down if voters pass Ordinance 309. (8m 14s)
Keeping tradition alive with the CSU marching band
Video has Closed Captions
Inside the Colorado State University marching band. (2m 49s)
After 40 years, one of Colorado’s most challenging math competitions may be coming to a close
Video has Closed Captions
UCCS mathematics professor Dr. Alexander Soifer's Soifer Mathematical Olympiad turned 40 this year (5m 19s)
Behind the scenes at the Maurice Sendak exhibit
Video has Closed Captions
Behind the scenes preparing for Denver Art Museum’s Maurice Sendak “Wild Things” Exhibit (3m 37s)
Video has Closed Captions
The Kit Carson Café fills stomachs, job boards and the need for community gathering spaces (3m 5s)
Inside Colorado's newest high school sport: girls' flag football
Video has Closed Captions
Inside Colorado's newest high school sport: Girl's flag football (2m 44s)
Painting a mural from start to finish
Video has Closed Captions
Greeley painter, Alonzo Harrison, hits his stride in a new mural at WeldWalls festival. (2m 31s)
Video has Closed Captions
Southern Ute Vice Chairman Lorelei Cloud explains the importance and sacredness of water to all. (2m 9s)
Video has Closed Captions
Studying the ecological importance of ground squirrels at the Rocky Mountain Bio Lab. (4m 11s)
Video has Closed Captions
Over 1700 elementary to high school girls explore careers in transportation and construction (3m 8s)
New suburban opioid treatment clinics aim to address a less visible need outside Denver
Video has Closed Captions
Community Medical Services, an addiction treatment program, is opening six new suburban locations (2m 29s)
How Coloradans are working to overcome the political divide
Video has Closed Captions
Braver Angels uses cross partisan conversations to overcome political divides. (4m 8s)
Chile farmer and cofounder of the Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival Dr. Mike Bartolo
Video has Closed Captions
The retired CSU Fort Collins researcher has spent decades developing new types of chile peppers (3m 21s)
Colorado rural hospital relies on nurse midwives to provide quality care, keep costs down
Video has Closed Captions
Call the Midwife: Colorado rural hospital leans on nurse midwives for quality care, lower costs (4m 30s)
How a measure makes it onto Colorado's election ballot
Video has Closed Captions
Here's how an initiative goes from an idea to a ballot measure (4m 23s)
Water project advances Tribal sovereignty, lifts communities in Four Corners region
Video has Closed Captions
A look at how The Dolores Project changed lives in the Colorado Ute communities. (3m 31s)
The secret collection in Rangely that they don't want to keep under wraps
Video has Closed Captions
Everyone has a hometown, but not all have a car museum the size of a football field in them. (2m 38s)
For Colorado’s deaf high school volleyball players, the mindset is still the same
Video has Closed Captions
The over 65 year-old volleyball program for deaf students starts the high school season (4m 39s)
First-of-its-kind mandate requires in-person voting in Colorado jails
Video has Closed Captions
This election, every jail in Colorado will hold an in-person voting event for eligible voters. (3m 33s)
Why some Colorado schools have staff in firearms training
Video has Closed Captions
Schools, particularly in rural areas, consider training and arming school staff (5m 52s)
This Denver barbershop is staffed by formerly incarcerated barbers
Video has Closed Captions
R&R Head Labs hires formerly incarcerated barbers (2m 51s)
Video has Closed Captions
How poetry provided an outlet to Fort Collins Poet Laureate, Melissa Mitchell. (2m 42s)
Video has Closed Captions
Local newsrooms in Colorado are shrinking at alarming rates (4m 36s)
Ken Burns on his new film, "Leonardo da Vinci"
Video has Closed Captions
Ken Burns met with Rocky Mountain PBS to discuss his latest documentary on Leonardo da Vinci (36m 7s)
Election officials held a secret conference in Grand Junction amid security concerns
Video has Closed Captions
As conspiracy theories and lies about elections spread, the job of county clerk gets more stressful. (2m 43s)
Chef Safari brings a taste of Africa to Durango
Video has Closed Captions
Chef Safari brings African fusion cuisine to Durango, blending global flavors with cultural roots. (3m 14s)
Meet the sound artist who's exploring the symphony of nature at Rocky Mountain National Park
Video has Closed Captions
Meet the sound artist who's exploring the symphony of nature at Rocky Mountain National Park (3m 37s)
Water to water, dust to dust in the Arkansas Valley
Video has Closed Captions
Agriculturists unite with ag workers to sustain farms and farm towns in the Arkansas Valley (4m 4s)
Branching out: How one family’s science roots continue to spread
Video has Closed Captions
The Inouyes have been doing science for more than 50 years up in Gothic. (4m 57s)
The Colorado Youth Pipe Band is training Colorado’s next generation of bagpipers
Video has Closed Captions
The Colorado Youth Pipe Band is training Colorado’s next generation of bagpipers (3m 23s)
Now PlayingA Colorado LGBTQ couple's journey from foster care to adoption
Video has Closed Captions
Meet this LGBTQ+ family and their journey through the foster care system (5m 9s)
NASCAR or family car? Street racers hit the track
Video has Closed Captions
Can racing on designated tracks curb illegal street racing? Local police hope so. (3m 50s)
Video has Closed Captions
Matt Crane explains why election results in Colorado are reliable. (4m 43s)
Inside the tight-knit family of demolition derby
For decades, Greeley, Colorado has gathered to enjoy demolition derby. (2m 47s)
What’s the big deal about Manitou’s mineral springs?
Video has Closed Captions
Manitou’s namesake water feature has shaped the town geologically, economically and culturally (5m 13s)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Pride and Drag in Navajo Nation
Video has Closed Captions
On the last weekend of June, Navajo Nation celebrated Diné Pride at its capital. (4m 40s)
Video has Closed Captions
Incarcerated students find physical and spiritual healing in yoga program (5m 4s)
Baa Baa Buckaroos continue Mutton Bustin’ tradition at Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo
Video has Closed Captions
The next generation of rodeo stars get their start on the backs of sheep (4m 7s)
Dancing with Parkinson’s, without limits
Video has Closed Captions
Boulder residents with Parkinson's disease find relieve and community in free dance class. (4m 1s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
