{"id":11602,"date":"2026-08-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gridalt.wpenginepowered.com\/the-current\/conversation-with-a-5th-generation-denverite-at-her-grid-alternatives-colorado-solar-installation-day\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T17:53:03","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T21:53:03","slug":"conversation-with-a-5th-generation-denverite-at-her-grid-alternatives-colorado-solar-installation-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/live-grid-wp.pantheonsite.io\/es\/the-current\/conversation-with-a-5th-generation-denverite-at-her-grid-alternatives-colorado-solar-installation-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Conversaci\u00f3n con una neoyorquina de quinta generaci\u00f3n en su d\u00eda de instalaci\u00f3n de energ\u00eda solar de GRID Alternatives Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whenever I have the chance to join a team of volunteers and the GRID Alternatives Colorado construction team on a residential solar installation, I always leave feeling like I picked the right job when I joined the nonprofit on Earth Day 2024<\/p>\n

Last fall I had the opportunity to welcome a team of volunteers from United Airlines, a company that is a regular philanthropic supporter of the mission of GRID Alternatives. On a beautiful sunny day in north Denver, four employees of United Airlines supported the GRID construction team and learned more about the essential steps in safely installing solar panels on a home.<\/p>\n

A Homeowner<\/strong><\/p>\n

Candi CdeBaca was born and raised in the Swansea neighborhood she calls home. CdeBaca was raised by a single mother and is a mother herself now. When I sat outside in her backyard during a lunch break at the solar installation project at her home last November, she held her toddler who was fussing because he had a cold. Yet, both CdeBaca and her young child took the time to come outside to greet everyone on the GRID team and United Airlines volunteers who were on site.<\/p>\n

\"candi\"<\/p>\n

CdeBaca shared that the house had been in her family for generations. She had been raised in the Swansea neighborhood, which is one of the poorest in the City and County of Denver. CdeBaca\u2019s commitment to her community led her to become a City Councilperson. She has since left politics and focuses instead on her social work career and community organizing efforts. CdeBaca sums up her time spent outside of family time as focused on trying to help people.<\/p>\n

A Denver Neighborhood<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of CdeBaca\u2019s favorite things about living in Swansea is her neighborhood. In this part of Denver, there is an above average homeownership rate and homeowners live in those houses. This fosters a sense of community pride among everyone.<\/p>\n

Also known as Elyria-Swansea, residents of this neighborhood identify themselves as Latinx or Hispanic. Nearly 6,700 people live in Elyria-Swansea, according to the 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate. Seven percent of residents are 65 and older. The new generation calls this community home also, with 8% of the population under the age of 5. Of residents, 58% graduated from high school.<\/p>\n

This is a close-knit strong community where neighbors tend to know each other. It is also a close commute to downtown Denver and the RiNo neighborhood which has seen tremendous growth in the past decade.<\/p>\n

A Residential Solar System<\/strong><\/p>\n

That day, GRID installed 5.13 kW of solar, which is projected to have the following impact:<\/p>\n