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Racist graffiti was found in a Stapleton park and neighbors are fighting back

Stapleton neighborhood is fighting hate with love
Posted at 9:47 PM, Aug 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-21 01:05:56-04

DENVER -- Prarie Meadows Park is the perfect place for an afternoon jog and is safe enough for kids to ride home from school.

Sara Harper, who lives in the Stapleton neighborhood, says it's a great place to raise a family.

"There are lots of people out and about jogging, playing with their kids, riding their bikes," she said of the family-friendly atmosphere of her neighborhood.

Harper has three young girls and her eldest is 5 years old. Making sure her daughters are raised with morals and love is important for her. Which is one of the reasons why what she saw so close to her home shocked her.

"I was out for a walk and I saw a couple underneath the bridge over there, and the woman had cleaner in her hand but I didn't stop to see what they were cleaning up. And then today I learned what they were cleaning up, which is pretty discouraging."

Racist messages were written underneath a bridge in front of her home at Prairie Meadows Park.

"Just complete shock that people like that exist and that they would be here in my neighborhood, across from where I live," said Harper.

Now, neighbors are pushing back with messages of hope.

"Hate has no home here. We <3 (love) all," a message written in multi-colored chalk on a sidewalk reads.

Harper says her community will not stand by when hateful speech is present.

"I hope it says that this community will not just stand by and let people write hateful things like that without retaliating with love," she said.