Ambassador64 Notes from The Western Slope

Rocky Mountain Public Media, the home of Rocky Mountain PBS, KUVO Jazz, and TheDrop303 has developed a partnership with Colorado Ethnic Media Exchange to launch this monthly essay series, as part of our vision to co-create a Colorado where everyone feels seen and heard. These stories are sourced from community members across the state—told in their own words and selected from our 64-county community ambassador program. They are not editorial products of our journalism team, but are first-person reflections on life in Colorado - building bridges through empathy. To learn more about all of our brands and content, check us out at www.rmpbs.org/about. 

We’re starting the series with a piece written by one of our team members, JJ Caric,  who relocated to Grand Junction 2.5 years ago for a job with us and found so much more…

I was born in May of 1997 in a rural town in Southern China. Time unknown. Weight unknown. Length unknown. First fifteen months of life unknown. In August of 1998, I was adopted by Italian and German parents from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My parents were and are the best parents that could’ve adopted me. I found support in every corner of my life growing up. 

Baby Photo of JJ Caric

JJ Caric enjoys the mountains with her dog

However, a throughline of my childhood, teen years, and still sometimes in my adulthood is the resistance and refusal to acknowledge my Chinese background. Jokes were made to my friends that I was 100% Italian and 0% Asian. Arguments were had between my mom and me about not wanting to go to Chinese dance class and instead go to cheerleading, or gymnastics, or any other activity like all the other girls my age attended. 

Growing up, I also only surrounded myself and became friends with white kids, thinking that was popular, mainstream, accepted, and beautiful. Not accepting my natural hair, I dyed it blonde from the age of 13 until this past year, when I was 28. 

During this time of life, I also resisted and hated living in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh wasn’t a “real” city…I was destined for Los Angeles or New York City, which were the only cities where I applied to college. I ended up going to New York for my first year. Maybe it was the movies I watched as a kid, but ever since I was little, New York was like a fever dream. It was exciting, fast, entertaining, glamorous, and full of energy. Quite honestly, up until recently, the past three or four years, I think I was chasing what everyone else considered beautiful or “the dream.” It’s glorified on social media, magazines, and celebrity culture to look a certain way and live a certain lifestyle. 

Little did I know, about two and a half years ago, my impulse decision to accept a job and move to Grand Junction, Colorado, would have everlasting and profound positive effects on the way I see myself and the world. To have a chance at happiness in Colorado, I decided to say yes to everything. Mountain biking, climbing, skiing, hiking, camping, you name it. 

I also decided to make friends with anyone and everyone I had a connection with. My first Asian friend was someone I met in my first week in Grand Junction. She’s still one of my closest friends today, and funny enough, she’s in New York now getting her Master’s. 

My time so far in this beautiful Rocky Mountain state has been beautiful, messy, confusing, and peaceful, and it has made me discover and meet myself for what seems like the very first time. Who knew, I do enjoy camping and skiing, and large city crowds actually give me anxiety. Who knew, I felt the most comfortable in my skin for the first time, so I decided to change my hair back to black. My Colorado journey is not over yet, but so far, my time on the Western Slope has been transformative in the most budding and blossoming way. 

We Want to Hear from You

We’re inviting community members across the state to share their own stories of living in Colorado —of identity, discovery, and what it means to belong.

Tell us about a moment or a place in Colorado that changed how you see yourself or your community.

Share your reflections at ambassador64@rmpbs.org

This is part of Ambassador64, our statewide listening initiative to ensure public media reflects the voices of all 64 counties in Colorado—starting with yours.