We are community driven and our projects have never been limited to a for profit or commercial purpose or vision. Rather, they have included neighborhood outreaches to feed and minister to people in neighborhood parks from Colorado to California while prevention education for at risk members of communities has been a priority via prevention work in churches, high schools, and colleges.
EVENTS
AWARDS PROGRAM
The RMPA has a long established commitment to Christian music and ministry as well as secular artists and music. The Christian Music Network or CMN Network started in 2007 as a common sense ministry mentoring program for beginning Christian music ministry artists to learn and understand the difference between concert based presentations vs. Gospel based music and ministry presentations as well as to help them understand and respect
Eventually the group expanded and diversified into other individual pursuits and activities in music and entertainment across other cities in the Southwestern Region of the United States. The fruits of those efforts were rooted in and reflected the spirit and foundational vision of what had been established through the Rocky Mountain Promoters Association. Accordingly, the accomplishments that were recorded in subsequent years with other efforts and projects that grew from the RMPA now represent part of our twenty six year legacy.
On December 7, 2013, Charmaine became a mother and gave birth to her first and only child, Xchotil Adelita Lee. Three days later, at age 32, she passed away from pregnancy related heart complications. Since then, the RMPA awards were renamed the "Charmie Smiles Awards" in her honor.
Since 2007, the effort has evolved and grown to include regional coordination and collaboration support for Christian or Gospel music ministers, performers, and artists. Early on, Brother Claude Garcia aka Joseph P. Garcia joined the effort and brought love for the Lord, his years of experience in the music world, an indomitable spirit, and a unique street sense of humor to the table and we began using music as an evangelistic outreach tool at a new level and new way on the streets of Denver. The rest is a testimony of "Wow moments" and work.
He was later ordained as a Pastor and served until illness gradually limited his activities and he eventually went home in 2014. The RMPA Gospel Music Award & Outreach Leadership Awards have been named the Joseph P. Garcia Awards in his honor; that the spirit and determination he maintained in his service be passed on through his example and the awards program.
Since 1995 the RMPA Colorado artist support mission has run parallel with events produced by what is now the La Familia Network Group and the RMPA along with sponsors and collaborative partners. From the start La Familia / RMPA events were family run by members of the RMPA founders, their collective families, and friends in the community. Many were boomers in the early years and then the youngsters came.
RMPA Music Awards History
Special thanks to Mr. Lenny Williams
A Class Act - Over the years it has been an honor.
Celebrating 26 Years of Community Involvement
WHO WE ARE
28 years and 300 events later leading up to 2022, we have continued our work in support of the Denver arts community, however, as now part of the La Familia Network family we have also expanded our community role to include an ongoing support role with La Familia Ministries and other churches, ministries, and family service organizations with a focus on event planning, organization, and fundraising work in support of community outreach efforts to families and at risk members of the Denver Metro area community.
WELCOME
Rocky Mountain Promoters Association
The RMPA officially began in 1995 as a Denver local grass roots music support project through the efforts of two Denver production companies called Azteca Productions and Minggia Entertainment and three men, our founders (pictured below from L to R, Mr. Angel Barrientos (The La Familia Network), Mr. John Hernandez (Azteca Productions), and Mr. Terry Minggia (Minggia Entertainment)
The La Familia Network is a group comprised of individual efforts and multiple organizations that have been actively operating locally, regionally, and nationally since 1992. They each have specific purposes in entertainment and the arts for supporting musical artists and producing events as well as serving the community in various ways through Christian outreach street and community ministry.
An abbreviated chronological tour of the Rocky Mountain Promoters Association and La Familia Network journey is portrayed below using a sampling of event posters and graphics depicting highlights of our journey. In all things, good, bad, or indifferent ... blessing or challenge ... opportunity or struggle ... we are grateful and acknowledge the Lord as our blessing, protection, and covering.
As our community vision grew, our awards focus expanded to include community leaders and educators whose work, sacrifices, and contributions have a positive and demonstrable impact in the lives of people in the community with an emphasis on youth and the elderly. Accordingly, for a quarter century we have continued the work through our event efforts to provide artists with performance and promotional opportunities and through a social justice, faith, and community leadership awards program.
The first RMPA Music Awards were given on February 1, 1996 at Denver's Sloans Lake Events Center and were called the "People's Choice Awards." The original music focus was in the music areas of Jazz, Blues, and Gospel. Accordingly, the first awards were accompanied by a spiritually based artist call to action as represented in the scripture ...
During the early 2000's another generation joined La Familia when the Director's niece Charmaine Ortiz begin to work La Familia events. She was only 17-years old at the time, but would later take the lead and incorporate her own ideas into the events as she grew to manage them along with an extended family and friend network. By 2014, La Familia and the RMPA had become a 21-year old family and community resource and family tradition.
Charmie Smiles Awards
This was fitting because Charmaine Ortiz represents the best in the human effort and investment that the La Familia tradition has been built on over the past twenty six years. Like her, we're about people. The RMPA and all of the various organizations that came to fruition from it's seed from 1992 to 2019 evolved into a family tradition and legacy. So while the child that Charmaine left and her spirit still remain, this is a part of her legacy as it is that of our founders families and all those that have contributed or played a part in the Journey. Accordingly, whether they handed out a flyer, escorted someone to a table, or mopped a floor... they are part of and own a piece of the legacy and history of the La Familia Network and Rocky Mountain Promoters Association family.
The Joseph P. Garcia Gospel & Outreach Leadership Awards
the sensitivities and appropriate protocol in dealing with host Pastors, church leaders, and outreach focused ministry organizations and their leaders.
ESTABLISHED SINCE 1995
720-671-3151
"As each (of you) has received a gift, minister it one to another ...
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God"
It all began in September 1992 in an effort by a Rocky Mountain Promoters Association founder to help a co-worker to meet burial expenses for a newborn son, who tragically did not survive a heart condition that led to his passing shortly after birth.
A concert and dinner benefit was organized to raise money to help out with burial and family expenses. The effort met the need and went on to greatly exceed the financial goal because of an extensive friendship support network and our ties to the streets. For some time afterward, many came with needs where children were lost to tragedy.
Enter the RMPA and the La Familia Network family
"As each (of you) has received a gift, minister it one to another...
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" 1 Peter 4:10
Remember that only a small portion of the events and experiences are portrayed here. There are literally thousands of photos and 300 events with archive promo materials that could be used, however, the idea here is to use what is necessary to make a point about the value of collaboration and community networking at every demographic and geographic level, and to encourage community investment ... click on the thumbnails to view
In 2022, we maintain our community commitment and remain an ongoing support arm to the La Familia Network and will be involved in diverse events, community outreach, and an ally to the Christian and street outreach community while still maintaining our commitment to artists and community leaders through the Rocky Mountain Promoters Association awards program.
The RMPA is not about one person or organization. Since 1992, the testimony that evolved through the years, the work, and the collective investment has been by all those involved... literally thousands of people from all walks of life.
Welcome and thank you for your interest in the Rocky Mountain Promoters Association or the "RMPA." This page is provided for information about the RMPA and the purpose of our work. We are a part of the La Familia Network Group.
A Two Sided Coin ... We're About People
La Familia Network organizations include the RMPA and LA LEN aka the Latin Entertainment Network on the secular music, event, and festival production and promotion side of activities and La Familia Ministries on the outreach ministry and Gospel music ministry end of our focus and activities.
We are “project oriented” which means we focus on community outreach projects and ticketed entertainment and community events and festivals that we produce or collaborate in. For 18 years revenue from ticketed events have been used to cover costs and expenses for ministry outreach projects. We do not charge for outreach or any ministry help or service we extend... period.
In all things, bad, good, or indifferent ... blessing or challenge ... opportunity or struggle ... through the good, the bad, and the ugly we're grateful and honor and acknowledge the Lord as our covering. Thank you for visiting. Bendiciones!
PICTURE BOOK
CONTACT
The history of the RMPA and the La Familia family legacy have their roots in a calling to community service that expanded to a role in the support of the arts, music and event promotion, and eventually to Christian ministry.
"We were young and doing the street thing. A group of people got together to help a friend and it just kept going and growing. Little did I know that it was not only the beginning of a journey that would leave an indelible mark on Denver music history, but for me, the beginning of a calling to ministry that would unfold over time and redefine my world and life" Angel Barrientos
Since 1992, we have never said no to a parent, grandparent, or family member with a legitimate need and good spirit. Since then, there have been 200 plus such efforts for many needs and reasons.
Then in 1996 the Rocky Mountain Promoters Association organized and officially became a Colorado non-profit with a mission to operate in support of Denver music, artists, and the Denver arts community. Accordingly, the group also produced an awards program that gave formal recognition and shed light on the contributions by local artists to the Denver community. The awards were ethnically diverse and, at that time, were called the People's Choice Awards.
Through an evolving journey of diversity, the RMPA has operated in both the secular and Christian Gospel areas of music for eighteen of it's twenty six year history. Our journey has been defined by the people that came together and collaborated on many projects over that time through a mutually strong and evolving community vision. Accordingly, though our network has always been active in event production at some level, our most important role for the past 26 years has been work that has defined us as community contributors.
About the RMPA Music and Community Awards
USE PLAYER ABOVE TO PAUSE MUSIC AND VIEW VIDEO
Video - GAP Band at Grizzly Stadium - Fresno March for Peace '05
For 28 years we have chosen to remain "Old School" in that we haven't and will not compromise community loyalty and respect vs. profit. This remains our first priority in project and engagement decision making. For us, finance is a means to an end that sees people helped in times of challenge.
We were formally established in 1995 for the purpose of supporting Denver musicians and the arts community as a Colorado nonprofit corporation by our founders Mr. Angel Barrientos, Mr. John Hernandez, and Mr. Terry Minggia.
In all things, bad, good, or indifferent, blessing or challenge, opportunity or struggle, we're grateful and acknowledge the the Lord as our covering.
The covenant agreement between these three men produced an effort and a series of events in support of Denver artists and local music based on a Latino and African American cross community collaborative vision designed to produce greater artist opportunity and engagement. For two years these men produced local events which celebrated and promoted Denver artists across Denver's ethnic spectrum in diverse music formats from Jazz and Blues to R&B.