As we know, European Conquest changed the Americas forever, but how did it affect the indigenous peoples of Southwest Colorado? Amorina Lee-Martinez discusses the history of Colorado conquest as it relates to the Ute Mountain Ute people and southwest Colorado.

Amorina Lee-Martinez, PhD, was raised in Mancos and now lives in Cortez. Amorina’s years of research into Colorado River watershed management at CU Boulder have brought her back to her home county to investigate Dolores River management. Researching Dolores River history has unearthed history of Ute people in this area, which deepened the investigation of water into an exploration of how colonialism and current forms of natural resource management go hand in hand.