Auon'tai Anderson and Denver Leaders Call for More Black Santas in Cherry Creek Mall

When Auon'tai Anderson wore a Santa costume to a holiday senior luncheon last week, Black Denverites — some as old as 95 — told him it was the first time they had ever seen a Santa Claus who looked like them.

In most depictions across books, films and shopping malls, Father Christmas is a jolly old white man. That's the version that Anderson, who is Black, grew up with, and it's still the standard today. The only Black Santa that Anderson's toddler son has ever seen is his own father dressed up. But it doesn't have to be that way, says the former Denver School Board vice president.

"Anybody can be Santa Claus," Anderson tells Westword. "Young people should be able to see themselves represented in the diversity of the fictional characters they look up to."

Anderson took his sentiment a step further on Monday, sending a letter to the Cherry Creek mall along with a group of Denver leaders calling for increased access to Black Santas next holiday season.

This year, the Cherry Creek mall offered a Black Kris Kringle for children to meet and take photos with, but for just four days — two in November and two in December. The December visits were on the first Wednesday and Thursday of the month, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. Anderson says this limited weekday schedule made it nearly impossible for working families to access the Black Santa.

The issue was first brought to his attention when he saw Facebook posts from Black Denverites upset about missing out on the opportunity for their children to meet a Santa Claus who shares their skin color.

"I visited just to see how many people were showing up to support the Santa Claus. There was nobody," Anderson says. "We can't even go in to support. If Cherry Creek says the Black Santa wasn't successful and they're not going to continue it next year, it's because, in large part, they had it in such an inaccessible way."

Anderson's letter was signed by more than forty community leaders, including Denver City Council members Shontel Lewis and Sarah Parady, Denver School Board member Scott Esserman, Broomfield City Council member Heidi Henkel, ACLU of Colorado communications coordinator Isabelle Rayburn, and several local teachers.

The document urges mall management to make Black Santa available for more days and during the weekends for the 2024 holiday season. It also asks that organizers make the experience more affordable by lowering the current $40 minimum photo package cost and waiving the mall's parking fees for Santa visits.

Anderson says the mall has not yet responded to the letter. Management also did not answer requests for comment from Westword.

Meanwhile, other Colorado shopping centers are taking action on their own. Stanley Marketplace in Aurora will have a Black Santa available for free photos on Saturday, December 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The marketplace also had a Spanish-speaking Santa on December 2 — making two of its four Santa photo sessions devoted to diverse Santas this year. One who uses American Sign Language and a "sensory Santa" for children with autism and other special needs are available at the marketplace through the Camp Christmas and Parallel Play attractions, respectively.

"The community that supports us every day, it's a culturally and racially diverse community," says Allyson Fredeen, general manager of Stanley Marketplace. "It only made sense to make sure we were being inclusive and that all kinds of kids and families felt that representation. ... We work hard throughout the year to offer the community events and experiences that all people can enjoy."

The marketplace started its diverse Santa program last year with its very first Black Santa. It expects to continue expanding the program, with plans to add an Asian Santa next year, Fredeen says. The Santa photo visits are completely free, with no sign-up required.

For some occasions, the marketplace's business owners play Santa themselves. Fredeen and other managers also dress up as elves and take photos of families on their phones to keep it financially accessible. Fredeen says the diverse Santas are "very popular," with lines throughout the entire event.
"There's been some happy families the past few weekends," Fredeen says. "When we had our Hispanic Santa, there were families and children who said, 'There's a Santa who looks like me and talks like me.' How special that was for them to tell Santa, maybe for the first time ever, what they want in Spanish and have Santa understand and respond back."

Anderson will be sporting the red coat and white beard again this holiday season for the Black Santa Project toy drive in Denver's Five Points neighborhood — his third straight year doing it — with Brother Jeff's Cultural Center and the Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership taking part. The annual drive has distributed over 25,000 toys since 2021, Anderson says, and he helps give out the gifts as Santa.

This year, for the first time ever, the project is offering free professional photos with Anderson's Santa in direct response to Cherry Creek's limited Black Santa availability. The next photo session will be held on Saturday, December 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Brother Jeff's Cultural Center, 2836 Welton Street.

"I've made sure my family's experience is one that other families don't have to go through," Anderson says. "If it means that I need to sit in the chair for five hours every weekend, I'm going to do it."

The Black Santa Project's first photo op was last weekend, with around thirty families of all races turning out to get their shots taken. Anderson says some families at the event told him they missed the Black Santa at the Cherry Creek mall or simply couldn't afford to pay $40 for the photos.

Anderson's Santa will be at the Black Santa Project's toy drive on December 22 and 23 starting at 11 a.m., he says. The toys are free, with no registration needed, and gifts — including new kitchen products — will be available for adults.

Anderson hopes this is only the beginning of the conversation around diverse Santas in Denver, saying he wants to eventually see Latino and Asian Santas, as well.

"I have my Santa suit ready to go," he says. "I look forward to doing this in the years to come. Maybe one day I'll actually grow out my beard."