EDITOR’S NOTE HELLO, 2025! The Denver VOICE would not have made it to this point without all of you, who donated to the VOICE or supported our vendors by purchasing papers from them, so thank you! I’d also like to thank ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR those who have donated their time over the past few years, starting with past board members Josh, Nikki, Craig, Lori, Jeff, Michelle, Julia, Zephyr, Chris, and Donovan, for your time and patience. While most board members commit to two years, each of these folks stayed on longer to ensure stability during a chaotic period for both the world and our organization. Thank you to our current board members, Robert, Bella, Charity, Cabal, Eduardo, Antonio, and Mackenzie, for jumping in when things were looking dicey (to say the least). I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your willingness to listen to the vendors, learn about the street paper culture, identify what we’re doing well or could be doing better, and strategize how to turn things around. Thanks to Hannah Bragg, who left her role as graphic designer of 13 years to take on new adventures (and I’d like to add a heartfelt welcome to Andrew Fraieli, who has stepped in as our art director). I am grateful to Aaron, for being an exceptional human and excellent volunteer copy editor and to Adrian, Frank, Jamie, Giles, Robert, Alex, Jacob, and Cat for their dedication to making sure our vendors and others living in the margins have a platform to share their stories. I’m not sure what 2025 has in store, but I do know that because we are surrounded by a community of people who want to ensure that everyone has access to affordable housing healthcare, and humane treatment, we will not be alone in facing whatever challenges or celebrating whatever victories come our way. DENVERVOICE.ORG E.ORG THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS JACOB RICHARDS is a community organizer and writer on the western slope of Colorado. His columns have appeared across the West including The Denver Post, Salt Lake City Tribune, and The Daily Sentinel. When not working in the wilderness, he is working on a project called “A People’s History of the Grand Valley.” MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Giles Clasen CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Fraieli @OCE GILES CLASEN is a freelance photojournalist who is a regular contributor to the VOICE. Several of the photos he’s taken for the VOICE have won national and international awards. He also served on the VOICE’s Board of Directors. ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Giles Clasen Bethany Cochran Jacob Richards WRITERS Lando Allen Giles Clasen Raelene Johnson Jacob Richards Jerry Rosen Charles Spring Hus Williams Rodney Woolfolk WHAT WE DO The Denver VOICE empowers homeless, impoverished, and transient individuals by creating job opportunities through our vendor program. We give our vendors a job and help them tell their stories; this creates a space for them to be part of a community again. Vendors purchase copies of the VOICE for 50 cents each at our distribution center. This money pays for a portion of our production costs. Vendors can buy as many papers as they want; they then sell those papers to the public for a suggested $2 donation. The difference in cost ($1.50) is theirs to keep. WHO WE ARE The Denver VOICE is a nonprofit that publishes a monthly street newspaper. Our vendors are men and women in the Denver metro area experiencing homelessness and poverty. Since 2007, we have put more than 4,600 vendors to work. Our mission is to facilitate a dialogue addressing the roots of homelessness by telling stories of people whose lives are impacted by poverty and homelessness and to offer economic, educational, and empowerment opportunities for the impoverished community. We are an award-winning publication, a member of the International Network of Street Papers and the Colorado Press Association, and we abide by the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics. With the money they make selling the VOICE, vendors are able to pay for their basic needs. Our program provides vendors with an immediate income and a support group of dedicated staff members and volunteers. Vendors are independent contractors who receive no base pay. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT editor@denvervoice.org VENDOR PROGRAM program@denvervoice.org • (720) 320-2155 ADVERTISING ads@denvervoice.org MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 1931, Denver CO 80201 VENDOR OFFICE 989 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204 OFFICE HOURS: Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Robert Davis, President Isabella Colletti, Secretary Michael Burkley Mackenzie Langley Ashni Pabley Eduardo Platon Charity Von Guinness Cabal Yarne 2 DENVER VOICE January 2025 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
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