DIRECTOR’S NOTE AS WE COME TO THE CLOSE OF AN EVENTFUL YEAR, I want to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve shared. 2023 has been nothing short of inspiring, but it has also come with challenges. This past year has been pivotal— JAMES KAY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR not just for Denver VOICE, but for the unhoused individuals we are dedicated to serving. We’ve witnessed remarkable transformations within our community, with our vendors finding their voices, seizing economic opportunities, and embracing a renewed sense of purpose. Each step forward is a testament to the resilience and determination of those we aim to support. It’s been profoundly inspiring to see vendors not only surviving but thriving, embodying the essence of what Denver VOICE stands for. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the complexities we’ve faced. The challenges of homelessness, poverty, and social disparities are deeply entrenched, and our work is far from complete. This year has shown us that while progress is attainable, it demands unwavering commitment, unity, and creative solutions. Despite the obstacles our community has faced, I believe this is the moment for organizations, administrations, and the community to come together in a way we haven’t before. It’s a time to provide the comprehensive, wraparound services that are needed for long-term impact. Housing alone is not enough. It’s the integration of services, advocacy, economic empowerment, and healthcare along with reintegration into society that will create lasting change. Next month, both Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day present opportunities for our community to show their commitment to empowering the unhoused, fostering community engagement, and advocating for systemic change. Thank you for playing an integral part in helping us meet our mission, and thank you for your support. ■ THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS ROBERT DAVIS is an award-winning freelance reporter for the Denver VOICE. His work has also appeared in Colorado Newsline, Business Insider, Westword, and Medium.com. ASHTON SCHNEIDER graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in convergent journalism and a minor in cinema studies. She and her husband currently live with their two cats in Lakewood. GRACE THORBURN is a journalism student at the University of Colorado Boulder. She hopes that her writing will make a difference in the community by covering social justice issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, homelessness, and racial equity. DENVERVOICE.ORG E.ORG @deeOCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James Kay MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan PROGRAM COORDINATOR Connie Gaitan GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hannah Bragg VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Lanie Lee Cook Aaron Sullivan ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Robert Davis Gigi Galen WRITERS Rea Brown Michael Burkley 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. Cassandria Caramouch Robert Davis Raelene Johnson Jason Martin Jerry Rosen Ashton Schneider LarMarques “Misha” Smith Grace Thorburn Allysa Will BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nikki Lawson, President Chris Boulanger, Vice President Jeff Cuneo, Treasurer Zephyr Wilkins, Secretary Michael Burkley Antonio Diaz Julia Watson Cabal Yarne 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: Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Orientation is held every day we are open, but prospective vendors must arrive by 10:00 a.m. 2 DENVER VOICE November 2023 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
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