VENDOR PROFILE REST IN POWER, JEROME COTTON BY ELISABETH MONAGHAN IN DECEMBER, the Denver VOICE community lost one of its longtime vendors, Jerome Cotton. For the February 2020 issue of the Denver VOICE, I wrote about Jerome, his older brother, John Alexander, and their younger brother Alvin (AKA “Mustafa) in a profile titled “A Tale of Three Brothers.” As I explained in the article, Jerome was the first of the brothers to sign on as a Denver VOICE vendor. After seeing how well Jerome did, John signed up shortly thereafter. Alvin became a vendor several years later. Jerome regarded the Denver VOICE as a blessing for him and his brothers. Reflecting on his earlier years, he told me, “I was a bad actor. I wasn’t reliable and spent my time shooting, snorting, and smoking drugs. I was out there, and God just pulled me back in and said, ‘Hey, take this Denver VOICE and run with it.’” Talking about his friend and brother, Jerome, John Alexander said, “That’s the hardest part about a friend dying. They go first. They leave you behind, and you just feel their absence. It’s all about feeling and love for the people in your life.” On behalf of the Denver VOICE and those who were so blessed to know Jerome, we extend our heartfelt condolences to John Alexander, Zakkayah Brooks, Belinda Bowie, and the entire Cotton and Alexander families. PHOTO BY YVENS ALEX SAINTIL IT HAS TAKEN A FEW MONTHS, BUT THE DENVER VOICE GREETING CARD PROJECT IS UP AND RUNNING! Building on the Summer of Color program, which we launched in 2023, Denver VOICE greeting cards are designed by vendor artists, who in turn, get paid for their work. Our cover for this issue is among the Valentine’s Day designs by VOICE Vendor Rea Brown. Keep your eye out for our offi cial announcement, where we’ll let you know how you can purchase the greeting cards. 4 DENVER VOICE February 2025
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