From the Editor F Elisabeth Monaghan was born and raised in Denver, joining the VOICE as managing editor in 2019. She is passionate about social justice, and believes that writing and creative expression are some of our most powerful tools in combating homelessness and poverty. DENVERVOICE. CE. MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR ADMIN. ASSISTANT VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS EBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF LOVE, and this issue spotlights the importance of love and friendship to our unhoused neighbors. Denver VOICE vendors also shared tidbits about what love means to them, and vendor Raelene Johnson pays tribute to her rescue pup, Jasper, whom she had to put down in January. Love may be a universal emotion, but the way we experience love varies based on the individual who expresses love and the person or creature who receives it. Many who have family members and friends in the crosshairs of ICE find it easy to understand why fear and worry overshadow sentiments like love, kindness, and empathy. I was raised to believe that “love is all we need,” but it seems like we have forgotten that lesson as loveless people obsessed with power and wealth continue to have more influence over our lives. But love does not disappear simply because it is tested. It grows resolve. We may have to look for it, but it’s there – showing up in gatherings of communities, pushing for the rights of individuals who are being treated unjustly. We see love in small, stubborn acts of care, in telling one another’s stories, and in refusing to look away, especially when we are in the grips of fear. Love alone may not dismantle unjust systems, but it can steady us enough to keep demanding better, to protect one another where we can, and to remember our shared humanity. In that quiet, undying determination, there is neither despair nor false hope, just the resolve to keep going. Together. - Elisabeth Monaghan Managing Editor EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS VENDOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Maddie Egerton Jennifer Forker Aaron Sullivan Joshua Abeyta Giles Clasen CONTRIBUTORS Pagie Miltenberger Joshua Abeyta Michael Burkley Giles Clasen Robert Davis Raelene Johnson Pagie Miltenberger Jerry Rosen Jennifer Forker, President Isabella Colletti, Secretary Michael Burkley Edwin Rapp Donald Burnes Ande Sailer Linda Shapley Steve Baker editor@denvervoice.org program@denvervoice.org (720) 320-2155 editor@denvervoice.org PO Box 1931, Denver CO 80201 989 Santa Fe Drive, Denver CO 80204 Wednesdays, 10am-1pm Since 1996, the Denver VOICE has served individuals experiencing housing or financial instability by providing lowbarrier income opportunities. In the time since our inception, we have put more than 4,600 vendors to work, selling the paper throughout the Denver metro area. By focusing on poverty, housing, social justice, local arts and entertainment, and the human experience behind the headlines, we tell the stories that Denver media often overlooks. An award-winning publication, the Denver VOICE is a member of the International Network of Street Papers and the Colorado Press Association, and we adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics. TO HELP, YOU CAN: GET THE WORD OUT: GET THE WORD O DVERTISE: DONATE @ OUT: OUT denvervrvoice.org denverv denvervoice.org rvoice. Contact ads@denvervoice.org Contact program@denvervoice.org pgg SUBSCRIBE @ UBSCRIBE @ THE COVER: Photographer and Executive Director Giles Clasen traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to interview those living on the streets about the National Guard: what they’re doing, what they aren’t doing, and how it’s affected sleeping outside. PHOTO BY GILES CLASEN DENVER VOICE FEBRUARY 2026 3 erVOICE erVOICE ABOUT US
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