EDITOR’S NOTE ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR IT SEEMS I WAS JUST WISHING FOLKS A HAPPY NEW YEAR, and now, I am writing this column that will wrap up the first quarter of 2024. That’s probably why I appreciate the twopart question Raelene Johnson suggested for this month’s Ask a Vendor, “How is your 2024 going so far? What is something you’re hoping for between now and the end of the year?” For those who set New Year’s seem so resolutions, those goals possible early in the year, but once everything is in motion, it can be difficult to keep up with goals for better health, a more positive outlook on life, or taking up hobbies — especially when we didn’t have much time for these goals before we set them. To anyone who remains committed to meeting their resolutions for 2024, congratulations! To folks who haven’t been able to follow through on their resolutions, give yourself a break. Maybe you can set an easier goal to meet over the remainder of the year. Speaking of Raelene Johnson, if you’ve read the series of Self talks she’s written over the past few years, you’re familiar with her words of encouragement. Based on overcoming drug addiction, finding stable housing, and discovering that her relationship with God and her Self make a difference in how she approaches life, Raelene is an inspiration. As you will read in her latest update, 2024 did not begin well for Raelene. Not only did her rent go up significantly, but she was diagnosed with cancer. She also recently learned that a separate medical issue required surgery, which would interrupt her chemo treatments. Add to that, she totaled her car in early February. Despite these setbacks, Raelene remains hopeful. We miss seeing her at the office, and no doubt, her regular customers miss seeing her vend on the Pearl Street Mall, but until she can return to vending, she will stay in touch through her updates. ■ THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS GILES CLASEN is a freelance photojournalist who regularly contributes his work to the VOICE for editorial projects, fundraisers, and events. He has also served on the VOICE’s Board of Directors. ROBERT DAVIS is an award-winning freelance reporter for the Denver VOICE. His work has also appeared in Colorado Newsline, Business Insider, Westword, the Colorado Sun, and Medium.com. 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 Giles Clasen Gigi Galen 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: Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Orientation is held every day we are open, but prospective vendors must arrive by 10:00 a.m. WRITERS Lando Allen Giles Clasen Robert Davis Raelene Johnson Jerry Rosen Grace Thorburn BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Boulanger, Vice President Jeff Cuneo, President Zephyr Wilkins, Secretary Antonio Diaz, Treasurer Michael Burkley Cassandria Carmouche Robert Davis Nikki Lawson Julia Watson Cabal Yarne 2 DENVER VOICE March 2024 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
3 Publizr Home