EDITOR’S NOTE SINCE LAST MARCH, several VOICE vendors have not been comfortable with being around others, so as more of them return to their vending spots, we are finally getting a chance to hear their stories of how things have been for them. For this issue, we asked vendors ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR what things they weren’t able to do this past year that they’re looking forward to doing again. You can read their responses on page 4. We’re also hoping to publish a special issue later this summer, where vendors will share more about their experiences over the past 12-plus months. An additional outlet where vendors will be telling their stories is the recently launched City Cast Denver podcast. Each month, City Cast airs VOICE on the Street, which is a segment that features a Denver VOICE vendor. For their first installment in March, they interviewed John Alexander. Early on in the shutdown, Alexander had COVID. One day, he wakened in a hospital bed to discover he’d been there for several weeks, recovering from the virus. You can check out City Cast, or subscribe to their newsletter by visiting citycast.fm/denver. If you are among those who are leaving the house more these days, keep an eye out for Denver VOICE vendors. If you would like a copy of the latest issue but don’t have any cash on hand, you can pay with Venmo. As VOICE vendor Raelene Johnson points out, not only are Venmo payments convenient for both readers and vendors, it also can be a happy surprise when vendors discover that one of their buyers has donated more than the suggested $2. That additional amount can make all the difference in a vendor’s day. ■ May CONTRIBUTORS PAULA BARD is an award-winning fine art photographer, writer, and activist. She lives on a mountain top southwest of Denver. GILES CLASEN is a freelance photographer 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 a freelance reporter for the Denver VOICE. His work has also appeared in Colorado Public Works Journal, Fansided, Colorado Journal, and Medium.com. DENVERVOICE.ORG CE.ORG @deeOCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Seybold MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan PROGRAM COORDINATOR Anthony Cornejo GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hannah Bragg VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Kersten Jaeger Aaron Sullivan Laura Wing PHOTOGRAPHERS/ILLUSTRATORS Paula Bard Giles Clasen 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 metro Denver area experiencing homelessness and poverty. Since 2007, we have put more than 4,000 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: For the immediate future, we will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Orientation is held every day we are open, but prospective vendors must arrive by 10:00 a.m. WRITERS Lando Allen Paula Bard Giles Clasen Robert Davis Frances Ford Pepper-Lee Raelene Johnson Jerry Mullenix Larmarques Smith BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nikki Lawson, President Michelle Stapleton, Vice President Lori Holland, Treasurer Jeff Cuneo, Secretary Chris Boulanger Donovan Cordova Pamela Gravning Raelene Johnson Zephyr Wilkins 2 DENVER VOICE May 2021 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
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