DIRECTOR’S NOTE AS I SIT DOWN TO PEN MY FINAL DIRECTOR’S NOTE for this incredible publication, I am filled with a mix of emotions that are difficult to put into words. With a heavy heart and a profound sense of gratitude, as I bid farewell to the role of executive director of the Denver VOICE, I think about how the month of May has always held a special place in my heart. For most of my life, I didn’t have a father figure, but my mother, grandmother, and all of the mothers who claimed me as their own over the years made Mother’s Day a rather important holiday to me. The decision to resign from my role as executive director has not been an easy one. However, in JAMES KAY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR reflecting on my time here, I am reminded of the importance of the motherly figures in my life, who have supported and guided me to this point. Without them, I do not think I could have made it to where I am today. I am incredibly grateful to my maternal influences for showing me kindness, humility, and what it means to be there for another. Continued on page 3 DENVERVOICE.ORG E.ORG @deeOCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James Kay THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS GILES CLASEN is a freelance photojournalist who is a regular contributor to the VOICE. Several of the photos he’s taken for the VOICE have won national and international awards. He also served on the VOICE’s Board of Directors. 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. JAMIE MILLER graduated from the University of Georgia with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and business management. She enjoys exploring the Colorado mountains, reading a good book at a local coffee shop, and doing yoga. JACOB RICHARDS is a community organizer and writer on the western slope of Colorado. His columns have appeared across the West including The Denver Post, Salt Lake City Tribune, and The Daily Sentinel. When not working in the wilderness, he is working on a project called “A People’s History of the Grand Valley.” MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan PROGRAM COORDINATOR Connie Gaitan GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hannah Bragg VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Lanie Lee Cook Aaron Sullivan ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Steve Anson Giles Clasen Gigi Galen Jacob Richards 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. WRITERS Steve Anson Giles Clasen Connie Gaitan Alan Hudson Raelene Johnson Jason Martin Jamie Miller Jacob Richards Jerry Rosen Larmarques Smith Charles Spring Rodney K. Woolfolk BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chris Boulanger, Vice President Jeff Cuneo, President Antonio Diaz, Treasurer Michael Burkley Cassandria Carmouche Robert Davis Muhammad Khan Nikki Lawson 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 2 p.m. Orientation is held every day we are open, but prospective vendors must arrive by 10:00 a.m. 2 DENVER VOICE May 2024 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
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