COMMUNITY PROFILE Continued from previous page “I was turned down the first time I applied,” she said. “But later that year, scholarships became available, and I was selected. That changed my life. I always tell people, ‘Apply, apply, apply. Even if you hear no, keep going.’” As the program manager for the 988 Tribal Response Grant, Aimsback teaches suicide prevention and mental health support strategies, including QPR — Question, Persuade, Refer. She also organizes outreach events to ensure community members know where to find help. Aimsback believes tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) like Blackfeet Community College offer more than academics — they offer connection and cultural grounding. “I told myself I was going straight to a university, but now I’m so glad I stayed close to home. The classes are smaller, the professors are approachable, and culture is a part of everything we do,” Aimsback said. “[Because I’m part of a two-plus-two program,] I was able to get my bachelor’s while staying on the reservation. That meant I didn’t have to uproot my kids or leave the support system that keeps me grounded.” Jacobs studied history and American Indian studies in college and said education, both formal and lived experiences, is key to strengthening Native communities. He and his business partner have offered scholarships for years and converted Tocabe’s Greenwood Village location into a fulfillment center to expand access to traditional Native meals. “Many tribal communities are food deserts,” Jacobs said. “We said, ‘Hey, we can fight convenience by creating convenience.’ The idea is to source from Native producers, prepare the food, and make sure it’s accessible to everyone.” The new fulfillment center allows Tocabe to distribute “harvest meals” made from traditional ingredients in an assembly-line model that keeps prices affordable. Jacobs called the approach “seed-to-soul” — a way of thinking about and tracking the food system that includes not just the farmer, but also the truck driver, warehouse worker, and cook. He said food sovereignty is about more than culture. “It’s not a hobby. Growing food, raising food, and selling food is an economy, and we need to take control of it,” Jacobs said. “Food is survival. If we lose the ability to feed ourselves, we lose freedom.” That message mirrors themes found in Rateliff’s life and music. He has spoken openly about addiction and recovery and said transparency and honesty are key to making meaningful art. “In order to accurately reflect how you view the world and its impact on your life, art requires vulnerability and truth,” Rateliff said. Rateliff’s performances for this event gave him a chance to play his soul- and blues-influenced rock with an orchestra. Rateliff, whose gravelly voice, stage presence, and gospel roots make him the perfect candidate to be the patron saint of dive bars, said performing with the Colorado Symphony presented a unique opportunity to grow as a musician. “I always feel deeply grateful to be able to work with the Colorado Symphony, for it allows me to expand my understanding of music and collaboration. Working with an orchestra brings my music to new places that are not possible with myself or my band.” Rateliff also said that working with the Colorado Symphony pushed his music into new territory, but the collaboration with Denver EATSS was most exciting because it brought people together with a focus on the Native community. Jacobs agreed and explained that food is a powerful tool for connection, and sharing meals can help challenge stereotypes and reshape Native identity. “Food is a direct connection to culture,” Jacobs said. “THERE’S A LOT OF TRAUMA HERE—ADDICTION, HOMELESSNESS, SUICIDE. I USED TO THINK I’D LEAVE WHEN MY GRANDPARENTS PASSED. BUT AFTER REALLY SEEING THE NEEDS OF MY COMMUNITY, I REALIZED I WANT TO STAY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE,” SAID LISA AIMSBACK, A STUDENT AMBASSADOR FOR THE DENVER EATSS EVENTS. | PHOTO BY GILES CLASON “Sharing a meal can open people’s eyes to who we really are.” Proceeds from Denver EATSS 2025 went to the American Indian College Fund. BELIEVE THAT YOUR DREAMS CAN COME TRUE, SELF! SELF, I CAN’T BELIEVE what we’re getting ready to do. As I’m writing this, I’m preparing to leave on April 25 for a speaking engagement at a recovery center and a mental health conference in Florida. I will be a guest speaker! A little over six years ago, I woke RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR from a dream with tears flowing down my face because, in the dream, I was on a stage sharing my story. That’s when I woke up, and the Lord said to me, “This is where I’m carrying you. All that you have learned by vending the newspaper has been in preparation for you to go and help others by sharing your stories of overcoming trials and tribulations.” So, Self, I don’t know if you remember, but when we were young, a person at church came up to me and said that if I ever got myself together, my experience would be 12 DENVER VOICE May 2025 so powerful that I needed to share them with others so they could have a better life. At the time I heard it, all I could think of was, “Yeah, right,” because back then, I really believed that I was dumb and stupid. I couldn’t read or write because of not being able to see without glasses, so I didn’t think I was worth anything. Boy have things changed in our life! Self, you didn’t expect any of this to happen. Now, you’ve realized that all of the pain that you went through is now a beacon that can shine a light for other souls that are broken and lost. I know that when we were trying to get help, the counselors, or whoever talked to me had never been in my shoes. They had not experienced being abused. (If you’ve been abused, or if you’ve been homeless, it isn’t helpful to have somebody who doesn’t understand your situation tell you how you should or should not feel.) The people who hear my story know that I’ve been there, done that. I believe this speaking engagement is going to be the beginning of my traveling and sharing my story with others who want to hear it. The person that is hosting me knew me when my daughter had her first baby. She was my daughter’s foster mother. I wasn’t able to get my first-born grandchild because of how broken I was. Today, the woman is very proud of who I’ve become. On March 1st, I celebrated my 17th year clean from a 30year addiction to alcohol and crack cocaine. I am blessed today to have the friends that I have. They see me as a valuable friend. The first time someone told me that, I was very surprised they would call me valuable in their life. That sure makes Self feel good! I am grateful that I beat cancer and that now, I can be out working and meeting new friends. My dreams have come true I have my own home, and I have great friends who are currently helping me to get another car because the transmission went in the car I got last year after my car wreck (when I was going through cancer treatment). Hopefully, by the time this is in print, I will have my new to thank my friend Karen from WeeBee vehicle. I want Farms in Boulder for caring enough about me to let me borrow her car while she’s working on getting me another car! I feel blessed and grateful for all that I have. I don’t even know what other dreams I could dream of, but we’ll see in the future. Thank you, Self, for never giving up on Self – because something deep inside made you keep going. So, for anyone reading this, keep dreaming your dreams. You never know where they will take you!
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