From the Editor R 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 ECENTLY, as I was mapping out the January issue, I asked Denver VOICE vendor Steve Anson what he thought our Ask a Vendor question should be for the month. While discussing the subject of New Year’s resolutions, we talked about approaching it differently and ultimately landed on the question, “Why Do Some of Us Struggle with New Year’s Resolutions?” As you will see in the vendor answers to this month’s question, Steve shared his thoughts on that topic. In the meantime, as I spoke with the other vendors who answered the Ask a Vendor question for this issue, I revised the question so that vendors could discuss why/if it was a challenge, as they shift from 2025 to the New Year. Their answers focus less on challenges and more on the opportunity for starting fresh in the New Year. For folks paying attention to the news, or who are affected by the reduction or complete cancellation of government programs that benefit seniors, children, or any individuals experiencing homelessness or financial instability, the idea of launching into 2026 may not offer the same optimism that often comes when the clock changes and the New Year begins. Regardless of how kind or good a person is, none of us has the power to singlehandedly change the minds of government officials who are hellbent on giving tax breaks to billionaires while insisting that minimum-wage workers try harder, pull themselves up by their bootstraps, and stop relying on the government for healthcare, education, or the ability to meet basic needs. And yet, what these vendor responses remind us is that even when the systems around us feel immovable, people are not. A new year does not magically erase hardship, but it can offer moments of reflection, connection, and resolve — small shifts that matter because they belong to us. Optimism, in this sense, is not denial; it is the choice to keep showing up, to keep telling our stories, and to keep imagining something better, even when the odds feel stacked against us. - Elisabeth Monaghan Managing Editor ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Maddie Egerton Jennifer Forker Aaron Sullivan Robert Davis Giles Clasen Grace Wilson Lando Allen Steve Anson Belinda Bowie Giles Clasen Jerry Rosen Tyronzer Sanders Grace Wilson Isabella Colletti, Secretary Michael Burkley Eduardo Platon Edwin Rapp Donald Burnes Jennifer Forker Ande Sailer Linda Shapley Steve Baker EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS VENDOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS 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: A report from Metro Denver Homeless Initiative found that more than 94% of unhoused people in the Denver metro area did not choose to be homeless. People like Holly Norris make up that overwhelming majority. PHOTO BY GILES CLASEN DENVER VOICE 3 erVOICE erVOICE ABOUT US
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