From the Executive Director Giles Clasen is a writer and photographer driven to tell Denver’s often overlooked stories with dignity and care. He serves as executive director of Denver VOICE and has worked with the organization since 2008 as a contributor, board member, and board president. Elisabeth Monaghan Can't be Replaced IT IS RARE TO FIND PEOPLE IN THIS world who can push you to be the best version of yourself. And that is what Elisabeth Monaghan has done for seven years as the Denver VOICE Managing Editor. I still remember my first conversation with Elisabeth after she took on the role of managing editor with the Denver VOICE. I reached out to let her know I was available to take photos for stories as needed for the newspaper. She told me that if I wanted to take photos for the Denver VOICE, I would have to write my own stories to go with my photos. At the time, I wasn’t writing regularly as a journalist. But her challenge changed everything for me. It took me a little while to get my confidence as a writer, but in time, I was winning awards for my work, something I would never have thought possible when Elisabeth took the reins of the Denver VOICE. Elisabeth didn’t just push me to be better. She has helped every person at the Denver VOICE become more successful, and she has seen the Denver VOICE through some of the hardest times in our history. She has helped Denver VOICE vendors become better advocates for themselves and the unhoused community in Denver by writing about their experiences. She has helped build the Denver VOICE community and helped establish our little newspaper as a more viable alternative news organization in the Denver media landscape. Elisabeth’s work and time at the Denver VOICE have helped change and grow the organization for the better, and I can’t express how much she will be missed. But for me, it always comes back to that first conversation. Elisabeth didn’t just hand me an opportunity. She asked more of me than I thought I had in me, and that’s the kind of push that changes a person’s whole trajectory. Seven years later, I’m still grateful she didn’t just let me take the photos. - Giles Clasen Executive Director 1 10 16 18 22 26 30 34 37 45 49 53 57 61 63 58 54 59 62 64 50 38 39 46 23 27 31 35 40 47 51 55 60 19 24 28 32 36 41 48 52 56 42 43 44 33 29 20 25 2 3 PUZZLES PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREET WISE 4 5 11 12 13 17 21 6 7 8 9 14 15 ACROSS DONATE And help the Denver VOICE help your neighbors. denvervoice.org/donate 1. Kind of case 6. Serb or Croat 10. Poor Richard’s Almanack item 13. Run 16. Had to be paid 17. Bronze age indications? 18. Cool 19. Bakery utensils 21. Abbr. on a bank statement 22. Six-sided state 24. Not a soul 25. It needs some elbow room 26. Brooklyn’s ___ Island 28. Jewel 29. Out 30. Scandinavian coins 32. “RuPaul’s ___” 34. Jr.’s exam 36. ___ of Man 37. Feelers 41. Starter’s need 45. “Saturday Night Fever” music 46. Old PC monitor type 48. Squirrel away 49. Short run 50. Irving Berlin’s “Blue ___” 52. Wrapped (up) 53. Divinity school subj. 54. Catch-22 56. Holiday quaff 57. Discriminating diner 59. Toaster pastry 61. Barely contain one’s anger 62. Beastly 63. Many a TikToker 64. Kind of tax not seen in Oregon DOWN 1. Hurl 2. Roman magistrate (anagram of PRORATE) 3. ___ Beach, Fla. 4. Word found twice on the December page of a calendar 5. Roulette bets 6. Extra 7. “___ go!” 8. Singer Grande, to fans 9. Ice cream flavor 11. Crush 12. Obscure 13. Med. scan for the claustrophobic 14. ___ acid (substance found in wine) 15. Property 20. Pigeon-___ 23. Nag, nag, nag 25. Civil disturbances 27. Kind of question 29. Citrus hybrids 31. Bled 33. Nasty biter 35. Piling-on footballer 37. Eats up 38. Coveted TV slot 39. Ezra Pound protege 40. One of the Great Lakes 42. Pedicure’s target 43. ...with possibly even direr consequences! 44. End-to-end measures 47. Beat 50. Traffic stopper 51. Urban haze 54. Bro 55. Mortgage figs. 58. Cavs, on scoreboards 60. It may be high in the afternoon DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 13
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