Editor's Note

I first met Paul Karolyi, founder of the podcast Changing Denver, on November 8, 2016—a memorable evening. Fortunately, Paul and I were able to find plenty to talk about to distract ourselves from national politics. Although I grew up in the Denver area and Paul is a relatively new arrival, we both love to discuss the minutiae of our changing city.

Denver VOICEFebruary 1, 2017

Vendor Profile - Matt Davidson

By S.E. Fleenor | Photo by Sarah Harvey

Matt Davidson understands what it means to persevere. From homelessness to incarceration to owning a small business—Matt has been through it all. Even if things haven’t always been easy, he’s never given up. “I’m no one special. I’m just like anybody else: I’m trying to make it.”

DV StaffFebruary 1, 2017

Meet the Echo

By Danielle Krolewicz

The world’s newest street paper is changing lives in Colorado Springs.

January 1 marked the launch of the Colorado Springs Echo, a street paper spearheaded by Raven Canon. After a year of hard work, dedication, networking, and fundraising, Canon published the first installment of the Echo, printing 3,000 copies of the paper.

DV StaffFebruary 1, 2017Colorado Springs, Springs Echo, Raven Canon, INSP, International Street Papers, Homeless, Homelessness

A Coat Designed With More than Fashion in Mind

By Danielle Krolewicz

The Empowerment Plan began as a challenge in a college classroom. Now it is a nonprofit that manufactures coats for the homeless—and employs the formerly homeless to do so.

DV StaffFebruary 1, 2017Homeless, homelessness, Detroit, The Empowerment Plan, INSP, International Street Papers, Coat, Sleeping bag

The Guided Evolution of Arapahoe Square

By Paul Karolyi

More than a million people are projected to move to the Denver metro area by 2040, according to the Denver Regional Council of Governments. For city officials, urban planners, and other stakeholders in Denver’s communities, the expected population boom presents a challenge: How can we uphold our values while managing growth?

Writing Through Hard Times

The Hard Times Writing Workshop is a collaboration between Denver Public Library and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. The workshop is open to all members of the public—especially those experiencing homelessness. Each month, the Denver VOICE will publish a selection of the voices of Hard Times.

Editor's Note

Last month, the city of Denver held a candlelight vigil for 171 homeless or formerly homeless people. Seventy-nine of those people passed away on the streets of Denver in 2016. The short candlelight ceremony hosted by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless included a reading of the list of the decedents’ names. After each name is read, the memorial attendees chant, “We will remember.” It is the only memorial service many of these individuals will receive.

Denver VOICEJanuary 1, 2017

Vendor Profile - Cynthia Ellington

By Benjamin Tomkins | Photo by Sarah Harvey

Cynthia Ellington woke up in a shelter the morning of this interview. She waited in line for an hour to take a shower. Then she had to wait in line for a towel, a washcloth, a curling iron, and makeup. “You have to wait in line for everything. They gave me two conditioners today, but I wasn’t going to wait in line again for another shampoo.” After the shower, she had a twenty-five-minute walk to the Denver VOICE office.

DV StaffJanuary 1, 2017

Remembering Todd Burton

By Claire Martin

Todd Burton, who died June 20, 2016, was a familiar sight at the corner of California and 20th streets, seated on his bag and flying a sign that said “SMILE!” Sometimes he played a guitar.

Denver VOICEJanuary 1, 2017Denver VOICE, Denver, homeless, homelessness, Todd Burton, Claire Martin

A Day in the Lives of Denver Public Library’s Community Resource Specialists

Denver Public Library’s community resource specialists are trained social workers who can help people with everything from applying for food stamps to dealing with trauma.

By Matthew Van Deventer | Photos by Stanley Sigalov

DV StaffJanuary 1, 2017Denver, Denver VOICE, Denver Public Library, DPL, Elissa Hardy, social worker, library, homeless