׉?ׁB!בCטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://5tZ1AuXBss-8YCV0U85qF1vk6H_J_u2qa_OtgOgOGGUw `׉ 7cassandra://fjIPKJSVEQFUL5-9x5v98b4sYjQpXej9wU7To5F27AAG*`p׉ 7cassandra://Qyd-8_mybOuxCBF1BCfuNTLZMqxHnWS0bPoCj3D8ZuYc`jf\^D^P׈Ejf\^D^>׉E$2 JUNE 2026 | Vol. 31 Issue 6 SUGGESTED IAN KORLESKI CREATED HIS OWN LIGHT P.8 IN YOUR OWN WORDS P.12 NOW IS THE TIME TO BE LOUDLY, UNAPOLOGETICALLY, PRO-TRANS P.4 FROM YOUR VENDOR: ׉ 7cassandra://Qyd-8_mybOuxCBF1BCfuNTLZMqxHnWS0bPoCj3D8ZuYc`jf\^D^?jf\^D^> בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://4c02QmHet8l4IgIM6r_ZltU1Axpd_OkdCIuK3UR32gc G`׉ 7cassandra://bnSqOq2cFYE8htjGQYQfgVE-or0cxT7dk5yi2uGtlj0͜`p׉ 7cassandra://2RAsFjIUkCHXgYRCVhm-w7jJpVG6X3c0GEa1C0MRJVw+`jk\^D^Sטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://7pcKMPDJeL-AsGisj-A3pgW0pToPoRmb_Ov8i6IGMOg$`׉ 7cassandra://yzGElQiBBSk-kEYHw9mmZLDj2_8SRlhiRCBJBS150p4[`p׉ 7cassandra://8W_tTGLjzzc0guyfQ8jP4DW6bhSun6fVDg3HpHYsOBU`jk\^D^Tנjk\^D^h*&̘9ׁH$http://denvervoice.org/subscriptionsׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^g@n 9ׁHmailto:ads@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^f@ہ̇ 9ׁHmailto:program@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^e6Q 9ׁHhttp://denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^a ̐ 9ׁHmailto:editor@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^` ̞ 9ׁHmailto:program@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^_ k̐ 9ׁHmailto:editor@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^^ c 9ׁHhttp://DENVERVOICE.ORGׁ ׁ Јנjk\^D^\̚9ׁHhttp://ballotready.org/us/ׁ ׁ Ј׉EDenver, CO Help us help your neighbors. We're Right Here. Learn more about our work and the people we serve: denvervoice.org DENVERVOICE.org ׉ 7cassandra://2RAsFjIUkCHXgYRCVhm-w7jJpVG6X3c0GEa1C0MRJVw+`jf\^D^@׉E JFrom the Editor It's Time to Make a Voting Plan W ITH PRIMARY ELECTIONS on June 30, now is the time to make plans to vote. If you’re not registered, you have until June 22 to do so. If you’re already registered and plan to vote by mail-in ballot, be absolutely certain to allow enough time for your ballot to arrive on time, if not early. If you can take your ballot to a drop-off box, go online to find the one closest to you and drop it off on or before election day. If you don’t have a car, consider taking a scooter or electric bike, a ride-share service, or rapid transit to the polling place. If you’ve waited until the final day to vote, determine how long it will take you to get there and prepare to wait in line. If you’re able, offer to drive any members of your community who don’t have access to transportation. As voting rights face increasing pressure from the U.S. Supreme Court, this is not the time to sit on the sidelines. Whether you are a committed Democrat, Republican, or independent, your voice matters now more than ever, and your vote makes a difference. For information on voting deadlines, candidates, ballot amendments, visit ballotready.org/us/ initiatives, colorado or - Elisabeth Monaghan Managing Editor EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS VENDOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS 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.ORG MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR ADMIN. ASSISTANT VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS @denverVOICE ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTORS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Madeline Egerton Jennifer Forker Aaron Sullivan Lisa Schlictman Giles Clasen Joshua Abeyta Lando Allen Albert Bland Michael Burkley Donald Burnes Giles Clasen Madeline Egerton Raelene Johnson Jerry Rosen Jennifer Forker, President Donald Burnes, Vice President Edwin Rapp, Treasurer Isabella Colletti, Secretary Michael Burkley Ande Sailer Linda Shapley Steve Baker Lisa Schlichtman editor@denvervoice.org program@denvervoice.org editor@denvervoice.org PO Box 1931, Denver CO 80201 989 Santa Fe Drive Denver CO 80204 10 a.m. -1 p.m., Wednesdays 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 overlook. 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: VOLUNTEER: ADVERTISE: DONATE @ denvervoice.org @denverVOICE Contact program@denvervoice.org Contact ads@denvervoice.org SUBSCRIBE @ denvervoice.org/subscriptions THE COVER: Ian Koreleski launched Cranky Candles in 2021, creating his first themed candles to celebrate Pride. PHOTO BY GILES CLASEN DENVER VOICE JUNE 2026 3 ABOUT US ׉ 7cassandra://8W_tTGLjzzc0guyfQ8jP4DW6bhSun6fVDg3HpHYsOBU`jf\^D^Ajf\^D^@ בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://0O9Znc3ysMqFbgHgoVv1wtJw0WOFpuQ8lSZS60yUYlg`׉ 7cassandra://wep_FF3V5iixofNhTWF-0CJQA3c_L8F1uMQm3Sw9QQkd`p׉ 7cassandra://Kqffkh3XqqoYq3au3o5WG5Qz-RhKi0y6fnKhnYK0E0c%`jk\^D^Wטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://CX7Gu6hzV_I5kYeS2DNd5Xt8kBIc8vUHsd9caNid12E`׉ 7cassandra://2ZunwBayPwTl-euRFvcvNYDaq23JIdrGd78qNzWZglÙ`p׉ 7cassandra://Fuw0Z-ljE7dZG1Fhu_E3vC0vLp9MXfutlEm3Nztaf3c'`jk\^D^Xנjk\^D^i=[$9ׁHhttp://denvervoice.org/donateׁ ׁ Ј׉ENow is the Time to be Loudly, Unapologetically, Pro-Trans Story and Photos by Giles Clasen Z Williams leads a protest outside a Lakewood City Council meeting in July 2025, demanding accountability and transparency into the investigation of Jax Gratton’s death. On January 26, 2026, the council voted to work toward establishing an independent civilian oversight board, and a grand jury later indicted Brandon David Mumma, 44, on felony charges of tampering with Gratton’s body and evidence related to her death. 4 COMMUNITY PROFILE ׉ 7cassandra://Kqffkh3XqqoYq3au3o5WG5Qz-RhKi0y6fnKhnYK0E0c%`jf\^D^B׉E7Editor’s note: The interview with Z Williams was edited for length and clarity. Comments in bold have been added for additional context. Z WILLIAMS, CO-FOUNDER AND CO-DIRECTOR of Bread and Roses Legal Center, spoke with the Denver VOICE about the escalating threats facing the trans community, recent Colorado legislation that offers greater protections, and why now is the time for allies to be “loudly, unapologetically vocal.” GILES CLASEN: What is the trans community facing right now? Z WILLIAMS: We are seeing just unprecedented levels of violence and bigotry and intolerance, at a level that previously would not be considered acceptable or even expected. It’s just awful. It’s to the point that I had to call bars to make sure that they were pro-trans before I would be willing to take my daughter there for her 21st birthday. That’s worse than Denver was 10 years ago, even 20 years ago.” CLASEN: How much of this is connected to the current political climate? WILLIAMS: It’s not about Trump, but it’s connected. Absolutely connected. When you say trans people are an enemy of the United States and broadcast that far and wide, and then you target trans health care and trans mental health care and trans kids and trans schools, what happens is people are emboldened. Folks that have big feelings about their small selves start to act out. That’s the predictable consequence of the Trump agenda. Williams pointed to a May 6 counterterrorism strategy released by the White House that effectively targets trans people and trans advocates as an enforcement priority. The memo states: “In addition to cartels and Islamist terror groups, our national (counter terrorism)activities will also prioritize the rapid identification and neutralization of violent secular political groups whose ideology is anti-American, radically pro-transgender, and anarchist.” CLASEN: Colorado has been pushing back, though. Can you talk about Senate Bill 18? WILLIAMS: Senate Bill 18 came to us from young trans people who changed their names and shortly after found out that their name change was now public, that anyone who wanted to could have access to that information. This is a bill that was informed both by trans kids worried about themselves and also about folks who hold multiple marginalized identities, folks who are trans and immigrants, or trans and formerly incarcerated, or in foster care. Our belief is that kids deserve privacy. And of course, trans kids are the ones who brought this issue to light for us. It came from trans kids, but there’s a lot of other kids who also need that privacy and that other measure of protection. Sometimes, kids change their name for religious reasons, because they’re a victim of a crime, or because they have changed their family arrangement. Whatever the reason, kids deserve privacy. The bill suppresses name-change records for minors, a legal distinction Williams said was deliberately made. Williams emphasized that the bill’s protections extend well beyond the trans community. CLASEN: Was there resistance to getting it passed? WILLIAMS: [Governor Jared] Polis has been a foe of most protrans legislation. WILLIAMS: The wildest thing to me is that it wasn’t even a mandatory action. It would just be considered the same as a judge might consider a parent’s drug use. Polis made it very clear that he would veto it if we included that. Governor Polis threatened to veto the bill unless a section was removed, a provision that would have required courts to consider a child’s marginalized identity, including gender, race, disability, and sexual orientation, in custody and family law decisions. CLASEN: In 2025, you helped write and pass the Kelly Loving Act. How would you describe the Kelly Loving Act to people who aren’t familiar with it? WILLIAMS: The Kelly Loving Act is the most ambitious piece of pro-trans legislation passed in the aftermath of the Trump election. It is the most robust set of protections, especially for workers and for kids. And it was created by and based on the feedback of trans people across Colorado. The Kelly Loving Act (HB25-1312) is named after Kelly Loving, a transgender woman murdered in the 2022 Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs. The act is the most sweeping expansion of trans protections in Colorado history, covering workplace discrimination, school dress codes, and protection from out-ofstate legal retaliation for gender-affirming care. CLASEN: What political issues does the trans community face in Colorado right now? WILLIAMS: We have two viciously anti-trans ballot measures on the 2026 ballot in November. And we need cis people. Colorado voters will face two ballot measures in November targeting transgender rights, both put on the ballot by the conservative group Protect Kids Colorado. Initiative 109 would ban transgender kids from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity, applying to K-12 and collegiate athletics. Initiative 110 would ban genderaffirming surgery for minors and prohibit public funds or insurance coverage from paying for it. WILLIAMS: 109 is a threat to all children,” Williams said. “It opens all children up to interrogation about their genitals, about their sex assigned at birth. It leads to things like genital inspections or biological testing for any child to participate in sports.” 110 bans all gender affirming health care, which is life-saving medical care for kids, and also prohibits state medical plans, which is the primary source of funding for most trans people to access gender affirming surgeries. I wanna be very clear that the number one gender affirming surgery done on children is for cis boys who have what’s called gynecomastia. It’s a condition that causes a growth of breast tissue in children who are assigned male at birth. And the number one gender affirming surgery done on children under the age of 18 is to do top surgery for cisgender boys with gynecomastia. This idea that kids are getting all these surgeries, it’s made up. It’s a manufactured terror. CLASEN: Why can’t treatment wait until a child turns 18? WILLIAMS: Waiting until you’re 18 means hoping a kid survives to be 18. I don’t want to hope that anyone can survive the pain or endure the horrors of dysphoria to reach 18. If the goal is to wait until you’re 18, that means we’re going to see a lot of kids die before they get there. The Trevor Project’s 2025 National Survey of more than 16,000 LGBTQ+ young people found that 49% of transgender youth ages 13-18 seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 16% attempted suicide — statistically significantly higher rate than cis gender youth. CLASEN: What else are you working on at the city level? WILLIAMS: We are working with council members [Stacie] Gilmore and [Sarah] Parady, specifically to pass an ordinance that would make it so that Denver, first of all, really thinks about and limits when and why we are collecting people’s gender information. If I am getting a library card, why do you need to know the gender on my driver’s license? If I am even enrolling in the rec center, why does the rec center need to know my gender? The ordinance would make it so that Denver is not sharing information with federal law enforcement if there are any [federal actions] done for targeting gender identity. CLASEN: What can allies and community members do right now to support the trans community? WILLIAMS: Now is the time to be unapologetically loud and protrans. It’s not enough to be quietly respectful. It is time to be loudly disruptive. If you are seeing conduct, intervene. If you are able to advocate on policies, do so. We need allies to be incredibly vocal and clear that trans people are not a threat. Trans people exist, have always existed, deserve to exist, and have every right that everyone else does. DONATE And help the Denver VOICE help your neighbors. denvervoice.org/donate DENVER VOICE JUNE 2026 5 ׉ 7cassandra://Fuw0Z-ljE7dZG1Fhu_E3vC0vLp9MXfutlEm3Nztaf3c'`jf\^D^Cjf\^D^B בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://OSBHDA3irVHqe-Qw_zQjM27onlNwSU7vNBsfwjtawaE `׉ 7cassandra://wG3ivbZT2P_vN4Yg5n6bqKDxqEs5uGYFlks3SDiqfZ0`p׉ 7cassandra://yt5Yk54yMfniKh1xsjdVQWoyM1d_r6M_TujxP0zn5J8)`jk\^D^]טddu׉׉ 7cassandra://qxvH22JyFFywFD3CIwIxy1yQqQ3MnRmvBsOWqjMVx4MLD`׉ 7cassandra://y9jUj8yBcwJqFVkiJ_GgfRs8USrqyrrXHFj_0zy66b4̓`p׉ 7cassandra://OUN4AmPMYkol4EOiC_r6zetPMKC8SvFDCrl_bCw1AZo'`jk\^D^bנjl\^D^s h89ׁHhttp://INSP.ngׁ ׁ Ј׉EMACHETE MOUTH I HAVE SOME SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL MACHETÉ MOUTH is a fitting moniker for a group that yields their music as an ancestral weapon against an age-old problem: white supremacy. The band is primarily a duo of Jenèe Donelson, the group’s frontwoman, vocalist, songwriter, and creative driving force, and her multiinstrumentalist musical partner, JOSHUA ABEYTA DENVER VOICE MUSIC REPORTER David Bailey. “Grimoire,” the group’s first full-length album, is “a textbook of magic, occult, and esoteric knowledge containing spells, rituals, instructions for creating amulets and conjuring spirits, functioning as a personal magical diary or guide,” according to the group’s website. The album is a follow-up to their selftitled EP released in 2021 and “7 Inches Deep”, a vinyl single released through Denver’s Unit E Records in 2023. “Grimoire” also features Joseph Lamar, Brady Gaynor, Alison Sheldon, and Harmony Rose of Milk Blossoms. The album’s opening track, “Abacus,” is a futuristic incantation that feels like the opening sequence in a film adaptation of an Octavia Butler novel. “A lot of this album is about reclamation of what I already knew to be Black music, which is the blues, which is rock, which is alternative, which is punk— all those different things are intertwined with this sound,” said Donelson. Donelson was born in St. Paul, Minn., raised in Houston, and moved to Denver in her late teens to attend culinary school. Being raised in the South as a Black woman was quite the dichotomy. “Houston, I really didn’t get to appreciate (it) as an adult,” Donelson said. “I would love to go back, but the way that Black women are treated in Houston, specifically around the uterus, it’s kind of terrifying. But I think Houston is one of the most multicultural places. It’s bigger than New York in size, and it’s got some of the same diversity things going on. And, I really miss that.” You can hear Donelson’s cultural and culinary influences on the record, as Grimoire’s menu offers a wide variety of tastes and textures. The second track, “Solomon,” features soaring vocals, a bluesy piano, and haunting strings laid over rhythmic breathing that could be emanating from a chain gang. The song is a battle cry, and does not mince words with the chorus: “You will pay me every inch of flesh that you owe.” Later in the record, “I Hope The Crow You Eat Is Well Seasoned” is a direct nod to the Jim Crow South, the Suffragist movement, and a direct shot at the intersection of patriarchy and white supremacy. “I’ve been here, we’ve been here, we’re not going anywhere,” said Donelson. “This is ancestral shit. Like, I hope that everything that white supremacy has given us gets back to them. How much time do you want for your progress? We’ve done everything that’s been asked of us, and still you’re asking for more time. And, I think time’s up.” Grimoire is a powerful collection that will move the listener to investigate further, and Donelson hopes it will spur them to action. But her advocacy goes beyond the recording studio. Since moving to Denver, Donelson regularly relied on Macheté Mouth is frontwoman, vocalist and songwriter Jeneè Donelson, and multi-instrumentalist David Bailey. Credit: Katie Langley / @kt_langley public transportation. She felt like RTD wasn’t meeting her needs due to service cuts and unaffordable fares, especially for people existing near or below the poverty line, so she began field research, discovering that many other folks shared her frustrations. “I would go onto the bus, rain or shine, and I would record people’s testimonies on whether or not they felt like they were being advocated for by RTD. I would record people’s testimonies, folks who couldn’t get to RTD’s meetings. Just being able to create this symphony of sounds of other folks’ voices. I think that the bus is a mobile community center. And in so many ways, RTD was gutting and still is gutting that system.” In 2017, as a result of her research and budding organizing work, Donelson started the Rocky Mountain Bus Riders’ Union, the first of its kind in Denver. “What I saw was that Seattle had a bus riders’ union. New York has a bus riders’ union. Most major cities had bus riders’ unions. I went to Baltimore with one of the members of the bus riders’ union, and I spoke to the actual union drivers, and they’re like, ‘You have to unionize the riders, too.’ That’s when I got the idea to just start doing it.” Much like Donelson’s work on “Grimoire” was propelled by a recognition that there was a void to be filled and collective needs that weren’t being addressed, Donelson’s organizing is driven by her desire to leave the world a better place than she found it. Whether through the arts or advocacy, her love for her community and sense of justice are undeniable. “Grimoire” will be available to the public in late July, and you can keep up with the group at www.iammachetemouth.com. 6 COLUMN ׉ 7cassandra://yt5Yk54yMfniKh1xsjdVQWoyM1d_r6M_TujxP0zn5J8)`jf\^D^D׉E"UStreet Sense Vendor Frederic John Spotlighted in New Documentary Story by Aubrey Butterfield himself deeply intertwined with horse gambling—a financial challenge for both himself and Krulik that is discussed intently in the film. The film spans from 2000 to the current day, and since the events of the documentary, John has celebrated over three decades of sobriety from drugs and alcohol and has done personal work regarding his finances. “I don’t go around beating the drum for, ‘I’m in recovery,’ you know, like some of these big movie actors, you know, trying to get people to come in. I mean, I just try to be an example,” John said. “Because I don’t drink anymore, it means I have a better memory, and my personality is more settled, and I care about other people.” Prior to his focus on photography, John had different plans for his creative endeavors. The documentary covers his time in New York, as he chased acting dreams. He would eventually work at Saturday Night Live and have an iconic cameo in All That Jazz. Despite DC’s central focus in the film, John emphasized the importance of his experiences in cities like New York, New Orleans, and Las Vegas in the shaping of his life. He joined the Screen Actors Guild and became invested in blues bands, taking pictures of his bandmates while learning guitar. “I just had this love,” John said. “I took good portraits of the bluesmen in black and white with Polaroids, and that was an extension of what I’d done exploring around downtown. Here they were starting to tear down the old city, and I was just enthralled with the photographs of Walker, Evans, you know, and Dorothea Lange, you know, the people who took the pictures in the ‘30s, and especially Beatrice Abbott.” Following his stints across the country, John returned to the District. He would finally find recognition for his photographic work in a 2016 five-page feature in The Washington Post’s Sunday magazine, which showcased “The Polaroids of the cowboy poet” and his journey capturing his hometown. He would wind up contributing to the magazine, referring to himself as a “groupie” of the publication. “If it wasn’t for The Post magazine, I don’t think a lot of people would have seen my pictures,” John said. This moment became frustrating for Krulik, who felt Courtesy of Street Sense JEFF KRULIK’S LANDLINE PHONE rang again. He had begun to anticipate the voice on the other line as Chris Earnshaw—also known as Frederic John—a DC local who had heard about his short film documentaries. Earnshaw needed Krulik’s help. “He wanted me to help him make his film called Billy Luck that he wrote the script for,” Krulik said. “And he can nudge you. He won’t let it go.” Krulik was initially hesitant, as he made his creative intentions clear: he doesn’t do narrative films. But that didn’t stop John from calling. After dozens of attempts and small chats over the phone, he convinced Krulik to meet him at a local restaurant to talk about his screenplay aspirations. Krulik brought his camera. “I’m so grateful I did,” Krulik said. “He’s showing me all these photographs of the vanished landscape. I’ve always been interested in local culture, and, of course, the underbelly, if you will, or the real DC.” John’s screenplay, “Billy Luck,” aimed to take viewers around the “underbelly of Washington,” which interested Krulik, the District-grown documentarian. He was more charmed, however, by John’s self-collected and self-created rich history of DC, illustrated through his time under the pseudonym “The Cowboy Poet”. Krulik didn’t know his next move, but he knew he had to keep John on camera, and John knew he needed Krulik’s attention. “I thought, ‘There’s something going on here.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, I know he wants me to make narrative films, but I want to work with this guy, and I want to get him kind of going around DC, talking about what he was interested in,’ and that’s how we started,” Krulik said. “He moved me, he got me interested in what he was, you know, pretty much all about. Now, I didn’t really know him that well, but I took a leap of faith.” The year 2000 began decades of film following John around DC. Billy Luck came to life—though not how it was intended to. The film follows John and Krulik’s relationship across years of developing Earnshaw’s project, exploring fond memories, frequent bickering, and, eventually, Krulik’s progression into becoming John’s doppelgänger as they battled through similar life challenges of hoarding and gambling. The documentary was screened for the first time at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Springs, Maryland, on 19 April. The project has been years in the making, with Krulik meeting with his co-producers and long-time collaborators Greg DeLiso and Dina Selfridge over Zoom since 2020, 20 years after Krulik began filming. Due to the abundance of footage, Krulik and his editor, Brad Dismukes, edited the 90-minute first draft for months up until runtime, where Krulik stayed in a Virginia hotel for weeks leading up to the premiere. As a reward for his sacrifices, Krulik has been overwhelmed by support for the film. Friends, colleagues, and fans alike have flooded his social media praising the documentary for its humor, ambition, and humanity. Viewers reported feeling connected to John and his struggles and appreciated the vulnerable and open look into his life that Billy Luck provided. “If you have a lingering, insurmountable problem on your back, you’ll be able to relate to the universal themes of the film,” Davis White, who attended the premiere, wrote on Facebook. Krulik is particularly drawn to “eccentric” Washingtonians, making John the perfect subject, according to both John and Krulik. His most notable work, “Heavy Metal Parking Lot”, takes a look at Judas Priest fans before his 1986 Landover, Maryland concert, spotlighting oddball fanatics. Billy Luck opens with a conversation between John and Krulik, in which Krulik becomes frustrated as John struggles to express his talents. This point would become a recurring theme throughout the film, as John navigates how to show the world his work archiving the District. John’s struggles were often connected to his own battles with bipolar disorder and alcoholism. As a result, he found excluded from the process after his years of work with John. After reflecting on his relationship with John, the documentary culminates in Krulik’s decades, enabling John, he has become him. This is most prevalent through shots of John and Krulik’s respective storage units and efforts to expand their art to the public. The film is currently incomplete and is being prepared for another editing round. Krulik plans on continuing to develop the film, including visual fixes, complete end credits, and more footage of his time with John. He continues to be intimately involved with the production of the film, drawing on past footage and occasionally recording more of John to finish storylines. Today, John lives in the District with his partner and works as a vendor at Street Sense Media. He enjoys watching writers and photographers find their footing at the publication and continues to express his love for his hometown through his work. He remains in regular contact with Krulik and is still passionate about Billy Luck and other creative pursuits. Parts of his screenplay have been published in Street Sense. The plot, he said, was inspired by the “melting pot” of New York Avenue and his affinity for the Skid Row neighborhood. While archiving the buildings through his photographs, he aimed to archive the stories of DC residents in the screenplay. Though John no longer writes as often, he appreciates the creative freedom that the paper has granted him and other homelessness advocates in getting their words heard. “[They] would give me a lot of space with my photographs and stuff, but the paper is more of a constituency vehicle now, so that everybody gets a chance,” John said. “I don’t have to let people know I can write and take pictures, because they know that. So, I’m all for giving other people a chance, and especially since I don’t do as much vending as a lot of the other members do.” As John continues to shape his legacy, Street Sense remains a vital part of his story. “All of these great people have come to Street Sense, and their memory will be perpetuated because they came to Street Sense,” John said. “Nobody who came to Street Sense ever had their life go downward. It always went upward.” Courtesy of Street Sense Media / INSP.ngo revelation that, over the course of DENVER VOICE NEWS 7 ׉ 7cassandra://OUN4AmPMYkol4EOiC_r6zetPMKC8SvFDCrl_bCw1AZo'`jf\^D^Ejf\^D^D בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://XHbHzJgArR75AZ-U8G8tKs0Rbi3JwO1xnzG7GOm0RhIzd`׉ 7cassandra://5qOFYy9uecQaIwcIHXiTJotIDSRdMdo_tO5B2vyA9WML0`p׉ 7cassandra://68wXw6UyqyYyC-m3iqyqTeH_TTlWSLdOlKvkFJV8z88%`jk\^D^jטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://JYP4qBv-ILOLqHkcml-azJJa06SshMSRKhbn8eV_M6Y`׉ 7cassandra://n2yTXt8GKecoDTg9WUSuY-Fn57LxyqAcN_5xRyJiIrgAS`p׉ 7cassandra://cm_y6ovm8YtTdCpnHYv3henrBZ5X-L4axa1tTNCMm-c`jk\^D^k׉E^Ian Korleski Created His Own Light Story by Madeline Egerton Photos by Giles Clasen 8 SECTION ׉ 7cassandra://68wXw6UyqyYyC-m3iqyqTeH_TTlWSLdOlKvkFJV8z88%`jf\^D^F׉ETalking about his inspiration to create candles, Korleski said, “It was a drive that I can’t explain. It was just like, do this, and I don’t know why.” DENVER VOICE JUNE 2026 9 ׉ 7cassandra://cm_y6ovm8YtTdCpnHYv3henrBZ5X-L4axa1tTNCMm-c`jf\^D^Gjf\^D^F בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://b_GnK3RRlIinhgialuc991oQg2jI9sFPPyllJQOw4n4E`׉ 7cassandra://r0_yEHTHp7AZ6VsTtb-As-y3F91F5c_ktZCJc_uNmJs] `p׉ 7cassandra://bYTYq_QBColeMG1LDRVfuu8pLzr6hHLnIxWml3R1iVs#w`jk\^D^oטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://WkXTAa7ZFpv56ybFYlU21F6uNxA2qEqBTjdmgIiysxI`׉ 7cassandra://rSwBDMHlmO9ti-YHz4YoBxMApWkCchmnSHo6q_tWJvw`8`p׉ 7cassandra://_n7eq9B5mhG_mX1QHbQ_ZkFwsT7dfR41pEvmupczYSU"`jk\^D^pנjl\^D^v39ׁH&http://etsy.com/market/cranky_candles.ׁ ׁ Ј׉EContent Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide. THE BUSINESS CRANKY CANDLE started the night Ian “Cranky” Korleski received a call from the Santa Fe (New Mexico) Sheriff’s Department. He didn’t know it yet, but his life was about to change. “I got this voicemail on my phone from the sheriff’s department,” Korleski said. “It was this female, and she said something about my mom, that something was wrong with her.” When Korleski called the sheriff’s department back, they told him there wasn’t a female deputy working that night, and it was likely a prank. Korleski tried to reach his mom but couldn’t. He worried, even though it wasn’t unusual for her to take some time to call him back. A few days later, the sheriff’s department called Korleski again. It was not a prank. His mother had taken her life. Korleski knew he needed to find a way through the pain. “I had a bunch of trauma I had to deal with,” he said. What came next wasn’t a business plan. It wasn’t even a conscious choice. He was just a man who needed something to fight against, and Korleski found it in wax, frequency, and fire. “The coping turned into a business,” Korleski said. “I used it as my therapy.” There was no grand intention at first. “It was a drive that I can’t explain. It was just like, do this, and I don’t know why,” Korleski said. In 2021, Korleski traveled to New Mexico to take care of his mother’s earthly possessions. He felt it was his final duty as her son. Through processing his grief, Korleski said he found inspiration to take his candle-making to another level. “I ran to it, and I made candle-making as hard as I possibly fucking could on myself,” Korleski said. “I started doing intricate stuff and trying to carve stuff. And my hands are unsteady, but I found I can do certain things with wax.” Initially, Korleski gave his candles away as gifts to friends Korleski works with highquality soy wax and is experimenting with beeswax for more intricate pieces, mixing and layering colors. A selection of Ian Korleski’s Cranky Candles shows the variety and intricacy of his work. 10 COMMUNITY PROFILE ׉ 7cassandra://bYTYq_QBColeMG1LDRVfuu8pLzr6hHLnIxWml3R1iVs#w`jf\^D^H׉EIan Korleski creating one of his Cranky Candles and loved ones. His first themed round of candles was for 2021 Pride. They were simple, layered, rainbow, can-shaped candles, but they were hits with those who received them. “[I used] cheap hobby store wax, cheap hobby store dye, and I gave them out to people, and they really liked them,” Korleski said. The encouragement made him believe he could do more with his candles. While candle-making was still just a hobby, Korleski was working full-time in the cannabis industry, first as a grower at a locally owned dispensary, then at Dablogic, a cannabis manufacturing company. “It gave me insurance at least,” he said. “I was giving candles out to people. They’re like, you should do something with this. These are actually good enough to sell.” He wasn’t ready to believe that yet. Then came the accident. “This lady T-boned me, and I got hit head-on,” Korleski said. “I got really bad head trauma. I thought I was dead for three days. Like, I couldn’t move. I was fucked.” He went back to work too soon. Three months later, Dablogic called him into a room with a group of coworkers for a mass layoff. The shock made him faint. He hit his head on the table on the way down, then again on the floor. Doctors delivered a diagnosis that changed everything: one more head trauma, and he might not walk again. Most of his work required a hard hat. That chapter was over. “I wake up in the morning, and I go, ‘What day is it? Where am I? What am I doing?’” Korleski said. Sitting in his kitchen, filling out unemployment paperwork, Korleski made a decision. He grabbed a piece of cardboard, spelled out Cranky Candle in electrical tape, dragged his candles into the alley next to his apartment on South Broadway, and set up a folding table. He wasn’t alone for long. “This fucking homeless kid, Dirt Joe, helped me. He helped me a lot,” Korleski said. “He appeared out of nowhere. He got me to carnival bark people over. We were playing music. We were having fun, and I started selling candles.” During Korleski’s first weekend selling candles on the sidewalk, he made more than $200. From there, the craft deepened. Korleski had already been experimenting with running Hertz frequencies through the wax as it hardened, a technique he’d borrowed from his cannabis days, where he’d used sound waves to improve the quality of concentrates. It worked on wax too, pulling bubbles out and driving the liquid into every corner of a mold. But Korleski began to see it as something more. Specific frequencies, he believes, carry specific intentions that mark the candles — love, protection, forward movement. Whether or not that’s provable doesn’t matter. He’s not selling metaphysics. He’s sharing the intention. “This isn’t a normal candle,” he said. Korleski wants his candles to offer comfort and meet a need beyond just light. “Any sort of life change, that’s when I want you to take a breath and light it,” Korleski said. The candles are intended to be lit, used, and offer meaning. “The thing I hear all the time is, ‘Oh, they’re so pretty. I don’t wanna light them.’ This is the point. That decision to light it is a trigger,” Korleski said. Korleski now works with high-quality soy wax and is experimenting with beeswax for more intricate pieces, mixing and layering colors, and building each candle with the purchaser in mind. The goal, underneath all of it, has never changed. “The whole reason I was making candles in the first place was to provide light,” Korleski said. For more information, visit etsy.com/market/cranky_candles. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Do not hesitate to call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ian Korleski believes the candles he makes carry specific intentions — love, protection, forward movement. DENVER VOICE JUNE 2026 11 ׉ 7cassandra://_n7eq9B5mhG_mX1QHbQ_ZkFwsT7dfR41pEvmupczYSU"`jf\^D^Ijf\^D^H בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://qJQuBFqJr6K_YHx03rJmGMuuQdWQlCiN2Lfg2P8t_iI`׉ 7cassandra://kzwtOuoLEEnirqeG2M8ibej6cI3d1buVnJfHR5CpSBov`p׉ 7cassandra://X-T-MXh9zdW8062S5nbac4jEblhO7uKcdMh8qjtO274&`jl\^D^rטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://ma3WugCfueTc_mWzhweYrlbqF5jm2BUEllP5L6Pl3Kk`׉ 7cassandra://kRBXiVkoSyMgqq_Pk8fMZzsdpVMDenrrVzbSBYBb_uU͐`p׉ 7cassandra://b1QW3JVp35ZBx47IpR1tjC3QBiqii58NfgXgJsDEf4o1`jl\^D^tנjl\^D^z܁9ׁH$http://bluesurveillance.org/databaseׁ ׁ Ј׉EIN YOUR OWN WORDS Words from our vendors on their life and times, what they’re thinking and feelings, for their neighbors to know and share. RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR WHEN YOU’RE YOUNG, patience is the hardest thing to have sometimes! You wait for the things you want during the holidays, only to get impatient. When you’re in pain, it’s hard not to be impatient; you have to be quick. You may have been patient in your 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. When you’re almost 70, you’re like a child again. You can’t wait; you’re impatient, and answers don’t always come easily, but you have to be patient. When I was young, I never understood why patience was considered a virtue. It’s still hard to be patient, especially as a senior. I have to be patient with medical tests or as a patient waiting to have surgery. I try not to be worried when I’m waiting for the test results to come in or don’t feel that I’m getting answers quick enough I have to remember it takes time for medical appointments to be done, followed by a lot of tests to try to figure out what’s wrong with you, and then, you have to wait some more for them to decide how they’re going to treat your medical issues. So, being patient is important. You can’t rush time. It’s going to come on its own time, not yours. You have to keep calm and remain patient as you wait for test results. One thing is for sure: you’re finding out how strong you really are, how patient you end up having to be, and that worrying won’t help anything! It won’t be easy at times to be patient for what you are going through, but just know you are strong enough to handle it! As they say, you don’t know how much you can handle until you have to go through something, and then, you’ll find the strength to keep going. That’s the way I am right now since being diagnosed with cancer. Today, I’m waiting on more medical results, so some days, I have to do everything I can to remain patient - but we can do it, Self. I believe in you and will never give up on you. Patience is Hard Sometimes, Self Changing the Narrative I’VE SPENT MOST OF THE LAST 40 YEARS trying to wrestle with the complex issue of our nation’s homelessness. In doing so, I’ve co-edited one book on the topic and co-authored three others. A fifth book is on the way. My expertise comes from DONALD BURNES VICE PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS DENVER VOICE many years of working in the field, including as the executive director of a homelessness service agency. I’ve given many presentations on the topic and written almost a dozen articles on various aspects of the issue. So, what have I learned over the years of research and writing? The overarching conclusion: Despite the billions of dollars spent, and the millions of hours of staff and volunteer time dedicated to providing assistance, we really are not appreciably closer to ending homelessness than we were 40 or 50 years ago. Why? There are too many people across the country who either don’t care about homelessness or harbor a negative perception of this national tragedy. Reasons for this vary. Some people claim that poor people, Black and Brown people, folks with disabilities, convicts, and others simply do not deserve any assistance. Others worry that providing too much help is either too expensive or will create an aura of dependency on assistance that will have a negative impact on society. Still others argue that helping those in need will negatively affect their own personal economic and social circumstances. Or, as Celeste Watkins-Hayes says in her book “Remaking A Life”: “The public rhetoric that denigrates [efforts to address social ills] … has conditioned us to believe that every supportive service offered to a disadvantaged population is a hammock rather than a ladder, that every form of assistance encourages dependency and rewards those who evade the rules.” We must roll out of our hammocks and build ladders to reach successful outcomes. But to do this, we must change the narrative; the current one resists change and keeps us rolled up in our hammocks. This is the first of many columns that will run in this newspaper, and changing the homelessness narrative is what this column is about. As a first step up the ladder, here are 10 myths about homelessness that we must overcome: 1. All people experiencing homelessness are alcoholics or drug addicts. 2. All people experiencing homelessness are mentally ill. 3. All people experiencing homelessness are lazy and don’t want to work. 4. All people experiencing homelessness just make bad decisions. 5. They are all “lazy, crazy, drunks, druggies, or they’ve made bad decisions.” 6. They all want to live on the streets. They choose to be without housing. 7. All people experiencing homelessness are like those who are chronically homeless – the people we see on our city streets. 12 COLUMN 8. If you give them money, they will spend it on alcohol and drugs. 9. They are not part of our community; they are not from here. 10. The whole problem is too complex, too insoluble, so why care? Over the next several months, I will examine each of these myths in turn and explain why they are far from the truth. These will be followed by columns that explore other parts of the narrative that must change. However, simply writing about these issues isn’t enough. Each of us must understand the myths, internalize why they are myths, and then be willing to say to our friends, neighbors, and others we meet that their understanding of the problem isn’t entirely accurate. Maybe, if enough of us climb on board, we can persuade the rule makers and those who give out the money to recognize our country’s lack of success in dealing with homelessness and to shift gears toward policies and practices that may actually work, allowing our unhoused neighbors to thrive in safe, secure, and stable housing. As we embark on this journey together, I welcome your thoughts. Please feel free to contact me at donwburnes@ denvervoice.org, | Substack: substack.com/donaldburnes Donald Burnes is the co-author of four books on poverty and homelessness and has served as executive director for various nonprofits. He joined the Denver VOICE board of directors in June of 2025. Burnes is a historian, researcher, and consultant on policy and philanthropy. Burnes received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and a PhD from Columbia University Teachers’ College. He has studied poverty and homelessness-related issues and policies for more than 40 years. ׉ 7cassandra://X-T-MXh9zdW8062S5nbac4jEblhO7uKcdMh8qjtO274&`jf\^D^J׉EwBLUE SURVEILLANCE . org Accountability for police misconduct is behind a paywall in Colorado — we tear it down. Blue Surveillance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports accountability of police misconduct through reporting, research, and public awareness. Visit our database and see what we’ve found about officers around you. bluesurveillance.org/database ACROSS 1. Put into law 6. “Otherwise...” 11. File format for some pics 14. Comic ___ Baron Cohen 15. Calf catcher 16. Balloon filler 17. *Root against the bad guys 19. “Holy cow!” 20. Genesis son 21. The S in HTTPS 23. Deficiency 26. Affectionate sign-off 29. Jet rival in “West Side Story” 30. French actor Delon DONATE NOW AND SUPPORT ACCOUNTABILITY DENVER VOICE 32. “Blue” or “White” river 34. Ticks off 35. Peeved 37. Smoked some liquid 39. Ms. cofounder Gloria 41. Smoothness 45. Falls (over) 47. Covered with paint 48. Average 51. Cooped (up) 53. Entangle 54. Zeal 56. Mouth part 58. Actress Cannon 59. Farmer, essentially 61. Positive 63. Criticize harshly 64. Magician’s leadin, or a description of the starred answers 70. Kamoze of reggae 71. Parting word 72. Ball girl 73. Script righters: Abbr. 74. Allow to attack 75. Proficiency DOWN 1. Emergency PC key 2. Slangy negative 3. One in a suit? 4. *”You might as well ask me” 5. Gold medalist Lipinski 6. Like some patches 7. “A pox on you!” 8. ___ system (GPS device) 9. Singer Redding 10. Stories 11. Car named after a wildcat 12. Capital on the Missouri 13. Frat brothers 18. Put the kibosh on 22. *Chastise for running off JUNE 2026 23. Hightails it 24. Dismounted 25. Bistro 27. Fourteen in ancient Rome 28. Norwegian saint 31. Spanish child 33. Grand 36. Hard to fathom 38. Genesis son 40. NYY, e.g. 42. Command to Fido 43. Hospital fluids 44. Biblical plot 46. ___-Caps 48. Noisy bird 49. Gofer’s job 50. Hottie with a body 52. Reach the limit 55. Kidney-related 57. Winter bug 60. Was a passenger 62. Some digital storage devices: Abbr. 65. Dorothy Parker quality 66. Senate declaration 67. Student inside ivied walls 68. Down with the 57-Across 69. Rolodex abbr. PUZZLES PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREET WISE 13 ׉ 7cassandra://b1QW3JVp35ZBx47IpR1tjC3QBiqii58NfgXgJsDEf4o1`jf\^D^Kjf\^D^J בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://zdnnamAcvjkyVnHQiWXbQJIVo6gZb8BGemT1lUR_sZIOI`׉ 7cassandra://cD2we-OxECIk9uaJUIIhzjq7p_oMQ9hu0fUHL7g4siY6`p׉ 7cassandra://vdVfl7cWatI1XUch3wyYhOjrBtwmEKigOfRyxDLiv5Y-,`jl\^D^yטddu׉׉ 7cassandra://RwcAqY8TYRFGMJMGEA5i3kLoO0iSV8pUMc1T8X3HxKg?`׉ 7cassandra://MBMBhkjQ8rmO0v5DMUJteZin7Dxi07KfO1amf4tWUOgs`p׉ 7cassandra://gkBRdnIGzWybwXMxnCF_DvMXudEwwEPXkzCgLMCwEtQ!`jl\^D^{5נjl\^D^䴁 V!U9ׁHhttp://urbanpeak.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䳁 ˁ̳ 9ׁH#http://sunshinebehavioralhealth.comׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䲁 te9ׁH(http://www.urbanpeak.org/denver/programsׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䱁 ~9ׁH https://www.veteransguide.org/vaׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䰁 fn̶9ׁHhttps://www.veteransguide.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䯁 W69ׁH3https://www.va.gov/findlocations/facility/vha_554A5ׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䮁 1̗ 9ׁH http://seniorsupportservices.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䭁 Y̰9ׁHhttps://www.trׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䬁 *̯9ׁHhttp://lgbthotline.org/youthׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䫁 ̮9ׁHhttps://www.thׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䪁TIy9ׁHhttp://voacolorado.org/gethelpׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䩁̦9ׁHhttps://www.soallmayeat.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䨁̙9ׁHhttps://www.sfcdenver.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䧁̴9ׁHhttps://www.stׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䦁 ^9ׁHhttps://www.odmdenver.org/homeׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䥁'9ׁHhttps://www.holyghostchurch.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䤁̻ 9ׁHhttps://www.krishnadenver.comׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䣁Ṷ9ׁHhttps://www.havenofhope.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䢁T\̒9ׁHhttp://denverrescuemission.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䡁%̰9ׁHhttps://www.mealsforpoor.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䠁̝9ׁHhttps://www.citysquare.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䟁}ǁ̶9ׁHhttps://www.christinthecity.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䞁Tz9ׁHhttp://www.christsbody.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䝁TJu9ׁHhttp://denvercathedral.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䜁̰9ׁHhttps://www.mealsforpoor.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䛁9ׁH*https://www.capitolheightspresbyterian.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䚁U9ׁHhttp://urbanpeak.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䙁>*9ׁH)https://www.urbanpeak.org/denver/programsׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䘁̙ 9ׁHhttps://www.soxplace.comׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䗁T̷ 9ׁH$http://www.seniorsupportservices.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䖁Ub̙9ׁHhttps://www.sfcdenver.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䕁Ṳ9ׁHhttps://www.odmdenver.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䔁UՁ9ׁH-https://www.homelessassistance.us/li/lawrenceׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䓁|u69ׁHhttp://DENVERVOICE.ORG/RESOURCEׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䒁A̷9ׁH$http://harmreductionactioncenter.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䑁̜9ׁHhttps://www.tgpdenver.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䐁R9ׁHhttp://www.thoh.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䏁W9ׁHhttp://denvergov.org/ׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䎁j9ׁHhttp://denverlibrary.org/ׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䍁[̞9ׁHhttps://www.thehotline.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䌁 9ׁH,https://www.detoxrehabs.net/states/colorado/ׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䋁\ 9ׁH,https://www.coloradocoalition.org/healthcareׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䊁%9ׁH$https://www.saludclinic.org/commerceׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䉁W 9ׁHhttp://www.rainn.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䈁؁̄ 9ׁHhttp://www.1800runaway.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䇁t9ׁHhttp://www.988lifeline.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䆁q̪9ׁHhttps://www.viventhealth.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䅁q\9ׁHhttp://connection.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䃁9ׁH(http://www.harmreductionactioncenter.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䂁9ׁH"http://www.drugrehabus.org/rehabs/ׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䁁dw̞9ׁHhttp://www.detoxlocal.comׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^䀁@c9ׁHhttp://denverhealth.orgׁ ׁ Јנjl\^D^h 9ׁHhttp://rentassistance.orgׁ ׁ Ј׉EWHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND YOU WHEN YOU’RE VENDING THE DENVER VOICE? This column is a place for Denver VOICE vendors to respond to questions from fellow vendors, our readers, and staff. I have been doing the Boulder Farmers Market for 19 and a half seasons now. When I’m able to, I also work to Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. This summer I will be searching for markets within a 30-to 40-minute drive from Erie to find more markets where I can vend. RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR If you see me in Lafayette or Boulder, say hello and get a paper from me. If you have any questions, go ahead and ask me. We vendors could not change our lives without your kindness! Most likely places you can find me are at the Pearl Street Farmer’s Market, East Colfax Farmers Market, along 16th Street Mall, Trader Joe’s, and King Soopers ALBERT BLAND DENVER VOICE VENDOR LANDO ALLEN DENVER VOICE VENDOR I have been vending all over the place, but sometimes I am at Ideal Market and Whole Foods. If you would like to help out a specific vendor by donating a few extra dollars, scan the QR code to make a payment through Venmo. Thank you! They can find me in Boulder on Pearl Street. They can also find me on Saturdays at the Farmers Market. Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments! JERRY ROSEN DENVER VOICE VENDOR MICHAEL BURKLEY DENVER VOICE VENDOR I’m usually on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder. There are also several different spots up and down the mall where you might find a vendor. My favorite spot is the Savannah Bee Company at 1222 Pearl St. I really like the vibe, and I never know who I’m gonna meet there. SPRING Wishlist Drop-offs are accepted Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., or by appointment. GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: • Men’s shoes or boots (sizes 8-12) • Men’s jackets (sizes L, XL, XXL) • Women’s jackets (sizes M, L, XL) • Backpacks, carrier bags • Sleeping bags • USB-C charging cables NEW ITEMS NEEDED: • Socks • Toiletries (individual or travel-size) • Baseball caps • Chapstick, sunscreen • Hand warmers If you would like to help out a specific vendor by donating a few extra dollars, scan the QR code to make a payment through Venmo. Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments. Thank you! @DenverVOICE 14 ׉ 7cassandra://vdVfl7cWatI1XUch3wyYhOjrBtwmEKigOfRyxDLiv5Y-,`jf\^D^L׉E'RESOURCE LIST MEDICAL / MENTAL HEALTH / DENTAL SERVICES ACS COMMUNITY LIFT: 5045 W. 1st Ave., Denver; https:// rentassistance.org DENVER HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER: 777 Bannock St.; https://www. denverhealth.org DETOX LOCAL: Features information including mental health and substance use resources specifically for the AAPI (American Asian and Pacific Islander) community; http://www.detoxlocal.com DRUG REHAB USA: Addiction hotline - 888-479-0446; Organizations that take Medicaid: http://www.drugrehabus.org/rehabs/ treatment/medicaid/united-states/colorado/denver HARM REDUCTION ACTION CENTER: 112 E. 8th Ave.; 303-572-7800; HIV/Hep C/ Gonorrhea/ Chlamydia testing available. Services are restricted to active IV Drug Users. Offers clean syringes to active users, as well as safety training on proper disposal of dirty syringes; M-F — 9am-12pm: http://www.harmreductionactioncenter.org INNER CITY HEALTH CENTER: 3800 York St.; Emergency walk-ins - 303296-1767; Dental — 303-296-4873; M-F - 8am-2pm LIVER HEALTH CONNECTION: 1325 S. Colorado Blvd.; Suite B302; Resources and support for those affected by Hep C. Free Hep C testing offered; 800-522-4372, 800-359-9272; info@hepcconnection.org; https://www.viventhealth.org NATIONAL AIDS HOTLINE: 800-342-AIDS/800-344-7432 NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: Text or call 988; https:// www.988lifeline.org NATIONAL RUNAWAY SAFELINE: 800-RUNAWAY/800-786-2929; https:// www.1800runaway.org RAPE ABUSE AND INCEST NATIONAL NETWORK: 800-656-HOPE; https:// www.rainn.org SALUD CLINIC: 6255 Quebec Pkwy, Commerce City; 303-697-2583, 970-484-0999; https://www.saludclinic.org/commerce-city STOUT STREET CLINIC: 2130 Stout St.; 303-293-2220; Clinic hours for new and established patients - M, T, Th, F - 7am-4pm, W - 9am6pm; https://www.coloradocoalition.org/healthcare SUBSTANCE ABUSE REHAB GUIDE: HELPLINE — 888-493-4670; https://www.detoxrehabs.net/states/colorado/ U.S. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE: 800-799-7233 (English and Spanish); 800-243-7889 (TDD); https://www.thehotline.org EMERGENCY SHELTER INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF SHELTER ARE ENCOURAGED TO GO TO “FRONT DOOR” SHELTER ACCESS POINTS: • For individual men — Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St. • For individual women — Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St. • For youth ages 15-20 — Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St. • Families in need of shelter should call the Connection Center at 303-295-3366. ADDITIONALLY, DENVER PARKS AND RECREATION WILL OPEN ALL CURRENTLY OPERATING RECREATION CENTERS AS DAYTIME WARMING CENTERS DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS ON FRIDAY, NOV. 8 AND SATURDAY, NOV. 9, FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED A PLACE TO WARM UP. Denver Public Library locations are also available during regular business hours. Double-check library hours: denverlibrary.org/ locations. For more information about shelter access, visit denvergov.org/ findshelter or text INDOORS to 67283 for updates. DROP-IN DAYTIME CENTERS HAVEN OF HOPE: 1101 W. 7th Ave.; 303-607-0855; Mon.-Fri. 7am1pm. Private showers & bathrooms, laundry, lunch, etc; https:// www.thoh.org THE GATHERING PLACE: 1535 High St.; 303-321-4198; Mon., Wed.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm, Tues. 8:30am-1:30pm; Daytime drop-in center for women, their children, and transgender individuals; Meals, computer lab, phones, food bank, clothing, art programs, GED tutoring, referrals to other services, etc; https://www.tgpdenver.org HARM REDUCTION ACTION CENTER: 231 East Colfax; Mon.-Fri. 9am12pm; 303-572-7800; Provides clean syringes, syringe disposal, harm-reduction counseling, safe materials, Hep C/HIV education, and health education classes; https://www. harmreductionactioncenter.org LAWRENCE STREET COMMUNITY CENTER: 2222 Lawrence St.; 303-2940157; day facility, laundry, showers, restrooms, access to services FOR INDIVIDUALS IN DENVER EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR FINANCIAL INSTABILITY. DENVERVOICE.ORG/RESOURCE-LIST https://www.homelessassistance.us/li/lawrence-street-communitycenter OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES: 1567 Marion St.; Mon.-Fri. 7am-5:30pm. Drop-in center; bathrooms, coffee/tea, snacks, resources, WIFI https://www.odmdenver.org T. FRANCIS CENTER: 303-297-1576; 2323 Curtis St. 6am-6pm daily. Storage for one bag (when space is available). Satellite Clinic hoursMon., Tues., Thurs, Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm; Wed. 12:30-4:30pm https://www.sfcdenver.org SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES: 846 E. 18th Ave. For those 60+. TV room, bus tokens, mental/physical health outreach, and more. https:// www.seniorsupportservices.org SOX PLACE (YOUTH SERVICES): 2017 Larimer St. Daytime drop-in shelter for youth 12-30 years old. Meals, socks, clothing bank, personal hygiene supplies, internet access, intentional mentoring and guidance, crisis intervention, referrals to other services. Tues.Fri. 12-4pm & Sat. 11-2pm. https://www.soxplace.com THE SPOT AT URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): 2100 Stout St. 303-2910442. Drop-in hours Mon.-Fri. 8-11am. YOUTH AGED 15-20 IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE OVERNIGHT SHELTER SERVICES: 303-974-2928 https://www.urbanpeak.org/denver/programs-andservices/drop-in-center URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): Youth 14-24 in Denver and Colorado Springs. Overnight shelter, food, clothing, showers, case workers, job skills and training, ID and birth certificate assistance, GED assistance, counseling and housing. 730 21st St. 303-974-2900 https://www. urbanpeak.org FREE MEALS CAPITOL HEIGHTS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: 1100 Fillmore St., Sat. lunch at 11:30am; https://www.capitolheightspresbyterian.org CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY SERVICES: https://www.mealsforpoor.org CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: 1530 Logan St.; sandwiches & coffee Mon.-Fri. 8:30am; https://www. denvercathedral.org CHRIST’S BODY MINISTRIES: 850 Lincoln; Mon. closed, Tues.-Thurs. 10am-3pm, Fri. 8am-11pm; groceries & hot meal on Sat. at 2pm (at 16th & York); Sun. church service at 6pm, dinner at 7pm; https:// www.christsbody.org CHRIST IN THE CITY: Home-cooked meal, weekly; Lunch in the Park is on Wednesdays from 12-1 at Benedict Fountain Park (Tremont and 22nd); https://www.christinthecity.org CITYSQUARE DENVER: 2575 S. Broadway; 303-783-3777; Food pantry Tues. 10am-6pm; https://www.citysquare.org CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY SERVICES: 1820 Broadway (in front of Trinity United Methodist Church); Hot meals served M, T, Th., F - 11:45-12:15; https://www.mealsforpoor.org DENVER RESCUE MISSION: 1130 Park Avenue West; 303-294-0157; 3 meals 7 days/week, 5:30am, 12pm, 6pm; https://www. denverrescuemission.org HAVEN OF HOPE: 1101 W. 7th Ave.; 303-607-0855; M-F. 7am-1pm. Not open weekends; Breakfast is at 8am, lunch is served at 11am; https://www.havenofhope.org HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE: 1400 Cherry St., free vegetarian feast on Sun., 6:45-7:30pm; https://www.krishnadenver.com HIS LOVE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH: 910 Kalamath St.; Community dinner on Thurs., 6-6:45pm, Men’s breakfast 1st Sat. of the month, 8-10am, Women’s breakfast 2nd Sat., 9-11am; https://www.hislovefellowship. org HOLY GHOST CATHOLIC CHURCH: 1900 California St.; Sandwiches, M-Sat., 10-10:30am; https://www.holyghostchurch.org OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES: 1567 Marion St.; 303-830-2201; Sat. morning breakfast: 8am, Sun. dinner (required church attendance at 4:30pm); meal served at 6pm; https://www.odmdenver.org/home ST. ELIZABETH’S: Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St. on Auraria Campus, 7 days/week, 11:00am; Food, coffee; https://www.stelizabethdenver. org ST. FRANCIS CENTER: 2323 Curtis St., Wed. & Fri. 3-4:30pm (except third Wed. of each month); https://www.sfcdenver.org SAME CAFÉ: 2023 E. Colfax Ave; 720-530-6853;Restaurant serving mostly organic food—not free, but pay what you can or work off your meal in the kitchen; Open Mon.-Sat., 11am to 2pm, Closed Sun. & holidays; https://www.soallmayeat.org VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA: 2877 Lawrence St., breakfast (8am), lunch (11:30am), dinner (5pm) Mon.-Thurs., 12pm on Fri., 1pm on Sun. Food & clothing bank 9:30am-4pm Mon.-Thurs.; https://www. voacolorado.org/gethelp-denvermetro-foodnutrition-themission LGBTQ+ SUPPORT THE TREVOR PROJECT: 866-488-7386: https://www.thetrevorproject. org LGBT NATIONAL YOUTH TALKLINE: 800-246-7743: https://www. lgbthotline.org/youth-talkline PRIDE INSTITUTE: 800-547-7433 TRUE COLORS UNITED: 212-461-4401, https://www.truecolorsunited. org VETERANS & SENIORS DENVER INNER CITY PARISH: 1212 Mariposa St.; 303-322-5733; VOA Dining Center for Seniors, aged 60 and older, W-Sat. 9am-12pm; Food Bank, W-F; Tickets at 9am, food bank open 10am-12pm; dicp. org SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES: 846 E. 18th Ave.; For those aged 60 or older; TV room, bus tokens, mental/physical health outreach, 3 meals, M-F -7am-7pm; Sun. 11am-4pm; https://www. seniorsupportservices.org VA MEDICAL CENTER: 1700 N Wheeling St.; Aurora 303-399-8020: https://www.va.gov/findlocations/facility/vha_554A5 VETERANS GUIDE: https://www.veteransguide.org; Veterans Disability Calculator https://www.veteransguide.org/va-disabilitycalculator YOUTH SERVICES SOX PLACE (YOUTH SERVICES): 2017 Larimer St.; 303-296-3412Daytime drop-in shelter for youth 12-30; Meals, socks, clothing bank, personal hygiene supplies, internet access, intentional mentoring and guidance, crisis intervention, referrals to other services. T-F - 12-4pm & Sat. 11am-2pm. Instagram: @ Soxplace THE SPOT AT URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): 2100 Stout St. 303-2910442; Youth aged 15-20 in need of immediate overnight shelter services, 303-974-2928; Drop-in hours Mon.-Fri. 8-11am https:// www.urbanpeak.org/denver/programs-and-services/drop-incenter SUNSHINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (YOUTH SERVICES): 833-931-2484; Services for youth facing substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or a combination of these conditions; https://www. sunshinebehavioralhealth.com URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): 730 21st St., Denver; 303-974-2900; Ages14-24; Serving Denver & Colo Springs; Overnight shelter, food, clothing, showers, case workers, job skill/straining, ID and birth certificate assistance, GED assistance, counseling and housing; https://www. urbanpeak.org DENVER VOICE JUNE 2026 15 ׉ 7cassandra://gkBRdnIGzWybwXMxnCF_DvMXudEwwEPXkzCgLMCwEtQ!`jf\^D^Mjf\^D^L בCטdu׉׉ 7cassandra://NWQz7nZPNN_IjEy0syP1nhk3p3m6g02r0AMx976VyA0m:`׉ 7cassandra://tawV_9yVK_ACEdwJypZpbVxbjSJP2bpQNCGYG2iKycAi`p׉ 7cassandra://JR9hC0iXz1oPYAFQubHiD0xVdtKBG56_O-KwJNfIybE0`jl\^D^}נjl\^D^䄁̷9ׁHhttp://denvervoice.org/donateׁ ׁ Ј׉E2DONATE Because you love us denvervoice.org/donate ׉ 7cassandra://JR9hC0iXz1oPYAFQubHiD0xVdtKBG56_O-KwJNfIybE0`jf\^D^N׈Ejf\^D^Ojf\^D^N ,DV-6-2026jcS