׉?ׁB!בCט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://YfX7-svqYRlly0ugIF50sArzx6p3dl5wqDsIQIHWUBM&`׉ 7cassandra://cCzOD-AmBY3ZXszBZweZubw3QLJJeUXuWY3mIeV-NF0͕U`q׉ 7cassandra://dy05ebnKZ55AiynKE1D06sVIc7xWYQp4GTz1wG1Gpvc3`i$7"ט u׈s׈Ei$7"׉EMARCH 2026 | Vol.31 Issue 3 FREAK FLAG: WHEN SHREK BROKE THE FOURTH WALL A SAFE PLACE FOR SENIOR WOMEN P.4 SOY CELESTE P.6 $2 SUGGESTED FROM YOUR VENDOR: ׉ 7cassandra://dy05ebnKZ55AiynKE1D06sVIc7xWYQp4GTz1wG1Gpvc3`i$7"܁i$7"ہ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://9ary0UoZtafpH3UXO3S4zkeKfumya3ymqWz8JJBOOQU `׉ 7cassandra://-GBVw0U33Xl315aM7iB1ahPLK52CGA3tR612eWWpdl8͡M`q׉ 7cassandra://UX1Ci5zvdgy8VgkfI_KHovOr16QiWd3V8rCHuWxb0wc-!`i$7"ט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://EZc7cRoGpPbgTDzrpdmtixD_EAtUD8_wfGf8hSSVd4AI`׉ 7cassandra://oBf4Rx_GNgxk__lQcU2gSUKfCr6TG1JzEuR_v4LXsBQ{`q׉ 7cassandra://Hb19w3q0XJeiBhgwiZY3mf161AjhchOMbuQy0ybsadg'R`i$7"נi$7"h 9ׁHmailto:ads@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנi$7" 9ׁHmailto:program@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנi$7" /̈ 9ׁHmailto:editor@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנi$7" /l̖ 9ׁHmailto:program@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ Јנi$7" /Z̈ 9ׁHmailto:editor@denvervoice.orgׁ ׁ 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://UX1Ci5zvdgy8VgkfI_KHovOr16QiWd3V8rCHuWxb0wc-!`i$7"׉E#From the Executive Director T 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. DENVERVOICE. CE. MANAGING EDITOR HE DENVER VOICE is growing, and that is exciting. At the Denver VOICE, growth means more people are turning to us for opportunity and support. We are adding vendors at the fastest rate we have seen in years. New vendors are joining us because they understand the value of selling the paper and earning a dignified income. The individuals walking through our doors want work, and they can’t find opportunities through more traditional jobs. We provide a way to generate income through effort and initiative. Our vendor numbers were significantly diminished after 2020. The pandemic disrupted downtown foot traffic and the daily interactions that made selling a street paper possible. Like many organizations built on face-to-face connection, we felt that impact. Six years later, we are still rebuilding and growing. That growth is not accidental. It is the result of consistent outreach and a team that approaches this work with empathy and practical problem-solving. Each week, we meet with individuals experiencing homelessness. We talk. We listen. We ask individuals what they need and figure out how we can help. Sometimes those solutions are as simple as helping them reschedule a flight home to see family or as big as finding housing when they leave a sober living house. We keep sleeping bags, clothing, and basic necessities on hand because immediate needs require immediate responses. When someone needs something, we do what we can. We are not a shelter or a housing provider, but we are committed to being responsive and present. Our Vendor Coordinator, Maddie Egerton, plays a central role in this work. She provides steady, personal support to vendors, helping them navigate challenges, stay accountable, and succeed. Maddie’s one-on-one care makes a difference. Vendors know they are not just signing up to sell a paper; they are joining a program where someone knows their name and cares about their progress. If you have purchased a paper, stopped to talk with a vendor, or supported this work in any way, you are part of our growth! The Denver VOICE exists to create opportunity and connection in our city. Right now, more people are stepping forward to take part in that opportunity, and we are ready to help them. - Giles Clasen Executive Director EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS VENDOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS BOARD OF DIRECTORS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR ADMIN. ASSISTANT VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Maddie Egerton Robert Davis Jennifer Forker Aaron Sullivan Joshua Abeyta Giles Clasen CONTRIBUTORS Mariana Ortega Rivera Joshua Abeyta Steve Anson Albert Bland Rea Brown Giles Clasen Sondra Jeffries Raelene Johnson Mariana Ortega Rivera Jerry Rosen Jennifer Forker, President Isabella Colletti, Secretary Michael Burkley Edwin Rapp Donald Burnes Ande Sailer Linda Shapley Steve Baker Lisa Schlichtman 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: THE WORD O DONA DONATE @ NATE @ VOLUNTEER: OUT: OUT Contact program@denvervoice.org ADVERTISE: DVERTISE: UBSCRIBE @ pgg Contact ads@denvervoice.org SUBSCRIBE @ THE COVER: The ensemble of “Shrek the Musical” performs during the show’s run at the PACE Center in Parker, Colo. PHOTO BY GILES CLASEN CORRECTION: The Feburary issue mispelled the photo credit for Joshua Abeyta’s photo on page 12. It should have been spelled as Manuel Aragon DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 3 org@denverVOICE denvervoice. org ABOUT US ׉ 7cassandra://Hb19w3q0XJeiBhgwiZY3mf161AjhchOMbuQy0ybsadg'R`i$7"ށi$7"݁ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://MRE3qo8eA_GmZtsWSEjp633gt_vFbb1EU_x7gvF4hrwʡ`׉ 7cassandra://OzmVqpM41Nj6rFmZRxLedD0EB-FSZF0oNWVZted2ZYYv(`q׉ 7cassandra://KpoqyJmEtJ2Jpi8Hu7qUe6qoONLUeav2VwN39APO8P8'`i$7"ט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://QZdGtL3ArZ2wGs7p_Bq4NvsL2u_EEGz8keijvp0Z4X0`׉ 7cassandra://teNhFPPWDwwbqSez565_xDfmRDI7Rqeuumde8oJ7UP4ͅ`q׉ 7cassandra://4H06m88u2wfOlZd-IgPioMyxHTZwTj_K_3ndiajDl9g&`i$7"׉ESINTON SANCTUARY PROVIDES A SAFE SPACE FOR SENIOR WOMEN TO LAY THEIR HEADS Story and photos by Mariana Ortega Rivera FORMERLY A PRINT AND SIGNAGE SHOP, Sinton Sanctuary has become a refuge for older women experiencing homelessness, transforming not only its building but the lives of the women it serves. Since its opening during the peak of COVID in 2020, Sinton Sanctuary has served 219 women and permanently housed 101 of them. Years ago, when the building was donated to Volunteers of America (VOA), there was a need for programming for veterans. The building was then remodeled to establish the Bill Daniels Veteran Services Center, where VOA envisioned using some of the space as a shelter. Lindi Sinton — for whom the sanctuary is named and who is now retired as vice president of programs at VOA — and Angel Hurtado, chief programs officer, recognized a need for a shelter for older women after witnessing the high number of older women visiting their walk-up emergency shelter. “It was hard for them to line up with the younger women,” 4 COMMUNITY FEATURE Angel Hurtado, Sherri Welch, Cynthia Miro and Lindi Sinton of Sinton Sanctuary at their office and resident dayroom in Denver. Sinton said. “They were pushed out of line and sometimes bullied. They’d be there with their walkers and their oxygen, and the staff hardly knew what to do.” Older women face challenges that many shelters are not equipped to address. Sinton Sanctuary specializes in serving women 60 and older. Shelter modifications include taller toilets and lower beds. At the walk-in shelter, Sinton and Hurtado reserved cots for older women. But they knew the women wanted something different. “We said we will never do mats on the floor,” Sinton said. When a visitor walks into Sinton Sanctuary, they’re greeted by calm and quiet. “It’s calm, it’s comfortable, it’s colorful, it has a good vibe,” Sinton described. The space is small, which is intentional, to help older women feel more comfortable in a living situation that’s new for most of them. Some have never been homeless; they were priced out of their homes. As seniors, they rely on Social Security income that ׉ 7cassandra://KpoqyJmEtJ2Jpi8Hu7qUe6qoONLUeav2VwN39APO8P8'`i$7"׉E doesn’t always cover the rent, and while rental costs continue to rise, Social Security payments do not. Without sufficient support systems, many women find themselves with nowhere to go. Hurtado said financial hardship is often compounded by what she described as “relational poverty”— a lack of close, nearby relationships. In many cases, the people they are closest to either live far away or lack the resources to help provide housing or financial support. Sherri Welch, senior project manager at Sinton Sanctuary, said many women are ashamed to tell their families they’re staying at a shelter. In most cases, their families do not know. Welch also said some women have family members living in subsidized housing, such as Section 8 apartments, where lease rules prohibit additional occupants. Allowing a parent to move in could put their housing assistance at risk. Many seniors also say they do not want to burden their children. Sometimes, when older women turn to their families for help, the family members can only afford to put them up in a motel for a night or two. After that, the women’s housing options run out. Sinton Sanctuary becomes their support system. “Being around people their own age that they have things in common with, they really build a community around each other,” Welch said. “This population, at this time in their life, they need dignity and respect.” The sanctuary uses a person-centered, individualized approach resulting in strong housing outcomes. The staff helps residents obtain lost documents or apply for services such as Social Security, Medicaid, and food stamps. “We don’t have an exit date,” Welch said. “As long as they’re working toward housing case management, they can stay there until they get a permanent place to live, or if needed, into a higher level of care.” When residents require assisted living, a nursing home, or another facility, finding placement can be one of the greatest challenges. “Getting someone into a higher level of care that needs it is so challenging,” Welch said. “There’s only so much we can do here.” Volunteers and community partners play a critical role in Sinton Sanctuary’s success. The South Street Mobile Clinic, a mobile medical unit operated by Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, visits monthly. Students from a local Catholic school have provided manicures. The Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) staff visit every three months to help residents obtain a free ID or driver’s license. The shelter accepts women by referral from Denver-based agencies, including nonprofits, other shelters, and police departments. After receiving a referral, the staff conducts a phone screening. During cold weather, the shelter opens its doors to anyone who arrives seeking warmth. Adjusting to shelter life can take time, particularly for women who have lived on the streets for extended periods. “They’re afraid. They don’t like being around other people. They’re worried about people taking their belongings,” Welch said. “So, we just kind of let them relax for a few days before we even dig into a lot of things.” Residents are encouraged to establish routines. Lights snap on at 8 a.m., chores begin at 9 a.m., and residents rotate cleaning responsibilities weekly. “I like them to be up and their beds made and dressed, because it’s depressing to lie in bed all day,” Welch said. “If they want to nap, of course, they can. But I don’t think it’s good for their mental health to just lie around.” Success stories prove motivational for staff. Former residents often return to share meals or to announce they’ve secured housing. Recently, two residents who’ve been friends for 40 years got a two-bedroom at Casa de Rosal, an affordable housing community for seniors. Hurtado described a ripple effect of success, saying that when residents see others succeed, it reinforces the belief that they can achieve similar goals. Residents aspire to the successes experienced by the visiting former residents. Still, transitions can be difficult. After months in a shared environment, moving into subsidized housing — often after a yearlong wait — can mean living alone again. “It’s a psychological transition you have to prepare them for,” Hurtado said. “It’s essential to help them get connected to the community where they’ll be living.” Sinton Sanctuary staff support residents who move into VOA affordable housing by coordinating their new services and providing a smooth transition. Leaders say the model works. “We’re really proud of our outcomes for this program,” Hurtado said. “It’s one of the most successful shelters that we have in the metro area.” Welch believes similar small shelters for older adults ought to be established. “They need these little shelters scattered throughout the city for the elderly because the program works,” she said. “Just having that small, intimate environment - it changes lives for them. They won’t succeed at a larger shelter a lot of times.” FROM INTERN TO INSTITUTION: LINDI SINTON SHAPED HOMELESS SERVICES IN DENVER Story by Mariana Ortega Rivera LINDI SINTON SPENT more than four decades shaping homeless services in Denver, leaving a legacy that now bears her name. Sinton, the namesake of Sinton Sanctuary, retired in 2023 after 43 years with Volunteers of America. She began as a student intern in 1979 and was hired full-time in 1980. While working at VOA, she completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees with the organization’s support. “My career was extraordinary in that I could do what I wanted,” Sinton said. “If the need was great enough and I could convince the leadership team and the CEO at the time that it was something we needed and that it was possible, everyone would jump in and we could make it happen. That kept me here for 43 years.” Her colleagues surprised Sinton by naming the shelter after her while she was still working at the organization—an uncommon tribute typically reserved for retirees or those who have passed. She said she learned of the decision when the shelter opened after discussion about potential names suddenly went quiet. Sinton’s colleague Angel Hurtado, chief programs officer at VOA, said the name reflects Sinton’s decades of advocacy for vulnerable populations. While Sinton avoided dwelling on her extensive career, Hurtado detailed the scope of her impact. “For many years, Lindi has always been a great advocate for our most vulnerable populations, including women, children, and families,” Hurtado said. “What a fitting way for us to honor somebody who’s done this work for so long and to name a beautiful program for her that really speaks to the ability for us to save lives.” Long before coordinated homeless response systems were formalized, Hurtado said, Sinton convened area shelters and community leaders to address issues facing women and families experiencing homelessness. Sinton also helped develop VOA’s core values — accountability, integrity, respect, and service — principles Hurtado said continue to shape the agency’s culture. “With her leadership that permeates across our agency, we make sure we treat everybody with dignity and respect,” Hurtado said. Over 40 years, Sinton played a central role in launching and expanding major programs, including the Bill Daniels Veteran Services Center and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families grant, one of the organization’s largest funding sources. She was instrumental in establishing multiple residential and family programs and helped position VOA as one of the largest providers of veteran services in Colorado. “The majority of the programs at VOA are because of Lindi,” Hurtado said. “We’re the second-largest provider of veteran services in the state. That’s because of Lindi.” Sinton’s influence extended beyond VOA. She has served on a mayoral advisory council, supported emerging shelters, and currently chairs the board of Urban Peak. “If it wasn’t Sinton Sanctuary, it would be something else named after her,” Hurtado said. “Her work in the homeless arena is legendary. I can go anywhere, and her name is everywhere.” A few of the 25 beds at Sinton Sanctuary in Denver. DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 5 ׉ 7cassandra://4H06m88u2wfOlZd-IgPioMyxHTZwTj_K_3ndiajDl9g&`i$7"i$7"߁ בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://HraTUSWO1mUr0SYdhXYkqlZHPga63fK0C09j3PjNknsq`׉ 7cassandra://xe-fQDzREr3EXxWPCw5cpj5vJCb3E-p3_AeVvGs_jHUt`q׉ 7cassandra://BNlnbQPp-MpHZnP2omMC0b90yn0GqOb7p9C1uUbKe20%>`i$7"ט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://HvHRQwCdikf-TJkgmB2DWupVD1nwMV8Xw-NGtZH3dvYi`׉ 7cassandra://tACu-1hWu96gquNlCbHLc7L9KJ9V68GXYHOpU1TIKosi`q׉ 7cassandra://qae29rSZVOd5T83Vh_OgafhcXPL9P0TPL3a7m_8TBcs&`i$7"נi$7"y̨9ׁHhttp://www.soycelestemusic.comׁ ׁ Ј׉ESOY CELESTE BLENDING PUNK AND ACTIVISM IN DENVER SOY CELESTÉ is the name of the Latin Feminist Punk band started by Celesté Martinez in 2022. Soy Celesté translates to “I am Celesté.” Pero, en español, there are two forms of “I am.” Soy is a permanent conjugation, where estoy is JOSHUA ABEYTA CO-FOUNDER OF LOS MOCOCHETES conditional. Por exemplo, “estoy feliz” translates to “I am happy (in this moment),” which is a condition that can change. Conversely, “soy feliz” demonstrates happiness as an inherent trait, as in, “I am a happy person.” Speaking with the Denver VOICE, Celesté elaborated on her choice to go with the latter form. “Soy is a declaration that I am. I am in existence, and the conjugation of it being permanent is important. I feel like the start of my advocacy comes from my name and emphasizing that it’s pronounced correctly, so that my culture is recognized. My mom giving me this name was an act of resistance.” Soy Celesté blends punk rock, folk, ska, and traditional Spanish music, mixing the masa with the deft hands of a modern Adelita loading her rifle before a great battle. Her lyrics are both in Spanish and English, and speak to her intersecting identities with Latin rhythms and soaring melodies that can turn to snarling anthems at the drop of a Celesté Martinez of Denver brings her brand of Riot Grrrl punk rock to center stage | Photo by Kathryn Fernandez can of tear gas. Some songs cruise into folky introspection, even operatic at times, but mostly encompass traditional punk values: fast, loud, raw, and unapologetic. Many of the songs off her debut album, “Femenista Manifesto,” could be sung through a bullhorn in the middle of a protest. Celesté’s introduction to civil rights and social justice movements began early. Her parents, Diana and Rico Martinez, had relocated from Falfurrias, Texas, to Santa Cruz to attend the University of California. Diana took elective classes in Chicano Studies and quickly became engaged in community groups on campus. A few years into this chapter, Celesté was born and would ride shotgun as her mother discovered so much of her people’s redacted history. It was only natural that Diana would immediately pass this knowledge down to her firstborn. She remembers her mother reading bedtime stories about Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Japanese internment camps, and books detailing Indigenous peoples’ relationship to the land. Her earliest memory is being 3-years-old and seeing her mother speak at her graduation. Being so immersed in the cultura from a young age made a lasting impression. Celesté also began studying music at a young age. Her parents encouraged their children to follow creative pursuits and instilled a sense of purpose in them. When Celesté came to Denver for college, she was especially moved when she learned about the tens of thousands of “Dreamers,” children who were brought to the U.S. without documentation and now were stuck in legal limbo. This is when she started becoming active in the work of the movement. Around that same time, she was simultaneously building community with other musicians and queer and trans people of color, which became a collective known as TúLips, effectively her first band and a precursor to Soy Celesté. But Celesté wasn’t just writing poems and songs about la causa, she was organizing, crowdfunding, and working directly with various immigrant rights organizations in Denver before starting her own racial equity coaching and consulting business in 2020. Drawing from a track record of melding her art with action, Celesté wants to push the scene to do more. “Words are great, but they should also be backed by action,” Celesté said. “I really respect and appreciate artists that are not only amplifying a message, but also are doing active things to support their local community or causes they care about. I think that can be a really effective way to organize in these times.” On this, Celesté leads by example. Her first show ever was a fundraiser for Gaza. She has since organized several benefit shows, while often donating proceeds from band merchandise and fees from paid shows directly to impacted people and causes via mutual aid channels, such as when her friend and prominent immigrant rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra was detained by ICE. “I just hope that whether you’re the audience or the artist, that you see punk music as an invitation for real action, real community building”, says Celesté. The line between Celesté’s music and activism is so finely blended that you can’t tell the two apart, and that is punk AF. Soy Celesté performs on April 9 at HQ, where they will open for Girl in a Coma, one of Celesté’s all-time favorite Chicana Punk bands. Find out more info and stay up to date at www.soycelestemusic.com. 6 MUSIC IN DENVER ׉ 7cassandra://BNlnbQPp-MpHZnP2omMC0b90yn0GqOb7p9C1uUbKe20%>`i$7"׉EKVendor Profile STEVE ANSON I just want to thank each and all of you for donating to me, the vendors, and indeed the organization, the Denver VOICE A few years ago, I lost seven liters of blood due to a bleeding ulcer. Had to spend eight days in Denver Health. (I urge everyone to be a blood donor. It could save someone’s life.) I continue, just cos it’s appropriate right now. I will be entering palliative care quite soon. Managing my disability due to degenerative disk disease has become quite a challenge. Many years ago, I made the choice to be an organ donor in the event of my expiration date being up. (I encourage all of you to be organ donors as well.) Okay. Having said all that, “Koo-koo ka choo.” We have choices in this lifetime, some of which we see coming, some we do not. Through DENVER VOICE being a vendor, I have become acquainted with an individual who just happens to be transgender. I respect her and her choices, where previously, my ignorance of what makes us what and who we are might have made me blind to the challenges she might face. Challenge yourselves, my friends, and see others respectfully. Recently, a Puerto Rican man, Bad Bunny, did the halftime show at the Super Bowl. What this made me feel might surprise some. I realized just how little I must have valued my education, for the two years of education in the Spanish language did not come in handy. I forgot most of what I learned. I feel embarrassed by this fact. Now it is time for me to step down from the pedestal, back to being the average writer I am. Thank you for indulging me once again. MARCH 2026 7 ׉ 7cassandra://qae29rSZVOd5T83Vh_OgafhcXPL9P0TPL3a7m_8TBcs&`i$7"i$7" בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://L5-EFqth1gqbfBAuVIXWl50YVjFJhNf4fNDHiITCn3A`׉ 7cassandra://K6A5g0Hj8jb_YJf6Vsq67iQylUN_aze_x8qm9m8eE8s}L`q׉ 7cassandra://8NlMKcWiHSv4-qIUGO83JQh1ikklvHiYcaWDJ-tPpXc.>`i$7"ט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://-jRr4tgZnbeqPqwGK963K8rdG7D9pABb3840PW7PmOgt`׉ 7cassandra://cOgkkYNwx6ty5Lu7cGBxNGMI4a2VIDS8e4UbfXlxeckp`q׉ 7cassandra://b_w07VppzjLmYV7zFz_O7VYZOXnfd-maNLA67EEuKuE$X`i$7"׉EgYOU GOT THIS': INSIDE THE MOMENT SHREK BROKE THE FOURTH WALL Story and photos by Giles Clasen 8 NEWS ' ׉ 7cassandra://8NlMKcWiHSv4-qIUGO83JQh1ikklvHiYcaWDJ-tPpXc.>`i$7"׉ECast members wave Pride flags as they sing the Freak Flag song in a scene from “Shrek the Musical.” KELLY MCALLISTER WAS IN SIXTH GRADE when his teacher interrupted class with news that didn’t fit the shape of an ordinary school day. “I remember Mrs. Kelman came in and said, ‘Something awful happened. The mayor of San Francisco and Harvey Milk have been killed,’” McAllister said. The assassinations felt close. McAllister grew up about 50 miles outside San Francisco, but at the time, he did not know who Milk was or that he was the first openly gay elected official in California. He didn’t know about Milk’s role in urging the LGBTQ+ community to come out and claim visibility. None of that mattered to him yet. What stayed with McAllister was the violence itself. “I was like, ‘Jesus Christ. What is going on here?’” he said. “I cared that they were murdered. I thought that was just wrong, and I remember it hit me hard, even then.” That idea of right and wrong, McAllister says, is what resurfaced decades later, standing inside a community theater in Parker. This time, a request to remove Pride flags from “Shrek the Musical” at the Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center (PACE) became a test of how he understood and applied his own moral code. Early in the show, the villain Lord Farquaad banishes fairytale creatures he deems “freaks” from the kingdom and sends them to Shrek’s swamp. Later, those same characters reclaim the insult in a celebratory ensemble number called “Freak Flag.” McAllister said the song’s lyrics clearly point to themes of LGBTQ+ identity and acceptance. In “Freak Flag,” Gingy, the living gingerbread man, sings, “We weren’t so freakin’ strange. They made us feel that way. But it’s they who need to change.” McAllister choreographed the song with Pride flags at the end because of its nod to LGBTQIA+ identity. “It’s about acceptance for who you are and acceptance by the larger community. It’s very loving and accepting in a joyous way,” McAllister said. It felt natural to McAllister to choreograph rainbow pride flags waving at the end of the song. “I thought maybe it can help queer kids see that they’re not alone. And on top of that, it can help straight kids understand that maybe you should be cool and not be a jerk to the kid who’s different than you,” he said. But the number drew myriad complaints, according to the Town of Parker. According to a Town of Parker statement, they received “a variety of complaints” when McAllister turned the subtext visible with the waving of the Pride flag during the song. Parker’s Communication Manager, Andy Anderson, pointed all questions to the Town’s published statement. “As a Town-owned performing arts venue funded in part by taxpayer dollars, the Town has a responsibility to remain neutral,” the statement said. “The Town did let the producers know about the concerns brought to the attention of the Town, but did not demand or require that any part of the show be removed or modified.” Denver7 reported that one sponsor of the show, Lutheran High School, emailed parents a statement. The school said they had a strong partnership with the Town of Parker and PACE, but would pull their sponsorship for “Shrek the Musical” for the remainder of its run. “This year, we chose to continue our sponsorship of the family musical with [the PACE] presentation of the show, ‘Shrek.’ After the first weekend of shows, we were made aware of content in the production that did not align with our mission and values,” the email said. The school did not respond to email requests for comment. McAllister is not alone in his interpretation of the song. Since its Broadway debut in 2008, “Shrek the Musical” has frequently been read as an LGBTQ+ affirming story, particularly for its embrace of difference and its refusal to frame belonging as something that must be earned. The Reuters review of the 2008 Broadway production ran DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 9 ׉ 7cassandra://b_w07VppzjLmYV7zFz_O7VYZOXnfd-maNLA67EEuKuE$X`i$7"i$7" בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://Z0euIqgReyeoQ3oRRQVLH_z8re0Y7OVXOxsrQ_WNQsYxj`׉ 7cassandra://gkUkKYSbeKdc1jYQfyExvvqJV46YTCikgtSFzc7uQ8g̀`q׉ 7cassandra://kHtKupadyr3p-tLe3Eqq-uAST1mWQQyldIV_KMRk7Lk)`i$7"ט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://mKs_1wK0AYJooWWb3A1FBaYwGQ0O_WfkU5-cxTmAHTs2`׉ 7cassandra://rs2-7voNJM9uI4Nb72R8RwWTD9yc0K8pU27B-kkjIngx`q׉ 7cassandra://EE35jQMtD2LphrtHtK4rV-FNHRDrffUHuuT0wTdeV3E"`i$7"׉Ewith the headline, “Shrek’s a family musical with gay-pride element,” namechecking “Freak Flag” as carrying a “gaypride subtext.” McAllister said that neither the Town of Parker nor PACE ever required the flag be removed from the production, but he was asked to reconsider using the flag. Contractually, he had the freedom to make the choice about the use of the flag and other creative decisions. McAllister took the suggestion to the cast, who voted to keep the rainbow flag in the song and production. BREAKING THE FOURTH WALL In theater, stopping a show mid-performance is rare. The word actors use in moments of danger or urgency is “hold,” Denver-based actress Bekah-Lynn Broas said. Broas played several roles in “Shrek the Musical,” including the Sugar Plum Fairy and Gingy the Gingerbread Man. Her character opened the song “Freak Flag.” Just before the ensemble cast performed “Freak Flag,” Broas called “hold” and broke the fourth wall to explain to the audience why the cast had decided to continue flying Pride flags. The fourth wall exists to preserve comfort and illusion, just as social norms often expect marginalized communities to remain visible only on approved terms. By stopping the show, Broas made explicit what is often left unspoken. Inclusion frequently requires interruption. She said the moment came from a collective understanding backstage that the song’s message, about those who are banished, labeled as “freaks,” and told they do not belong, directly mirrors the lived experiences of the queer community. Broas, who describes herself as a proud ally, spoke on behalf of the cast when she told the audience that the show is about inclusion and acceptance of all people, including the LGBTQ+ community. In that moment, breaking the fourth wall mirrored a broader reality. Progress rarely happens quietly, and making room in shared civic spaces often means challenging the rules designed to keep certain people unseen and voiceless. “The message that … what you are witnessing tonight is about inclusion, it is about community, and about loving your neighbor, no matter what they look like, or how they identify,” Broas said to the audience Broas said her speech was inspired by the cast being told to reconsider using the Pride flags. She said the cast’s decision to keep the Pride flag in the show felt like putting future performances in jeopardy. “This could have been our last show,” Broas said. “We didn’t know, but we decided it was important to take a stand.” Broas said neutrality was never an option. Removing or avoiding the Pride flag, she said, would itself have been a political statement. “Censorship of identities is something to take very seriously,” she said. “It harms people, it discriminates.” Attempting to be “neutral” participates in harm by allowing discrimination to go unchallenged, she said. “Silence is complicity,” she said. McAllister found the speech moving, especially considering what was at stake for the performance. In all, McAllister estimated the production cost to be more than $100,000. Losing a sponsor could have been financially ruinous, he added. “She gave the speech. The song started. She started to cry. So, I just yelled out from the theater, ‘You got this. You got this,’ because I wanted them to know that I was there and that I had their back and everything was going to be okay,” McAllister said. After she spoke directly to the audience, Broas said she felt physically shaken, overwhelmed by the weight of what she had just done. Nothing had prepared her for such a brazen act outside of theatrical norms. Still, she remains clear about her choice. “I would do it again,” she said. “I just tried to do the right thing.” Cooper Kaminsky, who plays Shrek in the production, said the request to remove the flag made them feel unsafe and disappointed as a queer individual. “Every day presents new attempts at erasing queer people from media, from art, from history, from the world,” Kaminsky said. “Sometimes just existing, waving a flag, and saying ‘Hey, I’m here. I’m okay, you are too,’ can be enough to change another queer individual’s life for the better.” Kaminsky said continuing to be themselves onstage and seeing that authenticity embraced by audiences has been deeply validating and empowering. They believe that theater can have a lasting impact even after a single performance, even in a show like “Shrek.” During one performance, the applause was the loudest when the Pride flags came out for the song, “Freak Flag.” Audience members at the sold-out performance made their support clear when they stood and cheered. Inclusion and acceptance resonated. THE CASE FOR EMPATHY IN PUBLIC SPACES Mike Waid occupies a rare intersection in the story unfolding around “Shrek the Musical” at the PACE Center. On stage, he played the Captain of the Guard. Off stage, he helped build the institution itself. Waid is a former Parker city councilmember and mayor Jacob Frye, who played the Big Bad Wolf in “Shrek,” said seeing the Pride flag in a theater production when he was young would have helped him realize there are more queer people than he thought and that he wasn’t alone. 10 NEWS ׉ 7cassandra://kHtKupadyr3p-tLe3Eqq-uAST1mWQQyldIV_KMRk7Lk)`i$7"׉E"+Cooper Kaminsky played “Shrek” in the recent production of “Shrek the Musical” at the PACE Center in Parker, Colo. at the sight of him. He is judged before he speaks, feared before he acts, and treated as something that must be removed rather than understood. He self-deports from the play’s kingdom of Duloc to a swamp, where he is safe from judgment, but lives in isolation. The sorting, purifying, and banishing from Duloc by the villain Lord Farquaad runs through the production as Farquaad plots to become king through lies and deceit. Fairy-tale characters are rounded up by his militaristic guards, and the character Pinocchio jokes that Farquaad’s agents are sending the “freaks” away, dumped into Shrek’s swamp after being declared undesirable. Lord Farquaad tells the freaks, “You and the rest of that fairy-tale trash are ruining my kingdom.” The villain later sings, “Once upon a time, this place was infested. Freaks on every corner, I had them all arrested.” McAllister said the musical resonates in today’s political climate. Those who fail inspection are removed. Order is enforced through spectacle, humiliation, and violence, including a gingerbread man tortured for information, all played for laughs, but never without consequence. Jacob Frye, who played the Big Bad Wolf and other who voted to build the PACE Center not long after the 2008 recession. Even then, bringing arts and culture to Douglas County, a conservative stronghold, was deeply contested. Later, as mayor, he performed for the first time on the stage at the PACE Center in “West Side Story.” His dual work, bringing the PACE Center to Parker and performing on its stage, gives Waid what he described as “some historical perspective on the facility itself, and what it actually means to the creation of art.” From the beginning, the PACE Center represented a philosophical divide. “There are some folks who just don’t think governments should be in the arts and culture business,” Waid said. “There’s those who think that arts and culture represent an intrinsic value to a community. I’m one of those that believes that way.” The value of the PACE Center was also economic, bringing people into town where “they eat at restaurants, they fill up with gas, they buy stuff at stores, and provide sales tax revenue,” he said. The facility, Waid said, has done exactly what we hoped it would, becoming “a catalyst for not only community arts and creative development, but also for economic development and impact in our community.” The PACE Center was always intended to offer the community multiple entry points to the arts. “When we built PACE, we insisted it could not be a singleuse facility. It could not be just a theater. It could not be just a venue,” Waid said. The goal was flexibility and access, a space capable of hosting four or five events at the same time. Today, the PACE Center includes a 500-seat theater, classrooms, studios, and event spaces that host everything from professional theater and art classes to funerals and celebrations of life to weddings, to award ceremonies, and everything in between. “If we were going to invest the money of our taxpayers,” Waid said, “we needed it to be a true community hub for everyone in the community. And that’s what we created.” Waid identifies as a Republican, a detail that complicates easy narratives around the controversy sparked by Pride flags. “In all honesty, I personally did not see the flag as an issue at all,” he said. “It’s a creative expression. The creative license of having the Pride flags, which were out for all of maybe three minutes in a three-hour performance, is just a way of including everyone.” Waid said the story’s theme of inclusion is unambiguous from beginning to end and hits hard for any member of the audience, child or adult. He pointed out that the message isn’t limited to those who identify as LGBTQ+ but to all community members. “It’s such a beautiful story, and it’s such a beautiful play that hits on so many levels,” Waid said. For Waid, Shrek’s message of inclusion is what makes life interesting and worth living. “Life would be so freaking boring if everyone was a big, fat bearded guy like me,” he said. “What makes us all so incredible is our uniqueness. It’s beautiful that there’s so many versions and varieties of humans out there. We just need to make space and welcome one another.” That belief extends beyond the stage. Empathy, he said, doesn’t require agreement, but it does require making space for each other, trying to understand each other, and accepting each other. “It doesn’t mean I have to destroy them because they like something I don’t. We just need to accept each other and invite everyone to the table,” he said. Waid argues for relationship over rigid adherence to ideology. “It takes as much material and effort to build a bridge as it does to build a wall,” he said. “But the difference is when you build a bridge, you can meet the other person, and you can talk face to face.” He framed empathy as a matter of effort in caring for one another over dogma. “When you use all of that time and energy and resources and materials to build a wall, you never have the luxury of seeing that person face-to-face or eye-to-eye,” Waid said. “All you’re doing is banging up against that wall.” He hopes that the conflict around the Pride flag doesn’t prevent PACE and the Town of Parker from working with Sasquatch Productions and McAllister in the future. “Sasquatch does amazing, professional performances. They’re a great group of dedicated people,” Waid said. “I hope, beyond any complaints in the short-term, that Sasquatch is still invited to participate with the PACE Center.” WHY “SHREK” LANDS DIFFERENTLY RIGHT NOW “Shrek” explores who is welcome in the community, who is not, and who gets to decide. The show begins with an ogre being told, explicitly and repeatedly, that the world is “not for you.” When Shrek ventures out of isolation, a woman screams characters in the musical, said the dispute over a Pride flag and the erasure of queer identity from public spaces was never abstract. Frye identifies as queer and said that he grew up learning that he was not accepted within what labels as “normal.” This was difficult for him, but he found acceptance in theater, a space for outsiders and the LGBTQ+ community. Frye was in high school when he first met McAllister, who was teaching at Stage Door Theater about 10 years ago. The Pride flag, he said, represents far more than identity. It signals safety, shared understanding, and the presence of people who recognize one another’s lived experiences. He sees acceptance not as a default condition, but as something that must often be defended and reaffirmed. All of those themes are also explored in “Shrek the Musical.” Frye described growing up surrounded by images of heterosexual, cisgender life presented as universal, not maliciously, but relentlessly. It was a message that he feels communicates to LGBTQ+ youth that they are different, outside the norm, and to a degree, unwelcome. “Seeing [the Pride flag] in a major theater production would have helped me realize when I was younger that there are more queer people than I thought there were, that I wasn’t alone,” Frye said. “It would have sparked an investigation into what that meant and helped me identify parts of myself earlier.” That is why representation cannot be treated as a matter of politeness or tolerance alone. Queer visibility, Frye said, carries emotional and psychological weight because it counters years of being told, implicitly or explicitly, to be quieter, smaller, or grateful for conditional inclusion. “We didn’t want to be quiet,” Frye said. “It was more important to be loud in the face of that bigotry than to cede to their demands.” To Broas, one of the final lines in “Freak Flag” carries the message the cast fought to keep visible. Pinocchio’s line, “I’m wood. I’m good. Get used to it,” lands as a declaration, one that echoes decades of Pride protests and public insistence on being seen. For Broas, the line does not demand agreement, only recognition. “Inclusion of all people does not mean exclusion of you if you’re different,” she said. That insistence, she added, is not a modern insertion but something already embedded in the script. “Harvey Milk said, not just Milk but many in the queer community in the 70s, said, ‘We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it.’ It is in the script. It is obvious to me,” she said. DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 11 society ׉ 7cassandra://EE35jQMtD2LphrtHtK4rV-FNHRDrffUHuuT0wTdeV3E"`i$7"i$7" בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://WiIkAZy5J3A45i29BLGswz6IY2zdAJ6-xYf4lcF6fLQ~`׉ 7cassandra://jbcATmHsw-dc05xlescsLrRufuB_-NSbGXl2TDmQglc~u`q׉ 7cassandra://81NtUDZTOosYOwDYf_JA58t1EiKk2nzEUD7_buYLjhs,w`i$7" ט  u׉׉ 7cassandra://zaYcrcYiEtfw5tzFI8yLqP9bKTJT376TenkDxA7RqZYZ `׉ 7cassandra://agCKiSHHLMO4u1SjU_YIlXi-Ij8YTCkyLqhAy4eXAV8~8`q׉ 7cassandra://TA4Tg7uNe6MbVrHDwSGvll0EpPMNBVHJY0YVSlb4ews+I`i$7" נi$7" h=9ׁH$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 Marching into the Not-SoNew Year AS I STARTED THIS YEAR, I had medical problems. Some of them got resolved, like the situation with my finger. I had surgery in January, the stitches came out in February, and my finger is a lot straighter. (I only had to threaten to chop my finger off for a year before it was fixed.) I have one more medical issue that I have to get resolved. I don’t know when that will happen, cuz I can’t get the test needed to find out what’s going on, but that’s a work in progress. This month, March, it is officially two years since my last chemo treatment for breast cancer, and I was recently told that I have no cancer in my body at all now. I still have to get my yearly scans, but I’ve been doing that for years anyway, so I’m grateful that I’m recovering from the chemo. Because of this new medical issue, my body lacks energy, which is stopping me from eating. (Pray for me for that one, please!) Things are looking a lot brighter for me this year, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this year will bring. Next month starts the farmer’s market, and I can’t wait because this year I plan on going to at least three, maybe four different markets, because it will be the first time in two years I’ll have energy to be able to work that much. I’m now working on getting my puppy, Luna Rose, to know all of her commands because this summer, I will register her for training for her to become a therapeutic dog, so I can bring her into hospitals and nursing homes to help patients not be so depressed by having a lovely little dog there to say hello to them while they’re in the hospital. In October, when she turns 1 year old, I will get her trained for the next year to be comfortable around things like hospital equipment, loud noises, and hospital beds. When she is two years old in 2027, I will be able to get her registered as a therapeutic dog. I’m excited about working with my puppy. Everybody gravitates to her when we go into stores, they’ll ask if they can pet her and I’m like, “Yes, you can.” I want her to be as friendly as possible. I have big hopes for the future and am excited to get over the last couple of years, which were very hard physically, mentally, and emotionally for me. I also want to thank all of our readers who are interested in our vendor stories, and for giving us the opportunity to earn a living by vending the VOICE. For many of us, without the VOICE, we may not have that opportunity. I wish everybody reading this a very blessed rest of the year. What it Takes to be a Hustler MY INTERPRETATION of a hustler is a person who is a go-getter, not a quitter. Throughout these trying times, I have learned to create ALBERT BLAND DENVER VOICE VENDOR opportunities for myself in order to keep myself stable and productive. Coming up as an energetic kid in Detroit, I would walk through my neighborhood and rake my neighbors’ leaves to earn a few dollars. I had a paper route and worked many jobs throughout my life, but that just wasn’t enough for me — especially growing up wanting the finest things in life without making moral sacrifices. So, things took a turn in my life to where I started hustling in the streets … always falling short of any goals on my agenda. Forty-five years later, I’ve come to realize that getting rich with no agenda wasn’t in the equation, so I had to do some soul searching and figure out what I would have to do to have a decent life without falling short on anything that I do, so I had to go with my hustling instincts as a kid an apply it to my daily livelihood. Now, I run my own business and sell street papers, any other legitimate opportunities that come my way. That’s one thing I give myself credit for: I always hustle. In closing, being a hustler is neither bad nor good; it just all depends on how you hustle. From my experience, when I have hustled with no agenda, it always led me to some type of shortcoming. And now that I hustle for the right reasons, I’m always in good company and having no worries about the simple things in life. 12 SECTION ׉ 7cassandra://81NtUDZTOosYOwDYf_JA58t1EiKk2nzEUD7_buYLjhs,w`i$7"׉E BLUE SURVEILLANCE . org ANCE Accountability for police misconduct is behind a paywall in Colorado — we tear it down. Blue Surveillance is a nonprofi t that supports accountability of police misconduct through reporting, research, and public awareness. Visit our database now and see what we’ve found about offi cers around you. bluesurveillance.org/database PUZZLES PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREET WISE 1 14 17 20 23 27 29 35 40 45 49 52 54 60 63 ACROSS 1. Spaghetti ___ 6. Newbie, of sorts 11. Abbr. on history class timelines 14. “Ready ___...” 15. Episode in syndication 16. Electrical unit 17. Th ey have some good points 19. Run out of battery 20. “Th e Sound of Music” family name 21. Spewing oil well 23. Instances 26. Notarize 27. Challenging HS test for college credit 28. Spuds 29. “Th e Addams Family” cousin 30. Kind of tag 32. Ross of the Supremes 35. Yo-yo ___ 37. Scruff s 39. ___ impasse 40. Inside info 42. Got excited 44. Suitable for all ages 45. Not suitable for all ages 47. Irritates 49. North American marsupial only one letter off from an Australian marsupial DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 51. Unifi ed whole 52. “I won’t miss it” 53. Wayne’s pal in “Wayne’s World” 54. Tokyo, formerly 55. Member of a legislative body 60. Oinker 61. Move gracefully 62. Make into law 63. Can 64. Minuscule, informally 65. Exchanges for money DOWN 1. “Help!” 2. ___ welder 3. Classic card game whose name is spoken during the course of play 4. Cerebral ___ 5. Unending 6. Kudos 7. Look before you ___ 8. Go astray 9. Spending plan 10. Guaranteed 11. Person on the path to nirvana 12. Primary 13. Manicurist’s board 18. Bruce Wayne’s alter ego 22. Narrow groove (anagram of SITAR) 23. Downton Abbey employees 24. Fiber-___ cable 25. Study of weather (though it sounds more like the study of shooting stars) 26. Shift +6 28. Lukewarm 31. Capital on the Willamette 33. What a selfinvolved person gazes at, in an idiom 34. Uneasy feeling 36. Center line on a stick fi gure 38. Top of the line 41. Hallway 43. Small tools for grinding spices 46. Go at it 48. Flammable gas used in welding (anagram of HEY TEN) 49. Early aft ernoon hour 50. Lecterns 51. Slightly tainted, as meat 53. HS diploma equivalents 56. Transgression 57. Bad beginning? 58. Knee part commonly injured by athletes 59. 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This column is a place for Denver VOICE vendors to respond to questions from fellow vendors, our readers, and staff. I do believe in luck. I misplaced a few things in the past year and was really grateful when I found them. I was very lucky. I’ve also had good luck a few other times. Yes and no. I believe “luck” is a divine purpose of place and time. When and if I decide something is lucky depends on the risk I am taking, and why. JERRY ROSEN DENVER VOICE VENDOR I really don’t believe in luck. I believe in being the best person that you can be. Being kind to RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR people and helping others will bring all the goodness from my heavenly father up above. He is my lucky charm cuz He changed my life. SONDRA JEFFRIES DENVER VOICE VENDOR REA BROWN DENVER VOICE VENDOR March, the month that restarts many hearts that were left in the dark, or had darts kill the spark of a fire that could exit it if was a kiss or a yes to a wish for the bliss of togetherness, Mr. or Ms., or his, but single awareness hits like giant bricks mixed with regret tricks in your memory. Passing the passion from lack matching the green fashion is asking for the attention to never quit, after all luck is success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one’s own actions. This month’s Ask a Vendor question was suggested by Denver VOICE vendor Rea Brown 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! Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments! of action WINTER Wishlist Drop-offs are accepted Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., or by appointment. NEW ITEMS NEEDED: GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: • Bottled water • Non-perishable snacks (granola bars, peanut butter crackers, trail mix, etc.) • Toiletries (individual or travel-size) • Lip balm, sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste, deoderant, hand sanitizer • Hand warmers • Socks During the winter, Denver VOICE vendors experience increased heating and housing costs. Meanwhile, their income decreases because cold temperatures means less foot traffic and fewer paper sales. Every donation counts. Thank you. 14 SECTION • 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 • Scarves • Gloves • Winter hats VENMO YOUR VENDOR 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 ׉ 7cassandra://2KxhoKrQZ2RcEI-UZchyX1ou9Emei74Fe10rGbuvdHo0`i$7"׉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 DENVER VOICE MARCH 2026 15 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 S A U C E P L E B E B C E O R N O T R E R U N O H M S C O R E B O A R D S D I E T R A P P G U S H E R M O M E N T S C E R T I F Y A P E X A M T A T E R S I T T D I E T N A P E S S C O O P L I T U P R R A T E D P E E V E S O P O S S U M G E S T A L T N O L O S S G A R T H E D O A S S E M B L Y M A N P I G G L I D E E E N S Y M A Y E N A C T S E L L S L A S E R D I A N A A T A N T V G ׉ 7cassandra://oxnxZgUoN6PiyGzjRVn_WyatoeIQ9DMC-EckNOKNP6s#v`i$7"i$7" בCט u׉׉ 7cassandra://JZwlBvoPce9aBfczYA5QUyHeCMtDzJt__B29dRS_rwwu`׉ 7cassandra://awsbqseDFCjf26Zn_vnplRiEalhOOWYsorvutaifLbQs`q׉ 7cassandra://Ka7CR8Zr2tGILDGWvoINFXN5-bX9TZpgXbg5lp6DslA0E`i$7"Gנi$7"J ̮9ׁHhttp://denvervoice.org/donateׁ ׁ Ј׉E2DONATE Because you love us denvervoice.org/donate ׉ 7cassandra://Ka7CR8Zr2tGILDGWvoINFXN5-bX9TZpgXbg5lp6DslA0E`i$7"׈Ei$7"i$7" ,DV-3-2026i)~