Elevated Denver Workshop: Summary & Reflections

On Friday October 29th, over 20 people participated in our workshop, virtually and in person at the Tivoli Center. It was the first time we have put the concept of Elevated Denver in front of a group of people and it was a rich conversation and provided critical input and feedback that will help shape the path forward. During the workshop, we shared an individual’s story from the podcast, and spent time digging into the story as an example of navigating Denver’s social safety net system. We dug into what is happening in our system right now, why nearly half of our community is unable to make ends meet, and what is being done around the world to solve some of these challenges. Participants came together from nonprofits around Denver, from the student community, business community, and local government. We asked everyone to enter the room as citizens of Denver and everyone stepped in and stepped up with openness and honesty. The following are some themes that emerged from the day:

• In the shared story, and in many stories, the shift into being unhoused is often outside of the individual’s control and a result of a number of factors.
• Resilience and persistence are necessary qualities for navigating the system.
• Mental illness and trauma affect many of us and those are not always being identified or attended to within the current system.
• There needs to be more compassion within the social service system and a deeper understanding of the social issues facing Denver by those in positions of wealth and privilege.
• A number of economic factors are making it more challenging to survive in Denver, including wage gaps and continually increasing housing prices.
• Inequities persist in how someone can access services, which can lead to mistrust and further exacerbate the issue of engagement.
• The system is hard to navigate, and if someone is not able to access services, they are blamed instead of the system.

Some important questions also emerged:

• How will we [Elevated Denver] bring stories to light in the podcast without exploiting the individuals?
• How can we give people who need to navigate the social system real advocates?
• How might employers play a bigger role in supporting individuals, particularly around mental health struggles?
• How do an individual’s intersecting identities impact them and their journey?

We are learning from and pondering these themes and critical questions as we move forward in giving shape to Elevated Denver and the activities to come. We hope to continue the conversations as we move forward.