>>> HUMANIZE WAS PROVIDED BY ROSE FOUNDATION AND VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

\M\M \M\M \M\M \M\M \M\M \M\M >>> I'M THE DIRECTOR OF WELLNESS.

WE STARTED 7.5 YEARS AGO.

I FOUNDED THE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TO -- I BELIEVE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

THAT'S WHO I AM AND THE REASON I DID LEAVE VENEZUELA AT 16, I CAME HERE AND SEARCHING.

I WANTED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE.

I WANTED TO BE A COACH.

I WANTED AN EDUCATION.

I LEARNED THAT IN THE USA YOU COULD DO THAT.

WHEN I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN VENEZUELA.

MY PARENTS LET ME AND I CAME BY MYSELF AND I CAME HERE.

IT GREW UP WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITIES.

THE SCHOLARSHIP HELPED ME SEE THE WHOLE WORLD.

ON DECEMBER 2022 WE WERE ASKED TO HELP OUT.

I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE REC CENTER THAT WAS A SHELTER.

THEY WERE ASKING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE, WHY ARE YOU HERE?

WHAT IS YOUR JOURNEY?

THERE WAS VARIOUS ANSWERS.

ONE OF THEM WAS MY FAMILY WAS -- MANY OF THEM WORKED FOR VENEZUELA, FOR THE ARMY, THE POLICE PEOPLE.

IF YOU WERE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT THERE YOU WOULD BE THREATEN.

PEOPLE WOULD KNOW.

THEY WOULD CALL YOU AT 12:00 IN THE MORNING AND SAY WHO YOU ARE.

WE WILL SHOOT YOU AND KILL YOU IF YOU SPEAK AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT.

FAMILIES PICKED UP OVERNIGHT AND LEFT THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE HUNGRY, TIRED, ARE NOT ABLE TO GET JOBS.

PEOPLE THAT WERE YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PUT A WAY IN JAIL WHEN THEY WERE NOT DESERVING.

THERE WERE A LOT OF SEASONS.

AS PEOPLE START LEAVING YOU REMEMBER, YOU HAVE ONE CHANNEL.

YOU HAVE THIS VISION THAT COMING HERE IS LIFE IS BETTER.

YOU ARE AFRAID TO SPEAK SOMETHING.

DOING THOSE CONVERSATIONS MANY ARE SURE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY WALKED.

IF THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO FIND OTHER PLACES.

ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN OVER THERE AND HOW THEY WERE TREATED.

OTHERS WANT TO GO BACK ARE THE ONES -- THIS LADY -- SHE WAS COMING FROM COLUMBIA AND ARRIVED.

THEY WERE AT THE SHELTER.

SHE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, HER HUSBAND DIED ON THE WAY HERE.

AND THEY WERE GOING TO CONTINUE ON.

SHE WAS GOING TO REALLY WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE HER DAUGHTER MADE IT.

THERE WERE TWO OF THEM.

I REMEMBER THEIR FACES.

AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

SHE CALLED ME.

SHE SAID I CAN'T MAKE IT HERE ON MY OWN.

WE DID WHATEVER WE CAN.

I REMEMBER GETTING SUITCASES.

THEY WERE GOING TO BACK TO THE FAMILY'S HUSBAND IN COLUMBIA NOT EVEN IN VENEZUELA.

THERE ARE SITUATIONS YOU LEARN AND HEAR.

NO ONE WANTS TO LEAVE THEIR COUNTRY IF THINGS WERE GOOD OR THEIR FAMILY OR THEIR SIBLINGS.

IT HAS TO BE REALLY REALLY BAD FOR SOMEONE TO COME HERE.

DECEMBER 2022 THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT ARRIVED.

WE PUT UP A HOLIDAY PARTY.

STARTED HOUSING FAMILIES ALL THE WAY THROUGH AUGUST.

WE HAD MANY OF THE CHILDREN.

SO WE STARTED TRANSITION SCHOOL.

WE HAD TEACHES FROM VENEZUELA.

WE THOUGHT MATH AND SCIENCE.

MANY OF THE KIDS HAD BEEN TRAVELLING TWO TO THREE YEARS.

THEY MIGHT HAVE LEFT VENEZUELA TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.

THEY TRYs DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVE NOT GONE TO SCHOOL.

WE HAVE BEEN DELIVERING BAGS TO EVERY FAMILY.

THERE ARE 1300 FAMILIES.

THERE IS A LOT OF BAGS.

WE HAVE A TEAM OF EIGHT WOMEN DOING THAT.

THEY DRIVE THE CAR AND SECURE THE FOOD.

WE HAVE A TEAM OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HOUSING THIS FAMILY THAT ARE LEFT AT THE SHELTERS.

ONE OF THE THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE WORK PERMITS.

THEY HAVE BEEN HERE WE HAVE DONE OVER 350 INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE HAD TPS.

WE HAVE A TEAM THAT HAS TPS THEY HAVE A WORK PERMIT.

WE GET THE FAMILIES AND THEY OPEN IT UP.

HERE IS THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD AND THEIR PERMIT TO WORK.

THEY BOTH HAVE TO GO TOGETHER.

WE SHOW THEM HOW TO DO IT.

PEOPLE ENTER WITH A PERMIT.

WE NOW HAVE CLINICS WHERE THEY CAN GET THEIR WORK PERMITS.

WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT COME AND GIVEN THEMSELVES UP.

THOSE ARE THE ONES THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET TEMPORARY WORK PERMITS FOR THEM TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM.

WE HAVE BEEN DOING THAT SINCE SEPTEMBER.

THE NUMBERS ARE GROWN.

THE CITY HAS HAD ABOUT NINE SHELTERS.

IN DECEMBER, IT HIT THE HIGHEST.

YOU TRY TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE.

YOU TRY TO GET THEIR LIVES TOGETHER.

THAT IS REALLY HARD.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT.

THERE ARE FAMILIES THAT DON'T.

YOU FIND THEM BEING EVICTED.

NO ONE HAS TOLD THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO.

THERE ARE PROGRAMS YOU COULD HAVE DONE.

THEY ARE EVICTED.

THEY ARE BACK IN THE STREETS.

CHILDREN IN THE ENCAMPMENTS.

IT IS COLD OUTSIDE.

SORRY.

REMEMBERING KIDS IN THE STREETS, IT IS COLD.

IT HASN'T STOPPED.

I REMEMBER TALKING TO THE CITY AND MAYOR.

IT IS GOING TO BE A POINT WHERE DENVER HAS DONE A LOT.

WONDERFUL THINGS, A LOT.

WE CAN ONLY HELP SO MANY PEOPLE THE RIGHT WAY.

AND GIVING PEOPLE HOPE TWO OR THREE MONTHS YOU END UP IN THE STREETS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY.

WE HAVE THREE MONTHS OF WORKING HARD.

BY MARCH WE MUST MOVE MOST PEOPLE.

AND WE DID.

WHEN WE GOT TO MARCH THERE WERE UNDER 1,000 PEOPLE.

I LOOKED AT THE MAYOR.

HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY.

NO ONE IS COMING YET FOR WHATEVER SEASON.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, THIS IS REALLY HARD.

THERE HAS TO BE SOLUTIONS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW WE CAN'T BE SEEING CHILDREN IN THE STREETS.

IF YOU SAY WELCOME TO THE CITY WE CAN'T SEE CHILDREN IN THE STREETS.

YOU ALSO CAN'T TAKE ALL THE PROGRAMS AWAY FROM OUR CITY.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP OTHER HUMANS.

IT MAY NOT BE I DIDN'T GET THE HELP FOUR YEARS AGO.

IT MAY NOT BE THAT YOU ARE PROBABLY ONE THAT CAME FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY AND REALLY NEEDED HELP.

ONE OF THOSE THAT STILL BELIEVE HAVE BEEN 30 OR 40 YEARS.

MANY OF MY FRIENDS AND OUR STAFF AND THEY STILL DON'T HAVE THE WORK PERMITS.

AND THEY STILL CAN'T GO TO THEIR COUNTRY TO SEE THEIR PARENTS DIE.

THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SOMETIMES -- I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THEM.

I WISH WE COULD DO SOMETHING.

I WRITE EVERY YEAR YOU GOT TO GET THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN HERE 30 OR 40 YEARS.

THIS IS THEIR HOME.

PERMIT TO WORK AND GO OUT TO SEE THEIR FAMILY.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

IT WILL TAKE TIME.

I'M HOPING SIX MONTHS LATER WE ARE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER.

I'M HOPING PEOPLE CAN SEE NOW THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.

THERE IS NOT AS MANY CHILDREN IN THE STREETS.

I BELIEVE A LOT OF THEM ARE OUR FUTURE.

THE KIDS COMING IN AND KIDS ALREADY HERE ARE ONE AND WORK TOGETHER AND GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.

IT IS LED BY EXAMPLE.

THAT'S MY HOPE.

>> [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ] [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ] [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ] [ SPEAKING IN SPANISH ] >> I'M MIKE JOHNSTON.

I'M THE MAYOR OF DENVER.

I STARTED MY CAREER AS A TEACHER.

I WAS A TEACHER AND A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

THE LAST ONE I WAS A PRINCIPAL WE HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO WERE UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

THEY HAD COME TO THE U.S.

WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG.

100% OF OUR KIDS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND GOT ADMITTED TO COLLEGES.

AT THAT TIME THEY COULD NOT GO TO COLLEGE IN COLORADO UNLESS THEY PAID OUT OF STATE TUITION.

THAT IS WHAT INSPIRED ME TO RUN AND HELP THE KIDS GO TO COLLEGE.

YOU HAVE TO STAY CONNECTED TO THE INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL STORIES.

ONCE THEY BECOME A THEY, A GROUP I HEARD THEIR STORIES, THEIR NEEDS, THEIR DESIRES.

SOME OF THEM HAVE THINGS THAT ARE DEEPLY IN COMMON LIKE THE DEEP DESIRE TO WORK AND SUPPORT THEMSELVES.

FOR ME IT TAKES STAYING CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE ISSUE THAT YOU CAN FEEL IT, YOU CAN TOUCH IT, YOU CAN HEAR IT, AND SEE THE PASSION IN PEOPLE'S FACES.

YOU NEVER FORGET WHY YOU DO THE WORK.

I WOULD TALK TO PEOPLE AND EVERYONE HAS QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.

HEARING EACH ONE OF THOSE STORIES.

THERE ARE THEMES IN THOSE STORIES.

THOSE THEMES INTO SYSTEMIC SOLUTIONS.

AND SO IT IS HOW DO YOU HEAR THE STORIES AND HOW YOU FIGURE OUT THE SOLUTIONS.

YOU DON'T WANT TO PICK UP ONE INDIVIDUAL STARFISH AT A TIME.

YOU WANT TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL THAT GETS ALL THE STARFISH.

I TRY TO USE THOSE PERSONAL STORIES TO DRIVE SCALE SOLUTIONS AND COME BACK AND TALK TO SEE WHAT WORKED AND WHAT DIDN'T WORK AND WHAT WE HAVE TO FIX.

THE CLOSER YOU ARE YOU BUILD A SOLUTION YOU THINK WILL WORK.

BY HELPING PEOPLE SUPPORT THEMSELVES YOU GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THE AMERICAN DREAM AND STABILITY.

WE HAVE TO SPEND LESS TAXPAYER MONEY.

THERE IS A WIN/WIN HERE THAT IS NONPARTISAN AND NONPOLITICAL.

AND I TRY TO KEEP FOCUSED ON THE SERVICES AND THE SOLUTIONS.

I FIND THE MORE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THE VALUES ARE I FIND IT IS FAR MORE ALIGNED.

I SAY MY JOB IS NOT TO CONVENIENCE YOU MY VALUES ARE RIGHT BUT THAT YOUR VALUES ARE RIGHT.

YOUR VALUES MATCH THESE FACTS.

I'M HOPEFUL ABOUT THESE ISSUES.

WHEN YOU TALK TO PEOPLE DIRECTLY ON THE GROUND I WILL TALK TO THE MOST CONSERVATIVE BUSINESS LEADER YOU SHOULD PUT THOSE FOLKS TO WORK.

I WILL TAKE TO THE PROGRESSIVE ACTIVIST IT IS NOT FAIR.

ALL THE FOLKS ARE ASKING.

THAT IS WHAT YOUR HEART WILL TELL YOU.

SOMEONE WALKS RISKING THEIR LIVES AND FAMILY'S LIVES TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES.

ANY HUMAN BEING SAYS I RESPECT THE EFFORT YOU MADE.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN YOU GOT TO CARRY YOUR OWN WEIGHT, THAT IS TRUE TOO.

AT THAT LEVEL WE ARE ALIGNED AS HUMAN BEINGS.

WHEN IT IS ONE PERSON STANDING IN FRONT OF YOU WITH ONE REQUEST IS MUCH SIMPLER.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT CAN SUPPORT NEWCOMERS.

WE HAVE A SET OF SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR ANY SET OF EXPERIENCE.

WHETHER YOU HAVE A SPECIAL STATUS THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GET WORK FASTER.

WHETHER YOU COME WITH NO STATUS AT ALL WE CAN CREATE A PATH THROUGH OUR ASYLUM PROGRAM TO GET WORK.

THIS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO SHARE WITH THE COUNTRY THIS IS A SOLVABLE PROBLEM.

IF YOU ARE A MAYOR WE CAN -- TOGETHER WE CAN.

THIS MAKES US READY.

THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEWCOMERS.

BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL POLICY SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW.

ONE IS FOLKS THAT CAME LAST YEAR WHO HAD TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE STATUS.

A STATUS THE COUNTRY GIVES YOU.

CUBANS HAVE IT.

WE PRESUME YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICES.

WE HAD A 42 LENGTH OF STAY.

THAT WAS ENOUGH TIME TO GET YOU APPLIED FOR WORK PERMIT.

PAY YOUR FIRST MONTH'S RENT.

THE SECOND DON'T HAVE THAT ACCESS.

THE HOMELAND SECURITY DID THAT.

THAT EXPIRED.

HE GOT THREATEN TO BE IMPEACHED.

THE FOLKS THAT ARRIVE HAVE TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM.

A MIGRANT THAT IS IN DENVER HAS AN ASYLUM COURT DATE FOR THE YEAR 2021.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS CREATED A NEW SOLUTION.

RATHER THAN WAITING SEVEN YEARS WE CAN FILE YOUR CLAIM NOW.

WHEN WE FILE IT PROACTIVELY YOU HAVE A SIX MONTH WEIGHT LIST.

YOU STILL HAVE TO WAIT SEVEN YEARS FOR ASYLUM.

HOW DO WE SUPPORT FOLKS FOR SIX MONTHS?

WE PUT THEM IN A WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM.

YOU LEARN ENGLISH, YOU CHOOSE A CAREER TO PATH.

YOU GET ON THE JOB TRAINING.

WHEN SIX MONTH COME YOUR WORK AUTHORIZATION ARRIVES YOU ARE READY.

WE TAKE WHAT WAS A CRISIS MAKE IT A WORKFORCE PIPELINE DENVER NEEDED THE MOST.

MAJOR FEDERAL IMMIGRATION HASN'T PASSED IN MORE THAN 30 YEARS.

YOU CAN CREATE A SOLUTION WITHOUT ANY FEDERAL CHANGE.

SOMEONE WHO SAW HURT AND TRIED TO HEAL IT.

SAW SUFFERING AND TRIED TO EASY IT.

SAW PEOPLE DIVIDED AND TRY TO BRING THEM BACK TOGETHER.

THE THINGS THAT MADE US -- THE MORE WE DO THAT THE MORE WE BIND OURSELVES BACK TOGETHER.

THE MORE PREPARED WE ARE FOR THE NEXT CHALLENGE.

EVERY SMALL VICTORY WE CAN TAKE ON A BIGGER ONE AND A TOUGHER ONE.

THAT IS WHAT AMERICA HAS DONE BEST.

OUR CHANCE TO GET BACK SHOULDER TO SHOULDER SOLVING HARD PROBLEMS AGAIN IMPROVED THE LIVES OF THE CITIZENS THAT ARE SERVED.

IT WILL HELP US REDISCOVER WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY.

I WOULD LOVE THAT TO BE PART OF THE LEGACY THIS CITY LEAVES.

I HOPE I GET TO BE PART OF IT.

\M\M \M\M [ CAPTIONS PROVIDED BY VZP DIGITAL ] >>> WE HOPE HUMANIZED INSPIRED YOU.

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