Author: Eliza Filene
The Harm Reduction Action Center (HRAC) sits at Colfax and Grant Street. A few minutes before 9:00 AM, Ruth Kanaster walks outside in the chilly air to facilitate the start of open hours. She greets participants and passersby by name.
Bourbon Grill sits on the corner of Colfax Avenue and Pearl Street. Even at four o’clock in the afternoon, there is an incessant line.
As I wait for the 8:00 AM #15 bus outside the Colfax Ave Business Improvement District’s office, I often chat with the Ready to Work team as they prepare to start their morning of street cleaning. It’s easy to see why they love their supervisor, Jerrica. Her calm demeanor, quiet radiance, and quick laugh are magnetic
Jerry Baack’s gruff voice and smiling eyes can make anyone feel at home. Like Colfax Avenue, his stories are often all-at-once edgy, beautiful, hilarious, and tragic.