60. Open Mic: Wholly Kicks
\u201cWhere there is no hope, it is incumbent on us to invent it.\u201d
-Albert Camus
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I\u2019m so xcited about this T&T Open Mic session because we are finally discussing a topic I have been waiting to unpack for a while, those experiencing homelessness. In times like these, we have more people than ever experiencing homelessness or are one paycheck away from being in that position. This is a very real reality and it\u2019s something that anyone of us could face at any time. Today I sit down with Tyg Taylor, the Founder and Executive Director of Wholly Kicks. Wholly Kicks is a 501(c)(3)that\xa0supports those experiencing homelessness and economic disparity in North Aurora, Colorado and surrounding communities.\xa0\xa0Wholly Kicks provides new shoes, love, encouragement and mentoring to those living on the street, in the neighborhood, and in the public-school system.\xa0Tyg is a long-time pastor (over 28 years) and left his church to move to the heart of Aurora to not just help a community in need, but genuinely be a part of it. He knew it was important to be amongst the community he wanted to serve, so he moved in and established Wholly Kicks. Tyg has an incredible story of loss, triumph, and hope. He breakdown so many pieces around homelessness, including language, understanding, approaching someone in that situation, and more. I just wish I would have had this convo years ago (like ALL the open mics!!). Empathy and understanding are at the base of a better future. This cast is really for anyone and everyone, we all need to understand each other more and the sooner we do, the sooner we can get to a more peaceful space. We don\u2019t often get to walk in each other\u2019s shoes, but if we can have a conversation and listen, we\u2019ll at minimum be reminded that we are all human, seeking many of the same things: safety, shelter, love, and support. Home really is where the heart is. Broaden your perspective and extend kindness- always.
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Tyg\u201der\u201d Taylor
is the founder and Executive Director of Wholly Kicks, a 501(c)(3) that\xa0supports those experiencing homelessness and economic disparity in North Aurora, Colorado and surrounding communities.\xa0\xa0Wholly Kicks provides new shoes, love, encouragement and mentoring to those living on the street, in the neighborhood, and in the public-school system.\xa0
For 28 years, Tyg lead an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregation in Monument Colorado and spent much of his time working among those living on the street in Colorado Springs. In January of 2019 he moved into the diverse neighborhood of North Aurora to live a new season of life on \u201cmission.\u201d\xa0\xa0Tyg now \u201cworks\u201d as a street pastor along the Colfax Corridor, filling his days with interactions with those whom he loves most in the world.\xa0\xa0
Tyg\u201der\u201d is a creator of fun cocktails, a cooker of well plated food, a grunty lifter of things CrossFit, a teacher of street things,\xa0\xa0a so-so theologian, and at least a few other things.
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WHOLLY KICKS
WHO WE ARE: We are here not for income, but for outcome
Wholly Kicks is a non-profit organization whose presence in Aurora, Colorado, and the Denver Metro area, exists for the purpose of \u201cwalking with\u201d those in impoverished areas or those at risk of or, experiencing homelessness. Through the distribution of new shoes and socks, the focus of Wholly Kicks is to mentor and build relationships in \u201cwalking with\u201d individuals who for varied reasons, find themselves experiencing economic disparity.
@WhollyKicks
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Host: Kristen Olson
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