In October 2024, First United Methodist Church in Boulder, hired two people: “Illuminators,” who live on the street. They are Nesti and Gabe. The work of the illuminators is to identify the gifts, talents, dreams and passions of people who live on the street.
Jaime works with them as the “Animare." (The Latin verb animare means "to give life to.") His job is to animate those gifts by connecting them with social capital, and inviting people to parties where they can fall in love with one another, and encouraging them in who they are, and going with them along the way even as roadblocks arise in the living out of those gifts.
An article about our Illuminators from Weave: The Social Fabric Project. Weave us
We hired Nestoria (Nesti) Castillo due to her experience being unhoused and the morals she espoused that prepared her for the job at hand.
Hear Their Stories
Nesti
Illuminator
“I don't want anything from you, I just want to be seen and heard.“
Gabe
Illuminator
“… whether they live in a grand house or live on the streets, they are a person with a story, a family, and a beating heart just like anyone else.“
Jaime Encinas
Animare
“We are empowering community integration through gifts, talents, dreams and passions of people who live on the street.”