Jaime Lujan, far right, and the cast of The LIDA project’s ‘Watershed, Part 1,’ a 2013 collaboration with Metropolitan State University. Photo by John Moore.
Financial-aid recipient: Jaime Lujan is an actor, vocalist and performance artist who has been active in the Colorado theatre community for 17 years. Her credits include the DCPA Theatre Company (“Two Things You Don’t Talk About at Dinner,” understudy), the Arvada Center (“The Rise and Fall of Little Voice”) and Curious Theatre (“The Denver Project”). In 2013, she appeared in “Watershed,” a two-part collaboration between Denver’s experimental collective the LIDA Project and Metropolitan State University. The original piece explored issues of water – both too much and too little – in America. Wrote Lisa Kennedy of The Denver Post: “Let’s start with the stunning. Terry Burnsed and Jaime Lujan blaze as decent, weather-trodden folk who’ve lost a child to pneumonia.”
Her story: Two years ago, The Denver Actors Fund made $1,000 available to Jaime Lujan after she had a full right knee replacement surgery. In May of this year, Jaime fell and tore the rotator cuff in her right shoulder. Surgery to repair the torn ligaments in July found the damage to be much more severe than doctors originally thought. Jaime’s arm will be in a sling for up to four months, during which she cannot work her job as an Aurora Public Schools substitute teacher or even drive. Until she is cleared to return to work in mid-October or early November, she will have no income.
How we will help: The Denver Actors Fund board of directors has approved a second gift of $2,700 to help Jaime cover essential living expenses over the next three months. The Denver Actors Fund is also mobilizing volunteers to potentially help with driving and household chores. To date, the DAF has now made a combined $3,800 available to Jaime Lujan, and provided about 20 hours of volunteer assistance.
(Note: To volunteer to become a member of one of the Denver Actors Fund’s volunteer Action Teams, sign up here.)
How you can help us help Jaime Lujan more: If you would like to direct a specific, additional donation to Jaime Lujan, simply mail checks made out in her name (note the spelling of first name) to Denver Actors Fund, P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO, 80212. Or use this donation link. If you use the online option, be sure to designate that your donation is targeted for Jaime Lujan. Otherwise, your donation will be applied to the replenishment of the Denver Actors Fund’s general fund.
A message from Jaime Lujan: “As a single woman on your own, you are used to taking care of yourself without the help of others. In fact, your self-expectations are that you are a ‘super woman’ and that you can do it all! But when you have a major surgery, the reality is you are mentally and physically fatigued, and your recovery does not necessarily go as quickly as you would like. So you find yourself reaching out to friends for help. I’m fortunate to have a fantastic and generous theater community that has come to my aid. The financial grant and volunteer help provided by The Denver Actors Fund will help me navigate these next couple months financially so I can concentrate on healing.”
Read more Denver Actors Fund testimonials by clicking here
Note: At the Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have his or her story told.
