Their names may not often make headlines, but their power as catalysts for transformational work is indisputable. Meet six individuals who are crafting innovative solutions to our community’s most pressing social, educational, cultural, and civic needs.

After years of tolerating a hearing disability, a ground-breaking surgery grants one Denverite the tuned-in life she never knew she always wanted.

One of the world’s most ambitious—and notorious—artists has chosen Colorado as his latest canvas. But will the disruption caused by the massive project be worth the trouble?

I haven’t followed in my mother’s footsteps on the way to adulthood—but I’ll always be thankful for the path she took.