I met Euda at Whittier Cafe in 2020. At that time, I worked there most days of the week and would see her almost daily. I knew her face from Satya Cooperative, but we didn’t know one another personally until I mustered up the courage to say hello and ask her to be in my series. Deep inside, I felt that what she had to say would be unique, powerful and beautiful, and I was right.

Euda is a gem. Every time I see her, she has a warm and inviting energy around her. She reads playing cards and answers my questions about synchronicities or spirituality. She’s a space holder and someone who is here for spiritual guidance. Here, Euda is on a constant path to authenticity. She shared that, because of the diversity, one thing Denver affords her is the opportunity to be a little outside the box and not experience repercussions for it. In Denver, she is comfortable taking up space and being the odd woman out.

You’ll find her around the Mile High City wearing bold wigs while spouting wisdom and universal truth. When we were allowed to gather, she’d often be the oldest person in the room while dancing like the youngest. She makes a living on cartomancy, a form of divination using playing cards and leading yoga/meditation sessions. She walks or rides a bike to most of the places she wants to go. She also hosts a radio show: Hella Random Radio where positive energy lives.

But living in Denver, to Euda, also means to be conflicted. She is absolutely in love with her community and the natural beauty of the city, but she’s longing for more water — more people of color — and a lower cost of living. For now, she is here to show that the impossible is indeed possible and to help raise the vibration of whatever spaces she occupies. When I asked Euda to describe Denver in one word she replied, “wonderful.” Here’s what it means to be her, here.

Tell me about yourself.

I am a spiritual guide, is the simplest definition. I read cards, lead yoga and guided meditation, and hold space for art therapy sessions. So, I have compassion and try to hold space for those who are dealing with the 3-D stuff. But more than anything, I am super, super excited for the majority of the people that I interact with to be in the 5-D.

And how does one get from 3-D to 5-D?

Well, there are people who believe that 3-D is an enlightened mind and that 5-D is an enlightened heart. We have to heal the third eye, the throat, and the heart, at least, as far as our chakras are concerned, in order to live fully in the 5-D. So, it’s self-control and owning these spaces, getting them to flow, and allowing the energy to freely flow between those chakras.

Who are you?

I am an expression of the most creative Being in existence; God. Currently, I am going through an evolution toward fully owning and expressing the fullness of my creative abilities. We’re all fingerprints of God, essentially, except that I’m doing the work to own it. I read cards, and in the system that I read, I am the Seven of Spades. Sevens are the first spiritual number in numerology, and spades are like the final and most potent suit in the deck. The path is about learning your entire existence—and it applies to everyone.

What does it mean to be you?

It means that I must stop playing small and allowing fear to limit my expression.

What does it mean to be you in Denver?

It means freedom. Because it’s so diverse and there aren’t large groups of folks assuming one identity, again, it makes it easier to put your toe into that pool of authenticity. And when you put it in there and you look around and you, you see that there are no head hunters coming to get you, then you can put your leg in and you eventually jump in. And of course, we all know, the universe supports your every move when you’re being your most authentic self. So that’s the freedom. When you are your authentic self and kind of outside of the status quo, but making it, that’s freedom. Even though I really wanted at times to be in a much Blacker environment, I feel that with my tendency to try to conform, I would have been lost and swallowed up. So being here in this place that doesn’t necessarily honor who I am anyway, allowed me to just go ahead and be all of it.

What is your purpose here?

To spread the message and be an example that whatever is considered status quo or normal or whatever is not the end-all-be-all. Don’t buy it. Be authentic. Be out of the box. It’s death to be normal, to fit in. If you’ve bought into the molds then you’ve lost yourself. I want to show people that you can be authentic and survive and thrive.

What do you love most about living in Denver?

The ability to be close to nature and the city at the same time. We are sitting here and there’s a busy street, lots of traffic, you can hear it. But we’re also surrounded by so many beautiful trees. The city kind of gets swallowed up, so to me, it’s like having the best of both worlds, the city and the country, all in one space. That’s my favorite thing.

How have your experiences in Denver shaped you?

Well, again, that kind of isolation is what led to my freedom in the first place. Being a fish out of water forced me to create my own pool. So that’s how Denver shaped me. It’s almost like there’s probably not a better place for me to be and find my authenticity.

Tell me about the power of authenticity, like let’s say that you’re talking to a group of folks. Tell me about the power of authenticity.

I think as you said earlier, authenticity is the only way to thrive. All of us, especially Black folks, are great at surviving but the thriving can only come from authenticity. It brings you your freedom. It brings you your power again. When you are being your most authentic self, when your energy is freely flowing. It allows you to shake off all of the rules of normality and be guided by the most high or your higher self or whatever you believe in – even if it’s just your own heart. Even being guided by your internal self, I feel like authenticity gives you the ability to do whatever you want and be okay, and thrive. Better than okay, to live and thrive and express the things that you are born to express because we all do have a destiny.