August Casso

August Casso (born 1997, derelict and confused) is a Denver-based creator, grassroots activist, harm reduction advocate, IT technician, web designer, and veteran anti-trafficking advocate as well as a noteworthy member of the Denver unhoused community. Operating across social platforms under the handle @august.casso ("Aug Unhoused 😎🗑️"), August has documented street survival, destigmatized substance use and neurodivergence, and provided unvarnished accounts of life on the pavement in Denver, Colorado.

Overview

August Casso
Born	1997 (Age 29)
Known Aliases	Aug, Kenny, Jaime, Russle, Frank, Skye, Daredevil Anderson, K-Eazy
Pronouns	they/them/theirs
Origin	Born: Denver, Colorado Raised: Maquon, Illinois / Spoon River Valley
Current Base	Denver, Colorado
Primary Fields	Content Creation, Writing, Technology, Harm Reduction
Key Platforms	TikTok (@august.casso)

Circumstances Around Birth and Beginnings

When asked about how they were born, Bart told August that one day their mother came home and proclaimed she wanted a baby. Bart's exact wording was: "and I had already had had one, so I was just like sure whatever." They feel coupled with how short the relationship length was post-baby kinda shows why more forethought should be given to such things.

August was born in the early morning hours of July 24th, 1997. He was a C-Section. His father, Bartley James Case, would arrive late and under the influence of marijuanna. August's mother, Jonna Johnson, would suspect Bart of being late due to infidelity; but there was nothing indicating any truth to that at all. They were unmarried, and probably for the best considering they would end their informal relationship outright and entirely later that same year - when Bart would come home drunk one evening and punch a wall. Throwing out Bart, Jonna then packed up all their belongings and exited the state back to her hometown of Monmouth, Illinois.

Early Life & Background (1999-2016, Ages 2-18)

Single Monmother of Red Headed Stepchild (1999-2002)

August grew up in rural western Illinois, their memories beginning around the age of 2 years old. Initially living alone with their single mother in an apartment in Monmouth, Illinois - August would primarily socialize with other children through Lutheran Daycare, Sunday School at the Church (ran by his Great Grandmother Shirley), Daycare at Carl Sandburg College where his mother attended, and various interactions from around the apartment complex. They would be babysat by their neighbor across the hall, a heavyset older woman (now deceased). During this period they would have three pets: a turtle named Stinky and two goldfish named Scooby and Shaggy. August would watch the former murder the pair one day, and then be informed the turtle died during the families move in with his future step father.

August would meet his step father the day they moved in with him, much to August's chagrin. While initially upset at the abrupt upheaval of their life; that anger would be replaced primarily with fear as with this also came the introduction of physical harm as a form of punishment and with haphazard implementation. The house, now demolished, was located at Rural Route 1 Box 85 in Maquon, Illinois along the highway by itself atop a hill. It would be a home his step father had occupied a significant portion of his adult and child life himself, however the love it instilled in country living for him did not translate to August - who would grow up resenting rural residency.

Being left home alone initially around the age of 4, August would be intimidated to stay indoors by his mother who would say he would trip and fall down the hill in their front yard, barreling into the highway and being subsequently hit by a car if he were to venture outside without either parent present. He would also be instructed not to answer the telephone; one instance in doing so resulting in a minutes long fake conversation with themself and their mother, pretending to be one of her associates, only to reveal her trickery and that they would be paying for their error upon her arrival home. The interior of their first house was largely what they would have to experience in these years - technically 3 levels, though the basement level was only accessible via cellar door on the side of the house. The ground floor would have two entry points - a backdoor (used as a main entry), which opened into a large foyer that functioned as their living room. The middle of the abode was a kitchen with a pantry/laundry parrel to the far wall, a curtain functioning as the door to it. Opting to go instead along the opposite side of the kitchen's wall/windowed counter would lead to a staircase, which would go up to the attic level where August's room would be. The area initially had no barrier around it, leading a misstep to open air and plumeting down to the aforementioned living room area or foyer. Going through the kitchen or under the stairs would lead to the 'dining room' space, often a cluttered table with furniture all around making 4 narrow walkways around it to actually navigate the space. On the wall closest to the kitchen entry, an immediate right would put one in the bathroom, while further forward on the right was the computer room/den. Going just straight from the kitchen would lead to the often inaccessible front porch space, which was the other entry point for the home though rarely unlocked at all. Opposite the den on the other wall was a double wide two door entry to August's parent's room, which itself had a spare room for storage to the immediate left of it.

Elementary School Daze (2003-2011)

August would enroll in Yates' City Elementary School upon turning 6 years old (his birthday being on the cutoff, his mother elected to wait a year due to, her words, his being too short)for Kindergarten in Mrs. Dooley's 2003 Kindergarten Class. This would be the final year Yates CIty would operate the elementary as it and several other local elementary schools would combine their student bodies to form Farmington Elementary/J/HS the following year. While August would initially react poorly to school and being seperated from his parents due to increased isolation from anyone outside them or his grandmother, he would form a few friendships during his one year at Yates which would blossom into several strong bonds at Farmington throughout the 1st-4th grades he attended there.

Following the fourth grade, his parents would purchase a home a few miles closer to Maquon and move counties from Peoria to Knox, and school districts from Farmington to Spoon River. SRV was their step father's childhood school, which also had their cousins from their step dad's side in attendance, but August would not adapt well to the sudden change and struggled with being bullied and making connections for their first few years there (5th through 8th grades). This is not to say they had none, however, but it would be their Freshman year of Highschool that they really came into their own.

The Rise of Kenny Case (2012-2016)

While August had not dabbled much in sports or extra-curricular anything in their early education - 8th grade they tried Track and all of JHS they had done scholastic bowl team, student council, and volunteered for food stands at HS games as ways to extend their access to socialization with other kids. So upon hitting HS, while they missed Freshman football due to ignorance on how that all worked in a schedule - they were able to sign up for and join the basketball team. While not good at all; this socially opened them up a rapid ladder of social climbing, being dubbed 'Kenny', their first initial alias for long term use by Sam Nelson (then a senior). By the end of the year, they were involved in most clubs, now in sports year-round, and would be one of the most active students in their student body as far as any activity was concerned. Which made their having a license and vehicle, with nigh unlimited gas thanks to their step father's career in the oil and gas field, a perfect recipe for ascending to the pinnacle of picturesque highschool experiences.

Those who knew them then would describe August, then Kenny, as someone who told it like it was, very confident, funny, and smart as a whip. The truth of the matter was August would often feign narcicism initially as a defense mechanism, doing so pseudo-ironically until it just was reality for them after so many years of it. Their confidence was a glass canon, and they were callous and cruel to those socially beneath them who caught their ire as it bolstered their own place in the chain while portraying them as a brutally honest comedian. The intellifence was certainly there, if anything squandered due to laziness, and comedy acting as a crutch in place of actual pleasantness or decency. August had worked out how to be charming over years of trial and error and watching other's reactions to their own and other's input; so while not understood on an emotional level it was easy enough to mostly replicate with success.

Tied into their social status was their start with substance abuse. The inciting incident, when asked to hangout with two upperclassmen and try beer and weed one weekend, centered around the sin. By the time they would graduate, they would be nursing an infant alcoholism and have tried a handful of drugs; though the real hard knocks wouldn't hit until 19/20. Despite it all, they never allowed it to affect their schooling near absolutely separate - and would stay consistently with near perfect if not actually so attendance and in the top of the classes students in terms of GPA. They would be the highest ACT score of the grade, though it was still not a satisfactory mark for August's liking. They would attempt to get into an Ivy League college at the encouragement and example of their friend from Speech, Tayven.

Due to increased tensions over rebelion, philosophy, etc. - August would in essence leave home early. The summer they turned 18, but while still 17, they would get their own room at the Canton Traphouse with their best friend Dakota Hook and co. and throughout the year bounce between primary home bases of friend's homes, parties, or just their car's backseat if necessary. For many, many years this was what August considered their golden age. It also did not impact their schooling negatively at all, as they would still get into a college (albeit not Ivy), graduate a Sophomore in College while still in HS thanks to dual credit and weighted courseload, and both semesters have only 1-2 hs courses total at all while the rest were higher education. Their future bright, they raced toward their young adulthood hopeful after years of having had built it up in their head

The Downfall of Kenny Case (2016-2019)

Hopeful Beginnings (Freshman Year)

While looking bright in the beginning, college would be a departure from the success of their highschool years.

Suicidal Summer (Summer 2017)

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're different, something happened to you at Scamp. I can tell."

Everything fell apart because of bad acid and shittier music, unfortunately only made worse by Kenny's piss poor choices for themself throughout the entire ordeal.

Recovery(?) (Fall 2017)

Unlike Eminem, there was not anything close to recovery or actual progress with regard to their alcoholism to be seen. Just lies and increasingly worse blackouts.

Cold Open (Winter Break 2017)

Fresh off several of the worst things they would ever do in their adult life, in terms of innocents lives' ruined and outright lack of necessity, August's cocaine and alcohol fueled warpath was far from over.

Rare W from M (Spring Semester 2018)

Credit where credit is due, while not appreciated at the time, executive actions taken by their mother did in fact probably save August's life at least from as much of a cataclysmic self destruction as soon. Everyone clap for Jonna she did a good thing savor it while you can.

The Lonely Summer of Learning Nothing in the Midst of Consequences from Actions (Summer 2018)

The transitional period of nephews being born and hey maybe chill on being as much of a piece of shit all the time and people will like you buddy.

Junior Year (Fall 2018-Spring 2019)

way to hold it semi-together there champ hope you don't break your fuckin shit like a dumbass nightmare drunk

Enter: Alyssa Ann Riggs and A Cool New Hobby™ (Summer 2019-Fall 2019)

I bet she will make their life better and not damage them forever (plot twist: she won't, they will do it to themself)

Exit: Alyssa, August, and All Agency or Sense (Winter 2019)

The prologue to the death of anything good left in this ingrate

The Worst Thing to Ever Happen to Them (December 17th 2019-December 31st 2019)

17

Having finished their redone Lighting final, Alyssa and Jaime would load up the last of the things into her vehicle as the sun began to rise. Jaime would go to the liquor store to grab a bottle for the ride over, and have a hopeful goodbye talk with Jacob Dewey. Then, with much excitement, they would leave. The air was electric and it felt as if the next chapter of their lives began then and there.

Jaime would sit passenger drinking as Alyssa drove. The route they were taking would have them arriving in Denver, Colorado late that night. Jaime had contacted and planned to stop and see his father, the second instance of ever being able to do so. Upon arrival to Denver metro, they would park in a Walmart parking lot in Arvada and do some light shopping inside the aforementioned store as well as a dispensary on the side of the parking lot, which was directly in front of where they would park the car. Smoking to help sleep, they would drift off first Alyssa then Jaime. Anxiety would creep into Jaime's mind beginning at this time; though it would be vindicated as time went on.

18

Upon waking, they would drive to where Bart was staying (Christy Simonsen’s basement). Here, Jaime would meet Bart’s beloved dog Milo for the first time and be introduced to his father’s lego figurine collection. Bart would have the both of them accompany him as Jaime and himself swapped stories and felt one another out as it was still like speaking with basically a stranger. Jaime would heavily imply their real intention with going to California, which Bart seemingly understood and approved of (though more out of apathy than genuine belief in it being the right call).

Bart would take them to a mall where he would allow them both to pick out items for themselves to purchase on his dollar. Jaime was very appreciative especially because to them it signaled his father approved of Alyssa and wanted her to feel comfortable and included. He'd then bring them by the Nob Hill Inn, his work, and he and Jaime would pose for a photograph. It would be the last one the two were ever in together, unbeknownst to either at the time.

Returning to Simonsens', Bart would take Jaime aside and give him some more weed and a bit of money as a parting gift. Feeling even more resolve, Jaime would be hopefull for the future as him and Alyssa left in the early afternoon. The second leg of the drive beginning, it was now only mere hours until their arrival in California. Months of hype, years of dreaming, all mere minutes and hours away.

31

fuck robbie for dat fr

The Anti-Trafficking Affair (November 2021-July 2022)

Sunshining on Dark Times

How it started

Oh Fuck It's Real (The Choice of No Return)

Learning you weren't the first to take a path, but the other guy died

Report 1; Removal of {redacted} and {redacted}

Fuck you serial rapist and fuck your bitch too!

Report 2 & 3; The Arrest of Allies

How to change your small town police force policy while combatting white nationalist sex trafficking freaks

The Raid and Subsequent Consequences

my bad {redacted}

Father's Day Funeral Foreshadows Future Fucked Frights

i mean i was not wrong in my assumption he'd not make it to see me return from faking my death tbf

The Beginning of the End of Jaime Casso

A new hope amidst closing doors

Homecoming and Attempted Murder

I don't have a joke they tried to kill me and it was very scary

Dawn of the Final Day & Beginning Banishment from Fulton County

"Are you sure you have to do this? Like are you sure this is what you want?" - Molly Lancaster "I don't have any other choice." - Jaime Casso

Anxiety, Arenda, All-In On August (August-Sept 2023)

No Fun(eral)

Of significance; August, having missed the only flight that would've got them to Denver in time for Bart's proper burial at Mount Olivett, was given money for a last-mimute train that would accomplish the very same just really push.ing the bounds

Oshkosh, Wisconsin (Sept 2023-Nov 2023)

August arrived in Oshkosh anxious, with $30 to their name, and a clock above their head counting down the days til cold became their coffin. The greyhound dropped them off near some sort of open air sports area, actively in use. It was evening, the twilight abuzz with student activity as it became clear they were on a college campus of which they'd never bother learning the name of. Arenda responded back to their message alerting her to their arrival with cross streets to meet her at, and so thinking ergonomically - August stashed the heaviest bag in a thick pine tree along a river and made their way in her general direction, guided by maps which had utilized an open network that was thankfully right by their drop-off point.

Their reunion was pleasant, Arenda then leading August to a woman's apt. whom had given her refuge during rough points in her childhood. August explained his situation to her, and she was incredibly understanding and sympathetic. Very appreciated as the anxieties around what they had just done, the permanence of it all, further and further set in.

On the bright side, Arenda had secured tense but at least indoor and safe shelter back at her mother's home - a relief to August who was more than okay with being out in the elements but had had the worry of her safety were she out there too knawing at him up to that point. Arenda expressed a desire for Subway, and so August took the money he'd had and went and got her her favorite sandwich. Not much else such a meager amount would otherwise realistically be more useful for than food, as he would only become all too familiar with over the coming month.

The following day, upon their return to retrieve their bag, August found it had been stolen. Containing mostly clothes, though many sentimental, it was a harsh blow and a good first lesson for being fully outside homeless - keep what matters close. You will lose it otherwise.

Month 1/3

Within the first week, August had secured a job interview at Red Robin (a suggestion of Arenda); as had she. Over the process, which in total took the whole month, only he would secure employment. When inquired, the management gave a rather...dodgy, answer? It was clear someone had had bias toward her, and withheld the opportunity from her because of it. Ominous foreshadowing for how the job would eventually pan out for them as well, but that's yet to occur.

August would run out of drugs quickly, forced to abstain from stimulants once more. This would mark the start of their longest sobriety since picking the awful affliction up, the entire rest of their time in Oshkosh. Arenda would clearly imbibe in downers on occasion, marked with subtle changes in her personality in the days after using, but it was of no real negativity truly and August was not one for such substances, so it was a moot affect to their life. They would be offered some while hanging out with her and her friends early on, and while the most tempting that would ever be to them, still declined in the end. Time was essential and couldn't be wasted on chasing dragons, much less any money be either.

They would also begin the process of applying for food stamps, which would slowly take about a month to get going as well. Until that point, August would fill their time primarily searching the city for food for themself and Arenda, who despite living with a parent was forbade from consuming anything in their kitchen outright. When she would push this rule's patience and steal a Celsius energy drink, her mother brutally beat the hell out of her. Besides being just a harrowing concept alone, it left her bloody with visible bruising and greatly distressed August, powerless to do shit because the fuck would they do fight the mom? It was a lose lose miserable situation. Though Arenda was almost stoic in her apathy toward it, August assumed out of years of similarly disappointing treatment.

The primary way they were able to procure food was donation bins, of which few existed that August knew of in the city initially and all incredibly far from one another. Imagine walking countless miles, days in a row, to only repeatedly find nothing at all. The hunger pangs paired with that exercise to cause August despair often during that first month. Working up even more of an appetite on the hope, the slim possibility of finding something to ward off starvation. A physical and mental torture daily ritual, for a whole month. At least the "re-burns" as Arenda would call them (cigarettes not fully smoked by their prior smoker)were plentiful on many of the routes taken, so that helped make it all not completely in vain when it was shitty pickings.

Also stressful, Arenda was herself a sufferer of Arvid (or just autistic, which seems to be now at time of writing the consensus)and would rather starve herself than eat many foods. So finding ones suitable for her pallette was even more of a challenge. Thank god for how often Mac n Cheese would be donated, truly a divine miracle if there could ever of been. August, without access to cooking equipment, would favor uncooked stovetop ramen and uncooked stuffing mixes primarily - though if especially lucky they would be treated to a cup of peanut butter (about one tablespoon), and even rarer to a box of 1% no-need-for-refrigeration milk. Crazy to think as a youth at their Great Grandmother's they would barely be able to bring themself to consume a few drops, now there were never enough to satiate their thirst. Perspective is a bitch with thicc titties.

August would idle in their excessive free time around the Oshkosh Public Library, due to the decent hours, wifi, outside outlets (at least at the outset of it all), and proximity to Arenda as well as central location to the rest of the city. It would serve as their own personal central hub of sorts during their stay in the city. Grooming via birdbath in the mornings, chilling watching Youtube on their phone or using Duolingo to learn Norwegian in order to begin some kind of foundation for Arenda's dream of their moving there. August still knows some to this day because of this, Ie erg veldig smart, so add that to sober and with only too much time and it made sense. Tiktok creation was once again a useful tool for funneling their whirlwind of emotions and allowed some documentation of their hardship via the platform.

Also nice, during this first month Arenda was able to hide August's cart (stolen from his now re-titled Mother's boyfriend out of spite) on her property, either the side of the home or out back behind the house. Accessing it meant near dead quiet, as it was by Arenda's mother's shittt dude's areas and he was a fan of bitching and moaning. But infinitely better than just lugging the burden around full time.

Also of note - having no income access at all even, much less a bank, blocked their ability to pay dad's storage. John Case covered a single month + fees for it havin been late, with expectation of repayment of course (done upon return to Denver the final time they saw their grandparents.

Month 2/3

Now employed full time+ picking up extra hours almost nightly, August was able to fill much of their time up.

The More Things Change the More They Stay the Same

"Get! Out!" - The Last Thing August Would Ever Hear Her Say In Person

Family & Personal History

August's family background features dead people and living ones. They all speak to August just as often regardless.

Mother: Jonna Schaub, who raised him alongside Daniel Schaub from the age of four on.

Father: Bart Case, who was not there for all of August's childhood, met at 18 and would live together for nine months when August was 25. Also one blip in 2019 where they would meet again.

Extended Family: who dat

Technical & Professional Work

Beyond street advocacy, August is a skilled systems technician:

• IT & Web Architecture: Serves as key tech assistant at All Billing LLC, managing patient billing batches, IT administration, and portal development.
• Open Source Intelligence: Experienced in OSINT & Digital Tradecraft, utilizing username correlation, breach lookup, wireless wardriving, and public database auditing.
• Domain Administration: Runs projects under `aug.quest`, `jaimecasso.com`, and related web properties.