Housing
Breaking: Right 2 Dream Too finds a new location
Right 2 Dream Too (R2DToo), the 5-year-old rest stop that serves more than 100 people experiencing homelessness, has found a new location. The camp provides vulnerable individuals and couples experiencing homelessness a safe place to rest and sleep. The camp operates outside of your traditional shelter network — offering people on the streets a welcome…
Gay Talese and ‘The Homeless Woman with Two Homes’
The first encounter was on a cold Autumn afternoon in 1989. A woman carrying two bulky bags over her shoulders caught the attention of legendary journalist Gay Talese as she stood on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 59th Street in New York City. She appeared to be in her early 40s, with delicate bones,…
Randall McKee ‘jumped through the hoops’ – and now he’s housed
Randall McKee and I met to talk about the vicissitudes of homelessness and his new life after having been homeless for decades. A tall man with a deep voice, bright blue eyes and a full beard, he was dressed in jeans, T-shirt and boots. In his new, warm, neat-as-a-pin apartment, he offered me a comfortable…
Environment
Rebel cities go head to head with fossil fuel industry
Two winters ago, the city of Portland made history. After years of work on climate resilience and efforts to lower the city’s carbon footprint, city officials took stock of the regional situation with the fossil fuel industry and unanimously passed a resolution to block the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure – both within the city…
Culture
Gay Talese and ‘The Homeless Woman with Two Homes’
The first encounter was on a cold Autumn afternoon in 1989. A woman carrying two bulky bags over her shoulders caught the attention of legendary journalist Gay Talese as she stood on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 59th Street in New York City. She appeared to be in her early 40s, with delicate bones,…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: Still grateful despite setbacks
Erik S. left Denver for Portland in 1998. His parents were living here in a house inherited from Erik’s grandparents. “I wanted to keep an eye on them and see how they were doing,” he said. Erik had been working and living with his parents until his mother’s death in February 2016, when things quickly…
News
Someone to care: Oregon could easily remedy many issues plaguing its foster care system
Oregon has no shortage of unfunded mandates, but there is one on the books that, if fully funded, could help remedy some of the most serious problems plaguing the state’s overburdened child welfare system. According to Oregon state law, every foster child must be assigned a volunteer who advocates for their best interest as they’re…
Opinion
Editorial cartoon: March 31, 2017
Elizabeth Considine — the creator of Street Roots' editorial cartoon, Sheeptoast — was born in Portland and has been drawing since she could hold a pen. She loves theater, poetry, chickens, growing food, and walking her three dogs in the park. “I find inspiration in the strangeness of life and the character of human nature. I…
Director’s Desk: Portland’s mayor is writing the next chapter on the social justice front
People ask me all of the time, “What do you think of Mayor Wheeler?” I tell them, I don’t know the mayor well, but from my short time working with him he’s one of the smartest individuals I’ve ever met. He also isn’t afraid to tell you exactly what he thinks, and he can juggle…
