News
Sara Kruzan, imprisoned for killing her sex trafficker, is free and fighting back
In 1995, 17-year-old Sara Kruzan was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder of George Howard, a man who, the jury was told by prosecutors, had a family, a business and a reputable stake in civil society. Kruzan – a child – was vilified as a murderer, a threat to that same…
Confidence-building leads to better outcomes for homeless youths, study finds
Jonny Perez was deeply depressed, feeling as if he were “nothing” when, two years ago, he first walked into p:ear, a nonprofit in Old Town that offers mentorship and activity-based programming to homeless youths. Perez was 24 at the time and had been homeless for six years. “I felt like I was a bother to society,…
Israel Bayer receives honorary doctorate from PSU
Israel Bayer, Street Roots’ former executive director, was awarded an honorary doctorate from Portland State University on Sunday, June 16. The graduation ceremony at the Moda Center, where he received his degree and gave one of several commencement speeches before a crowd of 5,000, was his first. In high school, he struggled with dyslexia and…
Prism Health answers demand for LGBTQ+ mental health care
Prism Health, Portland’s first allopathic health clinic focused on primary care for the LGBTQ+ community, has seen immense growth in the past two years. Since May 2017, this primary care clinic under the purview of Cascade AIDS Project, has provided care to a community of people who have been othered and pathologized by the largely…
Remembering John Davis: The most loving, humble, kindest person
Beloved Street Roots vendor John Davis died suddenly of a heart attack on June 10 – not long after his vendor profile was published in the May 31 edition of the newspaper. His death has rocked the Street Roots community, where he had many friends, chess partners and fans. John was 39 years old. Street…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: Being open and being real
Ed Herrera has been a Street Roots vendor since 2008. In his more than 10 years of selling papers, he’s learned a lot about how to be successful. “It’s not about selling papers; it’s about being real,” he said. Ed’s commitment to authenticity has allowed him to create a community of friends and regulars. “You…
Opinion
Like NAFTA, USMCA trade deal is about corporate globalization
Now that President Donald Trump has backed off his threat to impose tariffs on all imports from Mexico, serious talks have begun in Washington, D.C., on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) – Trump’s proposed revision of NAFTA. Street Smart Economics is a periodic series written by professors emeriti in economics for Street Roots. These talks have…
Trespass arrests at Portland-area hospitals criminalize mental illness, homelessness
In a harrowing report on trespass arrests made at six Portland-area hospitals between 2017 and 2018, Disability Rights Oregon has found that 72% of the 142 people arrested were homeless. Pushed to the margins, struggling with homelessness and behavioral health crises such as mental illness and substance use disorders, people swivel between the emergency rooms…
Housing
Confidence-building leads to better outcomes for homeless youths, study finds
Jonny Perez was deeply depressed, feeling as if he were “nothing” when, two years ago, he first walked into p:ear, a nonprofit in Old Town that offers mentorship and activity-based programming to homeless youths. Perez was 24 at the time and had been homeless for six years. “I felt like I was a bother to society,…
