Portland, Oregon's award-winning, nonprofit, independent weekly newspaper

Icons of a wildfire, hand washing, and a fist indicating resistance

Coping with the moment: Insights into resilience on the frontlines of 2020

A therapist, medical doctors, journalists and a firefighter are in the thick of today's crises

Jessica Pollard

October 7, 2020

Watercolor illustration of light shining onto a lonely person from a window

Isolation during the pandemic exacts a complex toll on senior citizens

Seniors have a diverse set of needs — and solutions — in the battle against loneliness

Jessica Pollard

October 7, 2020

Right-wing extremists have adopted the American flag. These BLM protesters want it back.

To some of the people marching in support of Black lives, the same flag represents very different values

Ellena Rosenthal

September 2, 2020

Illustration of a city with head-shaped center

Opinion | Community land trusts could help heal segregated cities

To heal, American cities can start with an area that was key to past discrimination: how land is used

Mark Roseland Christopher Boone

October 7, 2020

Street Roots vendors tell us what they’re grateful for

Vendors express gratitude for God, pets, income opportunities and more

Pat Zimmer

October 7, 2020

Vendors sit around a table with a voter registration sign in front of it

Kaia Sand | Democracy must reach the unhoused — and that includes voting

OPINION | The Street Roots Action Team's voter registration drive builds on efforts to broaden civic engagement

Kaia Sand

October 7, 2020

Street Roots Podcast | Talking with Sen. Jeff Merkley

Episode 10: Oregon’s U.S. senator discusses his efforts to keep federal forces out of protests, COVID-19 assistance, the detention of children at the border, and more

DeVon Pouncey

August 7, 2020

Artwork of Quanice Hayes leans against the rail by the river.

Kaia Sand | Carry forward nightly demands in the daylight of work and policy

OPINION | Reimagine Oregon offers a roadmap to justice we can all follow

Kaia Sand

August 7, 2020

Federal law enforcement create a barrier with Portland Police Bureau on July 21 in downtown Portland amid protests over police brutality.

Opinion | We must challenge militarism in efforts to defund police

U.S. defense spending and the resulting militarization of our nation’s police forces dwarf investments in actual needs, such as housing and social services

Martin Hart-Landsberg

August 6, 2020

Native artists will soon have a new home in the Cully neighborhood

NAYA is developing its second Portland apartment complex, Mamook Tokatee, with a gallery next door

Brian Oaster

August 5, 2020

Portland hip hop artist Bocha performs on June 7 at Irving Park in Northeast Portland after a march led by Rose City Justice.

The soundtrack to a revolution: Hip-hop plays an important role in Portland protests

Local artists and music curators discuss the beats Portland’s Black Lives Matter movement is marching to

Donovan M. Smith

August 4, 2020

Street Roots vendor profile | Helping people on the street

Schon Tell is working toward creating a nonprofit that would get people into housing

Pat Zimmer

August 3, 2020

Photos | Generosity, humility and vulnerability inside the camps of Portland

With sweeps paused during the pandemic, many houseless communities have grown as campers have settled in. Photographer Benjamin Brink captured this unique moment in the city’s history.

Benjamin Brink

August 2, 2020

Portland police clash with protesters. One officer clubs a protester with a baton.

Portland police are no better than the feds, activists say

Some observers are concerned that the national conversation about federal overreach in Portland has overshadowed the Portland Police Bureau’s brutality against protesters

Henry Brannan

August 1, 2020

Kaia Sand | Roll the presses! Street Roots is returning, and you can pay with Venmo

Starting Aug. 12, readers will have a cashless option for purchasing the newspaper from vendors, who will all be trained in new health and safety protocols

Kaia Sand

July 31, 2020

Collection of short fiction relives memories of Vietnam and its American war

Author Paul K. Haeder discusses his new book, ‘Wide Open Eyes,’ which launches Friday night

Emily Green

July 31, 2020

Whole Foods employee says he was told not to come back to work after refusing to remove anti-racist button

The support supervisor at Portland’s Laurelhurst store said he was sent home for violating the company’s dress code

Jessica Pollard

July 30, 2020

Wall of Mom protesters line up, wearing protective masks and yellow shirts, some of which say: Summoned Mama. One protester holds a sign that says: Go Home U Are Fucking Grounded!

Opinion | Portland has the Wall of Moms. Argentina has Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo.

The U.S. government’s use of force against protesters — and the mothers who are fighting it — bears unmistakable resemblance to Argentina’s Dirty War

Anna Pedersen

July 29, 2020

A protester holds a sign: I stand with our Black relatives #BLM

Opinion | What #NotYourMascot owes #BLM

Native American activism laid the groundwork for the Washington Football Team’s name change, but it wouldn’t have happened without Black Lives Matter

Jacqueline Keeler

July 28, 2020

Feds sprayed chemicals into the eyes of a retired ER nurse and veteran

An interview with Mike Hastie, a member of Veterans for Peace who federal officers assaulted with pepper spray at close range Saturday night, unprovoked

Paul K. Haeder

July 27, 2020

Household belongings are packed up inside an apartment

FAQ | What you need to know if you cannot pay your rent or mortgage

The Oregon Legislature extended a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the pandemic, but tenants and homeowners are required to take certain steps to protect themselves

Chris May

July 27, 2020

A band performing on stage is seen in the screen of a video camera

In an era of social distancing, Portland musicians find alternatives to performing live

Musicians, promoters and venues are getting mixed results with attempts at reaching audiences online

Anthony King

July 26, 2020

Two boys play basketball while the rest of the family watches

Many Oregon families shift from public school to homeschool during pandemic

Parents concerned about safety and academic uncertainty are exploring a range of options for the fall

Hanna Merzbach

July 26, 2020

Rico leans against a wall in Portland, holding a cellphone

Pain, arrests and trauma: 4 injured protesters share their stories

These Portland activists have been harmed by police, but that isn’t stopping them from fighting for racial equality

Celeste Noche

July 25, 2020

Houseless to face imminent heat wave with fewer resources

Blanchet House in Old Town needs donations of water bottles to distribute to people experiencing homelessness as temperatures near 100 degrees over the next two days

Jessica Pollard

July 25, 2020

Street Roots Podcast | Sharon Meieran on the Black Lives Matter protests

Episode 9: The Multnomah County commissioner and ER doctor talks about bearing witness and the health hazards of police tactics

DeVon Pouncey

July 24, 2020