News
Street papers coming to Bucharest, Romania, and Lowell, Mass.
The United States' newest street paper launched this month in Lowell, Mass., while another is getting off the ground across the globe, in Romania's capital. The Lowell paper, The Catalyst, and the Bucharest paper are part of the International Network of Street Newspapers, made up of more than 100 street papers worldwide, including Street Roots. The network has…
A photographer’s journey into the eyes of Portland’s homeless
Raised by a single mother after my father died, I know well the social barriers that one faces when having the tough luck of being born among the less empowered. As a result, I’ve always been eager to elevate the voices of those who live below the radar of social standards. This past summer, I…
‘Twilight’ director Catherine Hardwicke advocates for women in film
Catherine Hardwicke doesn’t call her first movie, “Thirteen,” a “job.” It was a labor of love between her and then-14-year-old Nikki Reed, who wrote the script with Hardwicke and starred in the film. It was a labor of love built with “blood, sweat and tears,” she said. She pulled together the money and did everything…
Chicago Defender newspaper ‘re-educated’ journalist about black America
When African-American lawyer and printer Robert Abbott started The Chicago Defender newspaper from his landlady’s kitchen table in 1905, he had one mission in mind for his new publication: to be a defender of race against the violence and disenfranchisement America reserved for African-Americans. Over the next 110 years, The Defender would grow from its…
Opinion
Reducing homelessness: A straightforward recommendation
After declaring a housing state of emergency, the city of Portland has taken the compassionate step of opening up a temporary emergency night shelter this winter for homeless women. The Jerome Sears shelter near Multnomah Village gives homeless women a safe place to sleep off the streets. Couples can also stay at the shelter. Transition…
Director’s Desk: What’s happening on the homeless front
It’s a question I get a lot: Israel, can you explain to me what’s going on out there? Let’s start with Salem. Housing legislation is moving forward on important eviction protections, inclusionary zoning, and investments for homeless and housing services. Is it the package we wanted? No. Will it move the issue forward? Yes. The…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: Jerrick Harrenstein
Jerrick Harrenstein is staying positive, clean and sober. And he has the apartment keys to show for it. “I finally stayed in my own place last night, for the first time in a long time,” said Jerrick. “To me that was so humble. That was amazing. My own sense of security, my own place of…
