News
The new face of Ankeny Square
The low, steady rumble of electric guitar and the sharp thump of drums could be heard down Burnside Street and throughout the North Park Blocks on Aug. 20. On that exceptionally hot and arid Saturday afternoon, the sounds reverberating through this troubled area of downtown Portland marked the first performance in Ankeny Square since revitalization…
Jail librarian gives inmates the key to understanding the world
If the stereotype of a jail librarian involves a stern woman trundling her cart down a narrow catwalk as hands reach through bars for tattered Westerns, then Carol Cook breaks the mold. Carol is a library outreach specialist for Multnomah County Library who works with the inmates in Multnomah County jails. She is a small,…
Black youths take aim at Measure 11
The message resonating from the outdoor stage on Aug. 20 was clear: It’s time for Oregon to stop automatically trying juveniles as adults, condemning them to long prison sentences with no chance at early release. “The two main problems with charging juveniles as adults,” 21-year-old Ryan Seed stated into the microphone, “are the increase in…
Opinion
Learning to speak the truth without punishing the listener
Gun control. Transgender rights. Black Lives Matter. The war on terrorism. There are many hot-button issues these days, complex topics that demand consideration and debate. But the efficacy and repercussions of such polarizing debates are also open to question. Minds aren’t changed. People scream and yell. Insults are hurled. And much worse. When public discourse…
Catholic nuns urge candidates to stop hateful rhetoric
Editor's note: The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an organization of Catholic women, sent the following letter to the 2016 presidential candidates, asking them to insert civil discourse in an election cycle where it has been notably absent. LCWR’s executive director penned this introduction for Street Roots, and the letter that follows was mailed to the…
Director’s Desk: Housing is not the only social justice issue
Homelessness. Housing. Crisis. Those three words have become commonplace in our city over the past three years. It’s for good reason too. The skyrocketing rents are leaving many Portlanders at risk of losing their housing. Thousands of people continue to suffer on our streets. There is no end in sight. It is a crisis. No…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: An environmentalist fighting for dignity, respect
J.J. Wright is a reader of classical literature, a street musician – and an environmental advocate. “I’m glad I have this,” he said, as he raised his reusable mug. “Your Starbucks plastic cup or little straw – do you know it takes 100 years for one little straw to biodegrade?” J.J. asked, laughing in desperation.…
