Culture
John Prine: ‘Raw imagination and good instincts’
"There’s too many volatile things going on in the world,” says the always topical song writing legend, John Prine. Hitting on his fountain of inspiration, he adds, “It’s always good for journalists, comedians and folk singers. This country is in a very odd place right now, paranoid really … take traveling around, talking to strangers.…
Beyond space lies another journey | BOOK REVIEW
Space — the final frontier? The last walk on the moon was almost 50 years ago, but there’s been little doubt in science fiction movies and novels that someday humankind will break away from our little planet and colonize others. Now Kim Stanley Robinson, one of the best contemporary writers of “hard” science fiction, has…
Racism, classism through the lens of white ancestors
Anne Mavor was hoping to collaborate with a Native American artist for her next big project when she had a rude awakening. She was sitting among a predominantly white audience at Portland State University’s Native American Student and Community Center when all of a sudden it felt like the woman on stage was speaking directly…
News
John Prine: ‘Raw imagination and good instincts’
"There’s too many volatile things going on in the world,” says the always topical song writing legend, John Prine. Hitting on his fountain of inspiration, he adds, “It’s always good for journalists, comedians and folk singers. This country is in a very odd place right now, paranoid really … take traveling around, talking to strangers.…
In their defense of self-defense
Ten years ago, Patreese Johnson, a black 19-year-old from New Jersey, was a self-described homebody and a lesbian who was not yet out to her family. On a hot night in August, she and a group of six friends, all lesbians, decided to have a night out in the West Village, a New York…
Beyond space lies another journey | BOOK REVIEW
Space — the final frontier? The last walk on the moon was almost 50 years ago, but there’s been little doubt in science fiction movies and novels that someday humankind will break away from our little planet and colonize others. Now Kim Stanley Robinson, one of the best contemporary writers of “hard” science fiction, has…
Racism, classism through the lens of white ancestors
Anne Mavor was hoping to collaborate with a Native American artist for her next big project when she had a rude awakening. She was sitting among a predominantly white audience at Portland State University’s Native American Student and Community Center when all of a sudden it felt like the woman on stage was speaking directly…
College football: a culture of fandom, athleticism – and sexual assault
Late in her book, “Unsportsmanlike Conduct: College Football and the Politics of Rape” (Edge of Sports/Akashic Books), Jessica Luther tells the story of former University of Missouri football player Rolandis Woodland, who, in January 2014, talked to ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” about confronting three of his teammates over a gang rape they allegedly committed in…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: His own home, thanks to patience, persistence
After spending the better part of a decade homeless on the streets of Portland and Las Vegas, longtime vendor Ron Sanford has obtained the keys to his very own Old Town apartment. “It’s beautiful,” Ron said. “It’s a one-bedroom with lots of space. It’s clean and it’s quiet, I don’t hear a lot of traffic…
Opinion
Homeless doesn’t mean voiceless: Vote
Allowing your voice to be heard during elections is a cornerstone of American democracy, and yet the reality is that not everyone is well represented. In Oregon, we have been recognized pioneers in making voting as accessible to as many people as possible through efforts like vote-by-mail and the Oregon Motor Voter program. But barriers…
Director’s Desk: Real opportunities, not a jail, will spur change
The idea of Wapato Jail, an empty facility in far out North Portland, being used as a homeless shelter just won’t die. Can we just say no to Wapato? Please. At this point, the issue is nothing more than a political football. It’s wasted political energy for an effort that doesn’t offer our community any…
