Culture
Late bloomers: Out of the closet later in life
For 34 years, Vinnie Kinsella hid a part of himself from the world. Coming out of the closet in his mid-30s was anything but easy, but on the other side of the door, he found self-acceptance and a community of people ready to support him. Kinsella’s latest work, an anthology titled “Fashionably Late: Gay, Bi…
Literary icon Margaret Atwood spreads her wings
Distinguished author of more than 50 books, Margaret Atwood is a powerful figure in Canadian arts and media. We know her voice well: She’s forthright, wry and starkly realistic about the darker possibilities of human futures. At the same time, she’s naturally wise and very funny. A lifelong bird enthusiast, Atwood often says the decline…
News
Late bloomers: Out of the closet later in life
For 34 years, Vinnie Kinsella hid a part of himself from the world. Coming out of the closet in his mid-30s was anything but easy, but on the other side of the door, he found self-acceptance and a community of people ready to support him. Kinsella’s latest work, an anthology titled “Fashionably Late: Gay, Bi…
Literary icon Margaret Atwood spreads her wings
Distinguished author of more than 50 books, Margaret Atwood is a powerful figure in Canadian arts and media. We know her voice well: She’s forthright, wry and starkly realistic about the darker possibilities of human futures. At the same time, she’s naturally wise and very funny. A lifelong bird enthusiast, Atwood often says the decline…
Dishonorable: The trouble with Oregon’s judicial elections
Oregon’s method for hiring and retaining state court judges has left its judicial branch highly susceptible to the influence of outside special interests. If the trend in other states that also hold judicial elections is any indication of where Oregon might be headed, it won’t be long before dark money begins to flow into Oregon…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: Strength through happy memories
Michelle H. is a strong and endearing woman who has a lot to smile about these days. But a year ago, she was in a very different place, both physically and mentally. She was living in a North Portland residence that was a former nursing home. Residents were disruptive and could come and go all…
Opinion
End the disastrous drug war and focus on healing
The war on drugs is over! How many times over the past 25 years have I wished I could say that, just to know how it would feel to have one of America’s most tragic experiments with mass criminalization truly end. It hasn’t ended, of course. Not yet. But Oregon recently got an inspiring example…
Witnessing the tragic fallout of our immigration policies
The main street of downtown Nogales, Ariz., ends abruptly in a steel wall towering 20 feet above the colorful junk shops cluttering Morley Avenue. Historically, Nogales straddled the international border. Today, the town is bisected by one of the most militarized borders in the world. I bought a strawberry Popsicle from a vendor on the…
Director’s Desk: Let’s create more housing for Michael and Andie
Michael Votta and his partner, Andie, were everything to one another. Both mentally ill, they were lovers, best friends and survivors of a lifetime of abuse. They looked out for each other on the streets. It was a beautiful love affair to witness in a world gone wrong. Tragically, Michael died homeless and alone on…
