News
Black Lives Matter pioneer DeRay Mckesson: ‘It doesn’t have to be this way’
Four years ago, DeRay Mckesson was virtually unknown. When he watched the protests that followed the 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown on television, he was working as the human resources director at Minneapolis Public Schools. He thought the least he could do was drive down to Ferguson, Mo., for the weekend, but soon after,…
Canada’s thriving marijuana producers want to take on Big Pharma
Canopy Growth Corp., one of the world’s biggest medical marijuana producers, now wants to take on the world’s pharmaceutical giants. The Canadian firm launched Canopy Health Innovation in late 2016 to build a portfolio of patented and federally approved cannabinoid-based medicines. The venture is one of a small but growing number of companies aiming to…
Director’s Desk: Tackling the tough questions about race, homelessness in Portland
Why does homelessness affect communities of color at higher rates, and how can we make sure that we respond to homelessness in Multnomah County with racial disparities in mind? This is a conversation that SPARC, Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities, launched this week in Multnomah County with a series of panels and trainings for folks in…
Should TriMet have ‘rider advocates’ instead of more uniformed security?
For 15 years, TriMet Rider Advocates helped de-escalate high-tension situations on public transit vehicles and platforms, while also providing customer service to transit users. Until TriMet cut the program in 2009, these advocates – all trained in conflict resolution techniques – worked in concert with police to help keep buses and MAX lines safe. The program…
Course of action: Students’ perspectives on gun violence
Elizabeth Buelow is a teacher at Metropolitan Learning Center in Portland. On Feb. 14, my worst nightmare became a reality for an American school teacher in Parkland, Fla. Students and educators at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School heard gun shots and came to a terrifying realization: This was not another drill. There was a person with a…
‘Two Trains Running’: A play that parallels Portland’s gentrification
Today, Portland is considered by many as a hub that champions progressive values. But events today and in the past paint a much different and painful story for African-Americans who have grappled with increased economic development and gentrification. PassinArt Theatre Company’s production of August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running” gets to the heart of this, albeit…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: ‘I’m shrewd, intense and very complex’
Gail Marcotte is an energetic, diminutive woman with a pronounced and charming Brooklyn accent. “I’m shrewd, intense and very complex,” Gail said. “From day to day, you won’t figure me out.” Gail was born in New York to an Irish Catholic mother and a Russian father. She remembers summertime family trips to Coney Island throughout…
Housing
Director’s Desk: Tackling the tough questions about race, homelessness in Portland
Why does homelessness affect communities of color at higher rates, and how can we make sure that we respond to homelessness in Multnomah County with racial disparities in mind? This is a conversation that SPARC, Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities, launched this week in Multnomah County with a series of panels and trainings for folks in…
Opinion
Director’s Desk: Tackling the tough questions about race, homelessness in Portland
Why does homelessness affect communities of color at higher rates, and how can we make sure that we respond to homelessness in Multnomah County with racial disparities in mind? This is a conversation that SPARC, Supporting Partnerships for Anti-Racist Communities, launched this week in Multnomah County with a series of panels and trainings for folks in…
Editorial Cartoon: March 23, 2018
Portland native Elizabeth Considine is the creator of Street Roots' editorial cartoon, Sheeptoast. Want to see more Sheeptoast cartoons? VIEW OUR GALLERY
Culture
‘Two Trains Running’: A play that parallels Portland’s gentrification
Today, Portland is considered by many as a hub that champions progressive values. But events today and in the past paint a much different and painful story for African-Americans who have grappled with increased economic development and gentrification. PassinArt Theatre Company’s production of August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running” gets to the heart of this, albeit…
