News
Ayanna Pressley’s bold plan to reform what she calls America’s criminal legal system
Ayanna Pressley remembers running for reelection to the Boston City Council in 2011 when a constituent asked her what she was going to do about the homeless people who were sleeping on park benches. “They used some other term that was very derogatory,” Pressley recalled. “They said, ‘What is your plan to make our parks…
Life on the Streets: Public transit
Ever since Portland’s TriMet made the decision in October to ramp up fare enforcement on MAX trains and add nine new inspectors, there’s been a lot of concern among those who rely on public transportation the most. We recently asked Street Roots vendors to weigh in about their experiences on TriMet. One vendor who wished…
Hundreds with serious mental illness not getting services, Multnomah County audit finds
More than half of adults who qualify for mental health services offered by Multnomah County aren’t getting them, according to an audit report released by the county auditor’s office last week. One of the programs began in 2016 with a $2.5 million surplus closed its fiscal year in 2017 $650,000 over budget when it entered…
Generosity is always a cup half full
It’s 7:30 a.m. Vendors are lined up at the Street Roots door. Many rise early to vacate shelters and door stoops and sidewalks. As soon as we unlock the office door, the small crowd moves rapidly for the coffee machine. If the coffee is still brewing, people wait, insistent that the pot fills first. Then…
Life on the Streets
Street Roots is an award-winning, nonprofit, weekly newspaper focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. Our newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today. © 2019 Street…
Culture
With book and new album, Tegan and Sara get nostalgic
Imagine spending more than half your life working professionally with your twin sister – being so intertwined in every aspect of your life that the public line blurs between your sibling ending and you beginning. Both of you are queer, musicians and activists; your lives are so similar that it seems one cannot exist without…
Transformation: Street Roots zine features vendor writing, art
Change happens. Transformation is more elusive. To transform, you must be present: being engaged, paying attention. The process often isn’t easy to endure, and it isn’t always easy to recognize, especially while you’re in the midst of it. And as much as we’d all like for every transformation in ourselves to be for the better,…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile: He taught his dog to skateboard
When skateboarders rode by Dwd (pronounced DA-wed) and his dog, Kephirah, on the streets, he noticed Kephirah seemed ready to bolt. The rattle of wheels on the pavement, the bodies zipping past were sirens to her herding nature. It was just a matter of time, he figured, until she gave chase and knocked someone off…
Opinion
A Frayed Knot, Afraid Not
This essay is written in response to Lakota artist Cannupa Hanska Luger’s exhibition earlier this fall at Portland’s C3:Initiative, “A Frayed Knot / AFRAID NOT.” These are not ancient artifacts.These are not culturally specific artifacts.These will not be found in the historical record.These do not shine light on a lost civilization.These were not dug from…
Generosity is always a cup half full
It’s 7:30 a.m. Vendors are lined up at the Street Roots door. Many rise early to vacate shelters and door stoops and sidewalks. As soon as we unlock the office door, the small crowd moves rapidly for the coffee machine. If the coffee is still brewing, people wait, insistent that the pot fills first. Then…
