Opinion
Opinion | ‘I don’t have much money, but I pay for good water’
The Oregon Water Stories Project is an interdisciplinary team of Portland State University researchers investigating Oregonians’ attitudes and beliefs regarding water. Through interviews and surveys of stakeholder groups, this research intends to inform policymakers about Oregonians’ perspectives and experiences surrounding water, especially those of underrepresented and marginalized groups. The inclusion of these voices in decision…
In memory of Daniel Campbell: A Street Roots vendor who touched many lives
Street Roots vendor Daniel Campbell died Jan. 1. In his December 2020 vendor profile, Daniel talked about how much writing and poetry meant to him and how he looked forward to getting published. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, he had gotten out of the routine and lost some confidence in what he could…
Opinion | The failings of our unemployment insurance system are there by design
Our unemployment insurance system has failed us. With tens of millions of workers struggling just to pay rent and buy food, Congress was forced to pass two emergency spending bills providing one-time stimulus payments, special weekly unemployment insurance payments, and temporary unemployment benefits to those not covered by the system. And, because of their short-term…
Editorial | Crisis response shouldn’t be a bargaining chip
In June, amid immense public outcry surrounding the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans who have died at the hands of police, the Street Roots Editorial Board called for the dismantling of the Portland Police Bureau. Nine and a half months later, necessity has compelled us to reiterate this plea. Street Roots editorials…
Vendor Profiles
Street Roots vendor profile | A poet who has lived on the streets
As a poet, Eileen Vizenor has built a body of work spanning the past few decades of her life. Some of her early work explores life in Portland as a homeless woman. But now that Eileen has been living safe and secure at the Alder House in downtown Portland for the past year and a…
Culture
For James Cromwell, acting and activism collide
Winter in upstate New York, it’s cold comfort to find James Cromwell in a farming town. “Not Warwick, War-Wick,” the 80-year-old actor explained when The Big Issue called. “In isolation, like most everybody else, trying to get through this pandemic with my head still intact,” he told Street Roots’ sister paper in London. It was…
How actor Brian Hooks is getting youths off the path to prison
During a time where the entertainment industry has slowed down across the spectrum due to the pandemic, actor/comedian Brian Hooks feels that his work within the space holds more purpose now than ever before. Hooks, known for his roles in the films “3 Strikes,” “Soul Plane,” the sitcom “Eve” and more, has been able to…
News
How actor Brian Hooks is getting youths off the path to prison
During a time where the entertainment industry has slowed down across the spectrum due to the pandemic, actor/comedian Brian Hooks feels that his work within the space holds more purpose now than ever before. Hooks, known for his roles in the films “3 Strikes,” “Soul Plane,” the sitcom “Eve” and more, has been able to…
Housing
With many renters priced out, Grants Pass scrambles to mitigate a housing crisis
This story is part of a series examining housing and homelessness issues in Southern Oregon’s Josephine County. Under a canopy of Pacific madrones, Judy Ostroski camps on federal land east of Grants Pass in Southern Oregon. Ostroski, who used to own a heating and air conditioning business, has been houseless since 2008 and has called the federal land…
