Each person who walks through the doors of 211 NW Davis St. and becomes a part of the Street Roots family brings a distinct set of skills, talents, philosophies and gifts.
Ever since Twan arrived, he has found valuable ways to give. Giving, in fact, is his way of life.
“Service is my bottom line,” he said. “What you do for people who are good is what makes you good.”
On any given day, Twan can be found sweeping, mopping, emptying garbage bags, cleaning the bathroom and refilling the sugar and creamers for the Street Roots coffee station. If all the chores are taken, he looks for additional ways to help the office run smoothly. He helps out because he believes Street Roots is inspirational.
“I have to be guided and inspired,” he said. “You go to Starbucks or McDonald’s, and their bathrooms are dirty. Our bathroom is clean because we love it here.”
Twan was born in Multnomah County and attended Whitaker Middle School in Northeast Portland. He has lived with aunts, cousins and grandparents in Bakersfield, Calif., and Seattle as well.
Hip-hop music and the teachings of Malcolm X are two of his greatest inspirations.
“I love the old-school sound of beats combined with the speeches of Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan,” he said.
Elijah Muhammad, who led the Nation of Islam, and his book “The Messenger” have also been major influences.
“Muhammad taught us how to eat to live. We are the sickest ones in the country, from slavery days,” he said. “From the beginning, we are nursed from our mother’s milk and affected by adrenalin and fear from the environment. The children of slave mothers took in that fear and anxiety. When you eat slaughtered animals, you suffer from that same anxiety.”
Eating well and taking care of himself is a priority for Twan.
“It’s all about choices,” he said.
Street Roots reminds Twan of The Final Call, a newspaper founded by Farrakhan that he worked for in Seattle. Like The Final Call, he said, Street Roots writes about “what’s really going on, what’s in our food and the flow of information.”
Twan likes to put that information in people’s hands.
“The newspaper business chose me or I chose it. I don’t know which,” he said.
“I started delivering The Seattle Times when I was 13. Superman and Spider-Man both worked for newspapers,” he said with a smile. “Why not use those who are trampled on economically to spread the message? Jesus worked through the poor to spread his message, because the rich are too busy.”
Twan doesn’t really have a sales turf; he likes to move around.
“It’s hard for me to stay in the same place,” he said. “I just walk around and try to get the paper in people’s hands. That’s what I care about.”
When he makes money selling papers, he sends it to his 7-year-old daughter, Jasmine, who lives in Seattle.
Twan dreams of making a tour of all the cities that have papers like Street Roots. Also, he’s never been to a play, and he’d like to see one someday.
For now, Street Roots is grateful to have this remarkable man around who helps out wherever he sees a need and whose wide smile illuminates and cheers the front office.