Longtime vendor Paulette Bade didn’t let the February weather dampen her mood. Living in senior housing qualified Paulette to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and she was both unfazed by the rain that morning and optimistic about the future. “The vaccine will make it better. I hope they find a cure soon,” she said.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Paulette has been in Portland for over two decades. She started selling Street Roots in 1999, when it was still called the Burnside Cadillac. She also did a stint up in Seattle selling Street Roots’ sister paper Real Change.
“I love selling the paper,” said Paulette, 72. “I love the people I meet, and it gets me outside.”
But she acknowledges that the pandemic has taken its toll.
“Business has slowed down quite a bit,” she said. “Because of the pandemic, people are scared to go outside. My customers used to spend time together and talk and share. Now most people don’t linger.”
Paulette is deeply troubled by the number of people living on the street.
“Portland has changed, and lots of people are suffering from homelessness,” she said. “If we could just get them housed, things would be better. We need more low-income housing and shelters. We need to get people away from living in a tent. It’s so hard on you physically and mentally to be homeless.”
She hasn’t always had stable housing. She found herself on the streets after leaving relationships overshadowed by domestic violence.
“It’s hard to be homeless, especially for women and children. I’ve been homeless three times because of domestic violence.” she said.
“Having Street Roots means meeting a lot of good people, getting out of my house, talking and making every day a good day. You can be down in the dumps, but you start talking to your customers and your community, and your day gets better,” she said.
Paulette is housed now, living with her two cats, 3-year-old Marble and 14-year-old Lovebug. She said that despite their age difference, they are a good match for each other.
The first thing Paulette will do when the pandemic is over is celebrate. “I’m going to say hallelujah!” she said.
Eager to get home to beat the dark clouds threatening outside the Street Roots office, she volunteered some parting advice for her Street Roots family: “Just enjoy life. Take care of yourself, and just do what I do. Take it one day at a time. That’s all we can do.” Then she added, “And stay safe!”
Paulette can be found selling Street Roots outside the Arlington Club at Southwest Park Avenue and Salmon Street or at the First Congregational Church at 1126 SW Park Ave.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.
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