Working at the Salvation Army Women’s Shelter from 2007 to 2011, Mari Louden learned the value of clear communication styles.
“Everybody at Street Roots brings their own contribution and style and there are no rough edges,” Mari said. “We communicate clearly and we get it done.”
Mari has been working as a vendor at Street Roots for seven years.
“I love selling Street Roots (and) to be able to talk with people and make connections,” Mari said.
Mari was cast as one of the 10 women in a 2018 Good Samaritan production of Ntozake Shange’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow Is Enuf.” She’s a natural performer and likes the opportunity to provide some character to her sales work.
Mari participates in Street Roots MoJo (mobile journalism), a program that provides vendors journalistic training opportunities.
“We learned the basics,” Mari said, “interviewing, using microphones, recording.”
She’s excited about her future writing.
“I have a story to tell,” Mari said. “I love this opportunity to get my story to people who are struggling, trying to find purpose in life. I want to help people get through tough times.”
During her own tough times, Mari has found support at Street Roots.
“They’ve been awesome support for me,” Mari said. “The people at Street Roots have helped me to keep going in life. They’ve helped me to replace my phone, get my ID and print out important papers. They’re generous with resources. I love Street Roots. I love the staff and everybody.”
Mari started off as desk staff at the shelter, then moved up to case management then finally to program management and management staff.
“I loved that work,” Mari said. “During that time I changed my major to become a social worker. I loved the person-to-person contact. But most of all I loved the opportunity to empower women. I got the chance to see women succeed.”
It was while participating as a Salvation Army Women’s Shelter manager during meetings with city planners that Mari had the opportunity to witness “the other side of homelessness.” She helped to conduct a “vulnerability index” which every helping agency was required to submit. She participated in meetings with leaders from many different city agencies, the mayor, the police, city commissioners.
“There were so many good people who worked on helping the homeless, but still a lot of homeless people got missed, a lot of people who didn’t understand the survey was to get them housed,” she said. “The survey was so lengthy and difficult to complete.”
“Housing is one of the most basic human needs,” Mari said.
She’s done research on the “housing first” model.
“People don’t have to be clean and sober first,” she said. “People who get housed first and gain that security — a key that locks your door, a chance for personal safety — these people’s needs for drugs go down.”
“It’s hard to get clean when you’re living on the streets,” she said. “What for?”
Mari hopes to take that message forward and work toward a Master’s in Social Work (MSW). She has a five-year plan which includes continuing to hang around people who are clean and sober.
“I refuse to go back down that road of addiction,” she said.
“I’m reinventing myself,” Mari said. “I want to help others. I want to work with women and help them see that they can do something without having to stay with some man just to get a roof over their head. I want to help other women feel better about themselves.
Mari sells Street Roots at the Fred Meyer on Northwest 20th Place and West Burnside Street.
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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