Festive holiday decorations and jolly spirit draw you to Bruce Wilson. He’s decorated his Street Roots sales cart with flashing lights and an inspirational sign that changes weekly. This week, his sign reads “It’s cold out. Warm someone’s heart with a kind word or a smile.”
When you meet him, it is Bruce’s kindness and humor that delight.
“I get so much joy out of making someone laugh or smile,” he said. “There’s no greater gift for me than if I can brighten someone’s day.”
That spirit of giving is central to Bruce’s values.
“My dad is my hero,” Bruce said. “He’s shown me what charity is, the joy of giving without expecting anything in return but the joy of giving.”
“I need to be a lighthouse,” Bruce said. “Being on the streets around the holidays, it’s rough out there. I met a guy who was trying to sell me a bottle of Versace perfume. Of course I’d like to buy it for my girlfriend or my daughter, but I knew it was stolen. So I gave him a cigarette and tried to plant a seed.” Bruce gave him the names of several resources like Central City Concern and Sisters of the Road.
For nine years, Bruce was also the owner, operator, and lead photographer of Hart Photography, during which he did photoshoots for department stores and magazines. Later on, Bruce worked in customer service and sales, but like so many of us, when Covid hit, he was laid off from his sales work with Stark’s Vacuums.
After experiencing the loss of several loved ones in rapid succession, Bruce struggled to cope.
“Instead of turning to a friend or my family, I chose crystal meth,” Bruce said.
Bruce was an in-patient for seven months at Volunteers of America Drug Center, and he went to school every day to learn about his addiction.
Bruce has been clean for over two years. Now, he said he has no urge to go back. “I’ve seen how drugs can destroy. I’ve got my friends back and my parents have trust in me again. They’re my best friends.”
Bruce was introduced to Street Roots a month ago after meeting a vendor in Northeast Portland. She said, “you have a great smile; I think you’d be good at this.” So Bruce attended a Street Roots’ vendor orientation, learned about the paper and learned about how to submit his own poetry and photography.
“I’ve been blessed with all the opportunities Street Roots offers,” Bruce said.
“Street Roots gives people the opportunity to do something productive for the community, to give back and get something in return,” Bruce said. “They ask so little of you and you get so much in return.”
“For example,” he said, “just this morning I show up at the office and they have Christmas cards for us to send to loved ones. They’ll mail the cards for free for us! It’s amazing that they’re always thinking about other peoples’ needs, great and small. I called my mom and told her about it: This is the place I’m working now!”
Bruce would like to become a mentor and drug and alcohol counselor someday. For now, he’s happy making others happy at his Street Roots sales post at the Kenton Library on North Denver Avenue. “My customers’ smiles and kind words have kept me coming back to my old library,” Bruce said, “They sustain me.”
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