Danny says the paper keeps him out of trouble and puts him in a good mood
Long-time vendor Danny Ciudin grew up in Southeast Portland, but really identifies with the community he’s made in the Northeast Portland neighborhood of Concordia, a place he’s called home for more than a decade.
The friendly neighbors, staff and customers at the Concordia New Seasons and the King Farmer’s Market are what make his vendor sales post special, he said.
“People are friendly, staff is great and people seem to ask how I'm doing and care,” Danny said. “I feel part of the community. Once people get to know you, life gets a lot easier.”
Currently unhoused, the Concordia community feels like home to him.
“It’s hard when you are living on the street and everyone looks down on you,” he said. “In Concordia, I feel seen and accepted. I have some customers who have taken an extra step to help me out. That whole neighborhood is just really cool.”
While talking to him may feel like a love letter to the people and places of Concordia, he also takes time to appreciate other parts of Portland and is especially looking forward to fall.
“I like taking pictures of all the color changes, and even though it gets colder, as long as it doesn’t rain at the same time, I don’t mind,” Danny said. “I don’t like the cold rain.”
One of his favorite places to visit is the zoo, especially for zoo lights and he encourages everyone to make time to check it out.
The last several years have come with some serious setbacks. He had a major medical event where he went into sudden cardiac arrest which led to some brain injuries and a stay in an Intensive Care Unit, and he’s still trying to recover from that. He also has severe asthma and scoliosis. He hopes to qualify for the social security disability program but he has a hard time knowing where to start.
Yet, undaunted, he has one major goal.
“Five years from now, I want to be housed with my own place and some consistent income,” he said. “I’d like to not worry about all the stress of living on the streets.”
He credits Street Roots and his ability to be a vendor with his positive connections to his community. Introduced to Street Roots by another vendor when he was 23, the now 32-year-old has been consistently selling Street Roots for about five years.
“Street Roots means I don’t have to panhandle, and it keeps me out of trouble,” he said. “It helps me feel like I’m contributing, and it puts me in a good mood.”
Danny sells Street Roots at Concordia New Seasons early mornings (7 a.m. - noon) most days, and at King Farmer’s Market on Sunday mornings from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Danny can also be supported via @StreetRoots Venmo by entering his name and badge number (193) in the notes.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. 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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