Returning Street Roots Vendor Vince Masiello has only been back at it for a couple of months, but has already fallen into a natural rhythm.
“It’s pretty great to be back,” he said. “I used to be pretty active with advocacy efforts and stopping the sweeps, and it’s great to be back with Street Roots.”
Vince started at Street Roots in 2018, but moved away during the pandemic. Coming back, he said, feels like home. His new home, at the Right 2 Dream Too or R2D2, near the Moda Center, is a place where he feels comfortable and useful.
“The community is great there and I feel like I can help out by directing people to resources,” Vince said. “I have a good perspective because I’m also houseless and I feel like I can really understand and help. And living at R2D2 is the difference between having no place to set your stuff down and having a safe place and a routine. It’s a lot of freedom to know your stuff is safe and you have a place to lay your head at night.”
Vince is grateful he found Street Roots too. “Street Roots provides a lot of dignity and a positive and happy place to be,” he said. “Street Roots has always been a great resource for people for a few hours when they have to leave a shelter and need a cup of coffee.”
Vince first learned the power of street papers living in Washington, DC, where he went to college and graduated with a degree from American University in Philosophy and Psychology. Originally from the suburbs outside of New York City, after 8 years in the DC-area, Vince moved to Portland for a reset. He said that looking for a community was important and helped him manage his depression. Once he was feeling better, he said that it was easy to become politically active within his community.
He has worked on some important initiatives, like hygiene efforts, and sees himself as a bridge builder and connector.
“I think it’s hard for people who are housed to sometimes see past the dirt or the fear, to really connect with the houseless,” Vince said. “I worked with Hygiene for All to break down barriers. I like to help bridge the gap.”
Vince has made deep investments in his community too, and hopes to live at R2D2 long term. He’s a peer support specialist and hopes to work for a nonprofit. Most important to him is that he stays connected with the communities that need support. And he’s very optimistic about what lies ahead.
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.
© 2022 Street Roots. All rights reserved. | To request permission to reuse content, email editor@streetroots.org or call 503-228-5657, ext. 404
