Coming to Portland from Hawai’i brought some culture shock for Street Roots vendor Leka.
In Hawai’i, Leka said, “the way they process everything — it’s a little bit slower. It feels more natural."
Leka grew up with a large family in Hawai’i and is especially close with his sister and her daughter, who he calls his “anchor.” In Portland, he worried he wouldn’t find a similar support system. When he first learned of Street Roots, it was by chance.
“I was in the area for orientation day, heard the conversations and was curious, so I asked what it was all about,” Leka said.
He began selling papers five months ago.
“It has meant a lot more than I thought it would,” Leka said.
When he first got to Portland, Leka was a bouncer and witnessed things that made him want to be more aware.
“I decided to go homeless, or as I like to say, ‘homefree,’" Leka said. "I became part of the outside life to try and understand it. It’s hard to really process."
Living outside suits Leka for now.
“It’s real," Leka said. "Free, truly free. People who live outside ... it’s a different style of living. We live with a way more wider of a spectrum. We are closer to creating real communities."
Still, as someone who had always worked and looks forward to the repetitive aspect of work, Leka knew he needed more structure to his days outside. That’s when he found Street Roots -— and community.
At first, when Leka heard people refer to Street Roots as family, he was skeptical.
“When I first heard them say it, I questioned it very strongly, 'do you really understand that term?'” Leka said.
Over time, he found it to be a genuine claim.
“They made sure they actually put in the effort," Leka said. "I absolutely found it through Street Roots. We’re family."
If there’s one piece of advice Leka could share with his customers, it would be to breathe.
“Breathe," Leka said. "Learn how to breathe. That’s the answer to everything.”
Leka sells Street Roots at various locations downtown and most often at Whole Foods on Northeast 42nd Avenue. You can also support Leka through
@StreetRoots Venmo by entering his name and badge number (698) 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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