Irida was accustomed to a small-town lifestyle before she moved to Portland. Coming from Arkansas, Irida and her partner at first found it overwhelming.
“Just there being public transit was a big change,” Irida said. “A big challenge was not knowing where anything was and having to make three different bus changes.”
Irida and her partner drove themselves to Portland, but once they got here, they realized having a car in an unfamiliar city presented some unique challenges, including having to remember where they had parked after venturing around the city on foot.
“One time it took us three days to find it,” Irida said.
Irida found Street Roots by asking vendors she saw selling the paper. She saw it as a good way to get back on her feet and started selling the paper in late September.
“It’s honestly been life-changing,” Irida said. “It gave us a way to earn money for ourselves. It’s liberating.”
Irida’s hope is to find housing and return to the workforce. She’s on the housing waitlist and says her professional goal is to get back into selling Medicare insurance, a job she really enjoyed previously.
“I felt like I was genuinely able to help people.” Irida said. “I sold directly to beneficiaries.”
In order to re-enter that job, she’ll have to save up to become certified again. Street Roots is helping her bridge that gap while giving her a touchstone in Portland.
“I guess you could say it’s a small sense of stability because it’s always something I can rely upon,” Irida said. “If I need to go someplace just to talk to somebody, they’re always here.”
Even after she secures work, however, Irida intends to continue selling Street Roots.
“We’ve noticed they actually seem like they care about the people," Irida said. “(I) absolutely see myself staying with Street Roots. Even once I find a job, I plan to stay engaged."
The most difficult part about living outside in Portland for Irida is the rain. So far, she’s been mostly successful at keeping it out of her tent. Still, her customers help brighten her day.
“My customers are always really nice people,” Irida said. “Everyone there is just really generous.”
Even if people don’t buy a paper, Irida always appreciates it when they stop and talk for a moment.
“A short little conversation is worth a dollar to me,” Irida said.
Irida tries to reciprocate by bringing brightness to her customers as well. Perhaps she is inspired in part by her namesake — Irida is a variation of Iris, the Greek goddess of rainbows.
Irida sells Street Roots at Southwest Broadway and Taylor Street near Mario’s. You can also support Irida through @StreetRoots Venmo by entering her name and badge number (798) 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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