Sylvanuis Stuckey greets me with a smile.
“I’m grateful for a lot of things that’s done, that’s been happening in my life,” he said.
Extroversion and a positive outlook are central for Stuckey, who wears floral designs that peek out of his ripped jeans and a bright yellow shirt. A Street Roots vendor for three years, his colorful, kind personality warms daily interactions with customers and Street Roots staff.
He calls himself a true Virgo, and said his straightforward personality resonates with his star sign.
“Just so many things that (astrology) just hit it on the nail,” he said. “I love that.”
Stuckey grew up in Los Angeles before relocating to Vancouver as a “troubled youngster,” he said. He relocated to Portland, and has lived in the Rose City for over three decades. But shortly after moving, he faced trouble with the law and was incarcerated. He said after his release, he “fit in good with society, but I also had some buffs and bruises.”
He struggled with housing insecurity for years afterward. Eventually, he received permanent housing through Cascadia Health. That was about a decade ago.
Despite these hardships, Stuckey believes everything happens for a reason.
“I’ve been through the school of hard knocks, you know,” he said. “Unfortunately, I had to go through all that to make it this far.”
His experiences have shaped him into who he is today. He said his hard times taught him how to focus on what’s important. They taught him to believe in himself and have the persistence to fight for what he wants in life. Now, Stuckey spends time with his girlfriend, who he says is a “real sweetheart.” He also loves socializing with his friends.
“The journey that life has taken me through — I guess they say once you get older, you get wiser,” Stuckey said. “With me, I think that’s true.”
You can find Stuckey selling the paper from
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily at the Trader Joe’s on Northwest Glisan Street. You can also support him via @StreetRoots Venmo by entering his name and badge number (734) in the memo.
Street Roots is an award-winning weekly publication focusing on economic, environmental and social justice issues. 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.
© 2025 Street Roots. All rights reserved. | To request permission to reuse content, email editor@streetroots.org or call 503-228-5657, ext. 40.
This article appears in August 6, 2025.