Craig views Portland and his community with a sense of deep connection and gratitude.
His time with Street Roots began almost 20 years ago, in 2009, after a series of job and life changes set him on a new path. He remembers taking a long bike ride through downtown Portland that led him to the Street Roots office, where he said he found purpose.
In addition to vending at Street Roots, Craig has worn many hats. He worked at a car lot and owned a video shop and lingerie store, before losing both positions from business instability.
Craig was born in Brightwood, Oregon in 1971, and spent much of his childhood with his grandparents.
“They were really amazing,” he said. “The time they took with me — they took good care of me.”
He fondly recounted days spent fishing and talking with his grandmother. He said one of his best features is his generosity towards all the people he meets, likely a trait carried on from his upbringing. Craig lamented how shy he was as a child, which kept him from becoming an entertainer or artist. But it was in his youth where Craig first developed his passion for beauty, his spirituality, and attunement to people’s needs.
He sometimes dreams about owning another business. Craig spent years managing his own video shop, and would love to sell bikes and cars again — or even music.
“Something catering to people, that people love.”
Craig’s love for Street Roots also grew out of an eagerness for connection. He has an affinity towards written art, like poems and stories.
“I would like to write my own book and sell it someday,” he said.
He said the book would maybe be about an interdimensional black lab, specifically a dog that loved water. He explained wanting a way to write about his perspective on life using symbolism.
Despite his optimism, Craig hinted that he has experienced some of what he calls the “colder” parts of life. “I like that I still believe in God — it keeps your mind intact,” he said.
A cornerstone of his faith is deep connection with animals. He detailed a night where he was confronted by a blue heron, which he believed appeared to reassure him during some uncertain moments.
“It stays with me,” he said.
Craig said he sometimes feels invisible to other humans on the streets of Portland. He described being a Street Roots vendor as “the scariest thing in the world,” and the public as “the nicest people you’ll ever meet in your life.”
While he appreciates interacting with people all day and said everyone is kind and helpful, he admits to having the thought that they only see him as a vendor, rather than a whole person.
“They don’t want to know I exist sometimes,” Craig said.
He said he knows that others mean well, but hopes people understand that often vendors have “the biggest struggles of all in life.”
Street Roots is one of the major stabilizers for Craig. After his mother died, and he had a large sum of money stolen in 2020, he said that the people he talks to everyday kept him from falling apart.
“It’s scary out here on the streets,” he said. “Vending keeps me connected. I’ll stay as long as they let me. Street Roots is like blue skies.”
You can find Craig near Powell’s Books on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard every day, from about 4 p.m. until close. You can also send him a tip via @StreetRoots Venmo by adding his name and badge number (#184) in the memo.
This article appears in August 26, 2026.