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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2009)
in 3 C E L E B a ftT lN G A D E C A D E street roots Iliaca: Education * Dialogue ♦ Independence Street News Service helps street papers around the world Marless Aldam with the International Network o f Street Papers talks content sharing and networking BY ELEONORA TERRILE photographs contributed by our tie Red Petals are women. They are external media teachers, doctors, journalists, NGO partners Reuters and Inter Press Service workers, educators, cultural mediators, nurses, midwives, volunteers, (IPS). Being part of lawyers... Whatever their job, they all have this editorial network also allows them to one thing in common: they work to protect gain additional the rights of both children and adults, in exposure of issues and Italy and abroad. The “Petali Rossi” is a campaigns from their project aimed at promoting the protection of Maree Aldam local community and human rights, dialogue and experience sharing. Maree Aldam, the Network Services have their voices heard through wider Manager of the International Network of republication throughout theirown country g and across the world. The Street News Service also aims to challenge public perspectives on poverty and injustice by offering exclusive commentary - ‘ on important social issues from 37 countries around the world. The service aims to inform and educate public opinion, action and debate on development, social and cultural issues. STREET NEW S SERVICE a P .R .: When was it created? www.nasna.org and www. street-papers.org. M.A.: The Street News Service was Street Papers (INSP), is a recent recipient of* initially developed and launched by the North American Newspaper Association thePetali Rossi honor. She has been working (NASNA). NASNA and INSP work very for INSP since 2008 and works on many interesting projects, one of which is INSP’s closely together - NASNA’s 25 member • street papers are also members of INSP and news agency — the Street News Service. the two organizations share the same vision P e ta li R o ssi: W hat is the Street News and purpose in supporting and advancing the Service and what is its purpose? street paper movement. . M aree Aldam: The Street News Service P.R.: How much news do you receive every plays a crucial role in our work to build a week from the street papers? strong independent media movement. It’s an MA.: We receivè around 15 articles each alternative online news agency which brings week from our papers. Street paper editors together the best of street paper journalism select articles which they think will be of from around the world. It’s a valuable . e d ito ria l resoíirc'e fo f s,^ e e t p a p ^ s T s^ n á 5iít J * helps to increase their capacity to be ~ diverse, challenging and sustáüiabíe independent media in their local communities. The SNS is a web-based forum for street papers to exchange and circulate content. Through the service, street papers can also access news, features and anfr the street paper content is ^ o supplemented though our media partnerships with Reuters and Inter Press Service. Reuters donate 2 articles every week and allow us access to their fantastic database of photographs. IPS donate 15 development-related articles each week, in 5 languages. < All articles and pictures are collated each week, into ah e-mail newsfeed which is sent out to our members, partners and supporters in three languages. INSP actively works to maintain a bank nearly 60 volunteer translators, many of whom are professional translators and interpreters, to ensure that more members are able to contribute to and benefit from the Street News Service. We currently offer translation sérvices in German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Norwegian, Polish, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Swedish, Ukrainian, Hungarian and Slovak. P.R.: Thanks to this service the street papers can get independent information from all over the world. W hat aré the m ain subjects discussed on the worldwide street papers? MA.: Street papers are all different in their capacity, style, size and editorial approach. This adds to the diversity of the | | Street News Service, bringing rich and colourful news, issues and information from < around the world. We see articles as diverse as investigative reports, exclusive interviews, testimonies from street paper vendors, film and book reviews, and features on a variety of topics - from social issues to music. P.R.: ThanksPo the S N S project you hear a lot o f stories from marginalized people and you hear about interesting projects to defend their rights. B u t what is “your recipe” to defend hum an rights? \ Street Roots plays a vital role in the development o f the North American Street < Newspaper Association (NASNA) and the International Network of Street Papers (INSP). - Street Roots Director Israel Bayer is the chair o f N A SN A’s board of directors, while Street Roots M anaging Editor Joanne Zuhl is the vice-chair o f the IN SP board. Both have helped develop the strategic planning and implimehtation o f the organizations, including the Street News Service. In 2009, Street Roots contributed more than 50 articles that were published in other street papers around the world. Street Roots often publishes news stories from Seattle, Wash. (Real Change), and Vancouver, B.C. (Megaphone) to show regional trends in housing arid homelessness and other issues effecting the Pacific Northwest. MA.: I think it’s important to raise awareness of injustice - whatever form it may take. Knowlédge allows people to speak out about human rights; protect marginalised people; and challenge governments and decisio n m ak ers. The media can and should be a part of this process. I feel lucky to work for an organisation that helps to fight poverty and injustice, but also builds independent media throughout theworld. The two go hand in hand, Courtsey o f Petali Rossi, Italy © Street News Service: www.streetpapers.org Keep u p on the latest fro m Street Roots by jo in in g us on Facebook & Twitter! If you've ever found yourself in need of social services, you know how confusing it can all be. tong lines, limited hours, seemingly arbitrary eligibility criteria, going from place to place to connect the dots in hopes of getting the help you need. The Rose City Resource makes it all just a little bit easier. The 100- page booklet-records the hours and locations of basic services including shelters, meals, and health clinics, as well as advocacy and long-term solutions such as recovery programs, legal aid, and transitionafhousing. The guide includes more than 350 listings in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties and is now available in both English and on the Web. Every year, the pocket-size guide helps thousands of individuals and families independently access the services they need. The Rose City Resource is partially funded through partnerships with the City of Portland and 2 1 1 1nfo. But to keep updating and publishing thisall-Jn-one resource, Street Roots needs community support. The guides are more important than ever. While programs are shifting and shrinking, many people are finding themselves in need of services for the first time. Your support will keep the Rose City Resource in the hands of the people who need them. www.rosecityresource.org
