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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2011)
6 H I y- Homeless Camp out action slated Rose Parade route The homeless advocacy group Right 2 Survive is planning a coordinated camp-out with individuals experiencing homelessness and supporters the night before the Rose Festival Parade on Saturday, June 11. "Right 2 Survive invites you to camp with our homeless and formerly homeless members on the Rose Parade route for a fun-filled protest camp which will educate and mobilize Portlanders in support of housing as a human right," says Ibrahim Mubarak, a member of the group. For more information on the camp out contact r2spdx@gmail.com, or visit their blog at www. right2survive.wordpress.com good, local, food. ALBERTA ’ COOPERATIVE GROCERY 1500 NE Alberta St- Portland, OR 97211 503.287.4333 www.albertagrocery.coop - open to everyone 9-10 daily c o o c , Street roots May 27, 2011 h i The new face on the block BY KAISA MCCROW C O N T R IB U T IN G W R ITER /" T A h e corner of NW Lovejoy and 11th Avenue where Starbucks is located J L doesn’t quite pick up foot traffic until noon, when the sun finally hits that side of the pavement The tall Pearl District buildings make it a fairly shady corner and according to Jason, the. Street Roots vendor who sells there, “the windiest comer in, Portland.” He wears a jacket, gloves and scarf to sell the paper, because even on a nice day the shade can get chilly. Jason is new to this corner, less than a month in, so VENDO R ROF1LE Jason Bo e i Changing Lives Building Communities Creating Opportunities www.centralcityconcern.org 503-294-1681 For ju st $ 5 a mon you can help suppo Portland’s only sire paper a n d homeless a n d tow-income vendor program. Learn how to set uj, a n easy an d safe recurring donation www.streetroots.con he is still trying to make himself at home. A “get-to-know-the-neighborhood” period is typical for any vendor, but Jason’s case is a bit unique. The last Street Roots seller at this location was Dilly, a long time vendor who recently passed away. Getting people to warm to the new guy is a task of its own, but working a Comer where everyone was stiH reeling from the loss of their friend is an exceptional challenge, Luckily, Jason has: proven to be a good fit, largely because he can appreciate Dilly’s significance to this new member of their community. Jo, the owrfer of Physical Elements, a clothing store around the corner from where Jason sells, eagerly calls Jason a “good match to the community. He has purchased extra , vibe"of"Ttre neig hbarhnod.4’ Jason had a of the Street Roots edition containing Dilly’s | poem published in the last issue of Street obituary, and invites anyone who would like Roots, which his customers were very a copy to ask for one, free of charge. supportive of. “We like having an artist in This is Jason’s style, unassuming and our midst, arid we are very proud of him. We approachable, he does not want to come off want him to continue with his art,” she says, as a salesman. Foremost, he would like to smiling. start conversations and make friends while Jason hopes to publish mdre poetry in he works. He will say “hi” to everyone, and Street Roots. He also enjoys heavy metal then feel out whether they want a paper, a music, finding the intensity it offers to be chat, or to be left alone. comforting and a great stress relief. He used “If they’re in a rush, don’t ask them to wear multiple facial piercing, but does no anything-If they are on the phone don’t talk longer. He muses thoughtfully that he must to th e m .... If they are talking to someone have just grown out of them. He says this is else, don’t interrupt,” lists Jason. To those not a judgment on people with piercings, not on their ceil phones Jason will always but that for him, moving beyond wearing > say hello, ask how people are, inquire if they therii signaled a kind of growth or moving are enjoying the weather, and maybe ask, on. “would you like to buy a Street Roots?” Jason grew up in Chicago, but has lived in Already, Jason has regulars in tow, and more states than just Illinois. He has spent everyone seems to be supporting him as, a time in Indiana, Arizona, California, and now Oregon. Although he says Chicago is his true home, Portland gives it a “run for its money.” He enjoys the slower pace of life in Oregon, comparing it to the perpetual rush h e fe ltfro m p e o p le in L .A ., th elastcity h e lived in before moving up north. A bit of a loner, Jason moved up here by himself, and thinks he’ll'stay for a while; He’s enjoying his time with Street Roots and the opportunity it provides for meeting people and beginning new conversations. He would like to say thank you to the people, he has met so far. Even those who don’t buy a paper, but who are willing to engage in a friendly chat, enrich and make more dynamic his experiences. The sunlight stretches across:11th and Lovejoy by 12:30 p.m. A man in a business suit calls familiarly to Jason on his way back 'into work, and just before that Jason greeted •Lola, a small rescue Boston Terrier and her owners — these are his new regulars. He seems to be accomplishing the goals he has expressed, he is a welcoming face and is becoming an established friend in the Pearl. VE N D O R W O R K AD S Cassidy Morse: Looking for work. Will do most anything, light and heavy, $10 an hour, four hour minimum. References supplied. Please call 503-224-5398 or Street Roots at 503-228-5657. at 971-255-0440 to speak with Chelsea Benedict. Two-person team also available for hire for general labor (moving, house cleaning, yardwork, small home repairs). Ready to work immediately. Chelsea Benedict: Painting service, interior/ exterior house painting. Also specializing in custom mural artwork. Please e-mal at crbenedictmurals@gmail.com or by phone Laura Owens: Dog walker, $5 per half-hour walk. Downtown and Northeast area. Olease call Street Roots, 503-228-5657 and leave a message for Laura; L O O K IN G FOR A N A F F O R D A B LE PLACE TO RENT? Y o u r o n lin e h o u s in g sea rch ju s t g o t easier. For the people by Jason I wake tip, so far it’s not a good day Nothing appears to be going my way Frustration seems to stay by my side Where’s a dark corner so I can sit down and cry ’But there’s no time to sit and wallow My pain and sorrow, ! must swallow ■ My river of tears is starting to run dry I ask myself, why do I even try? Is there an end to all this madness? T Is there hope in this world drowning in sadness It s hard when you’re .alone and people around I know what it’s like to be lost and never be found: I dread tomorrow and I haven’t even gotten through today I have so many thoughts and nothing to say For some odd reason, I haven’t given up yet To god I am always forever in debt ; Because even on the darkest of nights There s always a star glimmering with light.
