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.