Street roots., June 06, 2014, Page 6, Image 6

Street roots
June 6, 2014
A compilation of facts, large and
small, about our community
A big goal,
one paper
a t a tim e
* Number of groups that marched in
the 2013 Portland Pride parade: 130
* Number of years the Potland Pride
NW parade has been held: 43
* Numberof riders in the 2013
Portland World Naked Bike Ride:
* Average weekday bicycle trips
across the Hawthorne Bridge: 5,600
* Number of plant and animal
species listed as endangered or
threatened in Oregon: 42
BY SARAH HANSELL
C O N T R IB U T IN G W R I T E R
on Bryant started selling Street ,
Roots in April to work towards his
long-term goal of a steady job and a
home of his own where his three children
can live with him-
“My .main motivation is my children,” he
said. “Always has been, always will be.”
Since he’s started selling Street Roots,
he has been able to turn on his phone so
he can communicate more with his kids, .
who are ages 8 and 7 years and 8 months
old.
“That’s what killed me to begin with, I
mean, that, and not being, able to see them
as much as I want to,” he said. “Other than
S
• Number of sponsored bricks in ;
Pioneer Courthouse Square: 72,430
* Number of feature films and
television shows filmed in Oregon
since 1908:400
• Number of acres of tulips at the
Woodburn Tulip Fest 40
♦ Length of Rose Festival’s Grand
Floral Parade: 4.2 miles
lotaWioatsoeaiuteeU
in th e parade: 17
* Number of spectators that attend
the Starlight Parade of the Rose
Festival annually: 250,000
• Seating capacity of Providence
Park: 19,000
• Pieces of rebar used in the 2010 .
Providence Park renovation:
613,514
;
'5 / ' ■■j;..'-
♦ Average number of medical visits
to Outside In’s clinic each year:
21,000
• Number of IV drug users who use
the needle exchange at Outside In:
3,676
«Number of days it takes to “make"
a monster in “Grimm”: 4
Sources: The Oregonian; pdxwnbr.org;
U S. Fisk a n d Wildlife Service;
BikePortland.org; Oregon Film;
thesquarepdx.com; Wooden Shoe;
Portland Rose Festival;
providenceparkpdx.com; Outside In;
City o f Portland; The Holly wood
Reporter
W
» raorns
Ron Bryant
that if I’m able to talk to them on the,
phone, at least it’s something, you know.”
Ron still gets to see his children often, ;
and is teaching his oldest to bike, like he
does. Ron bikes long distances, from
Northeast to Gresham and back,
skateboards, and plays basketball in his free
time. He is already teaching his two older
Sons to skateboard too. His second dldest is
PHO TO B Y C O LE M ER K EL
in th e gifted p ro g ram a t school b ec au se of
*K îs^câ3êm îc'excellence;
He’s saving his income from Street Roots
to pay for a state identification card so he
can get employment as a roofer or in
construction, which he’s had experience in
since his teenage years. ,
Ron moved with his family to Portland
from Bremerton, Wash., when hew as 11
years old. Ron says he was a “hardhead” as
a kid, and struggled because he moved so
much. He remembers attending 10
different elementary schools, five middle
schools and four high schools.
“As I got older I realized I needed to
„start doing things correctly/’ he said.
The fact that his six younger brothers
and sisters were placed in the foster care
system also profoundly affected him;
Now he lives with his mother.
“I’m not going to lie, I’m a momma’s
boy/ he said. “I was raised by my mom. If
it wasn’t for my mom I wouldn’t be who I
am today.”
His mother loves that he is working for
Street Roots as a vendor.
“When I started doing it, I started loving
it because all the customers, they tell me
that they appreciate me and they show it
too,” he said. “Like, I’m always smiling with
them, having a conversation with them,
asking them how their day is.”
Ron thinks he’s so successful with his
sales because of his approach.
“At first things started out slow,” he said.
“The only reason why that is, is I didn’t
know how to jump right into it. It’s like the •.
(vendor orientation) video says, thé paper
literally does sell itself.”
He met a woman once who told him that
she liked his approach. Instead of an
aggressive sales pitch, he tries to get
people’s attention with his friendly attitude.
Not only does he, enjoy success selling
papers, but he also gives back, referring
others to Street Roots that he knows are
struggling and need an income, just like he
was.
Not your vendor? Find your vendor's profile, and others a t news.streetroots.org
VENDOR WORK ADS
Bicycle delivery by Farmer Shaun
Small packages $2/mile
Large packages $5/mile
Extreme feats and impossible tasks on
a case-by-case basis. Bicycle detailing
$25/bike. 971-222-9938.
Answers to puzzles on page 15
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