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street roots
O ct 10, 2014
Honesty, sincerity part of our collective spirit
EDITORIAL
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fo r larger talks about drugs
treet Roots believes that voters should vote yes in
November to legalize marijuana. We also believe
that Oregon has the opportunity to think about
how it approaches outdated and ineffective anti-drug
strategies.
It’s also time for the federal government to loosen
restrictions on federally funded housing programs that
go to support low-income individuals. Why is it that
elderly Oregonians have more access to pharmaceutical
drug options than they do medical marijuana?
It’s also time for local housing authorities to rethink
their approach to allowing people access to marijuana,
especially edibles. It’s going to take more than a don’t
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3 ask, don’t tell
philosophy to catch up
The more we can
with the times. If
educate the masses on
people are clearly in
the effects of drugs In
pain or experiencing a
our communities, the
mental health crisis —
healthier our
doctors and low-income
communities will
housing programs
become.
should think
strategically about what
it means to allow residents to have access to marijuana
as a medical resource.
It’s also important for the Multnomah County District
Attorney’s office and local governments to work
diligently to drop any charges residents face for
marijuana possession if Measure 91 passes in
November.
Poor people have been selling and consuming
marijuana for decades and been unfairly punished. It’s
reality is, if we’re going to work for
social justice on one hand and partner
with a vast array of complex systems
on another, it means partnering and working
with everyone in the community.
Sometimes that
means being the
community partner
DIRECTOR'S and working within
the system. Other
DESK
times that may mean
By Israel Bayer
being the antagonist
and challenging larger
institutions. More
often than not it
means working on a larger shared vision with
the people of Portland. It always means
being honest and sincere in both our
reporting and advocacy.
At the end of the day, everything we do is
about lifting people up. It’s about meeting
people where they are at in their own
Experiences. We could Concentrate on our
differences, but more times than not, if we
find that sweet spot of commonalities,
anything is possible.
We see it each day at Street Roots. Faced
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Marijuana debate an opportunity
S
Israel B ayer is the
executive director o f
Street Roots. You can
reach h im a t
isruel@streetroots. org
o r fo llo w h im on
Twitter @israelbayer.
with some of the most challenging obstacles
a human being can face, we see people rise
above at Street Roots — whether it’s the
individual surviving the harsh realities of
homelessness of the family working their
fingers to the bone to keep the lights on and
bills paid. Really, Street Roots is made up of
a group of rugged individualists who have a
collective spirit — understanding that no one
can do it alone. We need each other.
At 11,000 strong throughout Portland,
Street Roots readers make all the difference
in the world — bringing a smile and a laugh
to .someone in need, offering a hand up and
encouraging people to take part in the
improvement of their neighborhood. It’s
astonishing to see day in and day out.
Sometimes I sit back and marvel at how
something as simple as a newspaper set up
to give people an income creates so much
hope.
I often times describe Street Roots as a
small train that carries a heavy load. It’s a
testament to all of the vendors at Street
Roots, really, the entire .Street Roots team
and most importantly you, the reader.
i
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important we rethink how m a riju a n a w ill c re a te job
opporTumties Idflov^ncome lndiriauals and iamideJs
It’s no joke.
And how many people have their employment
opportunities virtually eliminated by felony records
even with time already served? And how-many felons ;
choose between not having a job and selling an illegal
substance to earn money? A lot.
By legalizing marijuana in Oregon in November we
have a chance reshape how we educate children and the
masses around the pros and cons of drug use in Oregon
and throughout America. Currently, the reality is- that
most young people learn the ropes about marijuana
through their peer networks. We now have a chance to
have a much broader discussion about both marijuana
and other drugs in ou^community.
Street Roots has long advocated for broader harm
reductions strategies as it relates to all drug use. The
more we can educate the masses on the effects of
drugs in our communities, the healthier our
communities will become, )
We look forward to prioritizing these issues through
the pages of Street Roots and maintaining a healthy
dialogue with the community. It’s out with the old and
in with the new. It’s time to turn the page on how we
think about and approach marijuana in our
communities.
Our mission
Street Roots publishes every tw o weeks, launching
on Fridays, and is:avaifable exclusively through our
street vendors or by subscription. W e are proud
members o f the Inter national Network o f Street '
Papers.
streetroots.org
news.streetroots.org
M i^ i—
Street Roots vendor Allen Bennett sells the newspaper a t Hollywood Library.
Board of Directors
Street Roots creates income opportunities fo r
people experiencing homelessness and poverty by
producing a newspaper and other media that are
catalysts fo r individual andsodai change.
Street Roots
211 NW Davis St.
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax: 5O3-227-3Í17
z 'T . •-
o
Executive D ir a to r Israel Bayer
Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl
joannetsheetroots.org
Bruce Anderson {Chairman), Michael Anderson (Vite-
chairman), Heather Stadick (Treas.), Eddy Barbosa (Sec.),
Rich Rodgers, Brad Taylor, Leo Rhodes, Nora Coon,
Darren Alexander, Amber Bielman
Vendor Coordinator Cole M erkel
Volunteers
coletstreetroots.org
Operations Director Sarah Beecroft
Program Assistant Grace Badik, Jesuit Volunteer,
gracetstreetroots.org
Development Director Sarah Cloud
Office Assistant Amber Bielman
Reporters Jake Thomas, Alex Zielinski, Nathan
Gilles, Sue Zalokar, Ann-Derrick Gaillot
Photographers Kristina W right, Christopher
O nstott Adrienne Burkett
Jan Bayer, Elizabeth Tierney, Rob Shryock, Ann-
Derrick Gaillot, Stacey Heath, Vinnie Kinsella, Michelle
Breslau, Paula Cracas, John Barker, Mary Locke Lucas
Manfield, Jessie Carver, Cherie Vedal, Sam Bouman,
Isaac Hastings Hauss, Emily Green, Tom Ray, Sarah '
Hansell, Alana Kansaku-Sarmiento, Kyle Craven
Audrey Benison? Crystal Ellnksi
Street Roots Rose City Resource
Street Roots publishes the Rose City Resource, a
comprehensive booklet o f services fo r people* *
experiencing homelessness and poverty.
To inquire about getting guides, call 503-228-5657. 4
Resources are online at www.rosecityresource.org.
M iliti
P H O T O BY A L A N BORRUD
Vent
Street Roots vendors buy the newspapers for 25 cents
each and sell them fo r $1, keeping the 75 cents in -
p rofit fo r themselves, in order to keep the cost low to
our vendors, we receive additional support from
donations and in-kind contributions,
75
goes directly to the vendor
w ho sold you the paper
25 c
goes toward
printing costs
Vendor orientations are at 1 p.m. every Monday,
Wednesday and Friday a t the Street Roots office.