Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 2015)
Street Roots • July 17-23, 2015 Page 3 E d ito ria l member of our reporti ng -staff, < contact Managing Èdtór Joanne Zuhl at 5G&22&5S57, joannec^streetroots.org. We ask that all submissions include the a u to ’s name and contact information, if available. Street Roots 211NWDavisSt Portanti, OR 97209 503-228-5657 Fax: 503-227-3117 www.streetroots.org www.news.streetroots.org* Hours; 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-FrL, 7:30 a.m.-2 am., Sat. and 7:30-11 a>m. Sun. Advertising Interested in advertising in Street Roots? Contact Israel Bayer at israel@streetroots.org D R A W IN G BY M IC H A E L V O T T A Saying goodbye to a hero of Street Roots ichael Votta passed away on Portland’s streets last week. He was an artist and a friend to many people, inside and M Israel Bayer is the executive director o f Street Roots. You can reach h im a t israel@streetroots. org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer. Executive Director Israel Bayer israel@streetroots.org telling me once, “I play the role I was given.” Managing; Editor Joanne ZuW r T h e h ea d a ch es and v o ic e s in M ich a el’s h ead pushed him to the brink on most days.' Some days he struggled to string together his out thoughts, existing somewhere on the edge of a For many, Michael’s life represents the world most people can’t comprehend. Other failure of a system to days Michael was able to contribute to the help thousands of world we’ve created with his artwork and by people suffering to find selling Street Roots and volunteering at Sisters stability and housing. D IR E C T O R 'S They wouldn’t be Of The Road. Michael and I spent wrong. Saying that, D ESK almost all of our time Michael Votta’s life was By Israel Bayer on this earth smoking more than a political cigarettes and talking slogan, no matter how about his comic books true that slogan may and drawings. “I want ring. to create a Street Haunted by the ghosts of mental illness and Roots superhero addictioii, Michael’s life was engulfed by someday.” homelessness, violence and trauma. He We would laugh inhabited space in this world that was bigger together, coming up than life. A hard and complicated man, Michael with different didn’t let too many people close to him. Those scenarios for his who were able to get to know Michael comics that reflected understood that beneath all of the wreckage, the world we had both there was a gentle soul. come to know. A world Through all of the madness, Michael was a where morals and everyday norms remain light in the darkness, bright and shining, who twisted and bent up, broken down and spent much of his life keeping the vampires at unmanageable. A world where there often isn’t bay. In many ways Michael’s role on the streets a storybook ending, but only a menu of hard was to protect others. He did so with pride, choices and unfortunate circumstances. A world despite all of the pain and suffering. If there constantly crying out for something more. A was someone being abused or suffering on the streets, Michael was always the first to stand up world crying out for justice. For those of us who knew Michael, we will to defend the vulnerable, even if it meant miss him, and never forget his soft-spoken sacrificing his freedom. demeanor and wry smile, and his unconditional Like many street fighters and others who have a complicated relationship with violence, it love for others, regardless of their circumstances. He did not live without truly Wasn’t something Michael was proud of. It was touching other people’s lives. He did not live simply a survival tool in a world that wasn’t without loving and being loved. In the end, isn’t sophisticated enough to understand the path that all we can ask for? that Michael walked. Here’s to you Michael Votta, our superhero. I Some people on the streets knew Michael as “Scarface,” a nickname he picked up from a scar hope you’re able to find peace in the next life, my friend. I know you brought a peace to mine that ran from the left side of his eye all the way in this one. down his face. He never did like that nickname, Staff joanne@streetroots.org . Vendor Coordinator Cole Merkel cole@streetroots.org Operations Director Sarah Beecroft Program Assistant Grace Badik, Jesuit Vplunteeri grace@streetroots.org Development Director Sarah Cloud Development Assistant Ann-Derrick Gaillot Reporters Emily Green, Sue Zalokar, Ann-Derrick Gaillot, Sarah Hansell, Lenora Ko, Sam Bouman, Jared Paben Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Glode Canvasser Desmond Hardison Board of Directors Chairman Bruce Anderson Vice-Chairman Brad Taylor Treasurer Heather Stadick Secretary Amber Bielman A t top, artwork from M ichael Votta, g iving the “thumbs u p .” Above, the author with M ichael earlier this year. Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson, Leo Rhodes, Nora Coon, Darren Alexander, Eddie Barbosa, Rachel Langford Volunteers Jah Bayer, John Barker, Stacey Heath, Brian Ritchie, Anders Frederickson, Stephanie Holum, Anjali Rathore, Sam Bouman, Joanna Chase, Zoe Klingmann, Haven Herrin, Eliese Baker, Dan Jones, Rob Shyrock, Tom Ray, Doug Spangle, Susannah Kamala, Jessica Pollard, Christine Menges, Lee Ko, James Yu, Siri Carlson, Diana Richardson, Sarah Wise If you are interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application at streetroots.org/volunteer. Or call Volunteer Coordinator Grace Badik for more information at 503-228-5657.
