Just A Passing
Moment
Melissa Sayson
by Daniel Cox
The sands of time are
blown throughout the ages
forever lost in the linear flow
scattered abroad in a bigger picture.
Who knows what accounts of our actions
that dictates its course
or our own outcome
Or are our lives skewed in the web of
destiny
Woven long ago in ancient history
In your younger age,
Fate kissed upon your endeavors
And coaxed you along in her mysterious
night of fancy.
Dragged us through the doldrums on a
windless day
only to deliver us to our graves*
BY LEONORA KO
STAFF WRITER
elissa Sayson came to Oregon to
pay it forward.
M
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Street Roots • Aug. 21-27, 2015
Vendors
Page 6
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“I was in the process of getting
spinal surgery,” Melissa says. “They told me
I had a 70 percent chance I wouldn’t speak
or walk again.”
At the same time, her relatives told her
about their difficult jobs at a Tualatin home
for people with disabilities. When her
surgery was a success, Melissa explains, “I
specifically came out here to work at that
home. To give back to the people who
couldn’t walk or speak because that could
have been me.”
Through her initiative, Melissa set about
improving the conditions for the residents
at the home.
She describes one example: “Before I
walked in, they were parked in front of the
TV, eating micro-meals. I taught all of my
staff how to cook, No more fast food. No
more micro-meals. I made a specific menu
for the whole company so people could be
eating healthy food.”
When the area director was fired, Melissa
took on even more responsibilities and
oversaw company homes from Estacada to
Hillsboro. The job was satisfying and
stressful.
She says, “I came back to pay it
were heavily on drugs weren’t around us.
Especially when everybody got pneumonia
at the same time. We were all sick. I was
making sure everybody had medicine. You
know, that’s a big job. just protecting them.
And they get hurt, they get hurt. It’s pretty
scary out there.”
“Street Roots is a good thing because I
was considering ‘spanging’, where people go
out to get spare change,” Melissa says. “I
just couldn’t do it. It was just so sad and
heartbreaking for me to have to do that
because I needed a few dollars.”
Melissa and her boyfriend, Brian, began
selling Street Roots newspapers. Melissa
sells them at Cool Moon
near Jamison Square
on the corner of
Northwest 11th
Avenue and
Johnson Street.
The proximity
to the park and
ice cream bring
a lot of
children by
Melissa’s
spot.
“The
children are curious and they want to know
what I’m selling,” says Melissa. “I tell them
it’s-a paper where people can express their
thoughts, and about what’s going on in our
world and our community. I tell them th ere,
are great stories about people just like you,
like your mom, like me. I get to tell them,
and the parents listen. The parents will give
the children the dollar to buy the paper, and
I think that is so special.
“We’ve met a lot of nice people-
especially selling Street Roots.”
Melissa has hopes for the future.
“I’m looking forward to being housed and
taking care of my health,” she says. “I’m
looking forward to having that safety again
and not worrying about who’s going to come
because we’re out in the open.”
To that end, Melissa and Brian applied
for housing eight months ago with the
Portland Community Reinvestment
Initiatives. They are seeking additional help
from the Native American Rehabilitation
Association and MacDonald Center.
Melissa also hopes that the housing will
allow her 11-year-old son to live
with them.
In the meantime, Melissa is
volunteering with the Sisters
Of The Road Café. She is on
their development team as a
representative from the
community;
“Sisters is a
great place,”
forward and I did well, but I got sick.”
With multiple health issues, Melissa ’;
love going
in there,
when it’s |
safe and
peaceful. And
if it’s not, I try
to help it become
that way.”
Melissa sums it up: “I like to
make a difference.”
eventually landed on the streets.
In spite of setbacks, Melissa says, “I
don’t let my conditions define who I am.
I don’t let them determine how my day
is going to be. I try to brighten other
people’s days — it makes me feel good,
too.”
Melissa describes her life on the streets:
“I’m the protector.
“And I make sure that the people who
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