Street roots., April 08, 2016, Page 6, Image 6

Vendors
Page 6
O ut of Luck?
BY LEONORA KO
Free Counseling
for Gambling Problems
Call 503-239-5952
S T A F F W R IT E R
ophia Xavier is learning to be
responsible again.
^ascariia
Answers to puzzles on page 15
3
S
a
3
s
3.
3
3
3
1
O
a
!
i
3
a
V H
a V
N V H V 1
3 1 V 3 n
a 3 1 a
a d V
à
V 3 s
3
0 N 1 IAI 1
s 1
V 1 a à S
à N 0 a 3
a V i V 1
s V À a
g N a 3
V ■a-1 À
0 a V 3
i d
n
i 3
0 N V 1
a V 0
0 V a 0
a 3 >i
V
N
N 3
3
N 3 d
3 1 1
0 1 a
Sophia Xavier
a à >1 3 V
3 N N 3 d
Í9 N 1 1 s
N n
l3 Is
M V s
V M
3 3 1
a ±
1 0 s
3 1 1 s
0 1 S 1 a V
s n 3 3 0 0
i o 3
A 3 0 A N 1
0
V o a
a
A 3 N o
d
S 1 0
S
She was bom in Yale, Mich., and
learned about responsibility by mowing
lawns for neighbors.
“I started cutting grass when I was about
13 years old,” Sophia said. “My mom
realized whenever something went wrong
(with the mower), I put it in the repair
shop. I paid for the repairs, and I was being
responsible. And my ma was like, ‘Son,
you’ve got a talent. You’ve got
responsibility.’ We had two acres of
property that I was tired of push-mowing,
and when I surprised my mom with a
new riding mower, she was really
shocked.”
“When I turned 18,1 joined the
Marine Corps,” she said. “I was
wounded after being ejected from
a Hummer. So I pretty much, I
came home in a wheelchair.”
She suffers from post-traumatic
stress disorder and has been
homeless for more than 10 years. She
came to Portland in 2011.
Outside In, a Portland organization that
aids homeless youths and other
marginalized people, helps Sophia with
medications, acupuncture for pain and
other life issues.
transgender,” Sophia said. “I look more like
a guy, and I tell them, ‘It doesn’t happen
overnight; It takes time.’ My name’s not
legally changed, but through
Outside In, it will be. And
they’re helping me with
the removal of my
tattoos. I don’t want my
body to be scarred by
tattoos.
“I’m also going to
see if they have
counselors where I
can talk to them
for my
anger
Street Roots • April 8-14, 2016
management,” she said. “I don’t want to be
an angry soul at all times.”
In the meantime, Sophia has strategies to
deal with her feelings.
“What I do now is I just remove myself
from the situation. I go on a stroll, or I
pull out a book and put my emotions on
paper. I show myself how I can be
better.”
Street Roots has improved her life.
“I’m actually taking responsibility to
take care of myself,” she said.
“Now that I’m with Street Roots, I’m
not flying a sign. I’m eating healthier,
I’m helping out at the office, and I’m
learning to do creative writing now.
“As I help myself, I can also
help other people. In fact,
Arianna and Chris are a
young couple with Street
Roots that I’ve helped
out with bus passes
when they had
limited funds. And
they said, ‘How can
we pay it back?’
and I said, ‘Pay it
forward.’
“Street
| Roots to me is
a family. We
may not be
blood, but
through the paper
organization, we’re
family.”
Holistic • Seif-Empowerment
Physical & Emotional Well-Being
Curiosity * Engagement »Choice
o
CENTRAL CITY
C O FFEE
SMnkuM. IDo-gaod.
6
Z
k
P
9
8
8
S
Z
8
Z
V
6
S
k
9
L
8
9
8
S
8
Z
L
k
P
6
8
P
Z
s
z
9
6
8
1
L
6
9
Z
k
8
p
8
S
S
k
8
8
P
6
Z
9
Z
P
s
8
9
6
Z
L
k
8
k
9
6
Z
8
S
8
Z
P
z
8
Z
k
8
P
S
6
9
Sourcing & roasting craft coffee to
benefit programs at Central City Concern.
IN STORES
New Seasons Market, Whole Foods, Food Front
Cooperative Grocery, Green Zebra, Chuck's
Produce and Will LeatherGoods.
"Nothing happens until
something moves, " - Albert em *
intentergy
(888) 391-5059
AT YOUR OFFICE
Interested In serving Central City Coffee at your
pffice? Get in touch with us and we canhelp you
make that happen. 503.226.7387
ON OUR WEBSITE
Buy Central City Coffee online and have It
shipped directly to you or a friend.
SE Portland office
consdou5-4ntent@outiook.com
Follow our Facebook page for updates and specials.
Veterans/Miiitâry/EMS personne!
Sliding «caie {first session, free)
centralcitycoffee.org facebook.com/CentralCityCoffee coffee@ccconcem.org