Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 2016)
Celebrate the season by making a difference ometimes the world can feel overwhelming. What can I do to make a difference? Does it matter? Can I change anything? The simple answer is yes. Street Roots is faced with these challenges every day. For example, we know we don’t have enough resources to scale up to end homelessness, but we can work to end people’s homelessness. We may not be able to change the national political n iififf environment, but we B O baS» can continue to make the world we live a By Israel Bayer better place. A small gesture or donation may not seem like a loV but it means everything to people struggling to survive. Below is a short list of simple ways you can help support a larger social justice movement in Portland this holiday season. It’s cliche to say that you make the difference, but it’s true. You do make the difference. ■ Simply bring the love! Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do th a t Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do th a t” During these dark * days, those are words to live by. No question. It’s a hard slog, but in the eftd, it’slove that will bring us together. It’s love that will always win. ■ Staying on that theme, pay it forward, Portlanders. The only way to combat poverty and. hate is with love. It transcends all. See someone S S ili Israel Bayer is the executive director o f Street Roots. You can reach him at israel@streetroots.org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer. DIRECTORS h avin g a bad day? O ffer th e m a h an d o r a sm ile . Do something nice for a stranger. ■ Call your local and state legislators this’' holiday season and let them know you expect them to do everything in their power to support smart progressive legislation in 2017. That includes tenant protections, revenue for affordable housing, strong environmental laws, criminal justice fefbrin and menial health resources. We want it all! ■ Get to know your neighbors. You know, the people who live right next to you. It’s not too late to say hello and possibly even deliver someone on your block some tasty treats you’re making for your holiday affair. ■ Donate your expertise or time to a local Page 3 E d ito ria l nonprofit or activist group. You can connect to volunteer opportunities through Hands on Greater Portland and the United Way of Columbia-Willamette. ■ Own a small or large business? Pick a non profit to support annually. This could be as simple as donating your expertise or a portion of your sales for a day or working to find a way to support that specific nonprofit for an entire year. Being able to grow and learn with a specific non profit over the long haul oftentimes comes with lasting impacts and builds lifelong relationships that have the potential to create real change in our community. ■ Purchase a Street Roots weekly and introduce the newspaper and concept to your family and friends living in the Portland region. Stop and talk to your neighborhood vendor. Street Roots provides a safe place for individuals to engage with people on the streets in a positive atmosphere. Spread the word! ■ Give to one or all of the 141 organizations highlighted in the Willamette Week’s GivelGuide through Dec. 31. There is something in the Give!Guide for everyone — ranging from helping organizations working on important issues ranging from the environment, education, the arts, animal, civil and human rights. Plus, you’ll get some great incentives in return. ■ Give a donation to one or all of the following organizations working to create systems change in our community. Street Roots, the ACLU of Oregon, Causa (Oregon’s immigrant rights organization), the Urban League of Portland, ; P a rtn e rs h ip fo r S afety a n d J u s tic e , B ark^ t h e . Rural Organizing Project and Planned Parenthood of the Columbia-Willamette are just a few organizations that need your support. ■ Give a donation or winter gear to JOIN, an outreach organization working around the clock to connect with our neighbors on the streets. Donating gloves, socks and sleeping bags this winter could help save someone’s life. Visit them atjoinpdx.org. From all of us at Street Roots, we appreciate your readership and support of vendors selling the newspaper. Giving a hand up and getting a great read in return is our goal. Thank you for making that possible. Happy holidays! Write in if you would like to have / / \ \ something Z —------- A, that you’ve written published V \ / / in our pages, or would Ike to get involved as a member of our reporting staff, contact Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl at 503-228-5657, joanne@streetroots.org. We ask that all submissions include the author’s name and contact information, if available. Street Roots 211 NW Davis St. Portland, OR 97209 503-228-5657 Fax:503-227-3117 www.streetraots.org www.news.streetroots.org Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. and 7:30-11 a.m. Sun. Advertising Interested in advertising in Street Roots? Contact Israel Bayer at israel@streetroots.org Staff Israel Bayer israel@streetroots.org Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl E xe c u tive D ir e c to r ioanne@streetroofs.org & Vendor Program Director Cole Merkel cofe@sireetroots.org Operations Director Sarah Beecroft Development Director Sarah Cloud Program Assistant Megbann Van Pelt, Jesuit Volunteer Development Assistant Patricia Romero Reporters Emily Green, Suzanne Zalokar, Sarah Hansel! Leonora Ko, Jared Paben, . Amanda Waidraupe, Stephen Quirke Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Glode Editorial Assistant Monica Kwasnik Canvasser Desmond Hardison Board of Directors Chairman Brad Taylor Vice-Chairman Rachel Langford Treasurer Heather Stadick Secretary Dan Jones Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson, Leo Rhodes, Sandra Hahn, John Brown, Marcus Swift Volunteers Jan Bayer, John Barker, Stacey Heath, Anjali Rathore, Zoe Klingmann, Dan Jones, Dennis Hogan, Monica McKune, Susan Wolfe, Lucas Hawthorne, Thomas Buell Jr., Jeanie Lunsford, Yasmin Amirsoieymani, Jason Cohen, Tom Ray- Doug Spangle, Susannah Kamala, Jon Raymond, Diana Richardson, Cherie Manning, Paul and Madeline Gefroh, Mary Anne Joyce, Faye Poweit Anne Reif, Barbara Buono, Gillian Floren, Mark Oldani, Meg Holden, Bridget Brown, Cody Travels, Bianca Butler, Robb Hengerer, Alex Cherin and Grace Gallagher. If you're interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application at streetroots.org/volunteer. Or you can call for more information at 503-228-5657. ■HI Street Roots • Dec. 23-29, 2016
