Street Roots •
Dec. 30, 2016-Jan..5, 2017
E d ito r ia l
Page 3
Reflecting on 2016, with hope for the year ahead
or many of us, both individually and
collectively, 2016. has been a year to forget
on issues important to Portland - from local
matters to global concerns - focusing on
environment, housing, immigration and freedom of
Ironically, for Street Roots, it’s been a
the press. Our coverage is intended to give readers
banner year.
insight
not only into the facts about an issue, but
This year, Street Roots won several awards from
also empowerment on their role in reaching
the Society of Professional Journalists for ouf
reporting on the environment and crime and justice solutions.
We are building on à solid record. Our series on
issues, and our commentaries on homelessness and
the treatment of immigrant workers in our forests
housing. We helped play a leading role in passing
prompted lawmakers in Salem to review state
the Yes for Affordable Homes ballot measure that
standards
forestry
will give thousands of Portlanders
a safe for
place
to contractors. Our coverage on
call home.
We helped
provide
stable
housing for how Measure 11 charges are applied locally
revealed the social impact of racial disparities and
dozens of vendors
S h K B H H IM H m I
coetcive practices, along with the regressive impact
through our partnerships
of court-ordered economic sanctions on the poor.
in the community, and we
And our paper is leading the way on presenting the
helped hundreds more prevent homelessness
through the sale of the newspaper.
voices of the Native American communities, which
Street Roots’ work intersects many worlds,
have been at the forefront of environmental battles
including media, nonprofits, politics, poverty and
we all have a stake in. We also celebrate our
social justice. Our reporting is not just about the
diversity with our Planet Portland series, which
complexities of homelessness and poverty, but
dives into the life journeys that have led people to
extends into the wider network of the environment,
the City of Roses.
immigrant* nd refugees and the criminal justice
We will continue to be a platform for the issues
system.
affecting our communities of color, immigrants,
Street Roots bridges these worlds in a way that
LGBTQ - and all of us marginalized by economic
fulfills our mission: To provide income opportunities
and social disparity. There are so many stories,
for people experiencing homelessness and to
both unconventional and beautiful, that need to be
produce the best newspaper possible that are
shared.
catalysts for individual and social change.
Street Roots vendors will always remain a
The relationship with readers, businesses and
cornerstone of our paper. Vendors share their lives
vendors selling the newspaper help change the face
through the regular profiles, but also through their
of homelessness in pur community. In a city that
poetry and writings, which are featured in the paper
continues to be economically divided, Street Roots
is a forum to have both safe and challenging
and in limited-edition zines. It is some of the most
conversations about the problems and solutions we,- powerful writing you may read all year.
collectively face in our citjS
Indeed, 2016 was ¿ year rife with division bn a
In 2017, Street Roots will work to expand turf
national scale, and thére’s little hope of it receding
locations for vendors throughout the Portland
any time soon. So let’s work together to make 2017
metropolitan region. The city continues to change
a year of cooperation and progress. That doesn’t
rapidly, and it remains our top priority to offer,
mean we will always agree. In fact, we hope we
people experiencing homelessness the best location
don’t. The best ideas are borne from challenging
to maintain an income.
our preconceived notions and expectations, and
On the advocacy front, Street Roots will continue
from considering all sides of an issue.
to support the Welcome Home Coalition, a coalition
We head into 2017 with new leadership in our
with a goal of creating more affordable housing in
city and beyond, and change is inevitable. But what
our community. We will be a watchdog for the
we hope won’t change will be the civic and social
incoming mayor on homeless and housing policies,
engagement that pulses in this city - and its
work to shape conversations as they relate to
continued expansion. We trust the leadership of the
people on the streets, and maintain our support for
city will continue to push reforms within our
the Oregon Housing Alliance’s work in Salem.
institutions and foster greater involvement with the
Street Roots has a track record of maintaining and
driving advocacy efforts that show results. We will
next generation of Portlanders. And we hope our
continue to do so.
vendors and our mission will have your continued
With all the noise about fake news, Street Roots
support as we move forward.
is rededicating itself to providing quality journalism
United we will stand.
F
EDITORTAT
A
JK m I nm F mi
Write In
If you would like
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to have
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something
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thatyou’ve
written published
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in our pages, or would
like 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 availabte.
Street Roots
211 NW Davis Si. -
Portland, OR 97209
503-228-5657
Fax:503-227-3117
www.streetroots.org
www.news.streetroots.org :
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Mott-Fri., 7:30
a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. and 7:30-11 a,m. Sun.
Advertising
interested in advertising in Street Hoots?
Contact Israel Bayer at israet@streettoots.org
Staff
Executive Director Israel Bayer
israelteetiw te.org
Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl
joanne@streetroots.org
Vendor Program Director Cole Merkel
cpfe@streetroots.org
Operations Director Sarah Beecroft
Development Director Sarah Cloud
Program Assistant Meghann Van Pelf
Jesuit Volunteer
Development Assistant Patricia Romero
Reporters Emily Green, Suzanne Zalokar,
Sarah Hansell, Leonora Ko, Jared Paben,
Amanda Waldroupe, Stephen Quirke
Photographers Diego Diaz, Joe Glode
Editorial Assistant Monica Kwasnik
Canvasser Desmond Hardison
Board of Directors
Chairman Brad Taylor
Vice-Chairman Rachel Langford
Treasu rer Heather Stadick .
Secretary Dan Jones
Directors Rich Rodgers, Michael Anderson,
Leo Rhodes, Sandra Hahn, John Brown, Marcus
Swift
Volunteers
L eft to right: Street Roots vendors Paulette Bade, Michelle H., M ayor Charlie Hales on tu r f w ith vendor M arlon Crump. &
W I K cc r R O O T S PHOTOS
Jan Bayer, John Barker, Stacey Heath, Anjali Rathore,
Zoe Kitngmann, Dan Jones, Dennis Hogan, Monica
McKune, Susan Wolfe, Lucas Hawthorne, Thomas
Buell Jr., Jeanie Lunsford, Yasmin Amirsoleymani,
Jason Cohen, Tom Ray, Doug Spangle, Susannah
Kamala, Jon Raymond, Diana Richardson, Cherie
Manning, Paul and Madeline Gefroh, Mary Anne
Joyce, Faye Powell Anne Reif, Barbara Buono, Gillian
Florerr, 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.