Street roots., November 17, 2017, Page 7, Image 7

Street Roots • Nov. 17-23 2017
News
Page 7
Kaia Sand named Street Roots' executive director
B Y STREET R O O T S STAFF
treet Roots is pleased to announce
that, after a national search, Kaia
Sand has been hired to serve as
executive director, effective Dec. 6.
Sand has worked with people
experiencing homelessness and poverty
both as an employee and a volunteer,
applying her artistry and community
organizing skills to various projects,
including the Oregon Nikkei Legacy
Center’s public poetry project in
partnership with Street Roots, Sisters of
the Road and Transition Projects.
Sand co-founded the Right 2 Survive
Ambassador Program with Lisa Fay to
create opportunities for the larger
community to learn from the expertise of
people on the streets. They hosted the
Light the Hearth arts festival last May in
----------- ¿ma____ ___ 2SL
the Pearl District, where Street Roots
Kaia Sand
Vendor Poets performed, as well as p:ear
youth artists.
Roots executive director and to lead the
Sand began her work with people on the
organization in its next chapter.
streets in Portland two decades ago as a
Said one of the vendors who participated
volunteer in street
in the final round of interviews,
outreach for Yellow
“She seems like she’s been tailor-
*Tltere%
m
iic
h
we
Brick Road.
made for this position.”
can
de
together
te
The author of three
“Kaia is a deep and curious
c re a tiv e ly address
books of poetry and
listener, a skilled storyteller and a
the co-author of
homelessness and
strong advocate who has a history
“Landscapes of
of using her voice to strengthen
poverty? w ith Street
Dissent,” she has
the voices of others,” said Brad
Beets* w a d e rs play-
taught at Portland
Taylor, Board Chair with Street
la g an Im p o rta a t
State University,
Roots. “We enthusiastically
r
e
le
"
w elcom e h e r le a d e rsh ip an d h e r
Pacific University,
sense of purpose to Street Roots,
Willamette University
and we look forward to her
and St. Mary’s College
enriching and inspiring our
of Maryland. She has
community of vendors, staff and donors.”
performed and taught internationally,
“I’m proud to build from Israel Bayer’s
including in England, Ireland and Brazil,
extraordinary leadership of Street Roots,”
where she created art with Rio de Janeiro
said Sand. “There’s much we can do
street vendor Marcia Rodrigues Braga.
together to creatively address homelessness
Sand is highly qualified to serve as Street
S
ïl
and poverty, with Street Roots’ vendors
playing an important role.”
Outgoing Executive Director Israel Bayer
said, “I believe Kaia will be both a friend to
the poor and a strong advocate, while
helping lead Street Roots into the next era.
It’s an exciting time in the street newspaper
movement both in Portland and beyond. I
couldn’t be more thrilled to pass the torch
to Kaia.”
Bayer’s last date with Street Roots will be
in mid-December.
Street Roots was established in 1999 with
five vendors and a handful of volunteers. At
that time, Street Roots was a monthly
newspaper with a press run of 2,000
papers. Today, Street Roots is an award­
winning weekly street newspaper with a
readership of 20,000 readers online and in
print. The organization serves more than
160 vendors experiencing homelessness
and poverty who sell the newspaper at more
than 70 locations throughout the Portland
region.
Street Roots is a member of the Society
of Professional Journalists and a founding
member of the Welcome Home Coalition, a
coalition working to secure revenue for
affordable housing and homeless services in
the Portland region. Street Roots is also a
member of the International Network of
Street Papers, a global movement working
to empower people experiencing
homelessness.
“Kaia brings to Street R oots a new
energy and outlook on what is possible for
our organization,” said Joanne Zuhl, Street
Roots’ executive editor. “While readers can
expect the same great journalism in our
newspaper, we are excited to welcome the
new perspectives that Kaia will bring to our
advocacy and Street Roots’ vital role in the
community.”
W > . 'i l l
--'1 . Ayï; ' "
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The Smile
by Ron Sanford
I love the human race, warts and all.
Just laugh with those who laugh and
Mourn with those who mourn.
A smile means so much especially from
The one that you love.
My friends know how to smile without
Faking it. I wish everybody could be like
That, happy and free, no hang ups
No keeping up appearances, content and
Comfortable in their own skin. Real
People that I was destined to meet.
We will be friends forevermore.