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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 24, 2017)
Newspaper Newspaper expands scope, impact n the nearly three years since Street Roots became a weekly newspaper, we have expanded our role as an essential source for news and information on critical - and often overlooked - issues important to our community. After the 2016 elections, Street Roots renewed our commitment to covering issues we knew were going to be important in the year to come. We aligned our journalism around four pillars: climate change and the environment, free speech and freedom of the press, immigration and, of course housing. While our coverage is not exclusively on those topics, we view them as core responsibilities in our scope of reporting. On the environment, our investigation into the impact of Oregon’s cattle industry opened people’s eyes to the true cost of our love for beef and dairy. We’ve covered the forest industry like no other publication in the region, analyzing the management of one of our most precious resources and sifting through the arguments forest industry managers and environmentalists make for their future. We also introduced Portland area readers to The Valve Turners, a group of men and women who shut down the flow of tar sands oil into the United States from Canada. We’ve reported on the Native American communities’ efforts throughout the region to protect our natural resources against the fossil fuel and extraction industries. Our past year has meant a greater awareness on I the power of the press and the essence of free speech. We’ve been bringing readers the voices of people who are calling out truth to power, including “Evicted” author Matthew Desmond, consumer rights icon Ralph Nader and NARAL Pro-Choice American President Ilyse Hogue. And we brought you a primer from the Rural Organization Project on the political and social influence of the radical right across rural Oregon. On immigration, we’ve put a spotlight on recessive and damaging policies, while highlighting the remarkable and essential contributions of immigrants in our community. We’ve informed readers of the grassroots and legislative efforts in Oregon to protect farmworkers from harmful pesticides sprayed over their homes. And we’ve connected the dots on the profit motive behind incarcerating - indefinitely - immigrants arrested for violating civil immigration policy. And of course, we remain true to our roots in covering the issues of housing and homelessness, and elevating the voices of people living through the trauma of poverty. We’ve also made a more concerted effort to shepherd more vendor writings in the newspaper. While vendors have always been the poets of our team, we’re hoping to bring more long-form pieces to readers. In our opinion, works by Marlon Crump, Aileen McPherson, Maddy Brown-Clark and others are treasures among the published world of Portland. Street Roots strives to provide news and information with meaning - whether j t ’s as simple as Wh-rcï plugging into local culture or as complex as a lifelong commitment to changing the world around us. In the coming year, Street Roots pledges to continue raising the bar on independent, nonprofit journalism. We will continue to bring you the voices of marginalized populations. And we’re excited to announce that with a grant from Meyer Memorial Trust, we will be diving into the dynamics, challenges and opportunities in rural Oregon’s housing crisis. It’s not just a Portland problem. We’re looking forward to bringing you those stories - and so much more. Thank you for your continued support! About our vendors S “°9« it treet Roots provided a safe place for they are sick or in an extreme crisis with more than 700 people experiencing hotel stays. homelessness and poverty in 2015-16 - ■ Street Roots offered hospitality 365 including having access to computers, a days a year, rain or shine. mailing address, hygiene items, socks, fresh water, coffee (Thanks, Stumptown!) ■ Street Roots partnered with JOIN, and public restrooms. This past year: Northwest Pilot Project, Central City Concern and Transition Projects to ■ An average of 160 vendors sold Street facilitate preventing homelessness for Roots at nearly 100 locations throughout vendors and supporting new vendors in the Portland region. getting access to housing. ■ Street Roots launched a vendor health ■ Street Roots facilitated health care and wellness program to help vendors access for vendors working with our connect with the larger community. The partner at CareOregon. program supports vendors in participating in social events and hosts ■ Street Roots maintained a weekly parties for the vendors to connect writers’ group for Street Roots vendors. socially. ■ Street Roots published two zines ■ Street Roots maintained a vendor made of vendor poetry and artwork in health fund to support vendors when 2015-16.
