Page 34
M
a r t in
L u t h e r K in g J r .
January 13. 2010
201O s p e c ia l ed itio n
Poverty and Civil Rights
■ * '
Street Roots puts homelessness in focus
by J ake
T homas
T he P ortland O bserver
On a wet morning in Portland’s
Old Town neighborhood, a small
parade of scruffy men- some
wearing beards or mustaches,
some with ponchos and knit caps-
scuffle in and out of an office
carrying stacks of papers wrapped
in plastic.
This is the office of Street Roots,
Portland’s very own “street pa-
per.” For about 10 years, the pa-
per has grown from its humble
origins into a sharp paper that has
helped scores of down-and-out
people-
Street papers are unique social
enterprises that have been steadily
springing up in cities in almost
every continent. The model of
such ventures is simple: They sell
stacks of papers to the homeless
and indigent, who then sell them
on street corners at a higher price,
Vendors pocket any profit made,
and sometimes use it as a stepping
stone to get off the street,
continued
on page 40
3 * •
Fourth Annual Drum Major
Ecumenical Service
Presented By Vancouver Avenue
First Baptist Church,
J.W. Matt Hennessee, Senior Pastor
photo by J ake T homas /T he
ream
Homeless veteran Larry Reynolds sells Street Roots for
extra income. The paper sells for a buck, which helps
people like Reynolds stay afloat.
Police Taken to Task
continued
Honoring the lives and legacies
of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,
Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks,
Yolanda D. King
Sunday, January 17, 2010
3:00 p.m.
Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church
3138 N. Vancouver Ave., Portland, Oregon 97227
Featuring:
Keynote speaker: Oregon Attorney General
John Kroger • 2010 Drum Major Awards •
Faith Community Representatives •
Dignitaries • Local Musicians
Free-Will Offering Supports The Drum Major Scholarship Program
For Information Contact Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church
at 503.282.9496 • www.vancouveravechurch.org
P ortland O bserver
from page 2
dent reveals greater danger to
Portland's black community.
“Is it safe for a Black Ameri
can to be in Portland, Oregon?”
Henry asks.
The letter requests written
answers for a series of ques
tions concerning the incident, as
well as whether or not the police
union was perm itted for the
march and if it violated any con
tracts or codes by marching.
“OABA believes that this
display o f a police march and
rally was designed to question
civilian authority over them.
W hen police officers take this
approach, all citizens' civil right
come into question,” concludes
the letter.
NMMM
Students Honor King
continued
from page 17
variety of projects are being
planned with the help of Hands
On G reater Portland and the
United Way of the C olum bia-
Willamette.
The projects include refur
bishing schools and com m u
nity centers as well as support
ing organizations such as the
Humane Society, O regon Food
Bank, Community Cycling Cen
ter, and Oregon M entors. M any
com m unity organizations use
the day as a springboard for
year-round civic action, includ
ing signing up m entors, tutors
and youth to take pledges of
nonviolence.
Area colleges participating in
the service day include George
Fox University, Lewis and Clark
College, Washington State Uni
versity-Vancouver, Linfield Col
lege, Mt. Hood Community Col
lege, M ultnom ah U niversity,
Portland Community College,
Portland State University, Reed
College, Willamette University,
U n iv ersity o f P o rtlan d and
W arner Pacific College.