Taking Journalism to the Streets of Portland

 "The social change is in your pocket."

This is the slogan I've been playing with in my mind recently as I begin my summer project with the Portland newspaper, Street Roots. In hopes of keeping busy and building my journalism portfolio this summer, I contacted the non-profit organization, asking if I could aid them in any way while developing my video production skills. After meeting with Executive Director Israel Bayer, we decided that I will make short promotional videos for the newspaper explaining what it does and how Portland readers have received it. The paper's mission is to "create income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and poverty by producing a newspaper and other media that are catalysts for individual and social change." 

Basically, the newspaper functions as a sort of halfway house or in-between for people who have gone through major setbacks in life – mental and physical disabilities, alcohol and drug issues, layoffs – and have taken it upon themselves to turn their lives around. The newspaper is not a handout; vendors must work for their earnings. The newspaper is run by a small staff who writes the majority of the content, designs, and prints the paper. The vendors then buy the newspaper for 25 cents (to cover printing costs) and resell it on the streets of Portland for the suggested price of $1, which allows them to pocket 75 cents per paper. In this way, the producers of the newspaper lose no money, and the vendors must be personally responsible for their sales.

Vendors sell their newspapers to on the streets of Portland to earn money.

Which is why I think this system is so great. I have heard people say too many times that homeless are lazy people. They deserve no welfare and should just "get a job." However, after talking with numerous vendors, I believe that for the most part, the homeless are no more lazy than the average American; they just happen to either possess much less to begin with, and/or suffer from mental handicaps and disabilities. They have not made the best decisions and they admit to that. I asked them what their lowest point in life was, and they all answered "living on the streets." I can't even begin to imagine what that's like. They described it as cold and frightening, not knowing what's coming next. One man named Charlie described how he had always wanted to travel as a child. He laughed because he described that after he became homeless, he traveled all the time: down south to Texas in the winter, farther north to Seattle and Portland in the summer. 

After working at Street Roots, some of them earn enough to find cheap housing and/or afford food. When I asked them what brought them to the streets in the first place, they would stare off into space with a distant look and think for a minute before answering. I assured them they didn't have to answer, but today every one of them did. Drugs, alcohol, loss of jobs. Making bad decisions. Things they weren't proud of. For some of them, Street Roots is a temporary job as they look to find something more permanent. For others who are older or disabled, this is enough for them. It's more than they could have asked for, and they expressed their gratefulness. Personally, I can't imagine a life where the best I could wish for myself is selling newspapers on a street corner everyday. But for them, it's good. It's work. It gives them the chance to interact with customers and form friendships. They are a working part of society, not feeling helpless on the streets. The office provides a place to get warm and use a computer. Their priorities may not match mine, but they are happy and most definitely not lazy.

After conducting the first of my interviews for my project for Street Roots today, I feel much more comfortable talking with these people. Where at first I was a bit apprehensive, by the end of each interview I practically forgot their situations. I felt that I was having a conversation with an individual whose life had just as much value as mine. As much as I didn't want to, I went into the project with a bias. I still have a bias, and I always will, being a middle-class white girl with enough money to attend university. It's natural that I feel very disconnected from any situation these people have had to deal with. However, at least I can recognize this and strive to overcome it as I continue my project. I enjoy conversing with the street vendors and look forward to working with them more.

And I wish them the best of luck because they deserve it.

For more information, visit: http://streetroots.org/