Dear Boiler Room, I am deeply saddened to learn that you will no longer be able to service the community. You all have been an inspiration to me. Last year on February 22 – my 37th birthday – I had discovered a hidden talent, and that is karaoke. Truth be ...
19 Sep 2016 - Marlon Crump
Vendor Harry Richards got his apartment keys this past week and has moved inside. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Street Roots!” Harry said. “Through my own hard work, I’m back inside! Street Roots supported me and kept me in papers when I had hard time ...
17 Sep 2015 - Street Roots Staff
“I started selling newspapers. I felt that I had a purpose in life, that dying was not a good idea.” Billy Meyer has lost family members, but he has found a new family. His first family adopted him when he and his twin sister were 3 days old. “I grew up ...
3 Sep 2015 - Leonora Ko
Michael Krieger has an electrifying connection to a popular reality show. “You ever hear of that guy?” Michael asks. “The Cake Boss? He’s on TLC.” He explains: “I’m an electrician by trade. (The Cake Boss) has a huge building where he makes all of his pas ...
20 Jul 2015 - Leonora Ko
Bruce Heino, one of Street Roots’ original vendors, passed away on July 6, 2015 after a long fight with cancer. What follows is a personal letter from one of his customers, who was by his side during the last days of his life. When I moved to Portland, I ...
17 Jul 2015 -
Michael Votta passed away on Portland’s streets last week. He was an artist and a friend to many people, inside and out. For many, Michael’s life represents the failure of a system to help thousands of people suffering to find stability and housing. They ...
16 Jul 2015 - Israel Bayer
Fluffy Seymour has found a place where he can be himself. He grew up in the California foothills and came out when he was around 12 years old. To protect him, his mom moved the family to urban Sacramento, a more liberal community. “She’s big, she loves me ...
10 Jul 2015 - Leonora Ko
Vendor Rick Phillips says goodbye to his best friend and sidekick, Randy the dog Many of you probably have seen me and my dog the past two years selling Street Roots at Whole Foods and Powell’s Bookstore. I am saddened to tell you Randy was laid to rest J ...
6 Jul 2015 - Rick Phillips
"The houseless community is full of all different types of people, but the key is that we’re people" Brian Castor is houseless and a model neighbor. “I keep my roll military-tight, so everything is straight and even. Both me and my girl have OCD ...
6 Jul 2015 - Leonora Ko
The activist talks home, activism and engagement from the streets When Amber Dunks sits down for her interview, she is clearly exhausted. She explains that while her fiancé has a job, he returns late, and last night they had a difficult time finding a s ...
29 May 2015 - Leonora Ko