New issue of Street Roots on the streets!

Street Roots bumperstickers are selling fast. Ask your neighborhood vendor for the stickers and show your support of Street Roots by putting one on your car, school folder, filing cabinet, bike, co-workers’ desk or all of the above!

Monica Goracke with the Oregon Law Center held a “Know Your Rights” training this month with vendors. More than 20 vendors were in attendance asking questions about their rights regarding sleeping out doors and selling the newspaper. A big thanks to Monica for taking time out of her busy schedule to do a training for us.

We are excited to announce a benefit concert with Jim Page and Artis the Spoonman sponsored by The Portland Mercury on Thursday, April 5, at the Clinton Street Theater. Jim and Artis are both world-renowned Northwest musicians living in Seattle. We appreciate their energy and them coming down for the show. It seems like a perfect fit for SR and Dignity Village to be doing a benefit concert together considering that more than seven years ago the first planning meetings for starting a tent city in Portland happened at Street Roots. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at Street Roots by calling 503-228-5657 or at the Clinton Street Box Office at 2522 SE Clinton. By coming to see some great music you will be helping the organizations go a long way in continuing the work we do in the community. (For more information, see the ad on page 3.)

Street Roots is also excited to announce that we will be hosting the 2007 North American Street Newspaper Association conference from July 26-29 at Portland State University. Representatives from more than 37 papers throughout North America will converge on the City of Roses. The conference’s focus this year will be on technical assistance, capacity building, messaging, and networking. Look for more information and ways to get involved in upcoming issues of the paper and on our Web site, www.streetroots.org. If you are a local business or donor and wish to contribute by becoming a sponsor, please give us a call or e-mail us at the office. We will be soliciting donors and businesses to work with us to create T-shirts, promotional materials, breakfasts, lunch and dinners. Last year’s international conference in Montreal was a hoot and we are planning for the same in P-town this year.



This issue's feature is on Fuego - an organization tapping into traditional healing practices to reach at-risk youth. Also - a great Q & A with Bioethicist Dr. Steven H. Miles called The Tortuter's Apprentice, and a piece by Heather Lyons with the Bureau of Housing and Community Development. This week's editorial has Street Roots take on the recently released homelessness numbers. You can read the editorial here:

Homeless figures only paint only part of the picture