Spotlight: Interview with Joanne Zuhl, Street Roots Executive Editor

Photo from Streetroots.org

I had the privilege to talk to Joanne Zuhl, the Executive Editor of Street Roots. Joanne has been a professional journalist since 1993 and left Wisconsin to do nonprofit work in Portland. I wanted to ask her a little bit about what the project is and how she feels about her involvement. We also discussed a bit about what others can do to help in this important project!

1. In your words, what is Street Roots’ general mission?

            Our organizational mission: Street Roots creates income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness and poverty by producing a newspaper and other media that are catalysts for individual and social change.

As a newspaper, we have a mission to inform and educate, to tell a story you might not hear anywhere else, and arm people with the facts they need to push for social justice.

2. What inspired you to get involved with Street Roots?

            I had been a journalist for many years before moving to Portland to be closer to my family. I wanted to get into nonprofit work, and newspapers were all I knew, so I started volunteering at a time when the organization was all volunteer, but about to become something more. I became committed to the community the paper served and the power of a newspaper in its most essential form, writing about real issues of social and economic justice. The potential for impact was enormous and so much is still ahead. That’s inspiring.

3. What do you find personally most rewarding from being apart of this organization?

Seeing lives change. Every year, vendors’ lives change, either they reach sobriety, they get legal issues resolved, they raise the money they needed to get their ID restored, or the bus ticket to family, or even get into an apartment. You can even see a change when someone simply feels human again, and knows they are part of a community that cares about them.

It’s also rewarding to see our journalism have an impact. When stories compel lawmakers and the community to take action and improve the world around them, that feels good.

4. What is the best or easiest way for people to get involved that want to help but don’t know how?

Buy the paper. Say hello to your neighborhood vendor, pick up a copy of Street Roots and read it. And come back next week. That relationship with the vendor is a big part of our impact in the community. It’s amazing what a smile, a greeting and simply listening to can to break down class barriers and build community.

And like a lot of organizations, we have volunteers who help out at our front desk and for events.

5. How can those who need help from Street Roots, like those in poverty or homeless, easily find help?

If you’re talking about Street Roots specifically, that would be through our vendor program. To become a vendor, there are no barriers - no need for ID, no money up front, people just need to attend an orientation. We do orientations twice a week, and it takes about an hour. Then vendors are then given 10 free papers, a badge, and consultation to identify a good location to sell the paper. The office also provides phones and computers for vendors, and hospitality from 7:30-9 a.m. every morning, 7 days a week. That helps vendors stay in communication with other services. And donations keep us stocked with basic hygiene needs, hats, gloves, etc.

Street Roots also publishes the Rose City Resource, a 104-page guide listing resources for people experiencing homelessness and poverty in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties. We publish about 180,000 each year, distributed free to people in need. (We also have them at our office, if you want to come get one.)

  

6. What is a lasting message or impression you want to leave with others who want to learn more about Street Roots?

An impression? That treating people with dignity is the first step in changing lives. The trauma of poverty and homelessness doesn’t happen all at once. It builds over months and years. Likewise, healing takes time.

And dignity means, in part, listening to the voices of people experiencing poverty and homelessness. There is a lot we call can learn.

And, as I have often said, journalism alone isn’t going to change the world, but without it, nothing will. 

Beautiful words to end a beautiful discussion. Special thanks for Joanne for her participation in this short interview.