Street Papers: The Story Behind the Stories

by Israel Bayer

category: Street Papers

Published June 29, 2009 @ 04:18AM PT

What is a street newspaper?

It's simple. Street newspapers are independent newspapers and magazines that provide a unique work model for people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Vendors buy the newspaper for a portion of the cover price, and then sell the newspaper to the broader community, keeping the proceeds.

There are currently 101 streets newspapers in cities in 37 counties around the world.

Street newspapers tend to thrive in cities that have a high volume of walking and/or bike traffic, and an adequate public transportation system. All of these elements allow for vendors selling the newspaper to be mobile and more important, it allows them to engage with other people living and working in the community.

Each newspaper exists locally in any number of political and cultural environments, often times working with a small team of dedicated staff and volunteers, to produce a newspaper or magazine with individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty.

For years, street newspapers existed in a vacuum and more or less were left to their own devices. That's changing. It's a movement that is one the verge of coming into its own.

At Street Roots in Portland, Oregon, we have around 80 vendors selling the newspaper throughout the city. Vendors typically sell the newspaper at busy intersections downtown and at lively neighborhood grocery stores, libraries, coffee shops, and other locations that attract walking traffic. People experiencing homeless and poverty are able to make money to survive and build self-confidence through the relationships built with customers. We also work with and highlight the voices of the streets through poetry, opinion pieces and artwork. It's about making human connections.

We are a modest and hard working publication that works on a fairly small budget. We believe in using quality journalism and community voices, including folks on the streets, to dig down deep to the heart of issues.

We are not alone. Street Roots belongs to both the North American Street Newspaper Association and the International Network of Street Papers, both of which produce the Street News Service (SNS).

The Street News Service is an online news agency that brings together the best of the street paper journalism from around the world. Each street newspaper has the ability to share news and community voices, giving newspapers the ability to share real life stories and poverty news happening around the world.

Alone, we are only one voice in one community. Together we are able to cover regional, national or global politics, including policies effecting homelessness, immigration, and gentrification, to name a few.

Megaphone in Vancouver B.C. has been producing award winning journalism. Real Change in Seattle, the same.

Both Seattle and Vancouver share many of the same values and cultural traits as Portland. People are interested. It gives Portlanders insight to our sister cities that you're not going to find in other print media in Portland.  It's a win-win.

The reporting ultimately leads to educating readers about a variety of topics, and gives people an opportunity to take action.

For example, the Managing Editor of Street Roots, Joanne Zuhl, has been locked into an investigative piece over the past month about 300 families in NW Oregon that are losing their housing. The story has morphed into a grassroots advocacy effort led by dozens of organizations around the country to save the families from homelessness.

In U.S. and Canada, these regional and global partnerships are not isolated to the Pacific Northwest. Street newspapers in cities throughout the world are using a network to build relationships by sharing best practices, technology, fundraising and vendor tips, content and connecting with each other via the web.

My goal for this column will be to bring Change.org readers closer to the street newspaper movement by highlighting news and vendor voices that are having a social and political impact in communities around the world.  I hope you will join me.