Howdy, neighbor!
Street Books is now a full-fledged teenager, in the midst of wrapping up our 14th (!) summer outside. So please excuse the change in our voice.
My name is Yimei (pronounced ee-may). I'm the Communications Coordinator and a Street Librarian. I'll be writing some of these dispatches from time to time, and bringing a dose of the streets to your screens.
We've been keeping real busy this summer, but here are some highlights from the past three months. We put 4,000 books into circulation, and distributed countless cases of waterbottles, hygiene supplies, cooling towels, first aid, and 800+ doses of naloxone (Narcan).
Thanks in part to the advocacy of our Community Outreach Director Diana, our longtime library patron Jerry was able to move inside this summer. And thanks to all of you Street Books supporters, Jerry was able to immediately get almost everything on his wishlist (medical supplies, a bed, a desk, cooking utensils, and more).
Our library patron Kelli kicked off our Pedalpalooza ride this year with three original poems, about being a lesbian, about being homeless, about being human.
She said, in a way, they were all Street Books poems, because they were written with pens and paper that came from us.
We couldn't do the work we do without you.
Your support through the years has given our patrons not only access to books and stories, but also the means to write their own. Thank you!
Documentary Screening
Before Jerry moved inside, we connected him with Humans for Housing, who featured him in their documentary No Place to Grow Old, which explores the rising senior homelessness crisis and its systemic causes. They gave Jerry space to tell his story with dignity, and on September 27th, you can see him on the big screen at the Newmark Theater.
Museum Exhibit
Every Monday, our librarians run a shift in the South Park Blocks right near the Oregon Historical Society. We're so honored to be featured in their new permanent Rivers, Roses, and Rip City exhibit, which celebrates Portland, its varied communities, and the history of activism that has transformed the city.