Being Homeless in Portland, Oregon

conditions of these mini homeless cities or the sheer number of them throughout Portland. These lawless encampments are riddled with trash and filled with human suffering. They occupy a spot in almost every neighbourhood and are becoming an increasingly alarming reality for city residents.

focus on declaring a major. The lures of first year have worn off and invitations to honours programs and internships can look like a fantasy if grades are slipping. Time flies as the calendar months flip by, and before you know it, the midterm is replaced with the final exam. Sophomores have been described as the “middle children of higher education,” in the Daily Emerald. Maybe that is why someone neglected to tell me about second-year slump.

I can get through two semesters. In the big picture, the difficulty that I am experiencing will end just like any other school year does. While it certainly does not feel like it when the apex of my ability to conquer university seemingly happened in my first year, I know that my slump is only temporary. My sense of success is subjective, but I am successful this year, even if I trick myself into thinking that I am not. This may not be the zenith of my university years, but at the end of the day, if I want to reach the summit, I have to keep looking up.

Portland, Oregon. A tale of two cities. One side is rich with high-rises and upper-class citizens to go with them, reflecting off the beautiful Colorado river which runs through the city. The other is a sea of tents, comprised of impoverished people without homes living in the tarp-covered structures that are spread out across the cityscape. These small villages of tents offer a grim look into deep-seated problems in the city of Portland.

What does it mean to be homeless though? What kind of reality is faced by people every day who are without a set place to live? Portland has made being homeless easier than most places. With the legalization of “urban camping” in 2014, those who suffered from the affordable housing shortage in Portland took to camping out in the city. Yet the core of the problem is not solved, and the homeless population continues to suffer because of it. The homeless population usually includes those outcasted from society. On the streets, many homeless people suffer from trauma, substance abuse, and family conflict. They are abandoned by society and many walk by these human beings ignoring the faces of isolation and depression that look back at them.

The sad reality is that Portland has become an unrealistic, unaffordable place to live, with the cost of living 27 per cent higher than the average across the U.S. There are some who choose to be homeless, living in these camps due to the high cost of actually living in a house or apartment in the city. It is a sad reality, although increasingly common. Since 2019, there has been a 30 percent increase in homelessness in Portland.

find the key which frees a person. Nothing less than lifetime devotion to solving these problems in each individual case is what is required.

“The sad reality is that Portland has become an unrealistic, unaffordable place to live, with the cost of living 27 per cent higher than the average across the U.S. There are some who choose to be homeless, living in these camps due to the high cost of actually living in a house or apartment in the city.”

Portland, Oregon. A place where penthouses look down on loosely structured shelters, built with nothing more than a tarp and pieces of plywood. The contrast in class is perfectly showcased when venturing through Portland. The rich remain rich, and the poor become homeless.

Venturing through Portland, one can see how these villages have become ingrained into the topography. It is hard to comprehend or put into words the living

However, the mayor of Portland, Ted Wheeler, is poised to aid the homeless population. His proposed solution would see new housing developments, more work opportunities for those unhoused, and requests for more funding to aid the homeless. This ambitious plan is a good step forward, yet the cycle of poverty is a strongly-built cage, and it is not always so easy to

CanWest Takeover: Women’s and Men’s Volleyball Play for Gold in Canada West Finals

Julianne Jones

Editor’s Note: This article written was prior to the National Championship

It is that time of year. The men’s and women’s volleyball teams successfully made it to the Canada West finals and are on the road to Nationals!

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

On March 11, the Spartans women’s volleyball team faced the Mount Royal Cougars in the Canada West Finals. Going into the game with a 36–3 overall record and ranked No. 1 in U Sports, another CanWest title looked promising.

Nevertheless, the Cougars have been in close competition with the Spartans in the past. On the national stage, the Spartans faced the Cougars in the gold-winning game at nationals in 2022. The Spartans have remained victorious against the Cougars this season with a 4–0 record throughout the 2022/2023 season.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

back on top. Senior players Jesse Elser and Brodie Hofer are also playing an important role in this, as they continue to lead their team to victory before they graduate.

The Cougars put up a great fight—specifically in the second set. Middle blocker Nyadholi Thokbaum seemed to hold down the fort for the Cougars. Thokbaum was the leading scorer of the night for the Cougars with 11 kills and 6 blocks—keeping Spartans’ middle blocker Kaylee Plouffe on her toes.

After losing the first set 25–18, the Cougars stepped up in the second set and challenged the Spartans by going on multiple runs. It was a game of ping pong with the score going back and forth between the Cougars leading to the Spartans leading. The Spartans came out with a 5–1 lead with the Cougars quickly getting ahead with a 12–4 run. The set ended in a riveting final score of 25–22.

Even though the Cougars and Spartans maintained a suspenseful game that left the audience on edge, the Spartans pulled a three straight-set win to end the night.

This was not just any regular win. This was the fourth consecutive CanWest title for the women’s team, meaning they will enter the U Sports Championship as the No. 1 seed. This has been a historical career for senior players Ansah Odoom, Emma Gamache, Savannah Purdy, Meaghan Mealey, Dora Komlodi, and Mikayla Clay—so you can imagine their anticipation as they fight for another national title.

Coming off a national championship in the 2021/2022 season, the Spartans are ready to come home with another banner. Given their undeniable passion and skill this season, it is easy to trust that the Spartans will capture the title of “national champs” once again.

On March 10, the men’s volleyball team faced No. 1 ranked team, the University of Alberta Golden Bears, in the gold-medal match for the CanWest title.

The outcome of this game was more uncertain than usual. The Bears have been the Spartans’ toughest competitors in recent years but have fallen to the Spartans in their last two gold-medal matches for the CanWest title (2020 and 2022). Nevertheless, the Bears came in with a 4–0 record for playoffs—ready to capture a fifth win before heading to nationals.

The game was off to a rough start for the Spartans, falling 25–11 against the Bears. Nevertheless, the Spartans dusted themselves off for the second set and achieved a nail-biting 23–25 win. Unfortunately, the Spartans failed to maintain that energy and fell to the Bears in sets three and four.

Going into the tournament, the Spartans were faced with unfortunate circumstances. Middle blocker Cory Schoenherr was down for the count with an injury. Schoenherr has stepped up as a crucial player in the front row this season, so losing him in the tournament required adjustment for the rest of the team.

Despite this, outside hitter Brodie Hofer made sure to show up for the CanWest finals with 24 kills and 2 blocks. Henry Rempel also made an influential appearance against the Bears with nine kills and six digs.

The Spartans are in a transitional period right now. After losing long-term coach Ben Josephson and graduated players like Derek Epp, Jackson Howe, Colton Loewen, and Jordan Schnitzer, interim coach Adam Schreimer is working hard to get the Spartans

With all this being said, the Spartans still have a great chance of achieving a national title. Despite losing to the Bears in the national championship last season, the Spartans are undoubtedly prepared to reclaim victory. Going into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed, the Spartans will have to work hard to find themselves in the finals again.

“The Spartans are in a transitional period right now. After losing longterm coach Ben Josephson and graduated players like Derek Epp, Jackson Howe, Colton Loewen, and Jordan Schnitzer, interim coach Adam Schreimer is working hard to get the Spartans back on top.

My prediction is that the Spartans will face Alberta in a fight for the national title again. All we can do is hope that the Spartans will win their quarter-finals and semifinals so that we get another chance on the national stage.