Simcha “bRidgeCrane” Johnson says a lot of people see them as normal and engaged. It’s this engagement that earned them their nickname.

In 2016, when outgoing mayor Charlie Hales decided to approve a new union contract for the Portland Police Bureau, Simcha said they and other activists saw this as an attempt to ram the terms through without any public pressure on the mayor. Simcha joined other protestors at a City Council meeting, but they said they were pushed out because attendees could only testify on the agenda, which concerned a bridge crane. Undeterred, Simcha got creative in how to protest while staying on topic.

“I can’t remember exactly,” Simcha said. “But I said something like ‘I’m a bridge crane,’ before going on with what I came to say.”

Adopted at birth, Simcha was born outside Chicago but moved frequently, living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York and North Carolina.

“In kindergarten, I did an art project with clay,” Simcha said. “I moved, and the school was supposed to send me it in the mail. But by the time they did, I’d already moved again.”

Eventually, Simcha’s family settled in Michigan, where they attended college. Simcha said they disappointed their parents when they came out as gay, and then dropped out.

“I studied nothing in college,” Simcha said. “I studied coming out.”

While living in Florida in their twenties, Simcha said they had an experience with the local police department that ended in a criminal conviction that follows them to this day. They said it’s caused them to avoid what they call the “lottery” of affordable housing. Simcha said the barriers they face are part of what has led them toward activism.

“The safety net hasn’t saved me from being homeless,” Simcha said. “I have my own set of challenges, and I’m navigating the system. It’s not easy, but if you give up, they’ll let you die.”

A vendor for a little more than a year, Simcha sells Street Roots around the downtown area and said they can most often be found on public transit.

“The reputation of the paper precedes the interactions I have,” Simcha said. “It helps people feel more confident about putting money in the hands of the poor, and that’s always a nice feeling.”

Simcha said they admire Street Roots for its approach to activism around homelessness.

“It’s a positive way for those of us with that lived experience to channel our energy,” they said. “The staff here have accumulated enough wisdom to not just realize a situation is messed up. They have specifics of what to do about it.”

Simcha said they’re especially proud of Street Roots’ severe weather program, which helps vendors during winter storms and extreme heat when selling papers is difficult.

“I love that our community has that kind of resilience,” Simcha said. “At Street Roots, we have a functional blend of optimism and realism. It keeps some people from relapsing into substance abuse or less constructive behaviors. If something happened and Street Roots disappeared, a lot of people might be lost in despair.”

Simcha said they spend as much of their free time as they can online.

“I’m a nerd, but I find the internet more enticing than games,” they said. “It’s easier for me to go down a YouTube wormhole than playing ‘Skyrim.’”

In addition to their time selling Street Roots, Simcha works as a waste picker for Ground Score. Although their income isn’t enough to keep them housed, they maintain a positive attitude.

“I feel like I have a skillset for living differently,” Simcha said. “I’m doing awesome.”

Street Roots is an award-winning weekly investigative publication covering economic, environmental and social inequity. The newspaper is sold in Portland, Oregon, by people experiencing homelessness and/or extreme poverty as means of earning an income with dignity. Street Roots newspaper operates independently of Street Roots advocacy and is a part of the Street Roots organization. Learn more about Street Roots. Support your community newspaper by making a one-time or recurring gift today.