Amanda Waldroupe

An inaugural blog post: No turning back

amandawaldroupe — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:46:15 +0000

Here is a blog post I wrote for the student blog of the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies, where I am currently studying narrative journalism. I have decided that I am going to start being a little bit more bloggy, and will occasionally write (or think about writing) short blog posts that will appear on the front page of this site. Let me all know what you think; my email address is on the “contact” page. Enjoy, all!

I spent this week wracking my mind deciding what I was going to write my long, 3000-word story on. The deadline to get a pitch to our writing teacher was today. A parenthetical warning on the syllabus for today’s class–”No turning back!”–haunted my mind as I tried to calmly and objectively think about the four stories that were all contenders, tugging at my writer’s heart, vying to be the next three months of my life, winner of the Most Time Consuming and My New Love-Hate Relationship prizes. I kept thinking to myself “this one’s important, Waldroupe. You wanna publish this, and this is going to be the last time you ever have three months to work on one feature-length story. You can’t screw this one up.”

As the week went on, I learn that getting access to Oxycontin addicts or English-speaking Iraqi women or women in prison getting ready to re-enter society is going to be a bit trickier than I thought (what are bureaucrats for, after all?). No subjects emerge, key sources don’t call or email me back. In the end, I go with the story I have the most access to, and the one I have two interview transcripts for (another thing due in class today). It’s also the story my friends tell me sound the most interesting, so that’s something. I feel like I have been very dramatic about all this story picking stuff, and I’m not much for drama. The thing about drama is that it seems to always get smacked upside the head by cold, hard logic. Or, in this case, the existence of two interview transcripts.

“Shell Game” in Street Roots

amandawaldroupe — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:15:09 +0000

“Shell Game,” an investigative story I wrote for Street Roots is in the December 12 issue. The story reveals that many units of permanent supportive housing touted as “new” in Portland are not new, and are, in fact, units that have been “re-programmed” from units that served poor and homeless people in the past. Be sure to find a vendor and pick up a copy.

Story from Street Roots posted

amandawaldroupe — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:39:36 +0000

I have posted in the “Features” section of the journalism tab a story I wrote for the November 28 issue of Street Roots breaking news about the changes the Portland Police Bureau made to their guidelines regarding how to treat homeless camps in Portland. Torrid Joe of Loaded Orygun blogged on the story, and I’m quite proud of it. Check it out.

In the Portland Tribune

amandawaldroupe — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:48:48 +0000

A profile of Mark Stell and his company, Portland Roasting, was published in the Portland Tribune‘s Sustainable Life magazine this week. It’s free; check it out.

Adding, adding, adding

amandawaldroupe — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:59:40 +0000

As some of you may have noticed, not all of the stories I have written are on this website, including many features I have written for Street Roots. Not to worry, because I plan making a brave, fierce push this week to completely update the content of the website. Stay tuned!

Two (more) stories in Street Roots

amandawaldroupe — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:26:25 +0000

Two stories I’ve written–one on Portland’s new Human Rights Commission, and a second following up on my reporting about the city’s creation of a “Vulnerability Index” survey of the city’s homeless–are in the current issue of Street Roots. There is also awesome coverage by Mara Grunbaum on Portland’s Lone Fir Cemetery, and some of its inhabitants. I hope you’ll pick up a copy of the paper from a vendor, and enjoy.

Two stories in Street Roots

amandawaldroupe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:18:26 +0000

Two stories I have written, “Measuring our Vulnerability,” and a second story on the changes being made to Portland’s winter shelter system, are in the Halloween edition of Street Roots. Please give them a look, and remember that when you buy a copy of Street Roots from a vendor, you are helping someone end their homelessness.

Stories in Oregon Humanities

amandawaldroupe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:16:09 +0000

Check out my feature story “Not Rocking the Boat: how polite conversation is destroying democracy’s spirit” and profile of Bill Lang in the recently released Fall/Winter 2008 issue of Oregon Humanities. The theme is “civility.” Enjoy.

Note: Effective immediately, I will be updating this front page with new publications of mine. Keep your eyes peeled like bright orange carrots.

Welcome!

amandawaldroupe — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:23:10 +0000

Hello, and welcome to my website!

This is a recently launched experiment in the extent of my technological and internet skills, as well as an attempt to satisfy my desire to promote myself and my writing. As time passes, as it is wont to do, I will add content to each of the pages, both to keep myself off the street and keep you interested.

I hope you enjoy looking around. If you would like to get in touch with me, visit the contact page.

Yours true,

Amanda