What's Next & How You Can Become a Street Wonk
Building inclusive democracy, local power, and a better future together!
"The learning process is something you can incite, literally incite, like a riot."
--Audre Lorde
Dear Reader,
I’m making some changes around here that I want everyone to know about, so whether you’re a new subscriber, subscribed but never cracked open an issue, or are a regular weekly reader, please keep reading!
First of all, thank you for being here! Let me tell you a little about Street Wonk. I started this newsletter because I wanted to continue to make myself useful after losing my seat on Portland City Council. However, my options were limited between the pandemic and caring for a high-risk family member. And then I discovered Substack.
As I am prone to do, I jumped into this project without fully considering the time and effort it would take to build something meaningful. There have been some fits and starts. But now that I’m back from an extended hiatus, I’m realizing how much I love doing this work on behalf of our community and that I’d like to continue and expand my efforts. I also know building community and local power will be critical in the coming years if we’re going to resist the far-right agenda and protect vulnerable community members.
Street Wonk isn’t just a newsletter but a space for people committed to understanding the complex political, social, economic, and environmental challenges we’re facing and an opportunity to learn, collaborate, and incite for a better future. Whether you're a policymaker, political activist, or concerned community member, there’s room for everyone here.
I created Street Wonk to bridge the gap between policies and the people they affect. I believe that informed, engaged communities can drive transformative change. You don’t need a degree to become an expert on the issues that affect you and your community!
Yours Truly,
Chloe
Current Content
Street Wonk explores how local issues intersect with public policy. The heart of Street Wonk is the Agenda Tracker. Every week, I comb through the dozens of items crossing the desks of our elected representatives at the city, county, and regional levels. I highlight the most notable among them, translate them into concise and accessible language, and offer context, commentary, and further reading. I also make it easy for readers to access the information they need to engage with our local governing bodies and get their voices heard.
Other content includes the newly renamed Civic Circuit, a monthly calendar of recommended events, occasional Detours where I take a deep dive into a single issue, organization, or individual, calls to action—Signal Boosts—as needed, and annual Voter Guides. I also maintain a Street Wonk shop on bookshop.org.
What’s Next?
With your support, Street Wonk will continue to grow and evolve; the more paid subscribers, the more time I can devote to this effort. As paid subscriptions grow, I’ll be adding the following sections:
Weekly Features
Street Smarts: A roundup of local news stories where I expand upon or talk back to local media.
The Traffic Report: Updates and outcomes on the issues covered in the Agenda Tracker.
Monthly Features
Sidewalk Talk: One-on-one interviews, walking or rolling on our city streets with the activists, advocates, and policymakers shaping our community.
Near Future
I’ll be launching a Street Wonk website in the next few months!
Someday
I dream of creating a real-life hub for learning, connection, and action, with meeting space, live events, book clubs, and more. After 20+ years of event organizing, I miss having a space to gather and present. Spaces like this are critical to civic culture, and they are becoming more scarce.
Free and Paid Subscriptions
Street Wonk’s current content is fully accessible to both free and paid subscribers, as I’m committed to building civic engagement and providing access to vital information. Paid subscriptions, starting at $5/month or $50/year, unlock additional features like commenting, future paid subscriber-only content, and access to the full archive.
Join the Street Wonk Gang!
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Ooooh, I didn’t know about the Street Wonk bookshop.org shop—guess it’s time to stock up on some revolutionary reading for the dark season!