Vulnerable People and Places Blog

  A lot of our perception of the homeless that we currently have has been propagandized or semi unrealistic notions. I'm sure we've all been told at one point in our lives when coming to portland “Portland is dangerous” “the homeless are dangerous” "you'll get drugged and robbed” A lot of these talking points have been exaggerated to sell a news story , although while these things are said with an intent to keep you safe; it instead causes more fear and and stigmas against homeless people.  These assumptions have caused people to be less willing to help a homeless person on the street or consider making a small donation to a charity or facility. Oregon as well has a problem with upkeeping shelters and facilities open for longer than a year and with significant cuts and reductions many people never end up back on their feet. In particular the Portland metro area is going through a significant job crisis that is impacting hundreds of Portland residents and according to t...

  Rakai (far left), a Twitch streamer and content creator, slams a turkey onto a dining table as others watch and record. (Screenshot from YouTube) Social media has reached a point where almost anything can become entertainment, including wasting perfectly good food. During a livestream involving streamers Rakai and Deshae Frost, Rakai was seen throwing food around at Deshae's family home. While some viewers might have found the situation funny, I think it raises a bigger question: Why has wasting food become something people are willing to do just to entertain an audience? Watch the clip: Rakai and Deshae Frost Thanksgiving I'm not saying every joke involving food is a serious problem. People mess around, and sometimes things get out of hand. However, there's a difference between accidentally wasting food and deliberately treating it like something disposable because people are watching. When influencers do this on camera, they're turning wastefulness into part of the...

  Homelessness remains at the forefront of Oregon’s policy concerns. This is especially pertinent given the context of the midterm elections, as homelessness sits as the top issue for a third of Portlanders. The situation seems to be getting worse. Recent data on homelessness also shows the issue intensifying in Multnomah County, with a 29% increase from January 2025 to January 2026. Increasing worries surrounding homelessness bring about questions surrounding housing access and how that has affected unhoused Oregonians. Data collection on unhoused people in Oregon has massively improved in recent years. Though statistics are more accurate, the new collection method has contributed to spikes in Oregon compared to the rest of the country. This improved data collection has contributed to a better ability for local governments to coordinate with both shelters and unhoused people. In Central Oregon, this has led to a 20% decrease in the homeless population from 2025 to 2026. However, i...

Housing First Program: Is it an effective way to end homelessness? Homelessness is a debilitating experience for individuals that can deeply traumatize and impact one’s quality of life, as well as the safety and experience of people living in urban cities such as Portland. The Housing First program has been adopted in many cities as a potential solution to the homelessness crisis, aiming to address the issue at its source by providing housing first, and other mental or rehabilitation services second to individuals in need.  The idea behind this program is the assumption that no one can heal or recover from mental health or substance abuse issues without having their basic human needs met such as a safe and stable shelter. The organization “Path Home” offers rapid rehousing services and claims housing as a “human right”. I would argue in support of these types of organizations as I fully believe every human deserves access to safe and sustainable housing, health care, and food. Rese...

  Why AI Will Have a Difficult Time Replacing Creative Careers Artificial intelligence has the ability to produce images, write stories, generate music, edit videos, and assist with graphic design. Because of these advancements, many artists are concerned that AI could eventually take over in creative careers. However, having the capacity to generate creative content won’t be enough to allow AI to replace a creative’s mastermind that works in creative industries. There’s more to a creative approach than just producing a finished product. Graphic designers, writers, filmmakers, animators, musicians, photographers, and other creative professionals often execute their ideas through different experiences, audiences, cultures, emotions, and personal perspectives. For example, a designer often prioritizes on a set of goal that expands beyond visually attractive. They start to recognize what a client wants and narrows down to the intended audience, respond to feedback, solve problems, rec...

  How AI Is Changing Education? Artificial intelligence is quickly introducing new ways for students to learn that influences how teachers approach education. Tools that now feature AI can help students research topics, understand difficult concepts, brainstorm ideas, and receive feedback more efficiently than a traditional approach. For teachers, AI can provide more developing lessons and learning materials as well as finding new ways to support students with different learning needs. However, the constant rise of AI also raises concerns about how much students should rely on it. Once they get used to generating an answer in a span of a few seconds, students may use it as a replacement for researching, writing, and solving problems themselves. This encourages people to ask an important question regarding education: How can schools use AI without allowing it to replace critical thinking? According to UNESCO, generative AI can potentially be beneficial to students, teachers, and res...

    AI is everywhere in our lives whether we like it or not. People use it every day for all kinds of simple tasks. Yet, there are a growing number of people who use AI to help not only with organizing data and making suggestions, but also with managing their own mental health. In these cases, the AI acts as a “virtual therapist” to provide counsel for those seeking help. This seems like an appealing solution at first. Mental health resources are becoming more expensive and less accessible over time. Appointments can take months and even years to follow through. In that time, people might spiral and see their mental condition worsen without professional intervention. AI can combat these issues by being a readily available and comparatively cheap resource. However, there are quite a few dangers and downsides that come with turning a virtual chatbot into a therapist in lieu of a real professional. Firstly, AI chatbots and LLMs are prone to inaccurate assessments. Studies have fo...