Scott Bradley is a pastor at AS IS church and the Executive Director of the HOPE Center PDX in the Rockwood neighborhood in the Gresham-Portland, Oregon area of East Multnomah County. Rockwood is one of the most diverse and one of the most violent neighborhoods in East County, Scott is also a CrossFit competitor and coach at Underground PDX, a gym that he founded in Rockwood.

Mario Reyes is a second generation immigrant whose parents are from Mexico. At thirteen-years-old, living in Rockwood, he met Scott, who served as his mentor.. Ten years later, Mario is now an Underground PDX coach and mentor and serves his community through the Hope Center.

Both Scott and Mario have a history of significant childhood trauma and they have struggled with substance use. They have both been in and out of the criminal justice system. After turning their lives around, they now serve as leaders in the Rockwood community. They share their respective stories and personal journeys in this episode.

• Our Team - AS IS CHURCH - Sharing God's Love
• THE UNDERGROUND PDX - Home
• https://www.hopecenterpdx.org
• https://www.instagram.com/theundergroundpdx?igsh=MWdlZG83bThyaWVsZg==
• https://www.instagram.com/scottbradley73?igsh=Z2V1azR0NWlzdmVw
• https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Factor-Scott-Bradley/dp/1257821857

Lance Orton is the Executive Director of CityTeam Portland, which provides addiction and homelessness services. Lance is a self-described opioid addict who found himself homeless on the streets of Portland. He attained sobriety through CityTeam. Lance says that 76% of CityTeam’s graduates are working and sober.

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-orton
• https://www.cityteam.org/give-help/portland
• https://x.com/rationalinpdx/status/1795318576049795471?s=46
• https://www.shelterportland.org/our-team
• https://open.spotify.com/episode/02m0lAsOya245ZuD6XMMOL?si=eg93gp7TT62VEK-Hmbl-3Q

Dan Ryan is a Portland City Councilor for District 2. Dan is the only Portland City Councilor who ran for re-election in the last election cycle. Portland recently restructured its city government and Dan talks about serving under the new city structure, his goals and priorities, what he's learned from his constituents, the things he's excited about in Portland, and more. Our mayor is coming out with his budget soon, and Dan shares what he is hopeful will be prioritized and how he wants to help you make Portland stronger, even if you're not in his district.

• https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2025/04/23/council-requested-poll-show-portlanders-would-prefer-cuts-to-police-over-parks-and-fire/
• https://www.portland.gov/council/districts/2/dan-ryan
• https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/testimony-registration
• https://futureportland.org
• https://www.oregonlive.com/news/2021/01/portland-commissioner-dan-ryans-home-vandalized-7-times-since-october-he-says.html?outputType=amp
• https://trimet.org/about/board.htm
• https://multco.us/info/public-testimony-webform
• https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2025/04/trimet-ridership-remains-down-by-a-third-from-2019-and-the-recovery-is-slowing.html?outputType=amp
• https://news.trimet.org/2023/03/trimet-participates-in-first-of-its-kind-multi-agency-study-addressing-drug-use-on-transit-systems/
• https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2023/09/researchers-find-meth-fentanyl-cocaine-residue-on-trimet-max-trains.html?outputType=amp
• https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/08/11/black-portlanders-are-more-likely-to-be-murdered-than-their-peers-in-cities-better-known-for-crime/
• https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-maintenance-infrasturucture-backlog-auditors-report-mayor/283-8f31c7f0-cff1-4786-9895-58359df44c6a

Dr. Eric Fruits, Ph.D., is an economist who specializes in economics, finance, and statistics. He is an adjunct professor in Economics and Finance at Portland State University and an adjunct scholar at Cascade Policy Institute. He also serves as an expert witness in court cases. Dr. Fruits talks about the Portland Public Schools bond, various local taxes in the Portland area, Trump's tariffs, and more. Andy Chandler from NW Fresh co-hosts.

• https://web.pdx.edu/~fruits/
• https://laweconcenter.org/author/ericfruits/
• https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/04/05/preschool-for-all-tax-data-shows-shrinking-number-of-high-earners-pay-the-levy/
• https://www.wweek.com/news/schools/2025/04/08/preschool-for-all-had-485-million-left-in-its-coffers-after-fiscal-year-2024/
• https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2025/04/03/dunphy-morillo-and-novick-propose-increasing-retail-climate-tax-to-plug-citys-budget-hole/
• https://www.portland.gov/bps/cleanenergy/faqs-about-pcef
• https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2024/01/28/heres-who-isnt-paying-portlands-clean-energy-sales-tax/
• https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/04/24/portland-officials-neglected-street-paving-for-decades-now-your-tires-pay-the-price/
• https://www.wweek.com/news/2025/03/12/how-walt-bowens-big-bet-on-a-ritz-carlton-hotel-and-condos-crapped-out/
• https://www.wweek.com/news/2025/03/12/how-walt-bowens-big-bet-on-a-ritz-carlton-hotel-and-condos-crapped-out/
• https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/metro-events/March-10_Metro-President-Work-Group-Agenda.pdf
• https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/metro-events/March-10_Metro-President-Work-Group-Agenda.pdf

Jill Souede was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Portland City Councilor Dan Ryan. She has a Master’s in Strategic Communications from the University of Oregon and did her undergraduate work at Portland State University. In this episode, she reveals her experience with the inner workings of Portland City Hall. She also talks about the evolution of Portland that she’s witnessed since childhood, how Portland can be better, civic engagement, and more.

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillsouede
• https://open.spotify.com/episode/3chlLxy3L1B6brjuRB2Pqo?si=ExD75M3nQl6goJjbtAsOFQ
• https://www.instagram.com/daddybreon?igsh=eDkycWpnd2F3czU0
• https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/briefs/nick-kristof-returning-to-the-new-york-times-after-failed-run-for-oregon-governor/
• https://www.portland.gov/council/districts/2/dan-ryan
• Mayor Ted Wheeler Says Sam Adams Was Asked to Resign for a Pattern of ‘Bullying’ and ‘Intimidation’ That Was Documented by the Human Resources Bureau
• https://open.spotify.com/episode/7LRopCUjCcWAinYaO0ooOg?si=rbe6ylvAQ6iuwcW7iz11tw
• https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Pt8RQciLnIJrtyKWNkMHw?si=K7IusL3nRNybYeETpc4ElA
• https://www.portland.gov/council-clerk/testimony-registration
• https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4m94lCOY10kcH-ufAjNIh1ntElCElA4_&si=NrUhoGbEpgqQiFhK
• https://youtu.be/sLTqIaKGo5s?si=0C5WkRN-sqW-n4_t
• Abundance - Kindle edition by Klein, Ezra, Thompson, Derek. Politics & Social Sciences Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
• https://multco.us/info/public-testimony-webform

Loudaquinn Whatley, known as Juma Blaq, is a rapper, community and civic leader, music producer, videographer, song writer, DJ, sound engineer, husband, and dad of 5. Juma did media and videography for Portland City Council candidate Terrence Hayes. Juma currently serves on Portland’s Focused Intervention Community Oversight Group (FITCOG), which works with the mayor and Portland Police Bureau to reduce gun violence in Portland. He also works with the City of Tigard on facilitating community events focused on diversity.

• https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCKOXk1SeZy/?igsh=MWZwOWIwem85cHRqbg==

• https://www.instagram.com/jumablaq?igsh=MTJpcWcza3kwMGVlbw==

• https://youtu.be/QJLghX7psfg?si=lEkc4DB7kd3e00xo

• https://youtube.com/@jumablaq?si=KCP9pAFzrMsFE1gP

• Portland Hip Hop Week Freestyle at KGW | kgw.com

• https://www.tigard-or.gov/explore-tigard/community-events/el-tigre-fest

• https://www.instagram.com/p/DFti_qhS6qm/?igsh=bGFoeGxncmVseGJz

• Juneteenth Celebration | City of Tigard

• https://open.spotify.com/episode/5jlgu1Y0UDpB2OQFpcb8q0?si=leunXq7IQ46RnWpPniJukA
• https://www.woodenfishpreschool.com

Jessica Elkan is the Executive Director of Portland's new ambitious project, the James Beard Public Market. Jessica talks about the status of the market, the history of James Beard, when Portland can expect the market to open, the concept behind it, and why this is such an important project for Oregon and for downtown Portland.

https://www.jamesbeardpublicmarket.com

Damian Bunting is a black private security guard in Portland, Oregon. Damian talks about learning jujitsu; how he was able to go to college; the mental illness and addiction crises on the streets of Portland; gun rights; his childhood; his parents’ advocacy for Bill Clinton, and more. Thanks to Andy Chandler from the podcast NW Fresh for co-hosting.

• https://youtube.com/@thesecurityguardchannel?si=3ZlIU9ZX1YEmicV
• https://www.instagram.com/atypical_security_guard?igsh=MWo1MTh4aWxndGRjNw==
• https://www.foxnews.com/video/6321482715112
• https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-slr61vygJ/?igsh=Z2ZsY3F3N2NnNG5k
• https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/multnomah-county-da-race-fact-checking-political-ad-nathan-vasquez/283-b060d1c3-790d-469b-8fbd-22d04dc7673b
• https://youtu.be/OV0Spgx7q3A?si=dMu5RyQer6CVT9ac

Hasaan Thomas is the star of the satirical web series, "Hasaan Hates Portland," which was created by his friend, Mischa Webley. Hasaan is also a professional marketing and branding expert. We talk about what it was like to create and film the show; how he comes up with creative branding ideas; what it's like to live as a black man in Portland, Oregon (the whitest big city in America); growing up with a father and a stepfather who were pro athletes; surviving an attempt at suicide; getting recognized in public; and so much more.

• https://www.tiktok.com/@hasaanhatesportland
• https://www.youtube.com/@JumptownTV
• https://www.instagram.com/hasaanhatesportland
• https://jumptownfilms.com/portland

Laura Curry describes herself as an itinerant artist and consultant. Laura has lived in various large cities throughout the world. She purchased a condominium in the Stadium neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, years ago when she was searching the United States for a pied-à-terre. She identifies as queer and has a daughter who is a person of color. Laura talks about the addiction and mental illness crises she regularly witnesses in her neighborhood and what she and her neighbors are trying to do about it. She also talks about why she believes that Multnomah County, where Portland is situated, is responsible for these crises.

• https://stadiumhood.org
• https://www.amazon.com/American-Psychosis-Government-Destroyed-Treatment/dp/0199988714
• https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDr_BcMvGjW/?igsh=MTU2ejBubmw2NTJ6bw==
• https://katu.com/news/local/multnomah-county-chair-does-walk-through-with-neighbors-outside-providence-park-jessica-vega-pederson-portland-city-council
• http://www.portlandpeoplesoutreach.org/#/