Leah Riedlinger

Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Leah Riedlinger arrived in Eugene with her family at age one. She played soccer at Buena Vista Elementary and Monroe Middle School, but switched to cross country as a sophomore at Sheldon High. “I spent the next summer in Alaska, packing fish,” she says. “I came back, took three extra classes and graduated after my junior year.” She spent one year in Texas (“because I like country music”) and worked in a restaurant, then started college at Southern Oregon University in Ashland. “They had a cool ethics program,” she says. “I decided to be a philosophy major.” She studied Spanish and theology for a year at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador, and worked for Pedalers Express in Eugene while completing a BA in philosophy at the University of Oregon. Afterwards, she had jobs with nonprofit groups in Portland and spent three years in a Buddhist monastery in Okayama, Japan. “I was on track for ordainment as a nun,” she says, but instead she returned to Eugene in 2013 and found work as a case manager with Catholic Community Services. “I liked working there. I was given the names of people at the [Eugene] Mission or living in a tent, and I worked to help them get approved for rentals.” She is currently enrolled in grad school at Portland State and designing research projects in Eugene to facilitate communication between the unhoused and people living more privileged lives. On Wednesday, Nov. 29, she will host a Lunch Match event, a free luncheon and workshop for around 40 participants, both housed and unhoused who will share personal stories and solutions-forward conversation. Registration is required. For information, email lunchmatcheugene@gmail.com.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!