Roberta Bear

Robert Bear passed away in 2015. We miss her dearly.


My name is Roberta “Bobbi” Bear. I am 56 years old and from Chicago, Illinois. I moved to DC in 1984. I love Chinese food and action movies.

I have been a vendor for Street Sense for two years. I’m proud of my work and it brings me joy.

But it hasn’t always been a source of joy. When I first started selling papers near the Van Ness Metro stop, I was very sensitive and had my feelings hurt a lot. It was hard for me to talk to strangers and it made me sad when they ignored me.

I hated it when people put their hands out to block my face. It made me cry. I would still wish them a nice day, though.

Now it’s not as hard. I’ve gotten to know the area and have even started to develop some regular clientele. If I work long enough, I can make up to $30 per day. All the while I’ve been going through domestic violence, but I’ve still been coming a long way with my mental health issues.