Spotlight: Spent the Rent Podcast – Local Voices of Eugene & Springfield
- Patty Rose
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
When I started Spent the Rent Podcast, it wasn’t with a corporate budget or a media team—it was with a barber’s paycheck, a secondhand mic, and a stubborn belief that the voices of Lane County matter. I wanted to give space to people whose stories often get overlooked, and I’ve built strpod.com into the home base where those voices live. (More below)
This journey hasn’t been easy. Being hyper-local means constant uphill battles for funding and recognition, and now I’m facing a new challenge: vision loss that has shaken my life in ways I never expected. That’s why I’ve opened a GoFundMe (linked right on my homepage), not just to keep the podcast alive, but to help me fight through the uncertainty of my eyesight while continuing the work I love.
You can stream Spent the Rent Podcast right on strpod.com or find it everywhere you normally listen: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. However you tune in, every play helps amplify the voices of Eugene and Springfield.
What is
Spent the Rent Podcast?
Spent the Rent Podcast is an independent, Eugene-based show that highlights the stories of underrepresented people in Lane County. From musicians and professors to activists, volunteers, and local leaders, each episode builds a living archive of voices shaping Oregon today.
Spotlight Episodes Worth Exploring
Endr Won — Eugene hip-hop artist whose raw honesty defined the spirit of the podcast from day one.
Chief Shearer (2020) — Springfield Police Chief in a candid conversation about accountability and community in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
Blair Hickok — Volunteer with Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, showing how grassroots action keeps people fed and connected.
Jason Kellogg — Creator of County Boy Gas Garage on YouTube, bringing humor, grit, and working-class wisdom to the mic.
Brody Jansen — Oregon musician committed to keeping the local scene alive in a corporate-driven music world.
Ben Saunders (University of Oregon) — Comics scholar and professor who connects literature, pop culture, and Eugene’s creative spirit.
André Sirois (University of Oregon) — DJ, filmmaker, and educator who brings hip-hop history and multimedia storytelling into the classroom and the community.
Mayor Kaarin Knudson — A landmark guest whose episode explored leadership, redemption, and organizing in Eugene beyond politics as usual.
Why STRPOD.com Matters
Strpod.com isn’t just a website—it’s the hub for everything connected to the show:
Episodes — Stream full podcasts or watch embedded video interviews.
Show Notes — Access resources, links, and local context connected to each guest.
Spotlights & Blog — Extended stories like this one, digging deeper into why each episode matters.
Support Options — Patreon for steady, monthly support, and a GoFundMe on the homepage to help me cover the costs of podcasting while facing vision loss.
Community Connection — A direct way to reach out for collaborations, interviews, and local partnerships.
Why Independent Local Media in Eugene Matters
Most big podcasts chase national headlines and huge audiences. Spent the Rent Podcast chooses depth over scale. By focusing on Eugene and Springfield, the show captures stories that national outlets overlook but locals can’t afford to forget.
Independent podcasts like this are vital because they:
Give platforms to underrepresented voices
Hold space for hard but necessary conversations
Celebrate the arts, culture, and music scenes unique to Lane County
Build a community archive of local history in real time
How You Can Support
If the show resonates with you, there are two main ways to help keep it alive:
Patreon — Small monthly pledges that provide consistent support for producing future episodes.
GoFundMe — Linked on the homepage, created to help me navigate vision loss while continuing to tell Lane County’s stories. https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-patrick-stay-under-a-roof
Final Word
Every episode of Spent the Rent Podcast proves that local voices matter. Eugene and Springfield deserve a mic that amplifies their struggles, their art, their leadership, and their everyday lives.
Start at strpod.com. Listen, share, and support. Together, we can keep independent local media alive.
Watch my interview with Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/live/wnBHm-xRfiA?si=R4CQ42KTAap-lUML
Comments