Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 1984)
P R O F I Cherry Hartman is moving on hired administrator. See Just Out. Vol. 1. No. 20 .) Recruitment is still underway for Hart man's counseling director position. "It's a wonderful job — other people haven’t noticed that. We’ve been very fortunate in getting competent counselors, so the pro gram will stay intact," Hartman Commented on the future of Phoenix Rising. Hartman says that in the four years of Phoenix Rising's existence, substantial gains have been made in the relations between gay men and lesbians in the Portland community. "There was a m an/wom an split at the begin ning, but our very successful Tuesday night group helped a lot The Tuesday nights are a growth and social group, the people trust each other and work together. It is a way of coming out and building social networks and it is fun. And there’s the freshness of people who are not professional counselors. The Tuesday groups are run by people who have b y Ja y Brow n When Cherry Hartman first heard that a lesbian and gay social service agency was being created by the now defunct Portland Town Council, she went after the job of run ning the counseling program. “I was the best person to do it," Hartman said. Hartman had more than ten years of ex perience in counseling; she had worked in children’s welfare for three years in Grants Pass right after college and had originated and run the counseling program for Luthe ran Family Services in the Portland Metro area for eight years. Her experience and her feminist politics proved a winning combina tion for the fledgling organization. Cherry Hartman has always been a political person and she has always been a public person, “when I lived in Grants Pass, I was one of only three single women in town. It’s very conservative there. I finally had to move to Ashland and commute to work in Grants Pass,” Hartman commented. Back in the early seventies, when this writer was living in Southern Oregon as a publicly gay person, Cherry Hartman’s name was mentioned in many conversations I had with people in Ashland. She left the area just about the time I moved there so I didn’t meet her until after I had come to Portland, but her name was familiar. She had left her mark there and was remembered for her activism in the human rights struggle. In the late seventies Portland Town Council was offered a substantial sum of money to establish a social service organization to pro vide counseling for the lesbian and gay com munity in Oregon. That organization became the Town Council Foundation and was one of the first gay non-profits in the nation. "At that time there was open discrimination against gay non-profit organizations,” Hartman added. The Town Council Foundation became an entity separate from the Portland Town Council, and for a time the name similarity caused quite a bit of confusion in the com munity. " . . . so we had a naming contest and Phoenix Rising was the winning name," “Hartman said. Phoenix Rising lost its major funding source about a year and a half after the pro gram was founded. Since the summer of 1981, Phoenix Rising has depended on counseling fees, private donations and infre quent small grants. The program’s staff con sists of seven counselors, an administrator and the director of counseling. The program also utilizes fifteen paraprofessionals who run the Tuesday night groups, Phoenix Rising’s successful and long-lasting social growth program. Hartman has been the only counseling di rector at Phoenix Rising in its four year history and she will be leaving the position in Sep tember. Hartman’s immediate plans include a doctorate on the sociology of women which she will pursue at the University of Oregon in Eugene. “Maybe Liz and I will go to Europe. We want to take our bicycles and travel around,’ Hartman said with a twinkle in her eye. "After four years," Hartman says, "it’s time to give it up. It’s time for someone else to bring in new energy. It’s time for someone new, with fresh ideas. I feel good that Helen [ Lottridge ] is there; Phoenix Rising is in good hands.” (Lottridge is Phoenix Rising’s newly- been through the program and are trained to lead the groups," Hartman explained. Hartman s job at Phoenix Rising involved her in many activities in the wider commun ity: she has talked to students in high schools and colleges in the area. She has counseled staff at local hospitals as well as professional organizations such as the Oregon Personnel and Guidance Association and the National Association of Social Workers in ways to im prove relations with the gay community. What are Cherry Hartman’s long-range plans? “There must be room for openly gay people in Eugene." Hartman says. "There are many professional lesbians down there. But they don’t have much openness or political power." Whatever she decides to do in the future, we can be assured that Cherry Hartman will be in the forefront of the struggle. As she always has been. WIN A LABOR DAY PICNIC!! | You Can Win All olthe Following Items] II Your Entry Is Drawn ! 1 lb French Lincet Brie Abiqua French Bread 1 pt Mamasita's Fresh Hot Salsa 2 lb Nature s Snacks Bulk Tortilla Chips $5 of Fresh Organically Grown Produce 16 07. North Farms Salad Dressing 2 qt Knudsen s Natural Lemonade 500 Generic Napkins Large Beach Umbrella & Hain Cooler Bag 2 cans Cornucopia Natural Pet Food 16 oz Real Aloe Vera Gel YOUR C H O IC E OF: 2 lb Oregon Homegrown Chemical Free Hamburger or 2 lb Shelton s Chemical Free Turkey Franks or 6 Turtle Island Barbeque Tempeh Burgers (Milk Creek Whole Wheat Buns included) Grand Opening New On The West Side 715 SW Salmon LE YOUR C H O IC E OF. 10 lb Royal Oak Mesquite Briquets & Charcoal Lighter or 1 BasketLand Woven Picnic Basket YOUR C H O IC E OF: 2 pt Haaqen Dazs or Double Rainbow Ice Cream or 1 qt Alta Dena Frozen Yogurt or 2 pt Ice Bean Non Dairy Frozen Dessert Open 11-11 Contest Closes A t 1 2:0 0 Noon Saturday, Septem ber 1 s t!! Daily FOOD FRONT irinnhe^mcTmoute COOPERATIVE GROCERY Fresh Whole Foods «Satisfaction Guaranteed Open 7 days, 9 a m. to 8 p m. 2675 NW Thurman 222-5658 TRI-MET BUS 53 SUMMER P IC N IC CONTEST ENTR Y FORM Name : 3553 SE HAWTHORNE 232-6588 Just Out, August 17-August 31.1<?84 715 SW SALMON 228-3491 _______________________________ ________________ I Address: Saturday Phone Num ber: _____________________ ____________ Dnjfj (hit mnh y turn in the contest box at Food Front /W o r e noon on Saturday, Sept 1. Winner will be notified Saturday afternoon. Limit: One entry blank per visit enter as niton as you simp 5