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Eric Brown
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500 WE Multnomah
Portland. OR 972$?
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Today you'll find a lot of companies that say they
can help you create a financial plan. And you'll find
even more that want to sell you mutual funds. But
wouldn't it make sense to talk to someone with a
proven track record of doing both?
7
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Stephanie C ho focuses on
prescription drug, food
stamp and welfare issues
T
hanks to queer A sian activist
much a big deal for me. A lot of times organiza
Stephanie C ho, underrepresented
tions ask you to choose between being queer or
voices in low-income and ethnic
being a person of color, as if you can’t be both.
minority communities are gaining
But everything is connected.”
skills to build their political power.
C h o notes a subtle and socially acceptable
T h e 26-year-old works for Oregon A ction, a
form o f racism called cultural appropriation.
statewide nonprofit that fights for econom ic jus
“People identify as people of color— like being
tice. Its strategy is to teach people the political
1/18 Cherokee or Asian.”
skills they need for organizing and lobbying.
But, C ho says, they only want to be involved
C ho’s job is to show low-income Portlanders
with the positive parts of that minority group, not
how to build their leadership on prescription drug,
the negative aspects. “People get Asian tattoos or
food stamp and welfare issues.
go on Native American vision
She has a rich history in social
quests but don’t understand
justice organizing, having
the context.”
worked with the Asian Family
C ho was disappointed with
Center, Sexual Minority Youth
the recent Creating Change
Recreation Center and Flavors.
conference’s
anti-racism
Her successes at Oregon
theme. “All these things—
Action include helping organ
sexism,
racism,
hom o
ize a well-attended candidates
phobia— they are all tied
forum last summer. She want
together; they aren’t separated
ed members of underserved
out. It’s like, OK, now this year
communities to grill the politi
we will do anti-racism. By
cal hopefuls about how they
focusing on anti-racism, it
would make prescription drugs
becomes more for white peo
more accessible.
ple than for empowering peo
“Most of the people who
ple of color."
by
N
a
ta
lie
S
h
a
p
iro
came were from Northeast
And, she says, issues such
Portland,” she says. “W e also
as sexism weren’t addressed.
provided transportation and picked up people
“T h e workshop for Asian Americans was most
from Alberta Simmons [Plaza] and Columbia
ly guys, and they did all the talking.” •
Villa— 300 people cam e!”
Unfortunately, C ho says there was some
Additionally, C h o does outreach to get eth
backlash to empowering people o f color at the
nic minorities involved in decision making. She
conference. She gave a workshop and asked that
only ethnic minorities answer a particular ques
helped initiate a people of color committee for
the Northwest Federation o f Com m unity
tion. “I heard later that some people were offend
Organizations, a regional group to which Oregon
ed, saying, ‘W hy can’t J answer the question?’ ”
A ction belongs.
A nother example o f racism C ho and other
queers o f color face in Portland is a lack o f pub
She also makes sure ethnic minorities are
lic places to socialize. “If I go to the E Room,
involved in policy decisions and research. “We
there are hardly any people o f color there— it’s
say ‘health care for everybody,’ but that tends to
not my community,” she says.
imply white people; it leaves out people o f
C h o used to frequent the Players Club.
color.” Because there is a dearth of ethnic
minorities attending policy-making meetings,
“There were a lot of women of color there, but
it got closed down due to the fights.”
C ho says they often feel excluded.
She says nightclubs frequented by people of
Oregon A ction has had success in involving
color are closed down more often than those fre
people of color in the organization. T he Port
quented by whites. “There are fights at the E Room
land hoard has a 6 0-40 ratio o f nonwhite to
and at Ringlers, but they don’t get shut down.”
white members.
C ho, who was adopted from Korea by a
Statewide, Oregon A ction recently passed
white couple in the United States, also is inter
affirmative action policies, one stipulating that
ested in transracial adoption issues. She says
it will not endorse candidates or campaigns if
many queers want to adopt children from for
they are weak on race issues, even if they are
eign countries to give them an opportunity for a
strong on econom ic justice. Still, the nonprofit
good life but are not able to deal with racial
has its shortcomings, C h o admits, such as a lack
issues that com e up. “Queer oppression is differ
o f organizing for trans people.
ent than racial oppression,” she warns. J H
She is out to everybody at work. “T h e staff is
gay, and the leaders [the people she organizes]
For more information about OREGON ACTION
don’t care. Sometimes they question if the word
‘queer’ is derogatory, but that’s all.”
call 503-282-6588 or visit the Internet site
www.oregonaction. org.
For C ho, racism seems to be a bigger issue
and something she experiences more in her
N atalie S hapiro is a Portland free-lance writer.
daily life than homophobia, which is “not as
A P iece
of THE
A ction
Stephanie Cho works
to give the marginalized
a powerful voice
Waddell & Reed has been providing sound
advice and solid investment products for
more than 60 years. Eric can take you
through a step by-step process to
create a plan specifically tailored
to your family's personal needs
and goals.
For investing, with a plan
call Eric Brown today.
Mutual funds Investing
Investments for Retirement Income
IRAs and Roth IRAs
Retirement Planning
IRA Rollovers
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Working with the Gay and
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for ovei Ten Years
Savings Plans for College
Investing. With a plan.
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