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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 2018)
NEWS B Y TAY LO R G R I G G S UGANDA VOTE FOR HER! LCC student Noelyne Alitema represents Oregon in the Miss Uganda North America Competition P H O T O BY T O D D C O O P E R L ane Community College student Noelyne Alitema moved to the U.S. from Kampala, Uganda, in 2016. Now she is among 12 Ugandans living in North America who will be competing in Seattle Aug. 31 for the title of Miss Uganda North America. Alitema says she was surprised and excited to be picked as a contestant for the competition. “I didn’t expect it, I didn’t even know that I would do it,” she says. “All I had to do was fill in an application form and show what I’m interested in.” The winner participates the Miss Uganda North Amer- ica Cares Tour of Uganda to raise awareness of Uganda’s • The Eugene area recently lost two remarkable women, both in their 90s. Hope Press- man, who died earlier in the sum- mer, was a tireless advocate for the arts in Eugene and a key per- son in establishing the Wayne Morse Center of Law and Politics on the UO campus. “Kappy” Ea- ton, who died this month, spent her long life fighting for a civil tourism, charities, peoples and cultures, and she receives a scholarship from the Ugandan North American Association. This year’s pageant theme is “Our Voices Elevated.” One of Alitema’s main interests is clean water access. “In America, there’s clean water everywhere,” she says. “Back home, we have to walk miles to get clean water ac- cess.” This will be the main issue that she discusses as a competitor during the pageant. Alitema says she supports the mission of the pageant and hopes it will give her an opportunity to express her goals. “The main objective is to support young women living or studying in North America to achieve their education society through the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and her own powerful presence at every level of government. It’s time to salute them and to wel- come the young women walking in their footsteps. • Nationally, we lost Aretha Franklin, whose song “Re- spect” probably taught some kids to spell, but more impor- tantly was an anthem for femi- nism and civil rights. The queen of soul’s legacy lives on. • Climate change. We really can’t say it enough, especially when the fires around Oregon are causing our air quality to plummet. Almost all of Oregon is experiencing a drought, increas- ingly severe wildifires and an explosion of yellowjackets show- ing up in our yards searching for water. Environmental factors are even affecting the growth of Christmas trees in Pleasant Hill, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Go green, consume less, save energy and vote, damn it, and leadership goals,” Alitema says. “I wanted to make a change.” Another upside to the competition, Alitema says, is that it brings people together. “There are not very many Ugandans in the U.S., espe- cially in Eugene. I get to meet people from different states,” she says. “It brings about friends and it brings community. What people miss most is the feel of home.” ■ The 2018 Miss Uganda North America Leadership Program competition takes place Aug. 31 in Seattle. Vote for Alitema, contestant no. 7, at missug- northamerica.com. The competition is put on by the Inzozi Fashion House and Ugandan North American Association. because your vote affects how our government addresses cli- mate change. On Aug. 21, the EPA announced a plan to replace the Obama administration’s clean power climate change regula- tions. Voting matters. • In our Slant column last week, EW joined with what turned out to be about 400 papers, large and small, across the country to take on Donald Trump’s at- tacks on the media. We know some folks heard our message — we were listed on The New York Times’ website and showed up in a story in German magazine Der Spiegel. Did Trump hear or pay at- tention? Doubtful, but that just means newspapers and the peo- ple who read them need to shout louder and more often against the Trump administration’s at- tacks on immigrants, the media, the poor and pretty much anyone who tries to speak truth to power. • Speaking of Trump. Can you say unindicted co-conspirator? SLANT INCLUDES SHORT OPINION PIECES, OBSERVATIONS AND RUMOR-CHA SING NOTES COMPILED BY THE E W EDITORIAL BOARD. HEARD ANY GOOD RUMORS LATELY? CONTAC T EDITOR@EUGENE WEEKLY.COM Nominate your favorites now! BESTOFEUGENE.COM 8 A ugust 23, 2018 • eugeneweekly.com
