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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 2, 1978)
Cross burns in Portland, Oregon PORTLAND OBSERVER Votum« 8 No. 10 ThunxUy, March 2, 1978 10c ;mr co .y , Taylor head* Action Center R O SIE T A Y L O R [Photo: Charles Patterson) The Albina Action Center's new direc tor. Rosie Taylor, promises that it won't be difficult to find out what services are available through the Center’s programs. Ms. Taylor, who assumed the director ship recently after three years with the Urban League's N .E . Youth Service Center, observed that some social service organizations tend not to let their ser vices be known throughout the commu nity. That will not be the case with the Albina Action Center, according to Ms. Taylor. The programs which Ms. Taylor in- herets include dental and optométrie care, emergency fuel, community health and nutrition information, emergency food and fuel, weatherization assistance, and a youth program. The center has a staff of seven people. She hopes to begin a workshop pro gram soon which would include instruc tion and assistance in such areas as personal money management, energy conservation, job finding techniques, re sume w riting, and family nutrition. She also wants to create a referral system whereby the Center can put people in contact with other agencies or organiza tions which may provide a needed ser vice. H er goal, and the goal of the Center, she says, is to assist people to improve their living environment. Ms Taylor is a graduate of the University of Oregon, receiving a Bache lor’s Degree in Secondary Education. Prior to her work at the N .E . Youth Center, she taught at Jefferson High School. Salem Human Rights Commission sets hearings The Human Rights Commission for the City of Salem is holding a series of public hearings during February, March and April. The purpose of the bearing is two-fold: first, to give the people of Salem an opportunity to express their concerns in the area of human rights; and second, to let the community know that there is a Human Right Commission and what it can accomplish. The Commission is an advisory body to the Salem City Council and is comprised of nine concerned citizens who have a demonstrated interest in human rights. The members are all unpaid volunteers who are appointed by the M ayor for a three-year term . The Commission is authorized to deal with discrimination in the areas of employment, housing and public accommodations. Acting in its advisory capacity, the Commission makes recommendations to state and local gov ernment on action, policies and legislation which address human rights issues. Addi tionally, the Commission can investigate complaints of specific acts of discrimina tion and act as a mediator between the parties, taking whatever action is neces sary. These public hearings are designed to provide everyone with an opportunity to address the Commission. Anyone who OSP inmates invite Hooks Three hundred inmates of Oregon State Penitentiary have invited Benjamin Hooks, Executive Director of the N A A C P , to tour the penitentiary and meet with inmates during the N A A C P National Convention to be held in Port land this summer. The prisoners are asking Hooks to inform them of NAACP-corrections sy stems interaction and progress in other cities and to discuss specific issues of concern to them locally: Community involvement in corrections programs. Community health care. H alf way houses in the Black community. Education and the current focus of correctional change, and Legal assistance. According to Larry Baker, the Obser ver's inmate correspondent, who is spear heading the request, the O.S.P. inmates are particularly concerned with deter mining how the N A A C P can help them keep lines of communication with the community during their incarceration in order to aid their readjustment to the community upon release. The inmates believe the visit by Hooks to the penitentiary will call attention to the disproportionate number of Blacks in Oregon's penal institution and will en courage the prison administration to address the deficiencies in the corrections system in the handling of minorities. Court hears CR suit Motions in the class action suite filed against the I^abor Commissioner Bill Stevenson and Attorney General Jim Redden will be heard by Judge Juba at Room 512, Federal Courthouse, on March 6th at 1:30 p.m. The suit charges the state officials with purposefully neglecting their duty to en force civil rights law. The complainants are represented by Legal Aid and the American Civil Liberties Union. has problems in finding a job, housing, defending your rights or have been discriminated against because of race, religion or national origin, come and speak out. Come and share ideas with the Commission. r- - * The hearings will be very informal with everyone encouraged to participate. There will be complaint forms available for those who wish to register a specific complaint with the Human Rights Com mission. The hearing w ill be held on March 9. 1978, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Richmond School, 466 Richmond Avenue SE, Salem, Oregon. For further information contact Judy Neuman, City of Salem, 588-6162. AFSC rep speaks here Bill Sutherland, based in D ar es Sa laam, Tanzania as the Southern African affairs observer-consultant for the American Friends Service Committee, will be in Portland the week of March 6th through the 10th. Sutherland, an Afro-American who has lived and worked in Africa for 24 years, has been close to the liberation struggles in Southern Africa since 1974 when he became the A FSC representative. He brings to his involvement in Southern African issues his long experience in civil rights activities in the United States (he served a 38 month prison sentence between 1942 and 1945 for anti-World W ar I I and anti-racial discrimination activities) and over tw enty years of working with African leaders in Ghana and Tanzania. While in Portland Sutherland will be at PSU, Reed College and the King Neigh borhood Facility to discuss the liberation struggles in South Africa, Zimbawe (Rho desia) and Namibia (Southwest Africa). A cross was burned on the front lawn of Mrs. Carol Bryant, candidate for the Oregon legislature, District 14. Mrs. Bryant was alerted to the cross by a neighbor child who saw several white men light the cross and drive away in a light blue van. Mrs. Bryant, who Is a Democratic candidate for the seat now held by Dr. Howard Cherry, said she is sure the act was politically motivated. “I am sure my house was selected because of my politi cal activities. It just couldn't have been a random thing." “Racism is still very much alive in Portland," she said. “I believe this was done by only a few people and does not reflect the feelings of most of the residents of this district. Blacks and whites live and work together in this area with few problems.” The Portland Fire Bureau’s arson squad has sent the cross to the state crime lab for analysis and will be in charge of the criminal investigation. City Council approves Unthank demolition Portland Parks Commissioner Mildred Schwab got a cool reception at City Hall Wednesday, March 1st, for her $15,000 Unthank Park planning proposal. City Council colleagues M ayor Neil Gold schmidt and Public W orks Commissioner Connie McCready voiced opposition to Schwab's effort to ‘get a leg up' on other Parks projects. Schwab, who had intro duced the proposal as an emergency measure immediately sought to remove the emergency status and received a four to one favorable vote, with Commissioner McCready casting the negative vote. Emergency measures must pass unani mously. W ithout the emergency designs tion, the measure will require a majority for passage at next week's Council meeting. The Commissioner's emergency propo sal for $9,900 to remove the concrete maze, slides, spiral ramp and other large sculptured concrete play objects passed with no discussion. Goldschmidt was dubious that the proposal would result in an earlier re medy for the park’s problems. He observed that the Parks Capital Im prove ment Levy will go to the voters soon and that the City “is sixty days away from seeing the whole package." He was critical of Parks personnel assurances that construction money would be avail able when the planning was completed. And he wanted to know which projects would lose funding if the Bureau did finance Unthank's construction. Schwab, whose Commission position is up for election this year, has been meeting with Albina Fair Share and Boise Neighborhood Association groups for the past two weeks in an effort to revamp Unthank. The park, termed “suicide park” even before the collapse of a swing support which caused a child’s death last year, has been the object of neighborhood criticism because of the unsuitability of the large concrete play structures, poor lighting, and inadequate supervision and maintenance. Although not expressing support of Schwab’s plan, Commissioner Charles Jordan noted that the community in volvement generated by Albina Fair Share’s meeting of last Wednesday was a precious 'citizen involvement’ commodity that could give the Unthank proposal priority. Mayor Goldschmidt also de scribed the "pressure" Ms. Schwab is receiving but he discounted that pressure was a reason for special action. “I t ought to come in and compete with everything else," he said. Commissioner Ivancie gave no indica tion of support, although he did not speak against the measure. He did suggest that if the planning funding proposal failed, the City might vote money for temporary playground facilities until planning and construction money is allocated. Contacted later, Commissioner Schwab was hopeful of passage at the Council's session next week. She expressed confidence that Commissioner Jordan would support the measure and that Ivancie's initial opposition had tempered. She observed that Commissioner Mc Cready was the sole dedicated opponent of the proposal. King citizens consider Nordstrom proposal Residents of King neighborhood and other concerned persons attended two meetings this week to ask questions about the Nordstrom distribution center proposed for Union Avenue. Portland De velopment Commission has proposed that the four blocks between Union and Sixth Avenue, Shaver and Skidmore be cleared and sold to Nordstrom for a distribution center site. Tuesday night the King Neighborhood Association met with Thomas Kennedy, PDC Union Avenue Program Manager. On Wednesday night the Portland De velopment Commission met with citizens at King Neighborhood Facility. Citizens concerns have risen over ap parent lack of adequate communication between themselves and PDC. Although PDC staff state that only three residents are opposed to moving, other staff mem bers say the people have not been contacted in this regard. Also, residents say they have not been asked about their desire to sell. A survey has been completed which was designed to find out what type families live in the area and their housing needs if they do move. Most questions addressed two aspects of the project - the type of facilities that would be built and the benefit to the community; the process of relocation of those residents who must move. The community will balance the benefits in employment and related economic de velopment against the loss of property by owner-residents and landlords. Regarding employment, Kennedy said, “There is no guarantee on anything. W hat is expected is that they will practice equal employment affirmative action. Nordstrom has a good affirmative action program and a policy they aren't ashamed of...The time has come for us to look at how we as a community monitor these programs.” PDC personnel explained the reloca tion benefits. Owner-residents will re ceive fair market value for their homes and will be helped to find suitable housing elsewhere. They can receive a grant of up to $15,000 toward the possible differ ence in cost of the new home and the value of the old one. Increase in mortgage interest loans can be paid with this fund but increased taxes cannot. PDC also provides moving costs. For tennants, PDC provides moving costs, which can include the cost of connecting utilities A grant of $4,000 is available over a four year period to assist with increased rent payments. PDC has checked available housing in the Northeast area and found sufficient housing for those who wish to stay in the area. During 1977 housing sold for an average of $33,000 to $34,000. PDC could not give an estimate of property values in the area. Ed Leek, speaking for the King Neigh borhood Association, told the PDC Com missioner's that the organization is dissa tisfied with “the way the proposal has been presented to the neighborhood." He said the neighborhood Association was unable to obtain specific, w ritten infor mation on the proposed project until a few days before the meeting and that information was “sketchy” and "inade quate.” “A t the King Association meeting last night, it was apparent that the concerns of neighborhood residents have not yet been fully addressed. However, the King Association does not wish to be cast in the role of a naysayer who stands in the way of the redevelopment which is obviously necessary on Union Avenue. But neither does it wish to give blind approval to this project, and later find itself presented with the kind of situation which prevailed at the Coliseum site, or which now exists in the area of Emanuel Hospital. “For this reason, the King Association voted last night to make a decision about this project at its meeting on March 28th. In addition, the Executive Board of the Association created a committee for the purpose of gathering more complete information about the proposal and mak ing a recommendation to the Association on March 28th. That committee, of which I am the Chairman, would like to meet with those members of your staff who can provide us w ith more specific information about the project, or to meet with you if that is necessary. A meeting this afternoon between King Board members and a Nordstrom representative was a good first step." The Neighborhood Association also requested that PDC withhold any deci sions until the Association vote on March 28th. Members of the King Neighborhood Association Executive Committee met with Paul Hunter of Nordstrom Wednes day and were pleased with the company's interest. “W e found out more in fifteen minutes than we had from PDC all this tim e,” Lillie W alker, a member of the committee said. “W e are p retty well satisfied with this aspect of the program. We saw the plans for the building and were advised that Nordstrom w ill hire local people and were advised that Pro;«osed distribution center they will set up a training program. W e now will have to look into the other part of the program - relocation and PDC's role." The distribution center, as described by H unter, w ill employ 60 people in the beginning and is expected to expand to employ 300 people. The company is interested in the Albina area because there is an available labor pool. Their intention would be to hire nearly all of the employees, including the manager, from the area. Salaries would range from $3.40 to $4.47 per hour. The loading dock would be on the Union Avenue side, w ith a fence and landscaping separating it from the street. The tricking hours would be between 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., involving ap proximately th irty on the heaviest days. In response to concerns about ad ditional police involvement in the neigh borhood to provide security. Hunter said the building will be protected by electro nic surveillance and that they will not want additional city police protection. The King Neighborhood Association Executive Committee now plans to meet with each resident of the project area to determine their views on the project, their needs if relocated, and to determine what help they w ill need if relocated. Woodlawn School becomes Early Childhood Education Center When Black parents attended the Monday night meeting of the Portland School Board to oppose the plan to make Woodlawn School a “Multi-cultural cen te r” - that is to bring a class of white third graders and their teacher to visit the school for each nine week period - they found that discussion on this prop» sal had been deferred but a proposal to make Woodlawn an E arly Childhood Education Center would be discussed. The three upper grades - sixth, se venth. and eighth have been removed from Woodlawn and the building is currently being remodeled to accommo date primary age children. The Early Childhood Center designation will enable eighty four-year-olds - forty from the neighborhood and forty from elsewhere to attend the center. One staled goal is to bring the school's enrollment, now 58.3 minority under the fifty percent level. Vesia Loving objected to making another Early Childhood Center in the Black community. Upper grades have been removed from all of the area elementary schools except Boise. Mrs. Ixiving charged that the community is being stripped of its schools, its children scattered, an ‘ - u t if they cannot adjust in the transfer schools there are no schools to which they can return. Although Superintendent Robert Blan chard compared this situation to the middle school plan district wide, parents objected to the comparison. In other areas tw o or three elementary schools are paired •. ith a middle school. All upper grade students go to the middle school and the lower grade students in the middle schools' former attendance area go to the elementary schools. Thus each child will at some time during the eight grades attend a school outside his imnu* diate neighborhood. The fallacy of the comparison is that upper grade students bused from Albina are scattered through out the district., and most do not attend middle schools but go to kindergarten through eight schools. The students in those schools are not exchanged to return to the Albina schools. This one way situation is the major basis of complaint from Black parents. Expressing frustration that although the public is allowed to speak before the School Board, decisions considered to have a negative impact on the Black community continue to be made without apparent consideration of the public’s views, Mrs. Loving asked the Board, “W hy don't you get up and look at what is happening." Even more discouraging, according to Mrs. Loving is the repeated misrepresentation-by the administration and Board members in referring to “voluntary transfer.” In a heated exchange, Mrs. Loving explained that Black children who do not get along or are not accepted at white schools cannot return to a neighborhood school. A fter insisting that there is nothing in school district policy that precludes children returning to their neighborhood school, D r. Blanchard even tually admitted that children cannot return when their grade levels do not exist. He said transfer back to the neighborhood is complicated by the fact that the ECE's are full and no vacancy may exist for a returning child. Dennis Payne told the Board, “You have taken my community and did what you planned to do before you told as.” He explained that Black children are forced out of their own community. Transferred students are “disenfranchised in their own and receiving communities. We know it will be no good to raise concerns again 1978 is a year of turn around. We will not allow the school district to take away our children." i Jllie W alker explained that “voluntary transfer" is not voluntary if no classes for the students exist. She asked why Black parents must sign an agreement to leave their children in the receiving school through high school but w hite parents do not. She said several white parents sending children to the Early Childhood Education Centers told her they had never been asked to make such an agreement. Mrs. McCoy said the policy should be for everyone to sign. D r. Blanchard said the same form is now being used for whites as for Blacks but that that has not always been the case. Mrs. McCoy asked how white parents could be forced to leave their children in the program if they want to remove them? Mrs. W alker said most students in grade one through five at King EC E are Black. although the four and five year old classes are approximately half white. She asked why children were recruited from the middle class areas of Southwest when poor white children would benefit. Expressing her approval of Headstart and early childhood classes, Mrs. W alker said the fact that middle-class white children are allowed to take advantage of ECE and then leave is causing resent ment in the Black community because the elementary grades remain segregated. She added that residents are worried about property values ai.ee it could he difficult to sell a home in an area where there are no schools for children above the prim ary grades. Board member Jonathan Newman said the district cannot establish a middle school that would be racially unbalanced because that “would put us directly in line for a court order," Calling the problem of desegregation the district's "unfinished business" he added, “I feel confident we will solve it." The Board voted to designate Wood lawn as an Early Childhood Education Center.
