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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1979)
< Portland Observer Thursday. May 3. 1979 DEAR WEIGHT WATCHERS Behind the Wall ^ ^ e I 'd like l<> join Wvighl Watchers' but Larry Baker H35Q2I, O.S.P. Correspondent This Correspondent doesn't know much about the gasoline crisis, nor much about the energy crunch, but is fully aware o f a statement supplied by Jackie Winters, Assistant to the Governor o f Oregon, Victor Ativeh. G overnor A tiveh proclaim ed the month o f A pril 1979 officially “ N AAC P Membership M ontn.” It has been less then a year since Benjamin Hooks, national Execu tive Director o f the NAACP, stood before a room filled with inmates, prison officials, community people and the press talking o f the values and deeds o f this great organization. 1 personally was fortunate enough to shake the hand o f this great leader 1 w ill never forget one o f his statements that morning. “ I hope someday 1 can return to the State o f Oregon and to this P enitentiary knowing that there is an NAACP Branch established within its walls.” On A p ril 12, 1979 the newly elect ed NAAC P President o f the Salem Branch, A l M artin, announced at a Banquet honoring Jackie Winters, form er President, that the Salem Branch would try to work toward Benjamin Hooks’ “ hope.” Following is Governor A tiveh’ s proclamation: In 1909 a group o f Black and white citizens in Niagra, New York, joined together to form an organization to combat racial injustice in America. That organization became known as the National Association for the Ad vancement o f C olored People (N AAC P). The N AAC P has grown steadily Black prisoners lecture subject Omawale Kefing w ill speak at A r buckle Flat on Sunday, May 6th, at 7:30 p.m . on “ Black People: A Nation Behind Bars.” The evening w ill also include a slide show on the death penalty and w ill include an up date on the status o f some political prisoners in this country and a report on the conditions o f local prisons. It has been estimated, for instance, that Blacks are one percent o f Oregon’ s population and are twenty percent o f the prison population Omawale Kefing is a member o f the African People’s Socialist Party, a political party for Afro-Americans. He has speaking engagements around the country in order to help people understand the current position o f Black people in our society in general and o f Blacks in prison specifically. He is also doing grass roots organizing to build a national politi cal active support network for Blacks in prison called the African National Prison O rg anization . There arc already chapters in Louisville, A t lanta and San Francisco. The event is an excellent way for people to learn another example o f institutional ra cism, fo r Blacks to come together to take action, and for non-Blacks to give support to the prison organiza tion and do whatever possible to help end racism in this country. For more inform ation call 287-8436. This event is open to the public. A donation o f $2 is requested. Minorities and the Press (Continued from Page 1 Column 6) and p ro m o tin g m in o ritie s seem unable to grasp the fact that m inority exclusion was not the result o f a lack o f ambition or individual initiative — but the result o f discrimination. In a highly competitive profession, the process was u n fa ir and maliciously slanted. There was and still remain unique and firm ly insti tutionalized efforts to keep m inority people out o f journalism; now there must be unique and firm ly institu tionalized programs to combat the destructive effects. The results o f excluding ethnic people o f color are more destructive than most w ould im agine: the p o litic a l expression, the accurate reflection, and the stim ulation o f minorities communities are stifled. When Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native American representatives are absent from the newsroom, the poli tical ideals and solutions o f those people are often frustrated fo r lack o f timely expression. The power o f expression translates into direct poli tical influence. Accurate inform ation and differing perspectives can per suade individuals. This persuasion, when measured collectively, can add substance and sensitivity to the body politic. True democracy demands a balanced press. No matter how objective good reporters strive to be, most acknow ledge quite readily that their research and writing are full o f the biases o f their life experiences. I f m inority reporters have the chance to ask the questions, it is more likely that news w ill be reported with more careful recognition o f the unique viewpoints o f the people who understand the color discrimination and prejudice in our land. Moreover, the accurate reflection o f m inority cultures and problems is as valuable to the white population as it is to the people o f color. We must all be consistently reminded that America is a land o f differences and that the melding o f these d if ferences, with a spirit o f jo y and respect and tolerance, is at one our greatest challenge and our greatest strength. I f more editors and publishers would see this problem with vision, the day w ill soon come when there w ill be no need fo r a ffirm a tiv e programs to undo the negative exclu sion o f the past. In the past, minority children became wise to the subtle message given by the newspaper in dustry — “ there is no room for your kind, not because you cannot per form , but because we do not want y o u .” No d o u b t, the overt discrimination served to weaken the h o pefu l m o tiv a tio n needed fo r children to reach their aspirations through hard work and personal sa crifice . W ith equal chances m in o rity journalists w ill perform with equal quality and the power, ac curacy and influence o f the press will . . . UNION OR COMPANY DENTAL INSURANCE is a valuable asset. . . your health and appearance C O M PLETE COOPERATION ON A L L D E N T A L INSURANCE CLAIM S WE HANDLE ALL THE DETAILS OF COMPLETING YOUR CLAIM FORMS no appointment needed Come in at your convenience PARK FREE — Any Park n Shop Lot HOURS: Weekdays 8:30a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays 8:30a.m. to 1 p.m. Dr. Jeffrey BRADY, Dentist S.W. 3RD ft YAMHILL ST., PORTLAND. OREGON TAKE ELEVATOR TO 2ND FLOOR 3RD ST ENTRANCE since then and today is the largest and most influential civil rights or ganization in the country covering all o f the 30 states and several foreign locations. In order to keep pace w ith the changing times, the N A A C P has launched a number o f dynamic social programs that are still combating racial hatred, bigotry and poverty in the United States. More than 33,000 persons o f A fro- American descent live in the State o f Oregon and are currently striving to destroy barriers to equality for Black Oregonians. Considerable progress has been made but racism is still un defeated. The strength o f the N AAC P lies in its members, organized into nearly 1,700 branches throughout the coun I'd be embarrassed to gel weighed in front of a roomful of people. Why do you do that*? . try; four o f which are situated in Oregon (Salem, Portland. Corvallis and Eugene). The State o f Oregon acknowledges the effo rts and the programs o f the Oregon branches o f the NAACP. T herefore, as G overnor o f Oregon, I proclaim A pril, 1979, as “ O ffic ia l N A A C P M em bership Month in Oregon.” In addition, because I believe Ore gonians cannot and w ill not be con tent until every vistage o f racial bigo try is elim inated in o ur state; 1 strongly urge you to join with me in becoming members o f an organi zation that has fo u g h t through the years to realize the goal o f full equality for all o f America’ s citizens. be enhanced. The protest movements have made us aware o f the problems o f m inority hiring, training and prom otion in American journalism. Now a process — an affirmative, consistent, long- ranged, committed process — must be developed within the structure of newspaper management to make the gains more significant and most lasting. * Q ★ * • I was about to join Weight Watchers, when I heard that now you're making people exercise. How come? . (signed) D IS A P P O IN T E a z \» W e don’t make members do anything! PEPSTEP,'“ the Personal Exercise Plan, is optional. (Some people think it's great fun!) W E IG H T WATCHERS The Authority ★ ★ ★ We've mixle up these quesliims. Iiul ihe situations tuul prob lems are real. To «el all the answers, join Wei|*ht Hatchers! EM ANULu HOSPITAL 2B01 N. Qantanbain Emanuel East. Room B 1 INuralng Homa) Thur«. 7:00p.m . Vic Atiyeh Governor Vet project aids prisoners NEW YORK — A $7,596 National Council o f Churches grant has been awarded to Portland M ilita ry and Veteran Counseling Center, fo r a program to aid imprisoned Vietnam era veterans. The grant is part o f Department o f Labor funding to the National Coun cil o f Churches to conduct a year long nationwide Incarcerated Vet erans Project. Most o f the money w ill be channeled to veterans’ self- help groups working in prisons to assist in providing education and em ploym ent counseling; jo b development and placement; benefits and disability claims counseling; dis charge review services; drug and al cohol rehabilitation; psychological readjustment assistance; all to the purpose o f removing impediments to jo b s, enhancing incarcerated veterans’ employment, and lowering recidivism rates. Named project director o f Port land M ilitary & Veterans Counseling Center received the grant because o f I signed) BASIIIT I . / > • We don’t! The weigh-in is private. CARPENTERS HALL 2226 N. Lombard Straat M on. 7:00 p .m Thura 0:30a.m. M A R A N A TH A CHURCH 1222 N E Skidmore Sat 9 30a.m IMPORTANT NOTICE: Join before May 14 end weekly dues will be 43.50* for ea long as you maintain membership. New member and rejoin weekly rate — $4 00 beginning May 14th. Registration foe un changed at 45.00. its long time concern for Vietnam veterans and the contacts it has de veloped with veteran self-help groups through the N ational C ouncil o f Churches Inter-religious W orking Group on Vietnam Generation M ini stries.” A ccording to Salerno, a large proportion o f Vietnam veterans suf fer from a little-know n stress dis order called “ Post-Vietnam Syn drome.” He said the project is being con ducted through self-help groups be cause the veterans are frequently only able or willing to be helped by their peers. Vietnam veterans make up about a quarter o f the prison population and about half o f them are Black, ac cording to 1977 D epartm ent o f Labor statistics. Salerno says he be lieves the figures are higher now. In its action, the Governing Board charged that “ correctional institu tions, by and large, have not assist ed veterans to gain education or skills that would improve their em ployability . . . and have not pre pared them for a smooth transition into society upon release.” * Offer good only in Franchise #083 For information call COLLECT Portland (503) 297 1021, Weekdays - 8:30-5 30 C W E IO M 1 W A 1 C H F R S I N I l IN C 1978 O W N E R OF THE W EIGHT WATCHERS A PEPSTEP TRADEMARKS E X O D ' '- /¿evÀs-ûaan Ç d u e td te tu d a.n d U S t e a / m e * / eet/ee 1518 N E KILLINGSWORTH Cookbook PORTLAND. OREGON 97211 284 7997 (Continued from page 1 col. 6) family were: “ Aunt L il o f Virginia, an octogenarian who c o u ld n ’ t remember any o f her cooking recipes, but who could remember her beauty cream recipes! “ There was 94-year-old A unt Maude in Opalaki, Alabama who re minisced about George Washington Carver’s favorite Peanut Butter ice cream. There are herbal cures, natural beauty tips, photographs and memories, but,” the Dardens’ point out, “ the central focus is on food, sim ply because d in in g and celebrating events in the family-style, they arc today as they have been al ways, an important element o f the Black family tradition.” Both Norma Jean and Carole are graduates o f Sarah Lawrence College. Norma Jean is a script w rite r, an actress and a form er fashion model who has appeared in McCalls, Essence and Vogue maga zines. Carole Darden is a child therapist and, until recently, was the social w ork a d m in istra to r at W iltsvyck School for Boys. Norma Jean is the Darden sister who came to Portland to introduce “ Spoon Bread and Straw berry Wine” to the Northwest. This beau tifu l and charming author is also spreading the word, wherever she goes in her travels, to one and all: “ Treasure your fam ily traditions. Tell your children about them. Better yet, put as much as you can down on paper, for the day may come when some fam ily member w ill want to know the interesting stories that you have to te ll.” "Be brief when you cannot be good " St. Francis De Sales "F ew are those who err on the side of self restraint " Confucius " A poet can survive anything but a misprint." Oscar Wilde M AY 1979 EXODUS GROWS Reports its Director Rosalie Boothe 1. EXODUS is implementing Portland's first com munity-based Youth Theatre Alcohol Awareness Project, this project is funded by the Department of Labor. 2. EXODUS through its community Advisory Coun cil will implement the "EXODUS Forum", which is an information sharing service to the commu nity. The first forum presentation will be held at 12:30 p.m., May 17, 1979 at EXODUS Day- Treatment Center. 3. EXODUS has also grown to develop the "EXODUS Women Forum" which is composed of women in treatment of alcoholism, from care units, Portland hospitals, institutions, educational centers and agencies. 4. EXODUS graduated its third class on the "Triple R Concept" (Rights, Respect and Responsibility concept), April 7, 1979. EXODUS is fast becoming an important service cen ter to our community. With nearly 400 clients, and employing 16 full-time employees.
