Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 27, 1979)
Portland Observar December 27. 1979 Page 3 Leadership recognized by Kathryn Bottle Exemplifying young Black people with the "qualities of leadership needed in the 1980s," twenty-five young Portlanders were selected to re ceive "Leadership Scrolls" awarded to them by the Northwest Conference of Black Public Officials at a recent din ner meeting in Seattle. Among the twenty-five chosen for this distinction were Robert Steen and Charlotte Williams, both employees of the Bureau of Labor and Industry for the State of Oregon. Selection of the candidates hinged on each one’s satisfying 14 criteria. Among these were: integrity, knowledge of community needs, edu cation, courage, the ability to inspire others to work together and pride in the Black heritage. Steen, now Executive Assistant to State Labor Commissioner Mary “ Wendy” Roberts, is a graduate of Portland State University in Political Science. His work background in cludes three and one-half years as the Multnomah County Juvenile Home Director and four years as Personnel and Training Analyst. He is a member of the Portland Urban League and of the NAACP. Among the women recognised as leaders, Charlotte Williams, a native P o rtlan d er, is also a graduate of STOP LOOKING BUY TOMORROW'S SECURITY FOR YOUR FAMILY TODAY P o rtland State U niversity. She received her degree in A d ministration of Justice in 1976. Williams worked two years as Research Assistant in the Black Studies Center at PSU and also has experience as a talk-show hostess and co-producer associated with KOAP- TV and the show "Black on Black.” Currently she is a Compliance Officer in the Civil Rights Division for the State of Oregon. Volunteer activities for Williams in clude work with the Black Justice Committee, the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission and the Educa tional Opportunity Program at PSU. Williams is a member of the Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs and of the NAACP. Those receiving Leadership Scrolls include; Art Barfield, Nick Barnett, C arol B ryant, H erb C aw thorne, Danny Copeland, Evie Crowell, Clco Franklin, Ron H erndon, Lucious Hicks IV, A rm ando L aguardia, Ethel Lee, Robert Phillips, George R ankins, Roosevelt R obinson, Robert Steen, Dr. Virgus Street, An na Street, Bonita Stroughter, Ben Talley, Kay T oran, Ocie T ro tter, Florice Walker, Charlotte Williams, Pina W illiam s, Zoe W ilson and Jeanna Wooley. New 3 and 4 bedroom homes with or without family rooms in Vancouver c " e to L5 and 8 minute, from Interstate bridge Jnclude 2 baths. douW. garage, brick fireplaces, range, dishwasher, garbage disposal, w /w car e t s All are energy efficient with 10 year Home Owner s Warranty. Cash price for 3 bedroom with 1036 sq. ft. would be $48,500, 11 Annual Per centage Rate with 360 monthly payments at $480.64 principal and interes plus estimated taxes and insurance. HERMITAGE REALTY, INC. 4715 Si. Johns Rd. Vane, WA. 98661 (206)694-8577 206(574-1522 716 N.E. 99th Ave. Portland, OR. 97220 223-8229 241-3723 American State Bank "The Bank that integration built’’ 2737 N.E. Union 282-2216 ROBERT STEEN PCC trains Lekoethe' optician When M ichael L ekoetje leaves Cascade Center of Portland Com m unity College in two years for Lesotho, he’ll be the only optician in a country of l .5 million people. Two years ago Lekoethe, 30, was a laborer and supervisor in a South African gold mine who had never dreamed of traveling halfway across the world. •‘I had only a peasant back g ro u n d ,’’ Lekoelje said. But one year ago Lekoetje returned to his home city of Maluti to work at the Maluti Adventist Hospital where his wife is a nurse. He became an assistant to Dr. D onald C arro ll, a M orton, Washington optometrist, who was in Maluti for one year as the country’s only op to m etrist. Dr. C arro ll became so strongly convinced that Lesotho must have a local African as an optician that he began a trust fund to sponsor and educate Lekoet je- C arroll said A m erican O ptical C om pany sent several tho u san d dollars worth of optical equipment to the hospital, but once Carroll left there would be no one to fill prescriptions and dispense glasses in Maluti since there was no local per son trained to use the equipment. "There was an othoinologist ( a medical doctor who specializes in the eye) in the capital city,” Carroll said. “ But prescriptions were sent out to South Arica.” “ It is true that Michael has a very hum ble background just like everyone else there,” Dr. Carroll ex plained in a telphone interview from his home in Morton. "Really, wealth isn ’t as im p o rtan t in L esotho as o th er people and how they are treated. It’s a fine education to live there and learn from the culture.” Land-locked by South Africa on every side, Lesotho is a mountainous country that has limited political in dependence and is econom ically dependent on South Africa. "T he South Africans are discriminatory,” Carroll said. “ Almost all the men in L esotho go into South A frica to work. Lekoetje had come back to be near his wife and children. We sent him into a South African optical lab for about two months training. The Open New Years Eve Reg. Hours Open New Years Day 10:00 AAA — 7:00 PAA whites wouldn’t cooperate and train him.” By then Lekoetje was determined to become an optician. “ I wanted to learn a profession and I wanted to help people in Lesotho who need medical help,” Lekoetje said. C arro l, who had attended o p tometry school at Pacific University, had met a form er Portland Com munity College optical technology student there. He wrote to PCC for applications and tests for Lekoetje, who was admitted for classes in Sep tember. Because of delays in mail service Lekoetje wasn’t aware of the admission in time to arrive in Sep tember. "B ecause I came late I have to work very had - it’s quite strenuous catching up,” Lekoetje said. "M y aim is to take it all in ,” Lekoetje said. “ Since I’ll be the only optician in my country I have to teach others so when I die it will go on and while I live others can learn.” Lekoetje traveled through high mountain country, at times blocked by snow storms, to help Carrol reach people in the outlying villages. He also w orked in the hospital with Carroll, learning optical work from him. Lekoetje’s two children are three months old and two years old. He is the eldest brother in his family of nine. "M y father was in ill health when I finished high school, so I went to work in South Africa in the mines for five years to help my brothers and sisters go to school,” Lekoetje said. l ekoetje misses his fam ily and fresh home cooking o f L esotho. "T h e fact is, I wanted to have a profession that I liked and would be able to support my family. I know I’ll be able to be with them for the rest of my life if I stay here and learn.” Lekoetje’s $3,000 education trust is primarily funded by Dr. Carroll. Dr. H arold Drake of Twin Falls, Idaho, also contributed $ l ,(XX) but Dr. Carrol said further donations are needed for Lekoetje to complete his education here. Lekoetje and Dr. Carroll are available to speak to Por tland area groups about Africa and Lesotho. County seeks committee members SE 20th ft D IV IS IO N SE 72nd ft FLAVEL For»«1 Grove 2329 PACIFIC Oregon City 878 MOLALLA 14410 SE D IV IS IO N 3956 SE POWELL M ultnom ah C ounty Executive Don Clark encourages citizens to ap ply for appointment to the County’s citizen advisory boards and com missions which have current vacan cies. The following County boards have vacancies at this time: Bicycle and Pedestrian Paths Ad visory C om m ittee; C ity-C ounty C ouncil on Aging; Econom ic Development Advisory Commission; H ealth C are C om m ission; M etropolitan H um an Relations C om m ission; Plum bing Appeals Board. The Moms Marks House 1501 SW Hornson Sneer Portland 97201 Telephone 227-26ÔÔ DES CONNALL Professional Corpororion LEGAL CLINIC CONCENTRATING IN THE FIELDS OF: CRIMINAL LAW INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICANTS DOMESTIC RELATIONS WORKERS' COMPENSATION BANKRUPTCY PERSONAL INJURY WILLS-PROBATE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS CONSUMER PROTECTION If you have a problem that is not covered in this list, please call and ask whether we can help. Chances are, we can. If not, we can recommend someone else for you to call. One way or the other, we want to see you get the kind of professional legal counsel you're entitled to. The best time to call us, or any attorney, is before you are embroiled in a legal problem. This is called preventative law and it makes a lot of sense. Regardless, when you call us we will arrange for an initial consultation at your convenience. Cost: $20 We probably can't solve anything in this meeting, but it is a chance for you to explain your particular problem and for us to give you some idea of what it'll take to reach a solution If you want us to proceed, we'll give you an estimate of the fees you should plan on. In writing For in fo rm a tio n co n tact Ms. Maggie Pendleton in Clark’s office, Multnomah County Courthouse. »
