Trs
Northeast neighborhoods challenge City proposal
Northeast neighborhoods plan to
Among the options proposed by
challenge the findings o f the C ity’ s the study are: emphasizing the
Housing and Community Develop­ lowest income neighborhoods rather
ment report on expenditure of HCD than those (hat are in early stages of
funds in Portland from 1975 to 1980 decline; including m u lti-fa m ily
and the options the study proposes. dwellings - both development and
rehabilitation; attention to exterior
appearance in order to upgrade
C ontrary to popular belief that
neighborhoods; providing technical
Northeast neighborhoods have assistance; emphasizing economic
benefited most from the program,
development in neighborhoods;
Southeast has received more funds dealing w ith “ d is tric t councils”
for housing re h a b ilita tio n and
rather
than
neighborhood
North more for public works.
associations.
Sharon McCormack, a resident of
Piedmont, said her neighborhood
association w ill challenge several
assumptions o f the report.
“ Each year the neighborhoods
submit needs reports which arc
prioritized by the City. Sbmc o f the
needs are funded, but the neigh­
borhoods are not assisted with fin ­
ding other resources for those that
are not. This has been a consistent
complaint.” The neighborhood also
questions removing Sabin, Pied­
mont and Concordia from the HCD
area.
“ W ithdrawal o f neighborhoods
has been a problem,” she explained
"There never has been a process to
determine whether the needs o f the
neighborhood have been met or to
let people know the program is
being phased out.”
Twenty percent o f the funds can
be used for social services, and Nor­
theast neighborhoods have always
wanted it used that way, but the
C ity has refused. Now the study
presents that option. The economic
development m entioned is not
defined and a figuic o f $100,000 for
another feasibility study for King,
Eliot, Boise, Vernon and Sabin has
been mentioned.
I f neighborhoods arc removed,
w ill they s till be eligible fo r the
crime prevention free locks program
that is targeted at HCD areas? Is the
purpose o f selecting only the lowest
income areas, that have little citizen
organization, a ploy so that i f
rehabilitation efforts fail industrial­
ization can begin?
I f efforts are confined to lowest
income areas - Boise, E lio t, etc. -
and the new e ffo rt is m u lti-fa m ily
dwellings, w ill these neighborhoods
have an unfair burden? Or should
m ulti-fam ily housing be distributed
among the less unfortunate neigh­
borhoods?
These are some o f the questions
that w ill be asked at the city-w ide
hearing to be held February 17th at
7:00 p.m. at 621 S.W'. Alder.
PORTLAND OBSERNER
Volume XI Number 17
February 12.1981
2SC per copy
Grant awarded Cultural Center
By Nyewusi Askari
Ngai Friday tries com puterizd spelling lesson at
open house for the n ew R eading A c h ie v e m e n t
Center Northeast directed by Ms Jeanne Hartzog
Ngai is assisted by Berry Flower of the program .
The C enter is located at 4300 NE Frem ont, Room
230
(Photo: Richard Brown)
BUF responds to Police Union charges
Grassroots News, N .W . - The
Portland Police A ssociation’ s
President Stan Peters, called a press
conference to rebut the statements
o f the Black United Front, calling
them, “ Black United Front” lies.
“ The reason why Blacks are
arrested or were killed by the police
out o f p ro p o rta tio n w ith their
population is that Blacks are com­
m itting a high percentage o f the
crimes in the city. The six Blacks
who were killed were armed and
the ot-her was an escaping felon,”
stated Peters. The evidence that
Peters cited to confirm his statement
was Police Bureau statistics from
July through September o f I980.
“ I he Portland Police Association
is presenting these figures only to
dispel accusations o f the Black
United Front and to show that the
Portland police is not discriminating
against Blacks,” Peters is quoted as
saying. He also noted that the Black
United Front represents only a small
m inority w ithin P ortland’ s Black
community.
Ronnie Herndon, co-chairman of
the Black United Front, responded
to Peters basic contention that 5%
problem. Herndon continues, “ The
o f the population are com m itting
C ity ’ s own study in I968 showed
30% to 40% o f the crimes by
that when the police had the
stating, “ our argument w ith the
discretion to either arrest or give a
police is not about crime but about
ticket, Black people were arrested at
the way the police treat Black people
a much higher percentage than
regardless o f whether you think
whites. The Police Union responded
someone has committed a crime or
by saying those arrested had a
not. You don’ t have to beat them
criminal record yet they found those
up, harass them, nor does it justify
Blacks with no prior arrest record
the police cussing at Black people or
were arrested at a rate higher than
that 60% o f those killed by the
whites who had no record. And all
police within the last ten years were
this proves is that the Portland
Black.”
Police Department is as racist as it
In dealing with the high crime rate
can be and what Stan Peters said, I
that exists w ith in the Black com­
thought was written by the Imperial
munity, Herndon replied, “ He docs
Wizard o f the Klu Klux Kian.”
not talk about the cimes that were
The Black people in Portland are
prepetrated on Black people like
faced with police acts and attitudes
the crime o f slavery or the fact that
within their community like other
we are etching out our existence as s
Black communities throughout the
second class citizens. Discrimination
nation. And then tensions that
causes us to deal with an inferior
always existed reach their threshold
education and high unemployment.
as the economics o f inequality
When you have this in any com ­
dicate an increase in crime.
m unity you w ill find those people
In terms o f frequency o f crime,
involved in crime. They used to say
the percentage is a lo t higher in
the same thing about the ghettos.”
areas other than the Northeast.
Peters said his jo b was not to
Statistics can be and often are
delve in to the reasons why and is
misleading. Peters cited Police
quoted as saying that there is a (Please turn to Page 2 Col 5)
The C ity o f P ortland has been
awarded a $420,000 federal rehab
grant by the Urban Parks and
Recreation Recovery Program
(U PAR R ) matched by $180,000
C ity (H U D ) dollars to convert an
abandoned firehouse located at
5340 N. Interstate Street to a Com­
munity Cultural Center.
The prim ary objective o f the
C ultural Center w ill be to provide
recreational, artistic and cultural
programming especially geared to
the intrests o f m inorities, senior
citizens and the handicapped. Ac­
tivities currently planned fo r the
Center include A rt, Physical F it­
ness, Drama, Crafts, Dance, Music,
Photography, Social and C ultural
programs.
Prim ary mover behind the
C u ltu ra l Center is Commissioner
Charles Jordan. “ A fter numerous
requests from local talent for a
cu ltural enrichment center, I was
driven to find a place where citizens
of all cultures would have an oppor­
tu n ity to cultivate, develop and
share their talents and interests,”
Commissioner Jordan explained.
The Cultural Center w ill operate
on a self-sustaining basis and
participants w ill contract for time
and space to defray the C enter’ s
general operating expenses.
f ederal regulations w ill not allow
the Center to house any group on a
in Portland, unless we artists have
permanent basis and use o f the
some real input from ground one. A
fa c ility w ill be determined by an
Cultural Center would be fanastic in
Executive Board appointed by
our com m unity. It could start an
Commissioner Jordan.
awakening.
The Executive Board w ill set
“ Black art has had such a power­
policy and advise Jordan in the
fu l and exciting influence on
operation o f the fa c ility . These
Am erica and the w o rld , and one
members w ill be appointed w ith
would expect Black artists to receive
consent by the C ity Council. They
some reasonable amount o f support
will be chosen for their commitment
and recognition. Not so, especially
to and support o f the Center as well
here in P ortland. The im portant
as their ab ility to solicit donations
thing now is, to avoid past mistakes
and contributions to ensure long­
by
opening
com m unications
term viability o f the facility. In ad-
between Com m issioner Jordan,
diton, there w ill be a C om m unity
C ity C ouncil and artists who are
Advisory Committee.
dedicated to bringing cu ltu ra l
Day-to-day operations and main­
enrichm ent to Oregon. P ortland
tenance o f the Center w ill be the
Black Repertory is on the move.
responsibility o f the full-time Center
Soon we’ ll be announcing dur first
D irector. The D irector w ill be ex­
resident com pany, and we are
pected to have experience as a
going to need support. We are going
program manager, skills in business
to ask for support. Not because we
adm inistration and a sensitivity to
are the only Black theatre function­
the arts and cultural diversities.
ing in Portland, but because we are
P ortland is rapidly becoming a
qualified and our work is important
culturally diverse city with citizens
to the survival o f our community.
o f Black, Native Am erican,
And to have a C u ltu ra l Center
Hispanic, Asian and Indochinese
located right in the heart o f the
heritages that have a need to preser­
Black community; a Cultural Center
ve their cultures, expand upon their
that w ill encourage, welcome, sup­
talents and educate other ethnic
port. as well as accept input from
groups.
Black artists from the jump, w ill be
Nevertheless, Rosemary Allen,
the beginning o f something really
Artistic Director o f Portland Black
beautiful,” she continued.
Repertory Theatre expresses an
The Cultural Center is scheduled
early warning. " I don’t have any big
to open in January or early
expectations for a C ultural Center
February o f 1982.
Nathaniel Scott publishes poetry
By Nyewusi Askari
W hen he became a staff writer for
the Observer, he was asked, “ What
are your goals?” His reply: “ To
help paint a positive picture o f the
many things I have seen w ith my
eyes as well as what I have felt with
my m ind. 1 intend to do it, com­
posing words.” At the time, he was
an inmate at Oregon State Peniten­
tiary.
Now eight months later, he is the
author o f two recently published
books o f collected poetry; "A Man
and His Moods, " and “ The Theme
Is... ” The writer, Nathaniel Scott.
Enrolled at Portland Community
College, he is news editor o f the
college newspaper. The Bridge,
holds a position with the Northwest
Ex-offenders Association and is fast
becoming known fo r his com m it­
ment to help bring about change
within the state’ s penal institutions.
“ I would like to see the structure o f
the prisons changed from a physical
aspect to a psychological aspect. I
think the Iranian hostage situation
points v iv id ly to the social and
psychological help needed by people
in captivity,” Scott said.
“ A Man and H is Moods, ”
displays Scott’s talent as a poet. He
explains: " I can’t play a musical in­
strument, but I have these sounds
inside o f my head, and poetry lets
those sounds out, so they can be
heard by others.”
“ The Theme I s .. " is Scott at his
best. The Theme Is, love, hate,
marriage, caring. I t ’ s a movement
through and around situations and
relations, we are all familiar with. It
reflects, explains and gives hope to
those o f who believe are striving to
make tomorrow a reality, instead of
a wish.
His goal now is, " t o be
recognized by other w riters as a
writer and, because o f my economic
situ a tio n , I w o u ld n 't mind being
com m ercially successful either. I
have written enough material to put
together at least four more books of
poetry, but I plan to finish a collec­
tion o f short stories first.”
To quote Scott from his book,
A Man and H is Moods, “ . . . I t ’ s a
race for survival...”
Anyone wishing to obtain copies
o f these publications can do so by
contacting the Observer or the
Sylvania Center Bookstore, P ort­
land Community College.
Oregon Blacks and the Republican Party
By LWysses Tucker, Jr.
“ People com plain about my
Republican afiliation and then they
don't go to the polls to vote,” said
Thomas Kennedy, manager o f the
Portland
Development Com ­
mission’s Union Avenue Program.
“ I ’ m not ashamed o f being
Republican. If you look at the party
h isto ric a lly , we have done some
progressive things in the area o f
human and civil rights. I feel good
about what la m .”
Kennedy was quick to point out
that the Oregon Republican party
encourage equal opportunity for all
Oregonians in jo b recruitm ent,
hiring, prom otions, pay, credit,
mortgage acess and housing. Equal
rights, equal justice, and equal op­
p o rtu n ity belong to all citizens o f
Oregon regardless o f race, creed,
color, national orgin or sex.
When
questioned
about
A m erica’ s swing to more conser­
vative politics — and how there is
talk of eliminating affirm ative act­
ion, cutting food stamps eligibility
as well as welfare, and harsher
crim inal codes, Kennedy made the
following comments.
"The free lunch is over,” he said.
“ So what are you gonna do about
it? You had better go out and earn
your lunch. Then you have to
protect
that
lunch
because
somebody w ill try to take it from
you."
The Oregon Repbulican Party has
vowed to end welfare fraud and aid
to the v o lu n ta rily unemployed.
Although the party plans to make
several key cuts that will hurt Blacks
and other minorities. They do have
plans to establish incentives to allow
welfare recipients to become self-
supporting through jo b and
educational training.
“ You
can
describe
the
predicament o f Blacks in the 80's
like a basketball player coming to a
fo o tb a ll game w ith the wrong
uniform on to play. We are playing
the wrong game and should learn
the new one very fast. We as Blacks
must start preparing ourselves
because this country is becoming
more competitive.”
Kennedy feels that Blacks cannot
f #
do anything as a com m unity until
If I can earn a quarter, a nickle goes
they learn to control their own
back into the community. That's my
economic destinies.
motto. I always remember where I
“ We as Blacks should be more
earn my money.
responsible fo r each other during
“ How many times does a Black
the 80's. We must obtain the power
person spend a dollar in his com­
to hire and Fire - whites have paid us
m u n ity ,” Kennedy asked. “ They
w ith welfare and other band-aid
use the clubs, the barber shops, and
programs. We must change that like
the church. They spend the rest o f
other enthic groups have done in the
their money outside o f the area. I do
past.”
all my business in the com m unity
Kennedy is also an advocate o f
over and over again.”
economic development in the Black
Kennedy continued. “ The Black
community.
employers do the same thing Why
“ The steps are simple,” he said.
go dow ntow n to hire a public in ­
“ First we have to analyze our
form ation specialist or any job for
position in this country. Then we
that m atter, when they can get a
have to change our behavior pat­
qu a lifie d person from the Black
terns as they relate to saving money community? We also have to focus
and reinvesting in our communities. (P l ease turn to page 2 col. 3)
THOMAS KENNEDY
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