Page 6 Portland uoserver, M ay a, ip q h __________ Stan Kahn For Mayor METROPOLITAN • Support small business • Promote neighborhood development • Increase livability and safety • L im it downtown subsidies • Oppose large-scale annexation • Shelter the homeless U F tackles rise in teen pregnancies H Y Lanita Duke GRASSROOT NEWS, N .W .— The women'» section o f the Black United Front has launched a Teenage Health Care project which is aimed at pregnant and sexually active teenagers, both rrale and female. According to Linda Johnson, Western Regional Coordinator for B U F, every chapter o f the national Front will institute similar projects throughout the country. " W e are now working to put meat on the bones o f our project by seeknig volunteers to assist in counseling, health care and n u tritio n ." The project w ill identify agencies in Portland, refer the teenager to the appropriate agency and provide a direct follow through. “ It is im por­ tant to make sure the link on the chain is not bro ken ." Johnson ad­ ded. The birthrate for unwed white teenagers has risen by 45 percent while the birthrate for unwed Black teens fell 3.5 percent. Although they fell. Black teen birthrates are still dis­ proportionately high. One out o f every four Black babies born is born to a teenaged mother. M ore than half are under 15. It is this national and local reality which led to the creation of B U F ’s project. Johnson said she wants to ensure the race has healthy babies for the future. But teenage mothers are giving birth to less healthy babies than their older counterparts. Barbara T aylo r, M ultnom ah County Health Educator, said the pregiant, Black teenage population suffers physical and social risks. "T hey have low birth rates, com­ plicated labor and a higher rate of miscarriage. The mother may also be involved with cigarettes, akohol or drugs." Because o f the pressure o f in­ creased responsibility, financial set backs and educational interruption, teenage mothers may not have the where-with-all to raise their babies without support. "T h e ir special social needs and financial pressures may make a teenage parent more susceptible to child abuse because o f the lack of parenting skills," Taylor added. She sees B U F's teenage health project as extending a helping hand to those who need it most— our youth. Earnestina Cellestine, a member o f the project, said, " W e cannot give our teenagers birth con­ trol pills and expect that to be a solution. That is too much respon­ sibility for a teenager to have. How can we expect them to take a pill every day when we have a hard enough time getting them to go to school every day? This project will let our youth know that we care and we are here to help.” LEW S LU STR E HOM ES Sanaca S o c a 1976 ( 5 0 3 ) 2 8 3 -3 6 0 0 E xterio ra • In te rio ra • Brocedea , .M«« •> tai •iswsiSHi . aiuMvnu P'Mac«« • QoubM Trwvs • F orth Landing Twit • A^taaa Spray • ;>»t*i Tr«*n • t'WSh • Forth fnansoH • RoMe* • »•rxaSfa«"» • fan*' Ton« Hr Fatal Muti 4ay(*,i«g IMIVMP • HAWI) • IHM. HID 165 J N Church St. Portland, OR 97212 Experience. Leadership. Vision. Cw liM tina dlacuaa tha launching of tha Black U nltad Front aducation and ra fa rra l p ro ja c t to halp taanagara (Photo: Richard J. Brown) to the churches, the pool halls and the schools to let our youth know that we are here for them .” Cellestine said, " W e are getting back to helping each other and bringing our community together as a fa m ily ." Johnson is seeking volunteers and would like parents with teenagers in their households to participate. She can be contacted at the Urban League Youth Service Center at 288-6708. " O u r future depends on us.” on Black males. " W e recognize the male's responsibility in teenaged pregnancy. I f I find a young man with idle time, my first question would be, ‘ H ow many babies do you have?’ This way the male will see that having babies just to have them is not good for the mother, him. that child or our com m unity." The project w ill also distribute a questionnaire to determine what teenagers are thinking and what ser­ vices they might need. " W e will go CASTAGNAI Endorsed by the Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs R o b e rt J. (B o b ) C a s ta g n a Democrat for State Representative District 19 P <1 »... I I ’»' l'..,.l.nJ "H .11M -.1.1.41»« 1111» P.,4 1... », I k . | . . . < Black women gather for support building by Lanita Duke GRASSROOT NEWS. N. I F . - T h e second annual Black W om en’s Oathering will occur Saturday, M ay 12th at the M att Dishman C o m ­ munity Center, from noon until Jack Burna, left, end Dave Johnaon. behind, put extra effort on communication ea they train Mien and Hmong refugees In the Port­ land are« for light Induatrial manufacturing joba through a apeclal Portland Community College cleaa. Refugees learn skills An innovative program to train M ien and Hm ong refugees in Port­ land area for light industrial manufacturing jobs may put 60 people into jobs who could not otherwise manage the work. The project at Portland Com ­ munity College, funded by a $90,000 state grant, was written specifically to prepare people for jobs. " W e think the project is the first of its k in d ." said M errily Osborn, project director. A refugee placed into the program will spend eight hours a day for eight weeks to learn the required skills. T w o o f those hours are spent in an English class and the remaining six are practicum hours where they learn about the tools and simulate an assembly line approach. The magic to the program, accor­ ding to Osborn, rests with the in­ structors. "B o th instructors have put in a lot o f time and effort to make the training relevant," she ex­ plained. The English classes, for instance, use a curriculum to teach the people from the H ig h lan d /L ao areas how to enunciate clearly when applying for a job. Ann Blackham works hard to get every student fam iliar with job related English. A t the same time, a job developer ■ " “ I I ■ ■ I I I a a “ is working with the students to start preparation for an actual job search. The first five to complete the program now have the individual assistance o f job developers for placement purposes. Back in the assembly area o f the project, located at the college's Stadium Center, instructor Jack Burns and his assistant. Dave John­ son, put extra emphasis on C om ­ munication. They start with ex­ plaining the construction o f the product, then draw it as a class. Students learn about shapes as they work through an assembly line production of planter boxes. A t the same time, they learn how to work with sheet metal, wood, plastic and formica. In addition to the assembly line production, Burns took the class to the college's Southeast Center for a week o f work and they constructed some cabinetry. When a student completes the program, PCC assembles a folder of inform ation. It includes polaroid shots o f the student at various machines, a letter explaining the tools used and skills learned, and a certificate of completion. Local 16 o f Sheetmetal Workers provided the work benches and all the sheet metal equipment to help the students learn a trade. ™ ™ " " g " /? /™ ™ ™ 5:00. But just what is the Black Women's Gathering? Committee member Avel M ayfield answered, " I t is a time and place to network and build support structures for Black women in Portland. Providing support for each other is important with all the pressure on us as women and on our com m unity.” M ayfield said she viewed this support-building network as a time for healing and relaxing. This is the second annual gathering and last year. M att Dishman overflowed with inform ation, entertainment and food. This year, M ayfield and the committee expect inform ation to be just as vital and at least 500 sisters, young and old, to par­ ticipate. "T h is event will destroy the myth that Black women cannot work together. We can and will continue to do so." The event will celebrate “ Our being, spirit and survival” organizers said. Free male babysit­ ting will be provided and entertain­ ment will include the million-dollar Grandmother and performances by Sojourner Truth Theatre and female members o f the Jazzmin Com- munity Marching Band. News for and about you. ■ I Mail to I Ì I PLEASE PRINT Portland Observai Boa 3137 Portland Oregon 9T2GS N a m e _________ ______ _____________ A d d re s s ________________________ - C i t y ____ ___________________ S tate , M E N .. ■ Dress up for MOTHER’S DAY TIES ’5” ‘7” ’8" ’12” New Spring Colors and Styles TIE 4 HANKY SETS‘78 POCKET PUFFS COLLAR BARS $2 5