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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 22, 1984)
Page 8 Portland Observer, August Slimmers Salon Oregonian intern ponders Portland Blacks by Nathaniel Scott The furor over Vanes** Williams' ordeal (he first Black lo wear the title "Miss America" and the first Miss America to have to relinquish that title, has caused Black dreams to be "d e fe rre d , a g a in ," wrote Bridgette Lacy, in an open letter published in the Oregonian Lacy's letter was published during the final week of her summer intern ship with the paper. And while the hoopla of the "sexually explicit pic tures" have died down, the hurt, ac cording to Lacy, lives on. Lacy's letter maintained that at one of the nation's leading Black universities— Howard University in Washington, D C ., where she is a graduating senior, "an all-woman d orm itory— Bethune H a ll, had displayed" all of Miss America’s ar ticles. She wrote, "These women know the meaning of struggle and survival. They believed that a Black Miss America could show the world the true beauty and integrity of Black women, a beauty and in tegrity that white America had ignored for so long." Furthermore, Lacy maintained in her letter. Miss America— Vanessa W illiam s, "h ad been put in the ranks with Black women who had given their very best: Sojourner T ru th , H arriet Tubm an, M arian Anderson, Patricia Harris, Althea Gibson. Gwendolyn Brooks, and many more.” Lacy is 22. She is a broadcast journalism major and her minor is political science. She professes “ an interest in religion and religious writing " And likewise, she professes "political aspirations.” However, she said, the Black dream, not the one "deferred", but the one made possible because of the struggle during the SO’s and 60's, are of paramount concern to her. "People have died for you to do these things: eat at lunch counters, ride in the front of buses, vote, at tend schools of your choice, live where you wish, run for Miss America, and even run for President of the United States—don't forget Shirley Chilsom How can you let them dow n?" she asked, as she referred to Vanesse Williams, "She totally disgraced us!" "W h e n you are raised in Washington, D .C ., Blackness is fed to you from the day you are born," Lacy said. "W a sh in g to n, D .C ., reflects what Blacks should be about," she said. "When you come lo Portland, you (Blacks) are not reflected.” She admitted that her limited stay in Portland, from the last of May until August 11 th, had not afforded her the opportunity to become aware of the Black community. Lacy's internship with the Oregonian utilized her many skills, including interviewing and writing articles, some of which were prin ted But invariably, she said, when she mentioned that she wrote for the 5 .-’1 L ’ 1 k" V 1 y Weight loss and exercise center guaranteed to lose 6 8 pounds per week and (eel good. Non allergenic diet supplement Electric exercise machine. Also, Body Wrap and Face Lift. Sauna Baths and Showers Oregonian, people d id n 't believe her. She surmized that it was because she is Black. And that fact, being Black, caused her to wonder why "there is only one Black repor ter in this (T h e Oregonian's) newsroom1" Judson Randall, the metropolitan editor with the paper, confirm ed Lacy's observation that the paper had only one Black staff writer He added, "W e are constantly on the lookout to expand the minorities on our staff." In addition, Randall said, the summer intern program, with 12 in dividuals, had three minorities: two Blacks and a person o f Asian descent. 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