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Page 2, Portland Observer, November 28, 1984 lack Nicaraguan leader freed by contras by Robert Loth** R ay H o o k e r , a p o p u la r B lack leader an d c a n d id a te fo r N ic a ra gua's N ational Assembly, was freed earlier this m onth after tw o months as a captive o f C IA -b acked contras. H o o k e r, w ho is the government*» liaison to the health and education m in is tries fro m Z e la y a P ro vin ce , has been instrum ental in im proving conditions for the Black and Indian minorities who live in the province’s A tlantic Coast region. Contras kidnapped H o o ker Sept. 5th when he was on a campaign trip to a remote area. Elections officials and ca n d id a tes w ere ta rg e te d by c o n tras try in g to d is ru p t N ic a ra g u a ’ s e le ctio n s. O b servers say H o o k e r was kid napp ed because o f his ability to negotiate between m i norities and the Sandinistas. H ooker received a Master's in his to ry fro m O h io U n iv e rs ity . H e taught at the A m e ric a n School in M anagua and was the first director o f the N icaraguan Institu te fo r the A tlantic Coast. A n a tio n w id e c a m p aig n in the U .S . to pressure Congress fo r Portland NAACP nominates candidates for office A t its general m eeting Sunday, November 18, et Mount Olivet Baptist Church, the Portland Branch NAACP received the report of its Nominating Committee and elected a Supervisory C om m ittee for the Branch biennial election on Decem ber 9 at Hughes Memorial Church, 111 N.E. Failing, Mr. Thomas R. Vickers, chairman of th e nom inating c o m m itte e, an nounced the following nominees Ora L. Nunley is the Branch nomi nee for President. M rs. Nunley has been active lor many years with the Branch Youth Group, and currently is Youth Group representative for the Pacific Northwest Area NAACP Harvey Rice is nom inee for First Vice President; Bobbie Nunn, present Legal Redress Cheir, for Secretary C. C. M cCorvey, present Treasurer, renom inated. The nom inating co m mittee hed not found e second vice president by th e tim e the m eeting convened and three people w ere nominated from the floor, this will be the only contest this year Nominees for second vice president are Robert Phillips, Bobbie Gary and Dr. Clar ence Pruitt. Nomineea for the Branch Executive Committee are Carrie Can non, U. P. Cannon, Janet Clemmer, L. C. Ellison, Hazel G. Hays, Lucious Hicka, John H. Jackson, Loma Mar pie, Joy Hicks, Isaac Payne, robert Phillips, Clarence Pruitt, Geri W ard, Harry Ward, Betty White, Gail W ash ington, Bobbie G ary, Thom as R. Vickers. The Election Supervisory C o m mittee of five were elected, and chose Lucious Hicks as Chair. The Branch heard from City Com missioner Candidate Herbert L. Caw thorne and w ill hear from richard Bogle, the other candidate for Com missioner at the Branch Annual meeting and election on December 9 at Hughes M em orial C hurch, the public is invited. Please note that the Branch meet ing in December has been set on the second Sunday, rather than the usual third Sunday. H o o k e r 's release in c lu d ed Jesse Jackson, who was accom panied by H o o k e r d u rin g his to ur o f N ic a ra gua in July. “ I call on the Reagan A d m in is tra tio n to investigate this act and to insist on the bringing to justice o f those responsible.” said Jackson on Sept. IOth. "U ltim a te ly , the U .S . must bear some responsi bility for this action, as these forces could not exist without our support. W e cannot m aintain our moral self- respect w h ile we a llo w and even support such groups that engage in such a c tio n s . W e must a llo w the N ica ra g u an people to choose th eir own course." A N o rth e a s t P o rtla n d social w orker, Nancy Webster, talked with H o o k e r in Ju ly d u rin g a vis it to Bluefields, the largest town on Nica ragua's A tlantic Coast. She described a soft-spoken man with a perfect command o f English. H ooker was a Sandinista supporter, said W eb ster, and he was w o rkin g hard against almost insurmountable odds to make sure that the benefits o f the revolution came to the poor est and most explo ited segment o f Nicaragua's population. O ve r 7 0 ,0 0 0 Ind ian s and 30 ,000 Black C reoles live in the coast re gion, which is characterized by ex treme poverty, bad w ater, sickness, lack o f e d u c a tio n , and few new s papers or telephones. A large part o f the Indian population has had to relocate due to the contra war. Webster quoted H ooker in saying that " W it h the re v o lu tio n , fo r the first tim e people had a government th a t cared fo r th e ir needs, whose g oal was to p ro v id e e d u c a tio n , health care and fo o d ." There were only private schools before the rev olution. accessible to peasants only th ro u g h h a r d -to -o b ta in s c h o la r ships, acco rd ing to H o o k e r . N o w education and health care are free and accessible to all. he said. They talked about his ideas for a Black cultural center, including the desperate need for more books w rit ten in English, the language brought to the coast by English colonialists. " H e also m entioned how A tla n ta , G e o rg ia , had ta lk e d a b o u t setting up a s is te r-c ity p r o je c t , " said Webster. H o o ker told her that the N ic a ra guans were able to drive the contras back, but that the war was exacting a high price in the San d in ista g o v e rn m e n t’ s a b ility to d e liv e r social services. " W ith tears in his eyes, he described a teacher friend in a rural area w h o was k ille d by the c o n tras,” she said. T h e A tla n tic C o as t has a lon g h is to ry o f racist n eg lect. Blacks first came to the region in the 1600s as slaves or escapees fro m slavery. Some m igrated later fro m Jam aica to work for colonial companies. Blacks and Indians have distrust ed whatever government ruled from M an ag u a, and that distrust carried over into their feelings for the San dinistas, who came in after the revo lution w ith a m axim um o f zeal and a minim um o f sensitivity. Announcing wide area paging coverage without the wide area price. The paging people who have always brought you selection and service now bring you one of the widest coverage areas In Portland. Plus one big advantage: O ur competitors charge you for "extended coverage." RAM Includes It as standard bill of fare. Premium coverage without a prem ium price. Because at RAM. we believe your pager Is only as good as the area It reaches. Ray H ooker can mediate, accord ing to Webster. " H e was able to say that m istakes had been m ade, but th at the S an d in istas w ere ab le to change and w o rk w ith w h a t was happening," she said. " W h a t impressed me about Ray H o o k e r ," said W ebster, "w a s that he was w o rk in g to insure th at the needs o f the com m unity were met. This man was really w orking to im p ro ve the q u a lity o f lif e fo r p o o r people.” 2 2 6 -1 5 0 7 RAM Broadcasting ol Oregon, Inc , 713 S W 12th Avenue DePriest hosts benefit for Black Education Center The T ^ ird A nnual W in e and Cheese Benefit for the Black Educa tional Center School will be hosted by Oregon Symphogy Conductor James DePreist and M rs. Ginette DePreist, and M r. and M n . Wilson C. Walker. The benefit is scheduled f6r Friday, December 7, 1984 from 7 to 10 p.m. at 3832 N . Insterstate Ave. Proceeds w ill help supply needed funds for the culturally unique learning center for children ages 5 to 9. The school is located at 4919 N E 17th Ave. The Center was started on a part time basis in May of 1970 and in Sep tember o f 1974 the school began oper ating on a full time basis. The basic curriculum now includes: m athe matics, computer, language, writing, history, reading, science, geography, foreign language, a rt, and creative movement. Nutritional education and parental involvem ent are stressed, also. Students score remarkably well on achievement tests after completing the school's five year program. For the past 14 years the Black Educational C enter has been a re source ce n tfr in the Northw est for students, parents, teachers and for citizens interested in the numerous achievements o f African-Americans and the intern ation al A fric a n com munity. Tickets for this event may be pur chased fo r S IS .00 at the T alkin g D rum Bookstore, 1634 N E A lb erta S t., or fro m the school by calling 284-9552. Guest; will have an oppor tunity to meet M r. and Mrs. DePreist and the C e n te r’s current director and co-founder, Joyce Harris. King Improvement Assn, seeks new officers The King Im provem ent Associa tion w ill be holding their election o f officers for 1985 on Tuesday, Novem ber 27, 1984, at the Northeast Neigh borhood O ffice, 4815 N .E . 7th Ave. The King Improvem ent Association is seeking interested citizens who would like to participate in their neighborhood association, either as a member o f the association or as an officer an d /o r member o f the Execu tive Committee. Nominations are open and will be taken from the floor at the meeting. Interested King Neighborhood residents should call M s. T o n i W il liams, Chairperson, 281-6494. 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