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February 26. 1986, Portland Observer. Page 11
Volume XVI, Number 16
PORTLAND OBSERNER
; « " M a rty r«
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February 26, 1986
25c Copy
TwoSections
laa.
Black Leadership
Conference ’86
b\ Hi>b I or/iiiin
Members n flh e “ Black Leadership Conference '8 6 " dis
cuss areas o f concern they wish candidates fo r govem or
to address.
I l ’ holo: Richard J. Hr« IV* III
Speaker Says Blacks Must Solve Their Own
Problems
¿>1 J f H S C n l U l f f
“ Based on where we are today,
where do we go from here?" This ques
tion was asked to Black citizens who
attended a community forum last
Thursday at the North Branch Library
The forum's topic was The State of
Black America 1986 The panel o f
speakers included Kat Toran, David L
Little , John Olive, Robert Phillips and
Calvin Henry
During the torum, each o f the speak
ers told the audience that Blacks must
not expect to have things done for them
— they must do for themselves
The keynote address was given by
Ms Toran Toran is the Director of the
State ol Oregon Affirm ative Action O f
fice She told those w ho gathered that in
order for Blacks to face the challenge in
the future, they must look back into
history to explain the failure o f Black
America to develop itself economi
cally.
Toran emphasized to the audience
that economic equality and stability is
fhe key to political power She then
quoted several Blacks such as Booker
1 Washington. W’ E B DuBois, and
Marcus Garvey Explaining to them
that each ol these leaders focused on
{flack self-sufficiency and economic
felt-development
"S e lf sufficiency,
Economic stability, and political power
should he a top priority o f Black
A m erica,” said Toran
The Black community must first
focus on themselves, before these
^norilies can he met said Toran "T h e
Black community must be held ac
countable for the education o f our
y o u th ." "B lacks leaders must chastise
the pitnps and the drug pushers, they
hiust condemn Black on Black crime ”
''T h e concept of family must be em
phasized, along with moral and sexual
responsibility," said Toran
: During the two and a half hour
forum , national and local data was
given on the social barometer o f Black
America Those in attendance listened
Closely as Little and Olive read out data
showing that Blacks are at the very bot
tom o f the economic and social ladder
both national and locally
This low social status among many
Blacks was reflected in the report given
by Robert Phillips on vital statistics.
Phillips, who is Director o f Multnomah
County Affirm ative Action office,
blames pixir health among Blacks in
Portland on bad behavior patterns, life
Myles and environmental factors " D e
spite the advances in medical technol
ogy, and the availability o f health care
facilities. Blacks health overall is the
worst in 15 years." said Phillips Local
data indicated that a disproportional
number o f Blacks are suffering from
chronic illnesses, such as kidney dis-
( ontmuing the process begun two years ago to unify the black vote, about 50
residents ol Portland s black community met Saturday for the "Black l.eadeiship
Conference '86 "
Meeting at Vancouver Ave Baptist Church, conference participants put to
gether a platform o f issues important to the black community Conference organiz
ers said they w ill use the platform in discussions w ith candidates for governor. Io
lind out where they stand on the issues I he community w ill then he able to make
an informed endorsement, thev said
( (inference co chan Ron Herndon said the black community forum was "th e
most democratic wav I know for the community Io decide on who to back for
governor
We want to come up with an agenda that speaks to the needs o f our
fo lk s ," Herndon said
A lter a prayer and a moment of silence in memory ol the late Rev John
(iarlington. the audience listened Io introductions from Hcmdon. conlerencc
co chair ile rb ( aw thornc and state representative Margate! Carter The group then
broke into workshops to discuss issues in economic development, health and
human services, housing, education, and law and justice
I he workshop on economic develojnnent drew the most people and also drew
some heated discussion
We re talking about the viability ol a community, we’ re a depressed area,"
said Northeast Portland resilient (ieorge Hendrix. "W hat is the governor's office
going Io do tor economic development in North Northeast Portland ’ . " Hendrix
asked
W ill the governor s office insure that the black community w ill get a share o f
the jobs when new companies come in ’ , asked Sam Brooks, president o f the
Northeast Business Boosters
We have to come up w ith a list of questions that w ill get at where these people
arc coming from, said Jeana Wooley, referring Io the candidates
I ach workshop identified several issues and then reported back to the large
groiqi ( onlerence participants generally agreed on the need for more black
representation in government, government agencies, m school and prison ad
ministration. and on economic development boards They also agreed that the
candidates should supjvort divestiture ol state funds in companies that do business
m South Africa
I he Salurriav meeting continued m the spirit ot the community forum two years
ago that unified m endorsing Margaret Carter as the candidate for representative
from District 18. Herndon said
Herndon cited ( arter s resistance Io political pressure to withdraw from the
community poilmcal process and make an early endorsement ol a gubernatorial
candidate
Margaret has probably represented a community better than anyone I ’ ve
seen. Herndon said "She really deserves our undying support for staying with
the process "
Herndon announced that the W all Street Journal on Jan 9th listed Carter as one
ol the outstanding black legislators in the country
I am exhibit A ol such a process that we are here lo r ," said Carter, altei her
introduction by conference co chair Herb Caw thornc She went right to the point in
criticizing the record ot Oregon's current governor
Right now in Salem I feel we have tired b lo o d." Carter said She described
Vic Atiyeh as a governor who does not understand oppression in the black
community, who vetoed bills on restricting police use ol force. South A frica
divestment, comparable worth, and who resisted legislation allowing state assis
tance Io two jiarenl households
Slic encouraged the audience to write an agenda lor the next legislature, to "sew
the seeds tor a better slate government in the next eight years than we've had in the
last eight years "
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Black Leadership Conference '86 Proposed Action Agenda;
Economic Davalopmanl
• large! c, on, mi I, dcvclufim ent lim it s in ecum im uaJly depressed I,,» in, mite cn m m un ilie v
• I jr iii.ir k a p rice n la g c n | funds spent on large ile selnpineiil p m jc c ti. s u s h as lhe ( n liiin h i., South
Shore C o rrid o r, fo r job training
’
" ........ .
1
1
m p t o y w r « , i i , v i i „ i , i S y a t t r a f a » i a v w t M M m M ach .im m i„ m (s
enterprises
• direct a greater portio n o l loners lands lo t g,h training
Health and Human Service«
• stale heallh plan insuring lu ll medical l a i r tor all Oregonians
• more m school health and fa m ily planning clinics lor teen agers
• m aintain M edicanl funds for abortions
• a I r a n , I n p r , , g , . , i, i ,n » h u h B O M » c l l . u r in.,lies is l i a n s l r i l c d I,, jo b l i . i i i n n , ' p i , ,g u m s
Youth
•
I he State o f Black America 1986 panel tl.- R i David L.
I.itlle . John O live. Kay T o ra n , Robert Phillips and Cal-
eases, strokes, diabetes, cancer and
nutrition deficiencies
Phillips said that between 1979 and
1981 an average ol 227.000 Blacks
died each year O f this numher,
119.(MX) were under the age of seventy
He also staled that homicide was the
main cause o l death among Black males
between the ages o f 25 and 44
Homicide accounted for 38 percent ol
excessive death among Black males
and 14 percent among Black females
Calvin Henry told the crowd that
Black community leaders should be
held accountable to the community
when they fail to act in the best interest
o f Blacks "O ne of the saddest things
that has occurred in the Black commun
ity is people such as Clarence Pendleton
III, Chairman o f the U S C iv il Rights
Commission, hasn't been held ac
countable tor his actions ", said Henry
Henry said for too long Blacks' de
stmyhas been determined by Whites
and Black gatekeepers He said there
must he a total commitment from the
entire Black community to address the
problems facing Black America
This view was shared by those in the
audience A man in the audience stated
Black churches should be more in
volved in the problems facing Blacks in
America and asked the panel why there
wasn t more Blacks in attendance at
this forum A woman responded by say
ing that it is hard to get them (the
vin Henry.
m i , , m a g e Im k .ig . p r o g r a m » h e r e I m p m a li. „ is h ir r r . i . n , , r ,
i„ .|,
., j l , . . - I . , ,,|,
,,„|
dance
• launch an aggressive and drug campaign
(Photo Richard J Brown)
• s.,111,11111111, s n in r s,h..laid, |, io,
• L •
people who perttcipom m cammoMly imarovemeM
projects
churches) involved She said,
we
need less talk from the churches and
more action "
Despite the gloomy picture facing
Black America, the crowd was told
there are a lew Blacks who are doing
well in society "W e do have our indi
vidual Black success stories; we do
have Black people who are making it
here in Portland and around the na
lio n ," replied Toran
H o u s in g
■
• smses io ............................. of w haidlM i...... . mg mi M io '■ nnvcitad to market rale r a d . owNet
’
(he conversion » u h an incentive plan tor owners
• „,•» sui,. ,.i,,,-.i homing unite made poaarhle by raqwnag homing aMhontiea w n fla m ie . aialMig
projects in a manner lhal w ill generate capital lo r development o f new „n ils
• ereale housing renewal districts
• sup|«irl recently jirnfaised I hegon Housing liu s i f und
Education
Z*4
• in, lea,,- i,in.ding i, ■ r, on,mu. ail, drprcited tchool dn trkta
NBUF Condemns Savimbi Visit
I he National Blac k United Front has
joined the ranks of organizations and
individuals nationwide condemning the
visit ot Dr Jonas Savimbi, head of the
National Union for the Total Indepen
dence o f Angola (U N IT A )
Dr Savimbi is in the United States to
lobby for support o f covert aid to
U N ITA in its attempts to topple the
government o f Angola
Savimbi s U NI IA is supported by
the South African government, which
provides logistical and financial aid to
U N ITA forces
The National Black United Front
views Savimbi and UNITA, as part o f a
network o f right w in g ' supported
movements, which include Contra
forces in Nicaragua, that are hoping to
receive covert aid from the Reagan
Administration, with Congressional
approval
These forces are attempting to topple
governments who fought valiantly for
many years to oust U S supported dic
tatorships and colonial powers
Dr Savimbi has been shunned by
African heads ot state and most recently
by the Congressional Black Caucus
NBUF Chairman, Dr Conrad W or
r ill, states "the unity exhibited in op
position to the visit ot Dr Savimbi is
heartwarming, because it shows that
people are clear about who arc the
lorces lighting lor sell determination
and those l ighting to once again enslave
a free people We in NBUF are expres
sing support lor any demonstration
against Savimbi and in support ot the
Popular Movement for the Liberation
of Angola iM P L A l and the people of
A ngola " W o rrill fu rth e r stales
"N B U F calls upon Congress to vote no
to the Reagan Administration’ s efforts
to legitimatize destabilization whether
in Nicaragua or Angola"
Calorie counting? Whan a racipa
calls for cream, sweat or sour, sub
stituta plain unflavored yogurt It
adds protain. calcium and B vita-
mins instead of excess fat
V*
• im prove elhnis s u m m it
• ngonraa „ . nnonrat ", Hack teachers and adm im alnM
• improve transfer potky between iwo and faw year inaiiitMiom
• more fin an n a l aid
• assist lileiass program , in com m unity organizations
Law and Juatlca
4
• increase numher o l hla, k professionals in stale lu s li,,- system
tracing prohat....... nd parole procedure« wMh ih t o bttet o f raduciara
disproportionate number o f blacks in prison
m i d a ir m u ll, , i i l l . n a l d .n n m g p r o g n m a lo r a ll p u l'ln r m p l o s r e , ,n s . .| s .-,1
’
it,,- i i . , , r |u , l , . r ssslrm
M »
Awareness Conference
Í-
Portland Alumnae Chapter. Della Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc w ill present a
h ilitic d l Awareness Conference", March 8, 10 01) a m to 3 (Ml p m at the
Portland Holiday Inn Airport, N I 82nd and Columbia Blvd
The one day conference is designed to increase awareness o f the political
process ( onlerence workshop lopics w ill include "R unning for Public O ffic e "
'How io l obby for and Impact l.egislaiion" , "Financing a C am paign", "P ro b
Icins Blacks Face in the Political A re n a ", "Accessing Political Boards and
Commissions" and "G etting Funds from your Local (io ve rn m e n t".
Speakers w ill include elected and appointed city and slate o fficials and other
professionals Registration cost is $10 if registered by March 5 and $15 on site
Registration fee includes a luncheon with keynote speaker Margaret Carter
' , ' ' ’ nct 18 Representative, and a reception to follow the conference beginning at
3:00 p m
e
*
f or more information on registration and conference speakers contact Jeanne
Hartzog, 4 MJO N F Fremont. Rixim 230, 249 2855
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