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November 18, 1987. Portland Observer, Paqe
ODOT Goals
Surpassed
by Nyewusi Askari
Although Title VI is regarded as one of the most comprehensive docu
ments on record, its provisions have been largely ignored by most states.
The provisions of the document require contractors to recruit and train mino
rities and women as workers in the highway construction crafts.
Refusal by states to comply with Title VI has created much controversy
and consternation. Minority contractors have contended that states are
ignoring Affirmative Action Programs and government sponsored programs
that are designed to increase the number of minorities and women workers
in the highway construction industry.
However, in 1987, the Oregon Department of Transportation, with the
support of the Federal Highway Administration, has taken a giant step to
ward erasing its dismal record of placing significant numbers of minorities
and women on Federal Aid Projects. Through a competitive process, ODOT
contracts with a private firm to do outreach, placement and supportive ser
vices. In 1986, the supportive services contractor placed 8 minorities and
women on Federal Aid Projects.
In contrast, in 1987, placements have exceeded the original goal of 68
set by this year's supportive service contractor Professional Training Sys
tems. Project Manager, James Posey, attributes much of this year's success
to improved compliance and enforcement from ODOT's compliance officers.
Because of improved compliance and enforcement, placement goals have
been revised to 80 plus. This success establishes Oregon as having one of
the highest placement rates in the nation.
Mr. Skip Collier, an executive at Professional Training System, believes
that much of the impetus for the upsurge in enforcement is related to Gover
nor Goldschmidt's mandate to state officials to aggressively increase their
Affirmative Action efforts.
"Bob Bothman, the Director of the Oregon Department of Trans
portation, a Goldschmidt appointee, has worked hard to open up lines of
communication and enforce the mandate of the Governor, Mr. Collier said.
Holidays Demand Increased
Fire Safety Action
With Christmas and New Year's coming, people will celebrate, social
ize and relax. Unfortunately the merriment of the holiday season is often
ruined by the tragedy of fire.
There are certain fire hazards peculiar to the holiday season. That
means people must be especially aware of the right things to do to help
prevent fire from starting. The National Fire Prevention Association and
the Portland Fire Bureau remind you to follow these tips:
• NFPA recom m ends a rtific ia l Christm as trees that are flame re
tardant and labeled by a testing laboratory. If you use a real tree, be careful
in choosing it. Check the branches. Do the needles fall off when it's
touched? Are they turning brown? If the answer to either question is yes,
look for another tree. This one is too dry and might catch fire easily.
• When you fin d the tree th a t's "just rig h t", place it in your house
so that it isn't blocking any exits. Cut off an inch or so from the bottom of
the tree, stand it in water, and check the water level every day. A Christ
mas tree can get thirsty; without water it could quickly dry out.
• Before p u ttin g electric lig h ts on the tree — never use candles!
— check the wires carefully. If they are frayed or if the connections are
loose, discard that strand and buy new ones. Test the lights before put
ting them on the tree to make sure they are in proper working order.
• Christm as decorations are p re tty, especially electric lights on the
tree and in the windows. When you leave the house or go to bed, however,
unplug all electric decorations.
• W rapping paper piles up, especially on Christmas day. The temp
tation is to toss it into the fireplace and burn it up. Don't. A chimney fire
could result. Instead, take the time to gather wrapping paper and ribbons
together and put it out with the trash.
• Holiday tim e is party tim e . Families, friends, and neighbors
gather to celebrate and socialize. That means smokers. Provide deep,
sturdy ashtrays for the smokers to use. Dispose of ashes in a special can
— never in paper or plastic containers. When guests have left, check under
the sofa and chair cushions for cigarettes that may have accidentally slip
ped down underneath. A still burning cigarette could smolder for hours
before igniting the furniture while you and your family are asleep.
• M ake sure th a t sm oke detectors have been installed on each
level of your home and that your family has practiced their escape plans.
• Enjoy the holiday season. Make it an especially enjoyable time
by practicing fire safety at the same time. Learn not to burn.
Road Condition Hotline
The Oregon State Police-State
Highway Division wintertime Road
Condition Report telephone hotline
is now operating.
The Portland hotline number,
238-8400, tells travelers about win
ter road conditions statewide.
Callers may select road condition
reports for any of eight state regions
when using a Touchtone phone.
Callers using dial phones must listen
to the message play in regional or
der.
Hotline calls are toll-free in the
Portland area. Outside of Portland,
callers pay at regular long distance
rates, which usually totals less than
75 cents per call, according tc, divi
sion officials.
The hotline operates around the
clock and has the most current tra
vel conditions on state highways to
help drivers plan ahead for winter
trips.
The Highway Division and the
State Police reminded motorists to
carry tire chains or other traction
devices when driving over moun
tain passes and to allow plenty of
extra time when traveling in bad
weather.
NOW OPEN
The Neighborhood
Toy & Gift Shoppe
Black United Fund
Campaign
Underway
by Nyewusi Askari
In March 1987, Dr. Emmet D. Carson published a document titled:
"Survey Dispels Myth That Blacks Receive But Do Not Give To Charity."
The document stated that "Organized charitable giving and voluntarism
have existed in the Black community for over two hundred years, but,
despite its importance in the development of the first Black banks and Black
insurance companies, very little is known about the contemporary charitable
giving and volunteer behavior of Black Americans." (Focus, March 1987)
The study, conducted by the Gallup Organization, revealed the fol
lowing:
..
. .
• Over two-thirds (68 percent) of all dollars that are contributed by
Blacks to charity go to the church;
• Blacks with incomes under $20,000 and Blacks with incomes between
$30,000 and $34,999 give more on the average to educational organizations
than whites with similar incomes;
• Blacks with incomes under $20,000 also give greater amounts to inter
national aid organizations than whites at the same level; and
• White with incomes under $20,000 give more to the church, political
organizations, and social welfare groups than Blacks with the same income.
The study also revealed that "Black and white respondents shared very
similar opinions on the question of whether the middle class did enough for
the poor: more than 60 percent of all Blacks and whites said they thought
the middle class did not do enough to help the poor. "
In 1982, a study issued by the Portland Committee for Responsive Phil
anthropy stated that only a mere 1% of 7 million dollars disbursed by 35
general-purpose foundations in 1978-79 went to programs that assisted racial
minorities.
It was truths like these that inspired Walter Bremond to create the Black
United Fund in 1972. Prior to its birth, fundraising in the Black community
had been limited to one-time events: socials, shows, bazaars and the like.
Many Black organizations depended on a paying membership, yet none of
these activities allowed them to raise enough capital to finance an economic
base outside of their own organization's program. When Mr. Bremond esta
blished the Black United Fund, the organization went after payroll deduc
tions.
Mr. Bremond's decision to go forth with the Fund came after many
fund-seeking Black organizations alleged that:
• Most white charitable organizations were dominated by white males
whose decisions reflected their corporate needs and values as opposed to the
needs of the Black community;
• The focus of charitable giving was toward persons or groups of higher
incomes who could better afford to purchase the services they needed;
• While lower income groups tended to give proportionately more to
charitable causes, public charity services were diverted from lower income
groups;
• African-Americans were excluded from the major management posi
tions in charitable organizations, even in areas with high Black popula
tions; and
• Sizable charitable funds were rarely deposited in African-American
banks.
Reaction from the mainstream was swift in coming. The Black United
Fund found itself locked in a fierce battle with United Way. The battle cen
tered around the Black United Fund's attempt to gain equal access with
United Way in fundraising drive« JJftied at large corporations and govern
ment agencies. The Black United Fund's strategy was to offer Black
employees a chance to select the organization they gave funds to. When
Bell Laboratories gave its Black employees the chance to give to the Black
United Fund of New Jersey, Black receipts rose 24 percent. A year later,
the receipts rose by 14.5 percent. Black contributions to United Way also
increased. This reaction by Black employees was nothing new. It is esti
mated that in 1980 alone, Blacks gave in excess of $2 billion to charity.
The concept of self-help has been present in the Black community for
well over 200 years. It has resulted in the formation of Black banks, Black
insurance companies, the building of Black colleges and universities, and in
some cases, the building of entire towns and neighborhoods. The concept
is designed to decrease Black dependency on white support.
Today, this movement is as strong as ever as evidenced in the "Buy
Black Campaign." Recent government statistics places the spending power
of African-Americans at well-over 200 billion dollars. When compared to the
spending power of other nations, African-Americans rank ninth. More than
180 billion of these dollars are spent by African-American women.
Mr. John Amamoo, in an article for Focus Magazine, 1984, wrote:
"Harnessing Black financial resources to improve the quality of life in the
Black community is a concept that goes back to the teachings of Prince
Hall's Masons, the teaching of Marcus Garvey, the teachings of Fredrick
Douglas, and W.E.B. DuBois - all people whose concern was helping their
people grow so they could fully participate in American Society."
For the Black United Fund, the concept is working well. According to
documents, in 1983, New York Telephone employees gave the Black United
Fund $201,572; AT&T contributed $63,717; Bell Telephone employees con
tributed $70,000; and I.B.M. employees gave $61,000. According to Mr.
Amamoo, most of this money went to 3,000 community groups that had
not received monies from traditional funding sources.
Some of the organizations that have received grants from the BUF are.
The Negro Ensemble Company, The Dance Theatre of Harlem, The National
Conference of Black Lawyers, the ABSW Child Adoption Counseling & Re
ferral Services, The Amistad World Theatre Group and the Black Spectrum
Theatre.
,
Last week, Mr. William Merritt, President, National Black United Fund
of New York, was honored in Portland by more than 100 supporters, organi
zers and members. Mr. Merritt's presence sparked enthusiasm, a passion
for the success of Portland's chapter, and he reaffirmed the Black United
Fund's commitment to the concept of self-help.
In Oregon, the primary objectives of the Black United Fund of Oregon
are: fundraising through payroll deduction systems; and grant making to
support projects of Black and minority communities in the programmatic
funding areas of education, health and social services, social justice and
legal services, art and culture, economic development, and emergency
needs.
Ms. Amina Anderson is the Executive Director.
The Black United Fund of Oregon is certified by the federal government
as a tax-exempt corporation. Every dollar donated is tax deductible.
k DIAT a
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king
3201 NE Columbia Blvd. New Radiators
Portland. OR 97211
New Cores
' <503)282-9707
(2 o «)699-4550
.
by Gov. Neil Goldschmidt
G o v t « mow
News From Neil
Oregonians made their mark in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan with
Trade Festival '87, and the mark we left in Asia was one of "Com mitment".
Asian business is done at a personal level, and as we met with over 60
businesses and produces a highly-successful trade fair, contacts were made
and reinforced. Those stories will be coming out in the months and years
ahead, as Oregon builds its trade with Asia.
Already, the contacts Oregonians made have paid dividends, for a!>
parts of Oregon.
Our focus was on agriculture, in a part of the world where rising in
comes are producing a demand for imported food. Oregon is the only state
authorized to inspect and stamp quality grades on exports to Japan.
That authorization is paying off. Agripac, a Salem-based food pro
cessing cooperative, signed a deal in Japan for canned sweet corn to be
used in Japan's school lunch program, a $750,000 annual contract. Agri
pac is sending about 12% of its canned products to Japan, and Paul Solan,
the president, was among the strongest members of the trade mission.
Other immediate sales covered a wide range of Oregon products, from
spices and seasonings (Beaverton Foods Inc.), to a variety of wines, vege
tables and even live cattle.
Asian cattle are looking for feed, too, and Oregon Hay Inc., at Uma
tilla, sold some 5,000 metric tons of cubes and double-compressed bales
of alfalfa, thanks to Chet Abrams' work on the mission.
Probably our most "exotic" sale was by The Carriage Works, in Kla
math Falls. Cathryn Morse was a trade mission delegate, and sold two
carriages and a stage coach in Japan. The "W ild West is a popular theme
in Asia, and there will be more jobs and exports for Klamath Falls as a
result.
Some Oregonians on this trip have been trading in Asia for some time
— but for most, it was a new venture, a first step in opening a vast and
promising market.
Bob Buchanan, our State Director of Agriculture, and Dick Reiten.
Director of Economic Development, put this mission together, and the
cooperation of these major state agencies was important to the success of
the mission.
Together, we opened new trade offices in Taiwan and South Korea
and expanded our Tokyo office. In an area of intense competition, Oregon
is making its presence felt.
I was happy to announce several major new developments on this trip
Dynic Inc., will build a plant in the Portland area to manufacture printer
ribbons; the Eugene-based franchiser, Taco Time Inc., opened a new rest
aurant in Tokoyo; and International Seeds Inc. of Halsey made a major
break-through is grass seeds in Taiwan.
But these individual transactions are not the real story of the Asian mis
sion. The real story is a hundred Oregon business people, paying their own
expenses, working together to build the image of a state committed to
trade, and committed to a strong presence in Asia.
At the end of every long day — the days ran from early breakfasts to
late dinners — Oregonians would share stories from the day, and pool infor
mation for the next round of calls. The partnership of our state agencies
and these private businesses will produce jobs on our farms, in our forests
and manufacturing plants.
All three Asian nations will send investment missions to Oregon in the
next few months. State Treasurer Tony Meeker was on the trip and made
contacts with key financial houses in all three nations.
Oregon's future is linked to the Pacific Rim and its markets, and this
was made abundantly clear to the Oregonians who took part in Trade Festi
val '87 and the entire Asian mission.
Brooklyn students with Principal, Rosemary Daniels (R) and teacher
Pat Lidrick (L).
School Children
Tour Disneyland
Two hundred Portland Public School students were selected to spend
a day at Disneyland on Tuesday, November 10, 1987.
This special project was sponsored by the Sunshine Foundation and
the Cerebral Palsy Association.
The students role American Airlines to Los Angeles, California, and
eight charter buses drove them to Disneyland. The students and adults
who went with them were escorted by twelve Portland Police officers.
The students spent the day riding, walking, eating and enjoying Dis
neyland. The highpoint of the day was Captain E-0 by Michael Jackson,
plus the rides Monorail, Undersea Garden and the Matterhorn Sled ride.
The students were given gold t-shirts from the Sunshine Foundation
and Disneyland Mickey Mouse hats.
The will always remember this day, because it was filled with excite
ment from beginning to end.
Special thanks goes to the Sunshine Foundation and the Cerebral Pal-
sey Association for their fine project.
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