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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1987)
Page 10, Portland Observer, December 2, 1987 Food Stamp Violations Penalized Black Press Warned to Prepare for the Year 2000 "Our Black owned Community newspapers are under attack by tech nology and new forms of media that will make the Black press a dinosaur by the year 2,000 unless we meet the challenge," says Dr. W.C. Gordon, Chairman of the American Gospel Arts Fund and pastor of the Divinity Bap tist Church, Pasadena, Calif. Gordon, a former broadcaster, advertising and marketing executive, spoke at a panel concerning "The Church and the Black Press" at the recent West Coast Black Publishers Association Convention in San Fran- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has barred eight Oregon grocers from participating in the Food Stamp Program and fined one other for viq U-> ting program rules. The sanctions were made between January 1 and September 30, and» bring to eleven the number of stores penalized during the past twelve months. A series of USDA investigations into stores suspected of violations. re; ; vealed that the penalized stores allowed the purchase of non-food items for food stamps. Food stamps can only be used to purchase food for human consumption, or seeds for the production of food for the household. More than 3,000 Oregon stores are authorized to participate in the Food Stamp Program which annually accounts for $138 million in state food sales. USDA encourages the general public to report any violations of the Food Stamp Program by calling: 1-800-424-9121, the toll free number for the USDA's Office of Inspector General in Washington, D.C. The number is Vernellia Randall, law yer w ith the firm B ullivant. Houser, Pender grass & H uffm an, was one o f seventy presenters th a t talked to three- hundre a n d -fifty young people at the Urban League s 14th Annual Careers Day held at the U niversity o f Portland. Photo by Richard J. Brown cisco. Black newspapers are in danger of being replaced by national news papers, TV and radio that carry news transmitted by satellite and compu ters,” says Gordon. "National, daily newspapers using full-color pictures are claiming the Black Community's readership and attracting big dollars from advertisers as a result. Racial trageting is no longer enough for the Black press to make it. Black newspapers are being forced to compete for Black readers and could become a thing of the past within a few years if steps are not taken to be come competitive. "In the last 20 years, our so-called 'segmented' minority market has actually become a fragmented market. We will never be able to deal with it as a whole again, as microchips and microprocessors help other media serve many of our fragments. "The only lasting and identifiable institution with which the Black press can still work is the Church. It always has been and always will be the back- bond of the readership of Black newspapers. "The Church is a family institution. Its youth are tomorrow s execu tives, the so-called 'Buppies' or Black, upwardly mobile professionals. They are, in turn, family people, raising children, trying to live right, buyers of soft drinks and spring water instead of hard liquor, health conscious, trying to buy a washer and d rye r. . . "If Black newspapers are to survive, I believe that they must get back "in " with youth, get back "in " with the family crowd, get back "in " with the Church, work with the Church and stop being used by influences that exploit Blacks, destroy families and scorn our religious heritage. "Are Black newspapers going to settle for a dwindling, older reader- ship and lose the Buppies to the mainstream media entirely? We need to get into the numbers and think about the demographics of our readerships, do some market research and target our newspapers to attract the most economically viable audience we can identify, or we will lose the battle. We have to learn what it takes to serve our changing Community or we will find ourselves out of business and unable to serve anybody. "The Black press and the Church are laborers in the same vineyard. They have much the same audience and much the same problems, both are systems of communication. Our newspapers and Churches need to work together to solve problems of mutual concern. If the issue is drugs, let s have seminars in the churches sponsored by the newspaper. If the issue is economic deveopment, remember that most businessmen are church members and can be reached through the Church. "I can only say that we must do it now, or it will be too late. "In 1985, I told the West Coast Black Publishers that they must 'Romance The Stone,' that is, end the division between Black press and church that began some 20 years ago. In 1986, I provided a workbook for publishers and the clergy on church-press relations. This year, I bring a warning: in order to survive, Black newspapers are going to have to recog nize that their survival in the future lies in the Church and that they must 'Get Back To The Future." Edelman First Recipient of Vassar College Chair Vassar College President Frances D. Fergusson announced that Marian Wright Edelman, an attorney and founder and president of the Children s Defense Fund (CDF), will come to Vassar College in November as the first holder of the college's Eleanor Roosevelt Chair, established in 1984 to cele brate the 100th anniversary of her birth. During her visit, Ms. Edelman w,H deliver a public lecture, and speak informally with students, faculty, and community leaders. __. Dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged children and fami lies Ms. Edelman has worked for over 20 yearas to educate legislators and the public about the status and needs of children. In recognition of her life s work, she received the 1987 American Association of University Women Achievement Award. A graduate of Spelman College and Yale Law School, she was the first Black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar. She has been awarded more than 20 honorary degrees and was named a MacArthur Foundation Prize Fellow in 1986, an honor that provides a stipend in excess of $100,000 over five years. Prior to founding the CDF, Ms. Edelman served as director of the Center of Law and Education at Harvard University. She has also worked as a staff attorney for the NAACP and was a Field Foundation Fellow and partner of the Washington Research Project of the Southern Center for Public Policy, a public interest law firm that was the parent body of the CDF. In her book, "Families in Peril" (Harvard University Press, 1987), Ms. Edelman says “ Thirty-three-million - one seventh of all Americans, includ ing 13 million children - are now poor as a result of economic recession, structural changes in the economy, stagnated wages, federal tax and budget policies that favor the rich at the expense of the poor, and changing family demographics that result in one in every five American children living in a female-headed household, and one of four being dependent on welfare at some point in his or her lifetirs’,».. According to CDF's recently published introduction to "A Children's Defense Budget FY 1988,” the United States ranks first among 142 countries listed in arms exports; gross national product (GNP); military expenditures, technology and bases worldwide; and nuclear reactors, warheads, and bombs; yet only seventh in life expectancy, tenth in public education and public health expenditures per capita, and seventeenth in prevention of infant mortality. Eleanor Roosevelt Chair The Eleanor Roosevelt Chair was established to serve as a lasting memorial to Eleanor Roosevelt and to bring to the campus individuals who have made a difference in advancing internation relations, civil rights, human rights, services to youth, the status of women, or any other area of endeavor that concerned Eleanor Roosevelt during her lifetime < West Coast Black Publishers Association Convention Stirs Renewed dedication posted in participating grocery stores. A state welfare fraud line may be used to report suspected fraud by food stamp households in Oregon: 1 800-527-5772. Also, violations can be re ported to the nearest USDA Food and Nutrition Service Field Office, listed in the government pages at the beginning of the phone book. Stores receiving six-month disqualifications are: Astro International Market, Broadbent Market, Buy Rite Market, Greenacres Grocery, Jackpot Foodmart, and Sumner Store. California Snackery Mini Mart 1 was given a three-year disqualification and Barry's Market was disqualified permanently. "W hat Makes the Black Press Powerful" was the theme of the 4th Annual Convention of the West Coast Black Publishers Association, held October 21-24 in San Francisco at the Westin St. Francis Hotel. The convention workshops addressed the need for the Black press to maintain viability in serving as the voice of the Black community. The Com munity Roundtable entitled "W hy is the Black Press Needed in the Com munity" was ably facilitated by John Holoman, publisher, Herald Dispatch Newspaper. Calvinia Williams, assistant regional director, WestcouST NAACP. set the tone through her keynote speech, stressing tne coopera tion which must be manifested between the press and Black community organizations. The workshop, "The Black Press And The War On Drugs," brought forth new ideas to tackle drug abuse in minority neighborhoods. Attorney Pierce Christopher Welch, founder of "D on't Do Drugs" Program served as moderator of the panel which included Joan Brann, founder "Just Say No" Program, and Dave Stewart, pitching ace for the Oakland A's baseball team. Corporate America was addressed through the work shop, "Do Corporations Understand The Black Press Influence Upon Con sumer Buying Power?" This panel included Bob Thomas, vice president, Canadian Club as facilitator; and presentors, John Stevens, market deve lopment manager, Anheuser-Busch, Inc.; Chuck Morrison, vice president, Coca-Cola- and, Lena Cole-Dennis, Rockwell International. Corporate participation was quite evident at this year's WCBPA convention Corpo rate sponsors for convention special events included: Pacific Bell, Phillip Morris USA, Toyota USA, Adolph Coors Company, The Tobacco Insti tute, G. Heileman Brewing Company, Canadian Club, Coca Cola USA, Location For Weatherization Project Announced The Community Energy Project has scheduled six self-help weatheriza tion workshops for the month of December at various locations throughout Portland's east side. The workshops are free, and open to the public. During a two-hour workshop, participants are taught how to lower fuel bills without sacrificing comfrot, and a bag of free weatherization materials will be given out at the end of the workshop to income-eligible households. Included in the materials are caulking, weatherstripping, a door sweep, and plastic storm and Anheuser-Busch, Inc. The charismatic and articulate Speaker of the California Assembly, the Honorable Willie Brown, Jr., eloquently addressed the convention partici pants on the historical significance of the Black press. He emphasized the need to have a vehicle to transmit Black cultural heritage. Topper Carew, Ph D., executive producer in television and film, treated convention atten dees to a meaningful presentation. His recent film, "Bustin Loose", star ring Richard Pryor was considered a highly commercial success. He ad ressed the issue of Black images in the media and how Black pres must present the true story of the Black experience. One of the highlights of the Convention was a special tribute to Carlton B Goodlett, M.D., Ph.D., publisher of the Reporter Publications of San Francisco. Approximately 800 people packed the Grand Ballroom to honor this pioneer of the publishing industry. Mistress of Ceremonies for the event was Ruth Love, Ph.D., former Superintendent of Instruction for both the Chicago and Oakland Unified School Districts. Offering the keynote and giving unique testimonial to the good deeds of Carlton Goodlett was comedian and humanitarian, the legendary Dick Gregory. At the conclusion of the WCBPA Convention a new slate of officers were elected: Art Townsend, publisher, San Bernadino Precinct Reporter, president; Clovis Campbell, publisher, Arizona Informant, vice president; Bernie Foster, publisher, Portland Skanner, secretary; and Joe Coley, pub lisher, Bakersfield News Observer, treasurer. The newly elected President, Art Townsend, was a founder of WCBPA in 1971. He brings to the office of President 23 years of journalistic exper ience. He is a graduate of UCLA and is a long-time political, civil rights and community activist. His business acumen has led him into the arena of real estate investment and development. Townsend has a reputation as a per son with deep convictions and concerns about current problems. I am ready, willing, and able to further the established goals of WCBPA which are to increase advertising revenue for our member publications; represent our members with government entities; provide information on new technolo gies that will improve the publishing capabilities of our newspapers; assist member publications in strengthening their role in the community; and, work with other individuals and groups on issues of mutual concern, stated Townsend. For more information on the West Coast Black Publishers Association you may address correspondence to Art Townsend, President, 1677 W. Baseline Street, San Bernadino, CA 92411, (714) 889-0597. Oregon Black Political Convention A p ril 9-10, 1988 The Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs (OABA) announces, "the 1988 Oregon Black Political Convention will be held April 9-10, 1988, at the Vis count Hotel in Portland." . "The 1988 election year is very critical to Black people in that the Pre sident of the United States will be elected," said Calvin O.L. Henry OABA President "It is extremely important that Blacks in Oregon develop the issues that will guide them and endorse those candidates who will be sensi tive and supportive of their issues," he added. The purpose of the Oregon Black Political Convention is twofold. One is to serve as a forum for delegates to discuss issues and conditions, and to establish, through resolutions, the positions of the Black Community, n addition, convention delegates will endorse candidates for public offices during the 1988 Primary Election, who are sensitive and responsive to t e issues and conditions of Blacks in Oregon. A steering committee for the convention has been appointed. Members include Chair Robert Phillips, Carl Talton, Lee Moore, Donna Kelly, George Richardson and Paul McCoy of Portland; Willie Richardson and Allyson Spencer of Salem; Shelby Crawford, Jackie Glenn and Henry of Corvallis, and Michael Clark of Eugene. The 1988 Oregon Black Political Convention, which is anon-partisan ana open to the public, is the sixth of its kind to be held in Oregon. window kits. CQ To pre-register for any of the following workshops, call 284-7868, or stop by the Eliot Energy House at 3116 N. Williams. Locations and dates: December 5, Matt Dishman Community Center, 77 NE Knott, 10-noon; December 8th, Vernon School, 2044 NE Killings- worth, 7-9 p.m.; December 9, Abernethy Community School, 2421 SE. Orange, 7-9 p.m.; December 12, Maranatha Church, 4222 NE 12th, 10-noon; December 14, Sunnyside Community School, 3421 SE Salmon, 7-9 p.m.; and December 29, Mt. Scott Community Center, 5530 SE 72nd, 7-0 p.m. I wu n iu a ia yu a n » "y " ..... & first Portland-Corinto Sister City School Exchange visited stu dents at the Urban League’s Whitney Young Learning Center. The students showed slides of their city Corinto and of their families. They also shared the experiences they have had growing up in Nicaragua. Whitney Young students, who couldn’t understand why they were visiting the country that’s financing the attempt to overthrow their government were told, “The people of Nicaragua distinguish between the foreign policy of the United States, and the people of the United States.” The presentation ended with the two students receiving Whitney Young T-shirts. Jose Martin Al tamirano Chavez points to the city of Corinto on a map of Nicaragua, and to his right is Sara Maria Oviedo Ortiz. The stu dents along with the principal of their high school were in Portland for three weeks. Photo by Richard J. Brown The U.S. Government's W ar on W om en While Reagan imposes anti-abortion regulations that impact poor and young women hardest, the U.S. government condones Salvandorian death squads in L.A. that kidnap and torture women in anti-war and Central Amer ican solidarity movements. How should abortion and anti-war activists resist this attempt to keep women, especially women of color, out of the move ments and powerless to demand equality? Join Radical Women in discus sion on Thursday, December 17, 1987, 6:30 p.m., Multnomah County Cen tral Library, 801 S.W. 10th Avenue. Everyone is welcome. For more infor mation, call 249-8067. Wheelchair accessible. State Senior Council Protests Medicare Increase The Oregon State Council of Senior Citizens is calling upon Oregon Congressmen to take action to stop a Reagan Administration plan to in crease Medicare Part B premiums 38 percent — the largest increase since Medicare started in 1965. Under the Administration's proposal, seniors would have to pay an additional $82.80 above the current yearly rate of $214.80 for Medicare Part B coverage of physician services, outpatient hospital care and home health care. "This is a shocking and callous proposal by an Administration that has already nearly doubled the Part B premium si&t« 1980," says State Council President Nate Davis. "To the low income elderly or disabled this increase financial burden could very well mean a choice between health care and their next meal." A more reasonable proposal, said Davis, is a bill introduced by Con gressman Ron Wyden of Portland and Congressman Claude Pepper. . H R 3291 will require future annual increases in the Medicare Part B pre mium not to exceed the percentage cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in Social Security benefits. Efforts are being made by the State Council to mobilize Oregon seniors to write their Congressman and Senators to urge them to make every effort , to block the Administration's plan and to support H R 3291 as a workable long-range alternative, said Davis. "W ith seniors paying more than $1800 in out-of pocket medical costs, the last thing they need is to have an added financial burden. Oregon's-: seniors must respond swiftly to this outrageous recommendation by the Reagan Administration," added Davis.
