January 27, 1988, Portland Observer, Page 5
Speak Out
by Danny Beil
Why do Afro-American business
I fail more often than other
k
_ ethic group businesses?
b^Àrnold Pitre
Henry Taylor
Ronda Chiles
Clerk
Club Manager
Reverse discrimination . . . or re
verse prejudice. Some of our Black
people have been conditioned into
thinking that we can't trust our own
people. They will take their cars,
for instance, to a white mechanic,
rather than a Black, saying, "that
Black mechanic does not know
what he is doing." The Black busi
nessman often times has a lack of
knowledge and a lack of under
standing of how and where to get
the knowledge. There are often
times when the understanding of
rules and regulations are a big pro
blem. Money is always a problem.
We can't get the loans that the
white man can get, and access to
the funds is very important.
It
seems that no one is willing to pro
vide funds, even our own banks.
Blacks refuse to patronize other
Blacks, and there is a lack of re
spect of Black people for Black busi
nesses. On the other hand, white
people do not patronize Black busi
nesses either. So, Blacks do not
patronize Blacks, whites do not pat
ronize Blacks, therefore, there is no
business. A smart businessman can
get the money to run a business,
but without the patronage to sup
port the business, it is a lost cause.
Domestic Violence
Recent figures indicate that approximately 50% of American families
experience some form of domestic violence. What is domestic violence?
It is physical abuse between husband and wife; it occurs in homes with
stress, such as where there are money or medical problems; or when an
elderly relative resides in the home with the couple. The participants usually
have a history of being abused. Therefore, since this behavior is a learned
condition, the participants tend to respond to stress by imitating actions
they have grown to expect. It is frequently common that the use of
alcohol has a negative effect in domestic violence cases, being that alcohol
tends to cause confused thinking and limited inhibitions.
The occurrence of domestic violence transcends all economic and social
stratas. However, it is more pronounced in families with money problems.
The abuser, in most cases, tends to be male. The profile of abusers tends
toward persons who assume the role of dominance in the relationship. This
type of personality has an urgent need to feel a sense of entitlement, as if
one should at times have the ability to read their minds and respond to the
abuser's needs.
The person abused, on the other hand, tends to be female, unassertive,
passive, and a person who will try anything to keep peace in the family. The
abused person's prior family role models were often abused, as well, setting
a pattern of abusive behavior. The abused person generally has poor coping
skills; this, in turn, further influences them to have a sense of dependency on
the abuser. Both participants have a low self-esteem.
Often women have a hard time breaking the cycle of abuse. It is a d iffi
cult task to extricate oneself, financially and emotionally, from the abusive
partner. The cycle is made even more complicated by the abuser's routine
apologies to the battered person. This goes hand in hand with promises
never to batter her again. However, in most cases, sheer application of writ
power will not remedy the situation.
What is needed to successfully over-come a problem of this nature is
for both parties to seek professional counseling. The first step of breaking
the cycle of abuse is for the woman to tell someone, such as a doctor, nurse,
or sympathetic friend.
Women who are in need can find assistance in the blue section of the
White Pages of the telephone book under "Women Services." Other
agencies which can help are mental health clinics, hot lines, and the police.
These resources may direct an abused person to a women's shelter.
Women's shelters are havens of refuge for women who have experienced
domestic violence. The shelters in the Portland area generally accept child
ren. The shelter will not release the address where the woman is staying,
nor will they release the name of any woman staying in the shelter. Shelters
offer counseling, both to resident clients and the public. Women's shelters
also provide women with assistance in establishing a separate household,
acquiring a restraining order, as well as assist in the prosecution of criminal
charges against the abuser. _________________________ ____________
Community Mental Health invites our readers to write us at 128 N.E. Russell, Portland, OR
97212, Attention: Danny Bell.
James Smart
Self Employed
James Berry
Proprietor
N.E. Business Center
* Operating capital. It is hard for
Black business owners to get loans.
Programs that are supposed to help
minorities are inaccessible. Insu
rance . . . inability to get proper
insurance in certain areas of town,
usually where Blacks are attempting
to place their businesses. Black cu
stomers expect Black businesses to
provide them with very low prices,
even when the business cannot af
ford to give them such prices.
Blacks need to purchase from Black
businesses because the money goes
back into the community, and if
they would do that, the businesses
can lower their prices.
__________________________________________
Housing andEconomicDevelopment
Conference Set for January 30
Limited Funds. Black people do not
have access to the money that other
groups do. A lot of people are not
properly prepared, do not have the
know-how, and do not do any re
search to get themselves prepared.
Some of us oonsider ourselves a
success by virtue of being in busi
ness, whether the business is suc
cessful or not. They need to take
the time to evaluate the success of
the business and react accordingly.
I have seen city inspectors that ap
pear to be stricter on businesses
in the Black community that at
tempt to be in compliance rather
than those that are not. This
creates a burden on Black busi
nesses. Black people seem to be a
bit more particular when patroni
zing Black business. We seem to
patronize our businesses as a last
resort, and then we want to bargain
with the owner. We w on't do that
at Safeway or other white establi-
ments.
Revitalizing our inner city neigh
borhoods - creating jobs, rehab-
bing abandoned buildings, impro
ving our commercial business dis
tricts, designing affordable ways for
families to own their homes — and
other community development is
sues will be topics at the fourth
annual Citizen Leadership Confer
ence sponsored by Southeast Up
lift Neighborhood Program.
The conference, "Housing and
Community Economic Develop
ment:
Neighborhood Strategies
for the 1990's", will be held Satur
day, January 30, 1988 from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Providence
Hospital, N.E. 47th and Glisan.
The conference is designed for
citizen activists, business district
leaders and city staff. During morn
ing sessions participants will learn
about successful models/programs
both nationally and locally choosing
Oregon Human
Rights Coalition
To Meet
20% Off Most Toys
On January 30, 1988 from 9:00
a.m. to 1:00 p.m., The Portland
Chapter of The Human Rights
Coalition will hold a meeting focus
ing on the following issues: emer
gency medical care, child care re
imbursement, coping with job
search, obtaining emergency assi
stance (cash and foodstamps),
new jobs program, AFS (Adult and
Family Services) staff rudeness to
ward clients.
The meeting will be held at the
Old Wives Tales Restaurant, 1300
E. Burnside, Portland, OR, 238-
0470 for directions.
For more information, contact:
Geraldine Willaims, 281-1620, or
Karen Roothaan, 249-8232.
The Neighborhood
Toy & Gift Shoppe
Toys & Gifts
for Small & Big Kids
5429 NE 42nd
Portland, OR 97218
284-8970
Mon-Fri
10-6 p.m.
9-4 p.m.
Sun
1-5 p.m.
Off Killingsworth
on 72 & 75 Bus Unes
Greeting Cards & Gift Certificates & More
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HOURS: M-F 7AM-7PM SATURDAY 8AM-5PM
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between two tracks: housing or
economic development. Afternoon
sessions will encourage discussion
among participants to identify com
mon neighborhood priorities and to
begin to develop citywide policies
and strategies.
Bob Zdenek, President of the
National Congress for Community
Economic Development in Wash
ington, D.C. will be the keynote
speaker presenting a national over
view. Comments by Harry Demo
rest, President of the Portland De
velopment Commission are also
slated.
Registration forms will be avail
able in early January. Space is limi
ted and early registration is reque
sted. The cost for citizens is $5 and
includes lunch and materials. Scho
larships are available. Call South
east Uplift for more information,
232-0010.
Self-Help Tax Assistance
Additional help to Oregonians pre
paring their federal income tax re
turns will be available starting Jan
uary 25 throu g h February 12 in
the Portland IRS office, with self-
help tables set up in the main floor
lobby area to assist 1040A and 1040
EZ filers, located in the federal build
ing at 1220 S.W. Third, from 9:00
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
Jazz it A rt E xhibit
An exhibit of jazz-related etchings,
paintings and photos by Hawaiin-
based artist John Henry Nichols will
be on display at Mt. Hood Commu
nity College's College Center Fire
place Lounge throu g h the m onth
o f February. The lounge is open
from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday
through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Fridays and 8 a.m. to
5 p.m. Saturdays. The exhibit if
free and open to the public. Ni
chols first began painting in Harlem
at the age of 20. Within two years,
his paintings were on display in New
York and Canada. He recently com
pleted a series of artistic tributes to
such music personalities as Miles
Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Alice Col
trane.
M u ltn om ah C ounty Library
Schedules Public M eetings
The national library press is call
ing Multnomah County Library a
leader in the profession and "W e'd
like to make sure that continues by
regularly 'connecting' with the pub
lic," says Sarah Ann Long, Mult
nomah County Library director.
"W e'd like to share information
about how we make the decisions
—everything from selecting books
to what hours the library is open to
what's new in libraries across the
United States," Long says.
Citizens are invited to attend ses
sions scheduled for M onday,
Feb 1 at noon in the auditorium of
Central Library, 801 S.W. Tenth; on
Tuesday, Feb. 2 at noon in the
North Portland Branch Library, 512
N. Killingsworth; or on Wednes
day, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in the Mid
land Branch Library, 805 S.E.
122nd.
The Tax Man Cometh —
And So Does Free Help
Don't let the tax man get you
down. Help is at hand with Portland
Parks and Recreation. Several Park
Bureau community centers and
community schools provide free as
sistance from people well versed in
this year's tax laws. The service is
primarily for seniors and people on
low incomes, so check with the re
creation center nearest you to find
out whether you qualify for help.
M a tt Dishm an C o m m u n ity
Center, 77 NE Knott. Program be
gins mid-February. Call 282-1460
for information & appaointment.
Ockley
Green
C o m m u n ity
School, 6031 N. Montana. Pro
gram begins mid-February. Call
280 5663 for information & appoint
ment.
Peninsula Park C o m m u n ity
Center, 6400 N. Albina. Assistance
from trained AARP volunteers.
Tuesdays and Thursday, 2-1
throu g h 4-15, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Call 285-4222 to make a half-hour
appointment.
U niversity Park C o m m u n ity
Center, 9009 N. Foss. For low in
come, senior, or handicapped citi
zens. Presented by AARP. W ed
nesdays, 2-3 throu g h 4-13, 10 am
to 2 pm. Walk-ins welcome, or
call 289-2414 for an appointment.
Calendar Continued on Page 10
WOZA (wo’zuh)
To rise up.
WOZA RUTH
WOZA STEVE
WOZA LILIAN
WOZA ROBERT
WOZA BRAM
See Entertainment Page
Career Conference Set
Young women from the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area
will have an opportunity to meet with local women representing
various careers at the ninth annual Expanding Your Horizons Career
Conference on Saturday, February 6, 1988. The conference, which
will be held at Portland State University, if from 8:45 a.m. to
12:45 p.m. and is open to young women in grades 7-12.
Conference participants will hear from presentors about their
work as well as have an opportunity to participate in hands-on work
shops. Careers represented include health sciences, communica
tions, engineering and technology. Nontraditional careers, such as
welder, automotive repairer, elevator mechanic, firefighter, and
deputy U.S. Marshall, also are represented. Emphasis is placed on
the math and science background needed for most careers and the
need for young women to study math and science in order to keep
career options open.
Preregistration deadline is January 29, 1988. For further infor
mation, please contact Madeline Moore at 464 3045.
NOW YOU CAN G O TO
VO-TECH SCHOOL WITH MORE
THAN JUST ENTHUSIASM.
If VxationalTechnical school is in your future
ought to check out the G.I. Bill Plus the Army
lege Fund Because with it, you
earn money to help pay for your
cation. Up to $25,200, if you
lify and enlist Here’s how.
First you contribute to your edu-
an—$100 per month for the first
12 months o f your enlistment.
:n the government contributes up
9,600. That’s the G. 1 Bill. With
Armv College Fund, you can
up to $14,400 more’ Adding up
s much as $25,200, by the end
our four years, toward addi-
lal technical training at an
•edited \fo-Tech school.
O f course, exactly how much
you earn will depend upon how long you serve and
which specialty you qualify and enlist for.
That’s not bad Money for Vo-
Tech school after you serve, as well as
the Army’s high-tech training while
you serve.
And when you enlist, you’ll get
more out of the deal than just money!
You’ll learn self-reliance, discipline
and be in the best physical shape of
your life. You’ll also get the chance to
travel and meet new people
If you’d like to learn more about
the G. 1. Bill Plus the Army College
Fund,visit your local Army Recruiter
or call toll free, 1-800-USA-ARMY.
ARMY
_
BEALLYOUCANBE.