r Poem re re n 97403 •> '>• Jackson and the Rainbow Blacks in Politics “ Black Clout' Page 7 Page 3 Page 2 25$ ERVER PO RTL • * ■ U S P S 959 680 8555 Copyright Exie Publishing Co Inc t 1984 February 17, 1988 "The Eyes and Ears of the Community" Volume XVIII, Number 14 Saturday School Teachers Celebrated by Nyewusi Askari After four weeks of intensive training, volunteer teachers for the Black United Front's Saturday School met at Portland Community College Cascade Campus last Satur­ day to celebrate the success of the Teacher Training classes and to re­ view final plans for the School's opening, scheduled for Feb. 20, 1988. The tone of the celebration was set by Mr. Ron Herndon who thank­ ed the teachers for their dedication and involvement. "You could have been home watching football or basketball games. Instead, you gave up your precious Saturdays in order to insure our children's future. The Saturday School owes its exis­ tence to you," Herndon said. The upbeat mood of the teachers set the stage for a rousing speech by special guest Mr. James DePreist, Conductor of The Oregon Symphony. Mr. DePreist was intro­ duced by Mr. Herndon. "W hen you begin to talk about role models for children, I really can't think of a better one than Mr. DePreist. He's always been active in events in the community and everywhere else. He has never hesi­ tated to lend his support to a good cause and most certainly we think this is a good cause," said Herndon. The response of those congre­ gated to Mr. Herndon's introduction made it clear that Mr. DePreist is admired and respected throughout the African-American community. Many of the young children and young adults who were seeing Mr. DePreist for the first time, up close and personal, were in awe. One small child couldn't hold back her joy. "I've seen him on television, Mama. That's himl That's him! James DePreist You think he'll give me an auto­ graph? The other kids at school won't believe I saw him if I don't get an autograph . . ." When Mr. DePreist stepped to the podium, he made it clear that he was more than honored to be in­ volved with the Saturday School. "I am really happy to be here," he said. Mr. DePreist praised the teachers Photo by Richard J. Brown for their dedication and commit­ ment to an idea whose time had come. "This group gathering today and the whole thrust of the Satur­ day School program is something that not only should make the rest of the City proud of this community; but also just think of the people who preceded you: our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, our mothers and grandmothers who did Dr. Molefi Asante and Afrocentric Idea by Kamau Anderson Africa and her children, that is people of African descent, have been studies and written about for centuries. The majority of these studies and writings was done by European scholars from an Euro­ pean worldview or Eurocentric per­ spective. A new breed of writers and scholars among the children of Africa is beginning to emerge again with a different worldview, a dif­ ferent perspective. This revitalized African worldview is called afrocen- tricity and it Is most articulate mo­ dern spokesman is Dr. Molefi Asante of Temple University in Phi­ ladelphia. Dr. Asante recently shared with the Portland commu­ nity his ideas on afrocentricity at Portland State University as the guest of the Black Cultural Affairs Board. „ What is afrocentricity? Dr. asan te offered the following definition: afrocentricity - n. 1. the putting of African experiences, values, and history at the center of all analysis and interpretations. No phenome­ non, no event, no aspect of human development can be allowed to be .seen as placing Africa in the mar­ gins or on the periphery of human development. We (African people) must be placed in the center of history. To be afrocentric is not to be anti- anybody. It is a powerful crazy. We all have a story to tell history, achievements, and contri­ in that regard. butions unlike any comparable Dr. Asante outlined ten ways in period in history. The obliteration which the mis- education of Afri­ and deletion of thousands of pages can- Americans came about. The of African history has caused Afri­ first he called temporal tampering, can- Americans to not know who the tampering with time and chro­ they are today. With the loss of nology. For example, calling Hip­ the historical memory of a people, pocrates the father of medicine. there are no models for achieve­ Yet an African by the name of Im­ ment and consequently there is no hotep, a multi-genius, was deified motivation to achieve. as the father of medicine two thou­ To be afrocentric is to identify sand years before Hippocrates. with the oldest knowledge database Secondly, the process of text iso­ in the world and a powerful value lation, highlighting insignificant system, also. Dr. Asante pointed data. The search for Livingston out that once African- Americans by Stanley is important in African really understood this information history. and value system, the lessons that Radical nomenclaturing is the we would be teaching our children Dr. M o le fi Asante third tool in the mis- education pro­ is that our history did not begin in affirmation of onefe own history and cess. Arbitrary changing African 1619 and our Africanness did not culture. Dr. Asante stated that the names to European names: Kin­ end in 1619. In making his point he most dangerous people in the world shasa, Zaire to Leopoldville, Zim­ quoted El Hajj Malik el Shabazz are those that have no historical babwe to Rhodesia, etc. Malcolm X ). When someone told context of themselves. Afrocentri- The fourth in the process is in­ Malcolm that they didnt leave any­ city is an attitude, a way of life, venting illusions. Dr. Asante used thing in Africa, Malcolm responded, that provides economic, social and the term "negro” as an illustration. ■Why you left your mind in Africa! political empowerment and psycho­ There is no "Negroland" or a negro Dr. Asante also used a W olof pro­ logical stability once the African- language. Who you are should in­ verb of West Africa to insure that American recognizes himself or stantaneously identify you with his point was clear: ' "You can herself as an African person. land, history, and culture. leave wood in the river for ten years Most of the early writings about The fifth was creating negative but it will never turn into an alliga­ the history of Africa and Her child­ terms like "Bushmen" and "Pyg­ tor.’ We have been taught in Ame­ ren was improperly interpreted, dis­ mies'. These Africans call them­ rica to hate our Africanness and to torted, and in many cases just plain selves Saan and Twa people, re­ hate Africa and, Dr. Asante says, in omitted. Dr. Asante spoke about spectively. so doing we lose our sanity, we go the cultural maligning of African 'r '. SK • • c words.' Throughout the celebration, have a greater sense of community parents were allowed to register than those of us in this modern Larry Kleinman, a white volunteer their children for the Saturday from the Woodburn area, said he age. School. Certificate of Awards were "There is nothing that I can think works for a farmworkers union that given to teachers and volunteers. of that is going on in this City now is very active in Woodburn's Mexi­ The volunteers are a mix of that is more important than this pro­ can community and that they were African-American, White, American ject. And one of the reasons that I very impressed and pleased to parti­ Indian and Hispanic. Yvonne Mar­ am here is to underline that fact. cipate in a community-based orga­ tinez, a resident of Woodburn, ex­ You should be very proud of what nizing effort like the Saturday plained why she got involved. "We you're doing. School. "W e work in our commu­ have two children who are Black "It isn't any surprise that young nity there, and it doesn't give us and they don't get the kind of ex­ kids turn to other forms of making much time or opportunity to see posure to Black history and culture money, because money becomes other similar kinds of efforts in other in Woodburn. They get a lot of ex­ the goal. What we're talking about areas; especially because this is an posure to Mexican history because is finding a level of education that is area of education and that's not an of our involvement, but we thought equal to the potential that exists in area we work in very much, so this it would be good for them to come every child. And that potential is broadens our perspective," Klein­ and learn with other children about unlimited so the quality of the edu­ man explained. their people." cation should match it. The only The celebration ended with Aisha Martinez said her family's involve­ way to do that is to really have a Irving, age 12, and those congre­ ment with the Saturday School vested interest in how the children gated, reciting the Saturday School training sessions has been an excit­ turn out. We can't have a vested Pledge of Excellence: "W e know ing experience. "I have been interest in how the children turn out we can learn. We know we are brought to tears many times, and if we don't become involved. smart. Excellence is our purpose. finally meeting the people who "There can't be any cracks for We are proud of ourselves, our understand the importance of edu­ our children to fall through. There families and our community." cation for our children is beyond can't be any excuses like that. And there won't be excuses or cracks if parents realize that more than mothers and fathers, they are parents. Those are very different responsibilities. Any dummy can make a baby, but to be a parent, a responsible parent, that is hard. You're a parent for a lifetime. "All of the children who've signed up for the Saturday School and all of the parents who have been re­ sponsible for seeing that they've signed up, deserve a lot of credit." Mr. DePreist concluded by saying that so many times when he thinks about what is right with the City of Portland, a part of the same sen­ tence ends with the name Ron Herndon. Those gathered respond­ ed with a standing ovation. Teenaqers the ir parents and friends enjoy bloopers from the. "W e I r e You! Future" cable TV news show. A b o u t 35 people gathered at Portland Cable Access fo r the prem ier show ing of the 3