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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 23, 1988)
March 23, 1988, Portland Observer. Page 5 Service With a Global Perspective Last weekend, State Repre s e n ta tiv e M a rg a re t C a rte r presented an arousing, timely and stim ulating speech before the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in Portland. History recognizes the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority as the first Sorority to be laun ched by African-American wo men in this country (1908). We are honored to share ex cerpts from Representative Car ter’s speech with our readers. Also, to the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, we say, ‘‘Thanks for a job well done, and may your suc cess continue forever.” Beginnings The founding of this great organization came about as a re sult of a lack of service, a lack of economic stim ulation and chan ging conditions in Black Ameri ca. Our early activists saw a need to address what appeared to be a common thought in American life in 1908, and that thought was the futu re of Am erica as a democracy lay in the power of in dividual action, where each in dividual, in face-to-face contact, assumed responsibility for him self and was not concerned about those who seemed less fortunate. It as the goal of Alpha Kappa Alpha then, and it’s our goal to day. However, I think we as a na tion, a Black nation of people, that is, have become too happy, too prosperous and consequent ly complacent. Hence our refo cusing on a more global level. That is why I think it is important for each of us to spend some time on such se lf-e va lu a tio n , be cause, we, as a society, and Blacks as a race in that society, nave reached an ambiguous pla teau in our evolution. When this organization was young, the membership had to struggle daily and very personal ly w ith the difficulties, inconve niences, injustices and some tim es outright horrors of a soci ety com m itted to the privileges of one race and the suppression of all others. Thankfully, we can accurately say today that much progress and improvement has been made since those days in our organization. But problems still e x is t. . . Dangers The very success of those earlierefforts has created its own dilemma. Our success in winning opportunities for employment, for use of public accomodation, for political participation, for education, has created both a blessing and a danger for the Black community. The blessing is that we are now closer than ever before to a situation in which an individual will go as far in this country as their skills, desires, and abilities can take them, with a little mixed in. But, the danger we face is that too often those skills and desires now take all too many of us away from the Black community; take us away from the roots of our struggle and com mitm ent; take us away frm the tradition of ser vice to others less fortunate than we may be. It is easy for many here to remember when that was not a problem: to remember earlier periods when we as individual and as a race had no choice in that matter. Then, regardless of our economic resources, our em ployment or position; regardless of our personal qualities, we were all “ colored’ or “ negro to our face and “ nigger” behind our backs — sometime to our faces as well. Because of legal segre gation, prior discrim ination and on-going Jim Crow traditions, whether we liked it or not, we had to function within the context of the Black community. Now our problem in the partial success of all our efforts overthe years is that our progress en dangers the future potential for progress we must still make. It is now possible for economically- abled Blacks to live and work and contribute in other places than the Black community, and many do. And, that’s fine. It's what we have fought for. But, it is also a loss to those who have not yet been able to gain the privilege and com fort of that reality and who increasingly are being left behind to struggle w ithout the benefit and talent of those who have gone on. 284*2129 Quality Copies - 1 M IN I7 T H OPEN 7 DAVS 223-2056 ».W. JIFFtAWP DELIVERED! I«*"» «T« W.ÜXW «n k m v~» * * M fcnkos We pKk up «Mir nnginab and deliver trap d o r rope nght <o «Mir door -« id u n hourV 1003 OPEN 2« HOURS - . - KITlKv * Qualih cop«o--K.,nko s <kli*pn' ilnut Park Lock & Key 533 N.E. Killingsworth 503-288-6338 What can correct this dilem ma? I am confident the answer lies in a return to that concept of self-sacrifice and service that for so long was at the center of our social and personal behavior. We can work where we want, live where we want, and do all that we want, so long as we don’t forget that we are here because of the sacrifices and efforts of those who sent before us. And because that is true, we have a responsi bility to give some of it back to our com munity no matter how high on the corporate ladder we clim b or how far into the suburbs we drive before we reach home. We, as an organization and as individuals, need rejuvenation in the service tradition. What does that mean? The strict dictionary definition suggests a return to youth. Who can argue with that idea? We need rejuvenation in the sense of a simple need to periodically remind ourselves of what we are seeking in life and society — to renew our com m it ment to that quest for humanity and justice. Developing a Global Perspective But as we renew and recommit and rejuvenate our tradition of unselfish service, we must also know and acknowledge that the world we live in today is much smaller than ever before. Our sys tems of transportation, of com munication, and, unfortunately, our vast capacity for near instant self-destruction as a species, have made the world of today tru ly a global com munity where the interests and the actions of each nation truly affect all others. Be cause of that, our notion of ser vice now has to be a global con cept of responsibility. The issue then isnotw hetherw ecollective- ly and individually have a respon sib ility to provide moral and ethi cal service around the world — we clearly and certainly do — the question is how we must go about doing it. Black Genealogy: Tracing Your Roots North Portland Library Auditor ium, 512 N. Killingsworth, Sat., March 26,1988,10:30-noon. Free. MRS. C’s WIGS » ’ ò- W EA VIN G HAIR $18.50 & up or by the ft $4 Et up BULK H U M A N HAIR $23.95 & up W IG STYLING $7.50 & up Featuring wigs by NAOMI ANDRE DOUGLAS, NATALIE COLE & MICHAEL WEEKS BRAIDS $2.95 I Long or specialty styles slightly higher) M R S . C ’s W IG S Fremont 2 8 1 -6 5 2 5 7 0 7 N .E. A Mon. O F IM Too*. th n i t a t . 11:30 AM to 6 :00 PM Na’im Hasan: “ On the Yellow Brick Road to Seoul” Modern Dance Performance Workshop IFCC, 5340 N. Interstate, 243- 7930 Mondays, March 27-May 9, 6-9 pm. Taught by Oregon Dance Consort resident choreographer Judith Catterall. Tuition: $40. Home Security Class U n iv e rs ity Park C o m m u n ity Center, 9009 N. Foss Ave., Mon., March 28, 7-9 pm. Spring Tennis Lessons Portland Parks and Recreation at Portland Tennis Center, 324 NE 12th. Adult and Youth. Lessons begin March 28th. Call PTC at 233- 5959 for info. Scientific Contributions of the Dogon People of Africa A.S.K. OMSI ‘Scientific Crew’ club presents as historical pre sentation on the scientific contri butions to astronomy by the Dogon people of Africa. March 29, Tues., 7-8 pm, Kendall Planetar ium, OMSI, 4015 SW Canyon Rd. Free. History of the Blues Course PCC, Cascade Campus, 705 N. K illin g s w o rth , Cascade Hall, Room B35, 7-9 p.m., Starting March 31. Tuition $22.50. Starting Business Workshop PCC, Cascade Campus, 705 N. K illin g s w o rth , Jackson Hall, Room 202, Sat., April 2, 9am to 4 pm. Tuition $15. Info: 244-6111 ext. 5205. NBA — Mall Tour in Portland “ NBA . . . America’s Game on the Road” , one of the most inno If we must seek to change the vative and multi-faceted exhibits nature of our involvement in the to hit the country, will be visiting global community, we first need Portland on Friday, March 25, to change the nature of our own through Sunday, March 27, at society. That is always a d ifficu lt Clackamas Town Center Mall, task, but this great opportunity is 1200 SE 82nd Ave., Portland, present in th e fo rm o f acampaign Oregon. Throughout the nation for President that would have wide tour, m illions of fans w ill be been unheard of as recently as 10 able to share the excitement and years ago. You should all know I skills of the NBA and its stars mean the campaign of Rev. Jesse through a m ultitude of hands-on Jackson for President. exhibits. These exhibits include The old-fashioned p o litico s a free throw shooting contest at were laughing as recently as a the Jeep/Eagle Super Shot Chal month ago, declaring that Rev. lenge, a test of eye-hand coor Jackson had no chance to win; dination in the All-State Good that the country, beyond his fana Hands Booth, viewing past slam- tical Black followers, was not dunk championships at the Gato ready to take seriously a Black rade Slam-Dunk Theater, a race in candidate for President. Has lacing up Converse sneakers dur their tone changed? They are ing the Converse Lace-Up Chal now all quaking in their boots lenge and many more action- that not only does he look elec filled displays. table, he looks more electable The exhibit, which is produced than anybody else in sight. If you by Shopping Center Network, a want to be of service to the global Miami-based firm, w ill visit 40 d if community, serve yourself first. ferent shopping malls on two Help elect Jesse Jackson to lead con-current tours from January this country. He'll lead it in the through June. Each of the NBA s right direction. current 23 franchise markets as I had breakfast with a friend the other day who made an observa well as the expansion cities (Miami, Charlotte, Orlando, and tion about our meals which can provide an appropriate conclu Minneaplois) are included on the tour. sion to my remarks on our global Special Note: Trailblazer Sam responsibilities We were having Bowie w ill be appearing at the ham and eggs. She said, “ You C lackam as Town C enter on know, social action is kind of like Saturday, March 26 from 12-2 this breakfast, both the chicken and the pig were involved in mak p.m. ing it possible. The chicken made Cont. from Page 2 an important contribution, but ting feature is the organized bru the pig was entirely com m itted.” tality of beast in human form. Their lot, poor Caucasians and Blacks, from cradle to grave, in a b je c t poverty, e n fo rce d il literacy and social abuse. Blacks Maintaining a moderate weight may are the least unleashed in sim ilar reduce your risk of heart attack situations in Hitler Germany, is evident on ali sides. Poor B la c k s d ie d fo r something on Heartbreak Ridge, in Korea, that they couldn’t vote for when they returned to "N ig ger Hating” America. Despite the urgency of America's aspirations to promote peace . . . there is — on balance — little com pelling evidence that so-called Christian £ £ American Heart caucasoid America itself is able Association . . . to advance human understan in Oregon ding significiantly w ithin its own 212, S W Broadway Portland. OR 9720, boundaries. Making Changes Happen El Mina — Closed tu n Sports Solutions Edited by Nyewusi Askari You or r CALENDAR No gain.No pain. Ali Muhamad (L) proudly admires medals and awards won by Na im Hasan. Hasan started in the martial arts under Muhamad. by Fred Hembry This article w ill be one in a series on athletes in our city and community who excell on and off the field of com petition in quest for the 1988 Summer Olympic games in Seoul, Korea, and other national and international con tests in their respective sports. My subject for this week is Na 'im Hasan (Ni-eem Hau-saun). Na ’im is a martial artist who has accomplished many of the tasks required to seriously be considered fro the 1988 United States Olympic Tae Kwon Do team. Tae Kwon Do is a form of mar tial art which utilizes hand and arm block, punching and kicking. This style is Korean in origin; much parallel to the Japanese art of Karate. N a’im has studied his art since his junior year in high school. He began training under coach Ali Muhamad and is now coached by Tae Hong Choi of Portland. "I got started in martial arts out of boredom from the routine of three sports,” he says. Na ’im played football, basketball and ran track for Grant High School. As he progressed, Na im natural ly turned to the com petition as pect of his sport. Compete he has. In 1979, he began his upward spiral. That year he took a bronze medal at the National AAU Champion ships in Dayton, Ohio; in 1980, he placed 1st at the National Open Tae Kwon Do Championship; and in 1982 and 1983 he won the Northwest Regional Champion ships. Each year since, Hasan has seen nothing but bronze, silver, or gold in each national com petition he has entered — from the U.S. Sports Festival (1985-gold; 1986-silver: 1-87 gold) to the National Champion ships (1084-gold; 1985-bronze 1987-gold). He attributes this amazing i of success to hours of dilligence and hard work in the gym and o the road, running up > n: day. In addition to his athietic talent over the years, he att; in d ■ A. sociate of Arts degree in Bus ness Adm inistration from M‘ Hood Community Cc nge years la te r he re ce ive - Bachelor of Science degree n the same field from Por State Univer. sty. I - . in hisfieid by aPorua.iu e firm. Na 'im has his sights dead set on an Olympic bid this season. He is ranked number one in hi-, middle-weight division The road to gold w ill De to u g - he w ill have nine tights 'us son to determine who w ill t<A • i to Seoul. Transportation to tne- events w ill be d iffic u lt as ^e. Tae Kwon Do w ill be the secoe m artial art introduced since Judo. With it being a new event, sponsorship is d iffic u lt and funds for equipment and travel will have to be generated by Na ’im. Aftor he makes the U.S. squad, funding w ili then be pro vided by the U.S. Olympic Com mittee. For those reasons, his achievements are quite impres sive. It takes determination tar beyond that of everyday people orthe ‘common sport' athletes to achieve the elite status that Hasan has. We at The Portland Observer wish you the best fortune on your route to the number one place on the Olympic stand. Identity & Survival by J.M. Gates, MBA We must be building — building with positive bricks of life. There has to be on-going, constructive action, if progress is to prevail. This involves a responsible reach for ideals and values, a responsiblity which lifts. We do not achieve good health or good building by a program of the bad; a perspective of the good is necessary. There fore, for sources of strength or strengths of suvival, there must be: something of merit to believe in; some thing of merit to hope for and a solid record of really try in g w ith p e r s is te n t follow-through. Sale & Restyling Rene of Paris • Andre Douglas Zurv and more • Carefree Store Hours 10:00 a.m. 'til 6:00 p m. Monday Thru Saturday 1105 N.E. Broadway (across from Safeway Lloyd Center! Tel. 282 1664