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 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