% r e » •*» V * , H ave A * » • • * «•» H appy N ew Y ear ! DRIVE SAFELY ... PLEASE f PORTLRNÖ 25C ERVER December 29,1988 The Eyes and Ears of the community Volume XVIII • Number 57 Saluting.... S a lu tin g ... •<r- •• 1 * « Ç xrS •ft-/.* 4* y ?*.: ■ A V -V r •*'« THE BLACK UNITED FUND OF OREGON "The Helping Hand that is Your Own Thank You!!! Kenita Mason 8 Years Old Hum bolt School As 1988 comes to a close and we embark on a new year w e’d like to take this opportunity to thank the community tor its generous support of the Black United Fund of Oregon during our 1988 charitable campaign. W e com m end you for supporting both our workplace organizing and fundraising efforts. The generous sup port w e've received demonstrates that employees welcome choice in workplace giving and are committed to the Black United Fund of Oregon's goal of com m unity development through self-help. * » . • *1 Jam es D ePreist C hairm an, B lack U nited Fund Shaudia Jackson 10 Years Old H um boldt School Iman N a’eem Muhummad Self-help and self-determination are historically connected to the Afri can-Am erican tradition and it is very clear that when a people embrace these principles they not only gain the assistance of others but also their respect. This spirit of respect is reflected in the tremendous amount of public involvement and volunteer support w e’ve received. In just one short year (1987-1988) employee contributions went from $14,000 to over $100,000. This level of support is indicative of your com m itm ent to the Black United Fund of Oregon and belief in a cause which we all hope will contribute to turning our com m u nity around. Shantell Streeter 10 Years Old I W oodlawn Elem entary School! There is no question that the com munity at large and the Black com munity in particular has some seri ous problems. The Black United Fund of Oregon provides us with an oppor tunity to pool our resources to bring about needed changes in our com munity. We believe that with consis tent and on-going support from you, the Black United of Oregon can continue to provide assistance to community-based organizations that guide and set the tone for what we must do to improve the quality of We in our community. members. We would also like to commend the following organizations for their generous support, Black Professional Network, Oregon Alli ance of Black School Educators and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Ben Priestley, Board Chairman Amina Anderson, Executive Director The Late Rev. John Garlington New Program Reaches Out To Families Congratulations! Sharon Mitchell News Anchor KGW -Ch.8 “ My goal is to bridge the gap that exist between schools, families, stu dents, teachers and our community as a w hole," said Ada Reed Jackson, as she explained the new "C om m u nity and Family Outreach Program," scheduled to begin January 6, at W oodlawn Elementary School. Ms. Jackson’s program draws upon some traditional strengths of Port land's African-American Community: The Family, Teachers, Volunteers, Commitment, and the Participation of Com m unity Leaders. “ I am so proud of the responses I received from those persons who will be teach ing the classes. They were so willing to share their knowledge and exper tise with parents,” Ada said with a smile. "A nd,” she continued, “they are doing i, for no pay, They are participating because, like me, they are committed to building a strong community for our children and our fam ilies." Ms. Jackson said the program was designed with the total family in mind, "as you can see throughout Portland African-Am erican community, there is a strong com m itm ent to self-help LET’S MAKE 1 9 8 9 -A year of w a rm th , love, c o m m u n ity to g e th e rn e s s and fa m ily Lets m ake 1989 th e year o f o u r c h ild re n . A bove, Jayne K enned y-O verton g ive s equal tim e to m o th e rh o o d , as she reads to her d a u g h te r S avannah Re. H appy New Year! and empowerment. Self-help and Empowerment have been strong cornerstones of African-American culture. The community and family outreach program is just another cornerstone to add to what we are building in our com m unity." Nyewusi Askari, one of the pro gram ’s participants echoed Ms. Jackson's point. "African-Americans have always been about self-help and tradition, we, as a people, didn’t survive slavery and all that followed Ms. Alberta Phillip Inst. Family Outreach ■ C ontinued To Page 6 Pvt. T am m ^S . Caston Army Reserve Private Tammy S. Caston, daughter of Bobby Caston of 2214 N.E. 36th, Port land, Ore., and Laura L. Caston of 2102 Maple Ridge, Baton Rouge, La., has completed basic training at Fort Dix, N.J. During the training, students received instruction in drill and cerem o nies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, mili tary justice, first aid, and Army history and traditions. The sol dier is a 1988 graduate o* W oodlawn High School, Baton Rouge. by Useni t . Perkins in America carries with it universal liabilities. W herever you go in Am er ica, whether it be in New York, C hi cago, Illinois, or Jackson, Mississippi, Useni E. Perkins C.E.O. Urban League of Portland As the Urban League of Portland approaches 1989, eleven years from the 21st century, there are some concerns, problems and issues I would like to share with the community that we serve. First, let me take this opportunity to personally thank the many people, groups and organizations for the warm reception they have given me since my arrival in Portland. I deeply appre ciate it, especially in light of the seri ous problems that the League faces. As many of you already know, the League has been confronted with a myriad of problems, mostly financial, that have raised concern about our credibility as a viable institution. However, the moral support received from the com m unity indicates that the League is still viewed as an impor tant institution. At the same time, I realize that the com m unity expects and deserves accountability from the League if we are to sustain its sup port. The community can be assured that the League will unequivocally honor this expectation. Sometime in the very near future, the League will meet with various community groups and organizations to share with them our plans to resolve these problems. When I came to Portland, I had only a vague idea about the social problems that existed here. Like many midwestemers, my knowledge of the Northwest was limited to the legacy of Lewis and Clark and stories of its scenic beauty. However, it did not take me long to discern that, in many ways, the Northwest is no different from other regions in the country as it relates to the social and economic status of Black people. With but a few exceptions, Black people share a common oppression regardless of where they live. This does not mean Blacks in Portland have no unique problems, but that simply being Black you will find Black people are at the greatest risk. A disproportionate number are on welfare, live in the poorest communities, have the high est unemployment, are confined in penal institutions, have serious health problems and are still being victim ized by institutional racism. And now many of our communities are being paralyzed by drugs, destabilized by fragmented families and losing our youth to violent street gangs and the likelihood of facing a future that is indisputably bleak. The struggle Black people face in Portland is only an extension of the historic struggle that we have faced since slavery. It is a struggle that seeks to achieve full equality in all areas of American life. It is a struggle that attacks the very core of racism and challenges the integrity of Am er ica to truly be what she claim s she is. It is a struggle that reaffirms our right as a people to preserve our culture and control our destiny. W hat role will the Urban League play in this protracted struggle during 1989? I have given this question considerable thought and, after many deliberations, consultations and ob servations, arrived at the following conclusions: First, the Urban League must regain its fiscal stability if it is to remain an important institution in the community. Therefore, the League is making every effort to ’ » V , / ? ,z Message To The Community There are many people we would like to acknowledge for their out standing support, unfortunately space does not permit us to do so , however we would be remise if we did not ac knowledge Mr. James DePreist, 1988 Campaign Chairman and the late Rev. John Garlington and Iman Na’eem Muhammed, past board As we reflect on 1988 our thoughts are turned gratefully to those who have made our progress possible. It is in this spirit that we say, simply but sincerely Thank You and best wishes for a Happy New Year. Antoine Davis 11 Years Old Harriet Tubman M iddle School • - V * resolve its financial problems. W e have cutback on our spending and are making sure all of our pro grams operate within their pre scribed budgets. We are also trying to resolve some of the fiscal strain placed on us by our real estate holdings. At the sam e time, how ever, we need help from the com munity and encourage your sup port when we com m ence our Membership Campaign in 1989. Secondly, it is crucial that the League maintain its present pro grams because they serve the needs of many underserved, al ienated and disenfranchised people. O ur services to seniors provide them with critical support systems our youth programs assist younc people who are in trouble; and out W hitney Young Learning Center helps at-risk students. W e alsc serve the homeless, provide low cost housing to the poor and eld erly and emergency and energy assistance to those in the greatest need. And although our Employ ment Department has been de- funded, we continue to provide employment services to our clients. One example is the form ation of the League’s Employer's Advisory Council, which will help us to de velop job readiness workshops for the unemployed. r.. i-i'sh &V? J ■0Í.-V. w SES f -V'î e ¿Sí'.' «S?/. b jfe fe & & Ì . '- S/i1 A-: The League has also been the catalyst for organizing the Coalition of Black Men, Black Health Coalition and is working closely with other Continued To Page 8 TELEVISION TALK SHOW HO ST AND A CTRESS Oprah W infrey pre»- ents a $100,000 check to Dr. Elaine C. Mosley, principal of C hicago*« Corporate/Com m unity Schools of Am erica. W infrey m ade the d o n a tion on behalf of herself and Revlon, Inc. I ** -'rt»-'* ‘ ■ . •* - ' 1 *