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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 1988)
» ^ 4 r ♦ V ’ W ♦♦ ♦ * <•’••**■*"•** ,t • D e ce m b e r 29, 1988 • P o rtla n d O b s e rv e r P age 3 COMMUNITY FORUM Perspectives Don’t Let Them Put You Down Part IV ••s *•,iX J DO YOU KNOW A TEACHER WHO REACHES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM WALLS? A teacher who touches something deep inside and suddenly you understand. And your world changes. These teachers are America's most important asset. Our future depends on their dedi cation and caring. FILP Soon To Expand To Include Youth 16 and Over InCSD Foster Care '¿A- r. • ». • * 'ÄV-' Professor McKinley Burl Federal Independent Living Pro all the documentation available for gram will soon be expanded to in I have been absolutely delighted establishing the presence of BlacEa clude all young people 16 and over in by reader response to this series of in the Americas before Columbus (see CSD foster care. articles describing the 'Put Down’ of Van Sertima, They came before Starling in January 1989, all CSD Black people by establishment media youth over age 16 in substitute care Columbus). and text. Many parents tell me that will be eligible to receive services that Her art instructor-also a white they are discussing these presenta prepare them for independent living. tions with their children-an d asking if fe m ale-had sworn before the entire Services had been limited to those the kids are getting this kind of infor class that the reason the huge heads youth whose fam ilies meet low in mation in their classrooms. (They sculptured from iron-hard basalt stone com e requirements. Lee Cornforth, certainly should be, since we consult by the ancient Olmec culture of south program coordinator, estim ates the ants to the districts Desegregation ern Mexico (500 B.C.) possessed new federal law changes will allow an Program provided this sort of in-depth such "Negro Features” as thick lips increase from the approxim ately 240 and rather flat noses was because reply to racism in curriculum .! youth now being served to about 1000 I would not leave the subject of the the heads had fallen over and flat youth. black A frican M oors and their tened them selves against the ground Transitional services have also been contribution to the Renaissance of (soft, humous jungle soil, yeti). Since added to provide a support system to Europe without comment on that fabled this secretary of mine had spent six help young people adjust through the era of art highlighted by such names months typing my research, it was first critical months after leaving foster as Leonardo da Vinci (Mona Lisa), not difficult for her to return to the art care. Raphael, Titan, et al. This genre (class) class with reams of docum entation to Oregon’s annual grant of $598,000 of art would never have achieved its counter the racist diatribe (Note: for the independent living program magnificence except for the concept ‘Basalt’ is the principal rock of the concentrates on teaching skills that of proiective geometry (diminishing Columbia G orge’) will enable older youths to become perspective) introduced by the Moors. self-sufficient adults. CSD branch Other “ so-called' new techniques, offices around the state pool efforts introduced by people like Luca with other local agencies to create Paciola- ”The Monk W ho W as Drunk tailor-m ade programs for each young On Beauty”--included the incorporation person. of the famous African Golden Section. The purpose of the program is to This last is the fabled m athem ati “ assure youngsters are as ready as cal ratio developed by the Africans we can make them before they must over 4000 years ago, and described take on adult responsibilities,” stated by the Greek philosopher Plato as the Cornforth. ‘Key to the universe' (see his Ti- In addition to program changes, maeus). The Renaissance artists used funding of this program was extended this function to standardize the pro for another year, and funds can now portions of their human figures and be carried forward from previous years. for balance in rendering physical struc tures. As an architectural standard, the Golden Section or ratio goes back X. For openers, she docum ented that to the pyramids where the Africans the exact same “ Negro statues with employed it to allow easy conversion typical West African head dress (some tmm Polar to Rectangular coordinates with corn row s! have been found from in projections of the Northern Hemi- British Columbia in Canada to the sphere-throughout the Renaissance, Central Am erican rain forest and in and on to today, where the famed architect Corbusier used the ratio in South America. W ith photos my sec his design of the United Nations Build-, retary demonstrated that these an cient Blacks “ were building elaborate jog in New York (see Tompkins, pp. tom bs and using the complex m athfii 189-194, Secrets of the Great Pyra matics of the calendar (National mid). Geographic Magazines. J.A. Rogers, This Golden Ratio also yields a Sex and Race, Vols. 2 & 3). Further quadratic equation, X(2)-X-1=0, or she made the case that T hor Heyer- X+1=X(2), and from this we derive dal (Kon Tiki) had proven that Blacks the constant, ELL W 1.61803398. The had migrated not only to the Am eri fa m o u s Ita lia n m a th e m a tic ia n cas, but all over the Pacific Rim and Fibonacci used this African discovery A s ia -B y reconstrucing in Africa the to develop the ubiquitous mathematical by Harold C. Williams same type of reed sailing rafts and series which bears ‘his’ name. The America. We see more and more of retracing the routes, by the way the Many crisis force Black people to form ula has proven very important in exact same heads are found in India our Black senior citizens having to begin to talk to one another again. the areas of biology, physics, chemistry make the choice between heat and (Angkor Tem ple and early 'Buddhas’; Economic status, political affiliation, and particularly, in nuclear physics and religious beliefs w ere set aside. eat and few were extending a hand to The inertia and outright antagonism see Rashidi, African Presence In Early Color tones within our pigmentation them. We have come to the conclu to ‘including in the curriculum ’ the Asia). Also see, Columbus, jo u rn a l which has divided us for centuries sion in 1988 that their survival is type of African-Am erican material I of Third Voyage. All of this was to no avail of course (light complexed, brown) which has depended on us. have presented in my column this We also saw a social and political so don’t ask what kind of grade the separated us for decades seems to year is just as prevalent at the statement by Commissioner Dick lady received for the term. And that be an issue because we realize we University level as in the elementary Bogle, which few were sensitive to,that folks is how Blacks are E.ul Down-At were all on the same ship sinking at a and high schools. A case in point; he must carry a weapon for his own every level of the ’educational’ proc rapid pace and our only hope is that One afternoon the workstudy student personal safety. The press made ess. And it is equally obvious that we remove the crab syndrom e and assigned to my office at Portland mockery of the fact that he carried a whites too are punished for getting State University (a white female) came pull up together as one. weapon, not looking at the reality that The political insult that the Dem o q ! line,-------------- ------ he is one of the few Blacks in public cratic party cast upon Jesse Jackson Creed Of The Black Press office who is very vocal, visible, and a was another eye opener for Black The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from walking target for warped-minded people, for we realize there was no social and national antagonisms when it accords to every person, regardless ot racists. Those commissioners who com fort level for us in the Democratic race, color, or creed, fu ll human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing are non Black will never have to face parly. W e were only used by the parly no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that the same fear and seek the same as frontline soldiers and discarded protection that Commissioner Bogle o il are nrp h u r t as as anvone is held back, an nun as Inna iung a........ ............................... ......... after the victory. and other Blacks must surround them Economically we had to face the selves in order to survive. Last week fact that a few of us w ere able to eat we saw a demonstration of how the two hamhocks on a regular basis. A police deals with those of us who get greater number of us were unem D r , M a r t i n L . K in g , J r . involved in crime. It was in vivid color ployed or under employed and at the on TV; nine policemen and a dog A finely-detailed rate of the mood of this country, the attacking one man, clubs, feet and all so-called new Black middle class, is porcelain portrait bust, to protect the public. The question is the next target. So we are all coming who were they protecting? The lack by together in churches, community of sensitivity to public image should forms, and saying what can we do to H eight; 10 Inches alert all Black people to be careful save ourselves? Black wom en and even with those who are stated to W idth; 8 Inches Black men begin to reassess the value protect our interest because it is quite to one another in 1988 and believe it Ebony C olor clear far too many don’t give a damn or not, we are talking again. W eight; Including Solid how we are treated by the law. On the local scene, w e’ve faced There are many areas that could W alnut base is 2 Lbs., the tragedy of self hate with Black be addressed, but these few alerts us youth in gangs killing one another for 8 O unces to the fact that we are Black again and some stuff called crack and territories 1988 with the reawakening of Black that are not worth having. W e w it people to the reality that our hopes nessed the killing of a brother from and our future is embedded in us and the Motherland by the skinheads, which the only real hand that will be ex forced us to look at the fact that our tended will be the hand that we ex community is small on a global scale This attractive porcelain is yours for only $75. tended to one another. Peace and and if your face is Black, you face the Oliver Tracy, Box 14265, Portland, Oregon 97214 love for 1989, welcome back Black same tragedy o, hatred w hether you For more information please call (503) 235-0481 brothers and sisters to reality. are from Cuba, Brazil, Africa or Oregon’s BestTeacher IIKWE5T T he O ther S ide 1988 - The Year We Became Black Again Olvero ■T’. V . !■ I L - A ï ï k ï i k ' . ’. V . ’. - . - A l C; MW! ■ Y A ti 0 ittf t.ti 1988 Oregon Outstanding Teacher—Barry lahn— Sprague High School iSalemi This spring, U S WEST will again honor a teacher from each of 14 western states. These teachers will be nominated by you—the student, former student, parent or associate. The 14 teacher finalists will receive a $5,000 award. And, three of the finalists will be further honored with a one year sabbatical to pursue educational excellence. To nominate your outstanding teacher, simply send for the official U S WEST nomination packet. Entry forms will be sent for both you and the nominated teacher to complete. For a nomination packet, write. Bill Prows U S WEST Communications 421 S.W. Oak Street, Room 8S9 Portland, OR 97204 rìT -.'v i X '- X X - - COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY JANUARY 31,1989. Teacher nominated must be certified and have a minimum of tw o years experience They must be currently leaching within the elementary and secondary school system o fa n y o fth e U S WEST states Anzona Colorado. Idaho. Iowa. Minnesota. Montana. Nebraska. New Mexico, North Dakota. Oregon, South Dakota. Utah. Washington or Wyoming w ©1988 US WEST. I n t LIFESTYLE OBSER VA TIONS Oregon Food Bank’s Child’s Patn Program is Booming! After just 15 short week, Oregon Food Bank’s Child’s Path program is booming! Child’s Path is a supple mental food program designed to meet the needs of families whose financial circumstances interfere with their ability to meet the nutritional needs of their children. Child’s Path, located at 3724 N. Williams, assists pregnant women, wom en up to one year postpartum, children under the age of six and infants. This pilot program offers participants who live in North'North- east Portland free, nutritious food to supplement their daily diets. Family incomes must not exceed Child’s Path income guidelines. These guidelines are substantially higher than the fed eral poverty levels. Participants in the Child’s Path program are still eligible to receive food stamps. The program offers participants a variety of free, nutritious foods includ ing infant formula, evaporated milk, honey, instant non-fat dry milk, cheese, egg mix, meat, peanut butter, cereal, rice, beans, and variety of fruits, fruit juices and vegetables. Families may select foods according to their needs and C hild’s Path guidelines. C hild’s Path is coordinated by Ms. Trinh Vu. Vu is pleased with Child's If the community need is clearly demonstrated in North/Northeast Portland, this pilot program may be extended to other areas of the city, as well as throughout the state. Child's Path also works with the Oregon State University Extension Service. The Extension Service’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Educa tion Program (EFNEP) helps families get the most for their food dollars. It assists them in learning to prepare tasty, low-cost meals, to improve their diets and health, and to handle, store, and preserve food safety. Often the clients are at a loss as to what to do with some of the commodities, such as farina and dry egg mix. On Wednes days and Fridays, nutritionists from EFNEP come to C hild’s Path to per form cooking dem onstrations for program participants. Basically, the program is set up to nutritionally benefit the child. If the only eligible family m em ber is an in fant 0-3 months old, and that child is not breast fe d , the family is eligible for 31 cans of liquid formula or eight cans of powdered formula. If an eligible woman is pregnant, she gets the full package." Evaporated milk, instant non-fat dry milk, rice, farina, juices, fruits, vegetables, meat, egg mix, cheese, and butter. Path’s progression. To be eligible for C hild’s Path, “ Since Septem ber 2nd, when we participants must live in the North/ first opened our doors to families Northeast area of Portland. Families needing C hild’s Path services, busi ness has been boom ing,” she said. receiving welfare, energy assistance, social security, or other public assis “ The program was originally sched uled to run through December 1988. tance are automatically eligible to We now serve nearly 400 partici participate in the Child s Path pro pants, and the program has been gram. Otherwise, lam ily incom e must extended through June, 1989," she meet program guidelines A child under six years old who is no longer eligible said. for WIC (W omen, Infants, C hildren C hild’s Path business hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from program) may still be eligible for the 9:00 a m. to 12:00 Noon and 1:00 Child's Path program. A wom an or p.m to 4:00 p.m. The program does child currently enrolled in W IC are not eligible for Child's Path. not operate on Tuesday or Thursday - - • » J®«« V