Page 6 • Portland Observer • January 26, 1989
Allowance: The Sum Is Up To You
by Gaylene Bickham
Many times, I think of what Port­
land truly has to offer youth, espe­
cially African-Am erican Youth. And, I
find that the proposition is of great
capacity, and, because of this, I am
inclined gradient to believe that 1989
can hold great prom ise ; a great prom ­
ise of opportunities, unlimitedness and
the power to place our feet on the
ground, jum p as high as we can and
get on it!
There are opportunities for those
who wishy to excel, such as Math
Engineering Science Association
(M E S A ), The Self Enhancement
Program, Upward Bound and Broth­
ers Gaining Equality Through Excel­
lence. All these program s are de­
signed to help us becom e the best
that we can be. As for finding out
about scholarships other than the ones
mentioned in announcements, there
is the Post High School Opportunities
Resource guide. This guide can be
picked up in your High School C oun­
selor Office. There are also programs
designed to assist students in under­
standing lessons in an even better
way: the W hitney Young Learning
Center. There is the Private Industry
Council that can place you in a job or
a great youth program. Through all
this, it is clear that there are organiza­
tions inclined to help students make
good decisions and clearly this means
that you are not all alone. It is im por­
tant to keep in mind that Portland may
be a small city, but it has plenty to
offer. I mean, have only named a few
of the great program s com pared to
the trem endous am ount there are
here in Portland. It is because of this
that there is no reason why there
should be any stopping/sojourning in
anything you do.
African-Am erican y o u th -a s with
other youth, the opportunity begins in
the class room. Now based on the
information given by the Enrollment
Report of Portland Public Schools
Oct. 1988, we have 8,176 African-
American Students enrolled in Port­
land public schools. In the schools, as
well as at home, we are often told that
the key to success is education, and
keep in mind that, we will be faced
with a challenge. So as students we
must do the best that we can.
PEER PRESSURE
He then replied "They are my
homees and they are there when I
need them ."
Before I could even ask he then
went to tell me that he joined a gang
because he once was beat up by the
opposing gang so that led him to join.
"Taylor what is there to do in a
gang for fun?"
"W e kick it.”
"Can you be more specific?"
“ W e wear our colors, go to parties
and chill."
"Taylor how do you feel about being
Black?”
"I'm proud to be Black."
“ How can you be proud to be Black
when it is the activity that you are
involved in that is causing a degen­
eration in the Black population?"
“ Well if someone messes with me,
I mess with them, it's an eye for an
eye."
"W ell if it was an eye for an eye
every one would be blind. But even
still it makes no difference to you?"
“ Nope.”
"W ell through what you have just
told me, it seems to me since you can
just sit and say that you will mess with
anyone who messes with you m ean­
ing even when it is that of your own
kind rather than tell them what's right,
means you really don’t care or feel
anything about the Black race, let
alone are you able to feel proud?" He
said nothing.
I discussed many more issues as
far as his gang activity is concerned
which will appear in an article later to
come.
\Ne as a public must keep the gang
Come See What’s
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NEWLY REMODELED
f
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr,
A finely-detailed
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by Olvero
Height: 10 Inches
Width: 8 Inches
Ebony Color
Weight: Including Solid
Walnut base is 2 Lbs.,
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violence from spreading. As of now
the gang toll is much smaller than
what we believe. At one point I thought
there were hundreds of gang mem­
bers when in reality according to the
Police Department there are only 152
active youth gang members here in
Portland. All of this, as far as youth
joining gangs, can be considered as
ignorance. Ignorance to the opportu­
nities, ignorance to knowing how
important school is and all the advan­
tages or it can be the ignorance of the
parent to make the child aware. But
who knows? Well, next week you will
and I will to.. In the mean time, keep
in mind that as far as allowance is
concerned, the sum is up to you.
Please Allow 5 Weeks
For Delivery
This attractive porcelain is yours for only $75.
Oliver Tracy, Box 14265, Portland, Oregon 97214
For more information please call (503) 235-0481
Gaylene Bickham is a Junior at Jefferson
High School She is also the recipient ■ of a
scholarship award from the Portland Observer.
/IA fi/J /
jdh
G row ing To
S erv e Y ou B etter!
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However there is a flip side to that.
There are some African-American
Youth who are given the Power created
for them selves by them selves to
som eone else. They do this by peer
pressure or by joining Youth Gangs.
Both of these things are put into act
by students who feel less than. Now,
it is not as if only African-Am ericans
are the only ones who have THESE
PROBLEMS, but we do have a small
percentage of people compared to
other races and the last thing we
need is a degeneration in our
population.
Peer pressure is a serious matter,
especially for youth. I rem em ber a
tim e when I was in the 5th grade and
there were these black knee high
boots and these Jet-Set bell bottom
pants that I had. My m other bought
these two items thinking that I would
really like them but I didn’t. These two
items wou Id sit in my closet day in and
day out. until finally, my mom realized
this and made me wear them to school.
At this point, I thought it would be the
worst day of my life. But, I thought I
knew a way to fix that: I would sneak
some clothes in my book bag. When
we arrived at the school, my mom
asked to see my book bag, and then
busted me for sneaking the clothes.
So, I had to wear this nice jacket and
sweater with these ugly bell bottoms
and boots that I hated. It was terrible.
I sat in my desk the whole day. I didn’t
eat lunch and I didn't even go out to
recess to play kick ball with my best
friend. I didn’t even go to the bath­
room until 3:30 p.m after school. When
I think back, I laugh, but then again, I
am glad I am not like that today,
because peer pressure causes people
to do things they would never do
under normal circumstances-such as
sneak clothes to school or what ever
else. But, many students feel that
they don't fit in if their clothing is not
up to par, or if they don't have what
the other people around them have. If
there was not so much emphasis on
clothing, a lot of this would not hap­
pen. What needs to be kept in mind is
that people make clothing, clothing
doesn’t m ake people
I recently spoke with a gang
member. We will call him Taylor "I
firs, asked wha, does a gang do for
him ”
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