P o rtla n d , O re g o n PORTLflftj 2SC ERVER February 2, 1989 “ The Eyes and Ears of the C om m unity” Volume XIX • Number 5 Series I: A Celebration Of A Black A frican -A merican F amily of the W eek bv Marcus C. White African-American m other and Discovery Space volunteer Beryl McNair and her daughter Cicely Oaks has been chosen as the Portland Observer’s “ Family of the W eek.” Ms. M cNair was also chosen for special recognition as OM SI’s "Volunteer of the Month. ” M cNair has been volunteer ing for over 14 months in O M SI's Discovery Space, an educational play area for children, ages two through seven and accompanying adults. In the Discovery space, McNair greets people, answers parents' questions and acquaints them with what is available to explore and discover. Discovery Space assistant Shirley Lewton says, “ McNair takes initiative, is highly organized and is very friendly.” Cicely, McNair’s three-year-old daughter, accompanies her to Discovery Space. At times, Cicely helps by explaining the exhibits to other children. Besides volunteering in the Discovery Space, McNair also volunteered for OMSI Auction, the Alberta Science Center for Kids (A.S.K.), OMSI Fund Raiser and an OMSI teacher training program. In addition to taking care of her daughter and volunteering for OMSI, McNair is active with her daughter’s preschool. She is also involved with the Trinity Episcopal Church, the Oregon Symphony W om en’s Association and the Portland Heights Wilcox Auxiliary. W hen asked why she volunteers, McNair said, “ If I didn’t , I would just be another person not doing anything. If I can m ake som ebody’s day, that just keeps the smile on my face and the joy in my heart that I accomplish this goal." About her daughter, M cNair said, "C icely represents tom m orrow ’s future. And, in spite of all the negative press and talk concerning African-Am erican children, we parents are doing all we can to provide positive images, positive role models and all the love and caring we can muster. Our children will be a part of tom orrow’s growth and development, and I want to make sure that Cicely experiences that growth and development in a most positive w ay." In Celebration of the African-Am erican family, the Portland Observer is proud to salute Ms. McNair and her dauahter Cicely as its “ Family of the W eek.” Keep up the positive work, Beryl and Cicely! Heidi Freytag, OMSI Nyewusi Askari * Portland Observer Minority Business Enterprise In Oregon Part I: Black Business Participation Strangled by Stephen E. McPherson A recent decision by the U.S. Dis trict Court invalidated the rules Mul- tonom ah county used to subcontract work to minorities and wom en in the business world. It could have a dom ino effect in other areas of participa tion. That was the opinion of Lina Garcia-Seaboard, state advocate for women and minorities. Last November Judge James Red den ruled in favor of the L. D. Mattson com pany and the Associated G en eral Contractors of Oregon. He found the 10 per cent set aside for minority subcontractors illegal because previ ous discrim ination in the bidding of subcontracts had not been proven. Kevin Harden writing in the Daily Journal of Commerce reported how the members of the Oregon Associa tion of Minority Entrepreneurs sug gested an eight point program to increase minority participation in state contracts. According to Sam Brooks, their discretionary power to award contracts to minority business. Pri vate groups would waive the bond re quirement. The “ good faith” require ment of the law should be enhanced. Following the Redden decision, the Supreme Court ruled against the City of Richmond, Virginia in a sim ilar case. The 6-3 vote reflected s’ .ct political views. It has been established v '.h con vincing accuracy that the civil rights gains of the last three decades repre sent a hollow victory in the absence of solid economic progress. The recent court decisions underscore the fact that as far as the Black com m unity is concerned, econom ic parity is more a long term goal rather than a reality. Perhaps the most significant con tribution President Lyndon B. Johnson made to the American dem ocratic process was to pursue a moral lead ership which acknowledged and addressed the grievances Black Americans were forced to endure for three centuries. Linder his adm ini stration the innovative process of affirmative action was created. The Reagan years appear to have been into play which diminished the impact of its original intention. Initially, af firm ative action programs were es tablished to remediate the economic disparity of only the Black population, period. It was expanded to include the problems of women and then fur ther diluted to cover all persons who could be classified as a minority. Even with the creation of the Mi nority Business Enterprise and the rulemaking that purportedly would increase opportunities for subcontract ing, participation for the black con tractor has been dismal. The strict bonding requirement together with other subtle factors have conspired effectively to reduce and often elim i nate the number of Black contractors who can even participate in the bid ding process. The statistics further are obscurred by inclusion of women and four categories of others minori ties in their annual goals for affirm a tive action. The American Contractor frequently publishes a breakdown of minority and gender participation among sub contractors. A good case in point is the Oregon Department of Transpor- tation. During the latest reporting period for subcontracts let to minorities, Black participation was only 14.7%, com pared with 13.08% for Hispanics, 3.53% for Pacific Asians and a strik ing 68.66% for American Indians. Clearly, there is a pressing need for the governor and the legislators to address these disparities. Certainly those elected officials who have assumed the responsibility for moni- toring such things should reexamine the effect that the current rules have, not only on increased opportunities in the area of subcontracting but espe cially with regard to Black participa tion at a significant level in the abun dant market place. Despite the social-economic pres sures that affect the many institutions in today’s society, the strength of the Black family continues to prevail in a world of change. For years adverse social forces has created tension, stress, and strain within the Afro-American family unit. Much emphasis has been made towards the breakdown of the family, but little attention is given about the strength and progress it has provided over the years. The Robinson family is one of many black fam ilies in the Portland area who seek to live a happy life despite the w orld’s conditions. Manford and Genevive Robinson have devoted much tim e to the development of their family across the years. Much of their strength lies in their two sons, W en dell and Corey, who are young men aspiring to become the best at what they do. Wendell and Corey Robinson, both former students of Grant High School, are pursuing different fields of interests. Currently in New York City, Corey is devoting much time striving to become a top perform er in singing and dance. Wendell, who was a track star for the Grant Generals, recently graduated from San Diego State University receiving a degree in Psychology. In New York, Corey is diligently working on a record album which is expected to be released sometime this summer. W endell attests that Corey wants to be in New York be cause that is where “things actually take place.” Despite the distance between he and his family, Genevive claims she still sends care packages to Corey so things will be a lot easier away from home. Realizing the need of a strong family, Manford Robinson explains that strength within the family is very important. “ I think, concerning the things that are going on nowadays,” says Manford, “ Most kids growing up are going to have to have guidance on how to combat and how to face what the world has becom e." He emphasizes that if you do not have a strong family background or relation ship with the entire family, it makes W endell believes the family is the base from which you operate. Says W endell, "You have to be grounded. It [the family] is a very strong base, and if you have that it makes confron tations in society a lot easier." Corey Robinson (top left), Manford Robinson (top right), W endell Robinson (lower left), Genevieve Robinson (lower right). RAISING A FAMILY Manford expresses the importance young fathers and mothers who should give strict attention to children in the process of raising a family. "Try to steer them (kids) in the direction in which you think is good for them at the time, though they may not think so," Manford said. growing up here there were always a lot of kids.” Manford said that the kids in their area were n rv e r a bother because most of them were fairly good kids. Because of the changes made in their neighborhood, the Robinsons claim that most of the children in their area grew up and went different ways. Moral support is important in every family according to most experienced parents. Genevive Robinson admits, “ So many young people do not have positive feelings about themselves and they often reach out to their peers for help.” She says that it is significant for every' family m em berto feel loved Memorial Scrolls Sent To King Center In Atlanta Adds Genevive, “ It’s really impor tant that children are involved in something." She says that kids should always's be occupied doing some thing. Though today’s world is pressur ized with people running to and fro, the Robinsons emphasize the impor tance of taking time out. They ex press that strength within the family stems from the quality time spent with one another. “ As kids we were always involved in fairytales and fantasies,” says Wendell, explaining the important role that stories and booklearning played in his life as a youth. He claims fishing became a memorable experience as well, it was something he and his dad often did on the weekends. Manford and Genevive emphati cally explain that they raised their children in an area that was idea for most kids. Says Wendell, “ W hile On Tuesday, Jan. 31, 1988, at 1 p.m. Red Cross directors and m em bers of the Executive Committee of the Albina Ministerial Alliance met at the Red Cross Blood Center to review the memorial scrolls signed by blood donors during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Blood Drive. The blood drive was sponsored by the Albina Ministerial Alliance. The scrolls were signed by 561 blood donors in the Portland-Metro area during Martin Luther King commemoration week, Jan. 16-21,1989. The memorial scrolls will be sent to Coretta Scott King at the Martin Lu ther King Center in Atlanta. Mrs. King has endorsed the movement encour aging people to donate blood as a gift of life in memory of Dr. King. Present at this meeting will be Rev Joe S. Hardie, Albina Ministerial Alli ance president; Bishop A.A. Wells, vice president; and Cornetta Smith, CEO; Dennis Bailey, Donor Resources Director; and Sharon Ritter, Execu tive Director of the Red Cross. Sugar Ray Visits Oregon Tova Joanna Johnson was born 7 October 1977 in Port land, Oregon. During the last two years, Tova has earned not only the Metropolitan Human Relations Com m ission’s Harriet Tubman Essay Contest Award but also several other awards and honors. Included among them are the Youth Appreciation W eek Citation and Award presented by the Optim ist Club of Lloyd Center on 18 November 1987 and the Theme Excel lence Award in depicting Affirm ative Action, the Dream of Sugar Ray whoops it up with local family (above), and Sugar poses with Erika Henderson, a student at Ockley Green Middle School (below). dedicated to the dismantling of that entire endeavor. Equality, presented 11 May 1988. Tova is an eleven-year-old sixth grade Honor Roll student at Beaumont Middle School in Portland. She previously attended Sabin Elementary School. Tova has tw o sisters. Her sister, Tara, is a seventh grade Honor Roll student also at Beaumont. Her sister, Kelva, is a third grader at Sabin. Tova was asked to give one quality in adults that she admired the most. Her response was “ Adults who like children is a quality I like." She stated further “ Adults who try to push you into talking when you’re quiet or adults who say.rude things because you don’t talk a lot is a quality I like the least." Tova’s views on friendship included helping each other and caring what happens to one another. She went on to explain that in moments of danger, a person doesn’t just leave his or her friend to be hurt while he or she escapes. T o do so, according to Tova, meant that the person did not have the qualities necessary in a real friend. Tova says that school is educational and sometimes fun. Her favorite school subjects include P.E., Science, Math, Reading, Language and Typing. She enjoys reading, writing and playing her violin Tova states that she is content with herself and sees herself playing the violin and planning for college in the next five years. Tova is less talkative than some and more talkative than others and engages in a form of nonverbal comm unication at times She listens with more than her physical self and sees beyond her eyes. She is both unspoiled and unpretentious and a genuinely "nice” person. Further to the reduction of its ef fect, a number of factors have com e * *0 ? « # • * • t * K J ►A** ' *. < . »>