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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
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