2f
.,-3 T r a n '
„ a b Veri
■;S
ry
, »
Portland, Oregon
PORTL
ERVER
JUNE 22, 19H9
VOLUME XIX NUMBER 24
GOLDSCHMIDT PROCLAIMS JUNE 21 AS
’’CHANEY, GOODMAN, AND SCHWERNER
MEMORIAL DAY” TO COMMEMORATE YOUNG
VOTING RIGHTS ACTIVISTS
Governor N eil Goldschm idt pro­
claimed June 21 as “ Chaney,
Goodman, and Schwerner M em orial
D ay” to commemorate the young
c iv il rights workers who were m ur­
dered in 1964 for registering A frican
Americans to vote in M ississippi.
G oldschm idt’s proclamation en­
courages “ all citizens to jo in in this
observance as liv in g legacies so that
the contributions o f these and other
c iv il rights leaders continue to bene­
fit and to enrich our society.”
“ C haney,
G oodm an,
and
Schwerner M em orial D ay” in Ore­
gon coincides w ith the “ Youth Free­
dom Caravan,” a cross-country trek
o f young people who have co m m it­
ted themselves to a year o f w ork fo r
universal voting rights. The “ Youth
Freedom Caravan” has been organ­
ized by the Human SERVE Cam ­
paign to allow youth from Portland,
Salem, Seattle and elsewhere around
the country to jo in in commemora­
tive activities scheduled on June 21-
24 in Philadelphia, Mississippi, Wash­
ington, DC, and New Y ork C ity. The
Oregon/Washington delegation leaves
from Portland International A irp o rt
on Sunday, June 18, at 2:00 pm.
Goldschmidt’s proclamation notes
that “ Freedom Summer began twenty-
five years ago when thousands o f
dedicated students, organizers, teach­
ers, and activists traveled to the South
to fig h t fo r c iv il rights....Volunteers
worked. M . register disenfranchised
black voters so that more Americans
would be able to participate in free
elections, one o f the democratic p rin ­
ciples upon which this nation was
founded....”
“ T w enty-five years have passed
since June 21, 1964,” the governor
proclaimed, “ yet it is even more
imperative that we continue to en­
courage the fu ll participation o f all
citizens to register and to vote in
elections, a privilege which A m e ri­
cans too otten take fo r granted....”
Goldschmidt w a so n co f hundreds
o f young Americans who registered
voters in the South during the C iv il
Rights Movement. Portland attorney
Jake Tanzcr worked for the U.S. Justice
Department and developed evidence
against the Ku K lu x Kian in the m ur­
der o f Chaney, Goodman, and
Schwerner. Seattle attorney Rita
Bender was w orking in Mississippi
w ith her late husband M icahcl
Schwerner when he disappeared on
June 21, 1964. Many other Oregon
and Washington residents helped to
break down the barriers o f segrega­
tion through voting rights work then.
Today, a new generation o f c iv il
right and voting rights activists are
being trained to help finish the struggle
fo r equal rights and opportunities for
Americans o f every national and ethnic
background. Nine high school and
college students from Portland, Sa­
lem, and Seatdc are part o f that new
generation. When they return from
the “ Youth Freedom Caravan” on
June 26, they w ill begin a one year
com m itm ent to help their peers and
com m unity members become 100%
voting participants in our govern­
mental system.
Students from the Portland area
include: Pamela Clegg, M ichelle
Robertson and Gina Yarbrough from
Jefferson H igh School; Walced Sad-
ruddin from Benson; E m ily Baker
from M ilw au kie; and Madison High
graduates MosesGuncschand Bryan
Weaver. Gunesch w ill attend U n i­
versity o f Oregon in the fa ll; Weaver
w ill attend M t. Hood Com m unity
College.
From Salem: Tycian Bonneau, who
w ill attend North Salem H igh School
next year.
From Seattle: Ann Slater, who
attended Seattle Central Com m unity
College and now works fu ll-tim e for
WashPIRG, the Public Interest Re­
search Group.
regional director fo r Human SERVE,
organized the Oregon and W ashing­
ton delegation, and w ill be accompa­
nying these students.
The Northwest group w ill fly to
L ittle Rock, Arkansas on Sunday,
Stay-Clean Celebrates
Second Year
June 18, where diey w ill meet up
w ith a bus o f youth from Los Ange­
les area and lour m ajor c iv il rights
sites in the Soulh.The young people
w ill be meeting w ith c iv il rights ac­
tivists from then and now to learn
more about the struggle fo r universa,
voter registration.
On Monday and Tuesday, June
19-20, the Orcgon/Washington/Cali-
fom ia group w ill tour through M is ­
sissippi and Alabama. One June 21,
they w ill meet up w ith an estimated
16,000 people in Philadelphia, M is ­
sissippi, fo r the Chancy-Goodman-
Schwerner C o a litio n ’ s commemora­
tive “ South-North Freedom Cara­
van.”
After a picnic in Philadelphia, M is­
sissippi, the caravan w ill proceed to
Washington, DC and New Y ork C ity,
where a day o f voter registration work
in New Y o rk w ill be follow ed by
fin al ceremonies on Saturday eve­
ning.
W h ile the 300 “ Youth Freedom
Caravan” students are in W ashing­
ton, DC, they w ill attend workshops
on v o te r re g is tra tio n issues,
problcms,and solutions.Thcy w ill also
have the opportunity to v is it w ith
congressional representatives on
voting rights legislation currently
before Congress.
When they return to the N orth­
west, these students w ill be w orking
w ith Human SERVE director M ar­
got Beutler on i¿rqyc<¿ts to get their
peers and parents registered to vote.
M argot E. Beutler, Northwest
W~"'
By M attie Ann Callier-Spears
For two years, now, the Stay-Clean,
Inc. Resource Development Center
has been providing a service in the
com m unity that addresses the issue
o f helping citizens remain ‘ free’ and
‘ clean’ o f drugs and alcohol. This
service is provided by a nonprofit or­
ganization and its name is Stay-Clean,
Inc. Resource Development Center.
On Saturday, the 24th o f June, 1989,
the Stay-Clean, Inc. group w ill hold
its 2nd Year Anniversary Celebra­
tion in the Penninsula Park from 12
noon u ntil dusk. There w ill be 3-4
bands entertaining, free food and vis­
iting dignitaries from c ity and state
offices.
The purpose o f the corporation is
to train, educate and re-educate c iti­
zens who have been and who arc s till
handicapped from drugs and alcohol
abuse which prevents them from
experiencing the opportunity to earn
a honest livelihood. Due to prison
history, underpriviledged livin g
conditions, victim s o f racism, and
long tim e unemployment, many o f
these individuals often turn out to be
a drain and a lia b ility to the com m u­
nity rather than an asset.
The purpose and over all philoso­
phy o f the organization w ill be to
teach constructive productivity as op­
posed to disruptive and disruptive
activities and hclp-lcssness.
Special training and educational
skills arc incorporated into the pro­
gram w ith the help o f outside com ­
m unity agencies, such as: com m u­
nity responsibility and respect, money
management, secretary skills, com ­
puter science, clerical skills, data
processing, automotive mechanics,
good w ork habits, self-esteem devel­
opment and more.
M r. Thomas Mason, executive
dircetor/founder, says that there are
presently 40 male in-patients. “ This
In itia l projects w ill be in the public
schools and on college campuses.
WashPIRG in Seattle w ill be w o rk­
ing on a number o f projects in that
city.
T he ir goal w ill be to make the
words o f G oldschm idt’s proclama­
tion obsolete. The governor noted
that fu ll participation o f a ll citizens
to register and vote in elections is “ a
privilege w hich Am ericans loo often
take fo r granted.”
MARTINL UTIIER KING MANOR
King Manor To Open July 1st
M artin Luther K ing Manor, located at 6620 N.E. 6th Avenue (the com er o f 6th avenue and Dckum Street),
w ill be holding Open House on June 28th, 1989 between the hours o f 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.
Hope To See You There!
Wyden Hearing to Look At Portland Housing Issues
A U.S. House o f Representatives ity o f Portland D irector Don C lark,
Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Ron Portland Area U.S. Housing and Urban
Wyden (D-3rd) w ill hold a hearing in Development director D ick Brinck,
Portland on Friday, June 23, to look and Oregon Housing Agency Deputy
into cllorts to revitalize Portland neigh­ Adm inistrator Sheila Baker. In addi­
borhoods and create more home tion, representatives o f the Northeast
ownership opportunities fo r lower Com m unity Development Corp,
income families.
R EA C H Com m unity Development,
The hearing o f the House Small Inc., the Portland Development Com ­
Business Subcommittee on Regula­ mission, and private sector remod-
tion, Business Opportunities and En­ elcrs and lenders w ill present their
ergy w ill feature testimony by Port­ ideas on how to stimulate neighbor­
land M ayor J.E. “ Bud” Clark and by hood revitalization and homeowner-
individuals individuals in need o f ship.
permanent, affordable housing, who
“ The challenge o f breathing new
w ill explain the many obstacles they life back into our neighborhoods w ill
face in trying to house their families. require inventive input from the p ri­
Also testifying at the hearing w ill vate sector as w ell as from all levels
be Multnomah County Commissioner o f government, “ Wyden said. “ 1
Gretchen Kafoury, Housing A uthor­ expect this hearing to showcase the
< 'i
'. Y
25C
'••■‘K
many opportunities we have to forge
creative partnerships that can put a
new bloom on the Rose C ity ’s
neighborhoods, ’ ’Wyden said.
Rep. Wyden is the sponsoroi leg­
islation known as the C om m unity
Housing Investment Partnership
(CH IP) Act, which provides a scries
o f lcdcral initiatives designed to re­
vitalize run-down neighborhoods and
provide low -incom e citizens w ith
more housing opportunities.
The hearing, w hich is open to the
public, begins at 1:30 p.m. and w ill
be held at the K ing Neighborhood
F acility, 4815 N E 7th.
'<■*’ •*-.*y,*<* -*■.» * •
rY.
•• ’
M’
;•
■
.
•
,
.*
is not a half-w ay house but a ‘ transi­
tional life ’ ” adds Mr. Mason. “ The
men who occupy the seven houses
have come from a ll walks o f life;
some just out o f prison, some were
referred to us by the Justice Center
and some came on their own. Just
because they were tired o f the life
they were leading and what it was
doing to them physically” .
A fte r a person has been in the
program for the first th irty days, he
becomes self-sufficient. He is then
required to his own room and board
and utilities. Each in-patient receives
spiritual counselling because, as Mr.
Mason says, “ Its the inner man or the
soul o f the man that needs to be given
attention” .
Bishop W ells, pastor o f Emman­
uel Temple C O G IC , is one o f the
board members who give insight and
advice to the counselors and, i f need
be, to the in-patients. T heyarccalled
“ in-patients’ because they have an
illness and they came seeking to be
healed.
W hile driving down Northeast
Alberta Street one day last week, I
came upon a most precocious loo k­
ing car washing operation I was
stopped and was asked i f I wanted
m y car washed. 1 told the young man
I had some errands to run but that 1
w ould return. I did. I pulled up in
front o f what seemed to be a resi­
dence, on the com er o f Northeast
13th and Alberta. There were ap­
proxim ately ten young men busily
scurrying about washing vehicles o f
persons who had been flagged down.
It was not long before I discovered
the reason behind the car wash and
the identity o f these washing the
vehicles.
I was greeted by one fellow w ith
the biggest sm ile, a ll over his lace. I
asked him fo r his name and the rea­
son why he, in particular, was taking
part in this a ctivity. He said, “ M y
name is C hris West. I am 31 years
old. I am o rig in a lly from Houston,
Texas but now call Portland, home. I
ju s t came out o f prison; but, I am so
very happy.” A t that point, I needed
to know what was behind dial joy.
“ Do you know what? I was saved
last Sunday. I gave m y life to Jesus
Christ because everything I was doing
was just destroying i t ” he continued,
“ I had been in prison in 1985 fo r six
months and I served m y tim e and was
released. I had been out for 12 months
and was busted 12 times. The last
tim e I was facing 60 years inprison-
m entbut five years instead. I went to
court in 1987 and m y time was then
set at 17 months. I was released on
the 5th day o f June 1989.” I contin­
ued our conversation. I asked him
about his w ife and i f he had children.
“ I have fiv e children” was his re­
sponse, “ and they are liv in g w ith my
mother and m y m other-in-law . As
for my w ife, she is in prison and serv­
ing a twenty year sentence.’ ’ I asked
him , what is he going to do w ith the
opportunity that has been given to
him? He said, “ I am trying so hard
and I plan to make it this tim e.... w ith
the help o f die good L o rd .”
Each m orning, every in-patient is
given an attitude check. Is it positive
or negative and ‘ w h y’ ? Each o f the
seven houses has a house leader and
an assistant house leader w ho are,
themselves, successful in-patients —
w ho ’ vc gone through the program
and are now able to help others find
what they now know. That it is better
to be a good, productive citizen,
functioning in the com m unity w ith ­
out the influence o f the drugs and the
alcohol. W ith o ut the arrest. W ith o ut
the crack houses and prisons.
I spoke to the others: Richie Jones,
19; Glen O ’ Neal, 23; K evin Howard,
37, who came in as a w alk-in . W ife
and children at Maranalha. In the
program for 6 six days; David Hudson,
28, in program for 2 days. Was rec­
ommended by his fiancee’ ; L lo yd
Allen, 52, parole board recommended
him to program; Dewaync W illiam s,
29, from Shercvport, Louisiana, has
been in fo r 10 days; and Charlotte
Sanders,in has been in the program
for one and a h a lf months; but, not as
an in-patient. Presently there is not a
fa c ility for women; but the women
arc able to come fo r counselling and
can attend the classes.
1 pray the com m unity jo in in w ith
the Stay-Clean, Inc. on the 24th to
give tnem positive rc-cnlorccm cnt,
hand shakes and pats on the back.
To the persons in the program,
“ You Can Make I t ! ”
D.
•
*• - ' -
It’s Official! Martin Luther King, Jr.
Holiday Will Be Celebrated The Third
Monday Of Each Year After Senate Passes
HB 2705
.
*>■•**»•