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ERVER
VOLUME XIX NUMBER 50
“ The Eyes and The Ears of the Community”
25C
DECEMBER 20,1989
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Philanthropy and the
Black Stereotype
by James A. Joseph
Tw o em erging trends are creating
contradictory perceptions about the current
status o f A frican-A m ericans in our society.
Black political candidates are winning
increasing support from white A m ericans.
Yet, on the other hand, there is an alarm ing
surge in acts o f racial violence and intoler­
ance.
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This sam e contradiction m anifests it­
self in other areas as well. I long have been
concerned, for exam ple, w ith the public
perception o f A frican-A m ericans as the
recipients o f charity rather than as a be­
nevolent com m unity in their ow n right.
Like m ost labels and stereotypes, this
one does not fare too well w hen facts are
allowed to shine from clouds o f ignorance.
There is m ore than a 200-year old tradition
of organized charitable giving by blacks
through institutions developed by blacks.
Yet, long after blacks have struggled and
died for equal access to public facilities,
housing and voting rights, A m erican soci­
ety is not fully aware of the highly-devel­
oped giving traditions and practices of
A frican-Am ericans. A lthough these giving
traditions are played out every day in the
black com m unity, now is the time to cele­
brate these traditions by spreading the ward.
"MARY" CHRISTMAS FROM DISNEYI.AND-Disneyland guest Kifstin Kjeldsen orPortland, Oregon, assited Mary
Poppias and Mickey Mouse in lighting the Magic Kingdom’s spectacular 60-foot Christmas tree on Tuesday, Dec. 5, took
part in the special tree-lighting ceremony that illuminates the colorfully decorated white fir tree, the centerpiece of
Disneyland's festive yuletide decor. The Magic Kingdom's holiday season continues daily through Jan. 1.
Helping Children Become
Culturally Diverse
C H IC A G O , ILL—If parents w ant their
children to thrive in today ’s culturally d i­
verse society, they m ust teach kids about
people from different racial, econom ic,
religious and cultural backgrounds, advises
the n atio n ’s oldest and largest child advo­
cacy association.
The N ational Parent-T eacher A ssocia­
tion (PTA ) has devoted its D ecem ber 1989/
January 1990 issue o f PTA Today m ag a­
zine to articles about ways to help children
respect differences in others and develop
into culturally literate adults.
" T h e success o f our children in a cul­
turally diverse world is greatly influenced
by the actions and attitudes o f the environ­
m ent in w hich they liv e,” says M ary Lou
Fuller, associate professor for the d epart­
m ent o f elem entary education in the C enter
for Teaching and Learning at the U niver­
sity o f North D akota, G rand Forks, N.D.
W riting in the P T A 's aw ard-w inning
m agazine, Fuller notes that one way to
develop cultural literacy is through the
school curricula. For instance, the state o f
M innesota is m andating m ulti-cultural
education as p art o f its K -12 program.
Parents should also educate children at
home. Fuller suggests that parents exam ine
their ow n know ledge and attitudes about
other cultures, then begin by selecting a
given culture or country they wish to know
m ore about. ' ‘The goal is not to becom e an
expert, but to leant to appreciate and feel
com fortable w ith cultural d iv ersity ," says
the author.
She suggests that parents gather books
from the lib ra ry -b o th fiction and nonfic-
tio n —about the group o f interest, then read
and discuss the books with their children.
T hey can also use local new spapers and
new s m agazines to becom e fam iliar with
the culture’s current events.
The food o f a particular country or
Vacant House Renewed
Through Volunteer Effort
A cerem ony celebrating the com pleted
renovation o f a vacant, deteriorated house
w ill take place at noon on T hurs., Dec. 21 at
2334 SE M orrison. Thanks to the energy o f
dozens o f volunteers from the Xerox C or­
poration working in partnership with REACH
C om m unity D evelopm ent, Inc. and Port­
land Im pact, this cozy hom e w ill be ready
to provide a hom eless fam ily a safe place to
live ju st in tim e for the new year.
X erox C orporation volunteers have
w orked with REA C H , w ho recently p u r­
chased the house, to transform this n eigh­
borhood eyesore into a com m unity a s s e t
V olunteers have spent three Saturdays over
the last two months painting, pruning, clean
ing and landscaping. REACH staff and
contractors have w orked during the w eek­
days to do the roofing, electrical, plum bing
and carpentry. The building is being reno­
vated w ith a low interest loan m ade avail­
able from the Portland D evelopm ent C o m ­
m ission and a $2,000 contribution made by
Xerox.
REA C H , a private nonprofit com m u­
nity developm ent corporation, will lease
the refurbished house to Portland Im pact, a
nonprofit social service agency, for use as
transitional housing for up to 9 0 days and
w ill receive com prehensive case m anage­
m ent support to help them get back on their
feet. Security Pacific Bank has agreed to
donate funds to Portland Im pact to cover
the first six m onths o f the lease paym ents.
The idea for this exciting partnership
developed last sum m er when m em bers of
X erox’sC om m unity Involvem ent Program
began to look for a project that would make
a positive im pact on the com m unity. Their
search led them to REACH and Portland
Im pact. REACH has renovated over 300
units o f housing in southeast Portland,
how ever, this is the first tim e REACH has
worked soextensively with a private corpo­
ration.
Participating in the celebration will be:
REACH Com m unity D evelopm ent, Inc.,
volunteers from the Xerox Corporation,
Portland Im pact, and Security Pacific, Bob
Strayhan, D istrict M anager for Xerox and
Jim A albcrg, Senior V ice President of
Security Pacific Bank w ill be on hand to
present their com panies’ contributions to
REACH and Portland Impact.
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culture is another good introduction. G et a
cookbook from the library and try some
recipes. If possible, shop for the ingredients
at a grocery store in a neighborhood repre­
senting the culture of interest. Another option
is to visit restaurants that are operated and
frequented by people o f that culture. R e ­
m em ber, ethnic fast-food and chain restau­
rants generally are not culturally represen­
tative.
A nother way to expand children” s
horizons is by encouraging them to corre­
spond w ith pen pals from o th er cultures
(F u ller's article lists three organizations to
contact). O r, arrange to have a foreign
exchange student live in your home.
An im portant part o f understanding
other cultures is understanding o n e’s own
culture. A good and fun way to accom plish
this is by investigating the origins of o n e’s
ow n fam ily, says Fuller.
The brochure, “ W hat to Tell Y our
Child About Prejudice and Discrimination,"
is another resource. A free copy o f the
brochure, produced by the N ational PTA
and the A nti-D efam ation League o f B ’nai
B ’rith, can be requested by sending a self-
addressed, stam ped business-size envelope
to N ational PTA , Prejudice Pub, 700 N.
Rush st„ C hicago, IL 60611.
C opies o f PTA Today are available for
$ 1 each by sending a check o r m oney order
m ade payable to the N ational PTA, 700 N.
Rush Street, C hicago, IL 60611. The m aga­
zine is published seven tim es a year (O cto­
ber-M ay, D cccm ber/January com bined
issues), and subscriptions are $7/year.
STAY BUCKLED UP
The history o f black philanthropy is the
history o f being black in America. In re ­
sponse to discrim ination and the am biva­
lence o f m ainstream , m ajority and govern­
mental institutions, black A m ericans over
the years have forged a tradition o f com m u­
nal self-help practices to address their m ost
critical problem s.
The prim ary exam ple is the black
Church--an institution w hich has been the
cornerstone of black economic, philanthropic
and political initiative for tw o centuries.
Churches and church-related organizations
in the black com m unity have raised chari­
table funds to provide for basic needs, and
they have served as catalysts for political
endeavor and the guarantee o f civil liber­
ties. M oreover, they have helped buttress
long-term econom ic health by providing
funds for the first black schools, banks and
insurance com panies.
O ther strong philanthropic institutions
have developed throughout history in re ­
sponse to changing socio-econom ic condi­
tions. These include m utual aid societies;
anti-slavery funds; the A frican Union soci-
Helping The Needy
! Throughout The Year
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For more than 32 years
Comkmunlty Care has been feed­
ing Portland's hungry and provld-
Ing housing assistance for the
homeless. Clara Peoples, founder
and director, estimates that over
900,000 food baskets have been
passed out during this period pro-
vlding emergency food assistance
for more than 750,000 families.
The agency suffered a $20,000
food lost In 1987 due to a fire which
destroyed the interior of Ms.
Peoples' residence which also serves
as headquarters for Community
Care. In spite of this setback, op­
erations continued during remod­
eling, feeding some 15,000 hungry
Portlanders.
It was because of this effort
and those over the years that the
Portland Muslim Community re­
cently honored Ms. Peoples with
an award for outstanding commu­
nity service.
The agency now finds Itself
hard pressed for food and cash
contributions as the cold weather
makes the task of providing re­
sources even more burdensome.
Community Care Is appealing
to the Public for support to pro­
vide emergency food, housing, and
utility needs.
Contributions may be made
directly to:
1st Interstate Sank
Walnut Park Branch
P.O. Box 11346
Portland, Oregon 97211
Attn.: Community Care
^ ^ ( C U r ^ ’e o p l e i ) ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ .
ety w hich helped ease the transition of
blacks from slavery to freedom; and black
fraternal and social organizations. More
recently, the civil rights m ovem ent her­
alded greater black em pow erm ent and led
to the founding o f large scale black fund­
raising organizations like the Black U nited
Fund and the A ssociated B lack Charities.
D espite the perception o f some that
afflu en tb lack sin th e 1990’s are more inter­
ested in the personal accumulation of wealth
than in philanthropy, a burgeoning m ove­
m ent among them has resulted in large
scale giving by such well known blacks as
Dave W infield, Bill and Cam ille Cosby,
O prah W infrey, M ichael Jackson, Eddie
M urphy, Dave Stew art and many others
w ho choose to give anonymously. Yet, a
substantial am ount o f giving in the black
com m unity com es from sm aller, but con­
sistent, donations from persons of m odest
means.
American society should encourage the
giving traditions o f black Americans.
A m erican philanthropy in the 21st century
will be distinguished by its com m itm ent to
cultural diversity and ethnic pluralism. Rarely
do we think o f the A m erican philanthropic
tradition as a m ulti-cultural legacy. Yet,
m inorities and new groups m igrating to this
nation bring with them helping and giving
traditions w hich enrich the fabric o f our
society.
As part o f an effort to educate A m eri­
cans about the giving traditions of blacks
and other m inorities, the Council on F oun­
dations, the international m em bership or-
ganization o f foundations and corporations,
has initiated a new project, “ Pluralism in
Philanthropy.” It has tw o m ajor objec­
tives: to increase aw areness among A fri­
can-A m ericans, Hispanics, A sians, and
A m erican Indians about the options for
giving offered by organized philanthropy;
and to educate the public about the benevo­
lent traditions and giving practices o f these
A m ericans.
This m arks the first such national ef­
fort targeted to m inorities. Having fought
many battles as a leader o f the civil rights
m ovem ent in Tuscaloosa, A labam a, I am
proud now as president o f the C ouncil on
Foundations to put in place a project that
seeks to educate, and in so doing, help tear
dow n som e o f the barriers w hich still frac­
ture our society.
By helping to foster a broader public
understanding o f the A frican-A m erican
philanthropic tradition, we take a giant step
by educating Am ericans that the stereotype
of the black A m erican as being only a
recipient o f charity is inaccurate. M ore­
over, w e rem ove one m ore block in the
ideological w alls w hich still plague some
com m unities in this nation and we sustain
a value system w hich heralds cultural d i­
versity and denigrates racial discord.
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X.
[M r. Joseph, one of the highest ranking
black officials in the C arter A dm inistra­
tion, is president o f the C ouncil on Founda­
tions, the international mem bership organi­
zation o f foundations and corporations with
charitable giving program s.
Ramon Ramos:
A Tribute To A
Real Life Role Model
by Ullysses Tucker, Jr.
" H e y R am on,” this w riter hollered,
" I 'm still waiting on you to score that first
NBA basket for m e ."
“ D on’t w orry,” he laughed. “ T here
are plenty o f games to go. I 'll get you one
before its all over with.” He raised a clinched
fist and continued to shoot or fantasize
about hitting that first basket. Perhaps, he
would dunk on three Golden State W arrior
defenders or shoot a three-point goal at the
buzzer to give the Trailblazers a victory.
The dream was alive and well in his heart.
Ramon has a big h e a rt
A little m ore than eight hours later,
R am on's dream was altered by fog and a
patch o f ice last Friday m orning. He lost
control o f his red N issan 300ZX and slid
about 600 feet sideways before leaving the
ground for about forty feet. Ramos suffered
extensive head and chest damage. D octors
give him a 50-50 chance to survive and if he
does, it is doubtful that he w ill ever score a
point in the NBA. He was not w earing a seat
b e lt
C urrently in a com a and on a ventilator
to help him breath, Ram os, once again will
have to dig dow n real deep and com e up
with the big play like he did in college and
in the 1988 O lym pics. He has to com e up
with the big play. His life depends on it. Let
us continue to pray.
Sometimes, we as people take for granted j
that w e have a lifetim e to chase our inner
m ost dream s and aspirations. W e can b e )
virtually sitting on the edge o f a dream but
tell that to life or “ potential g u t” checks
like death. D eath has a way of creeping up
on hum ans when they least expect it. Some
folks look death in the face and suggest that
it go elsew here. O thers cash in their lottery
ticket because it’s their time.
W hy does it take adversity, pain, or
even people going “ to e-to -to e" with death
for people w ant to get them selves together?
W hy do people have to be scared into doing
the right thing? W hy can ’t people do the
right thing naturally? It is sad to say, but,
som e folks deserve to die. K illers, drug
dealers feeding o u r youth poison, child
m olesters, e t c .. . . A dm it it, we w ish death
and harsh tim es on people w ho w on’t be
m ussed by society. Bad people have a way
o f escaping w hat is due to them.
So, why does G od use good people like
R am on as a m eans to m ake us catch a grip
on life? People will not m iss the drug dealer
or crim inal who exploits the com m unity.
G od calls individuals like R am on because
he w ill be m issed if takened. He is a credit
to his native Puerto Rico, Sexton H all, and
to the Portland com m unity. Bad things
happen to good people. It m akes people
stop and reflect for a m o m e n t. . . A re you
reflecting now o r does it take m ore bad
things to happen to a good person? W here
and when life rears its ugly head is beyond
hum an com prehension and control.
So rem em ber, the next tim e you pro­
crastinate that tom orrow is not yours. No
one has a perm anent leave on life. Do what
you have to do when you are suppose to do
it. Do if for Ramon. Score a basket in your
life for him by living right before adversity
strikes. W ake up and score the assist to
Ramon.
Short Shakes: N ext week the “ L ocker
R o o m " will get back to basketball. Look
for upcom ing features on former B la z e r-
now Vice President o f the A tlanta H aw ks,
Johnny D avis, C lyde D rexler, and M itch
R ichm ond o f the G olden State W arriors,
Yul
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