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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 1990)
* • w > ♦ ♦ «r ♦ ♦ V 4 , , » V V lH 'l' l W M 1* ; on ENDON CENTER SEPTEMBER IMO PARTY i ¡nimm OPENING CELEBRATION PORTLflNÖ V o lu m e X X , N u m b e r 36 ERVER S e p te m b e r 19, 1990 "The Eyes and Ears o f The Community" TRI-MET OFFERS FREE RIDES OPENING OF OREGON CONVENTION CENTER N C o llin s C e n te r N e e d s H e lp n ee d s co m m u n ity s u p p o rt PAGE 3 Lou B oston P ly m o u th A ctive in C o m m u n ity affairs ■ ext week will mark a com m u nity wide celebration o f pride as the new Oregon Convention C enter of ficially opens. O ne o f the final events of the O pen ing Celebration will be a free, public Street Dance held Saturday evening, Septem ber 22nd from 7:30-11:00 p.m., in the main parking lot behind the C on vention Center. T op musical entertain ment is scheduled, including Tow er of Power. The evening’s finale will fea ture a “ Tower Lighting Extravaganza” produced by Superior Lighting. A 20- minute spectacular light show, show ering the glass o f the Convention Cen- te r’s ’s twin tow ers in ever-changing light, will take place. The new Oregon Convention Cen ter will have a major economic impact on our city and state. 3,500 new full time and part-tim e jobs will be created when the convention center is in opera tion, and it is expected that the Center will pum p S I 37 million into the local econom y each year. M ayor C lark took note of the fact that this is the fifth year of his adm ini stration, and the Convention Center was his first initiative. He said that ac complishing major tasks in government takes a long time. However, the O re gon Convention Center is a great addi tion to the Portland skyline, and cer activities, please contact Bob Applegate, tainly worth the time and effort every N orthw est Strategies, Inc.: 241-8383] INTERNATIONAL VISITS-Dele- one has expended.[For further infor mation regarding Convention Center gates from Portland’s sister cities of BUBBH I J In defense of the charges leveled by PU SH , Nike singles out well known aired by KA TU , (Channel 2), superstars like M ichael Jordan, Bo featured the Nike-PUSH controversy and Jackson, David Robinson,playwrite/pro- brought into focus (very properly) why the Beaverton based Athletic giant is in ducer Spike Lee, and G eorgetow n coach trouble with the A frican-A m erican com John Thom pson as their highest paid em munity. The com pany is arrogant, non- ployees. They also point to their philan communicative, and has little or no under thropic contributions to various Black organizations such as the Northeast standing o f Black econom ics. PUSH (People United To Save Com m unity D evelopm ent Corporation Humanity) has entered Portland to push (NECDC), House o f Umoja, and others. the boycott o f Nike products after unsuc But, when a com pany announces sales of cessful attem pts to get Nike to the nego $2.24 billion in 1990, investing approxi tiating table. Nike claim s it has refused m ately $10 m illion am ong blacks is a to negotiate because PUSH has yet to mere pittance.This is especially true when respond to a questionnaire pertaining to blacks accounted for over $350 million source o f incom e, corporate structure o f the $2.24 billion in sales. So while we are quite sure that Michael, Spike, David, and fiscal accountability., PUSH states that it has called for the Bo, and John appreciate the millions national boycott because Nike refuses to they are getting, another wise invest prom ote Blacks, em ploy more Blacks, ment would be to hire, prom ote and train or invite Blacks to serve on its Board o f Blacks for m anagem ent level positions. Nike would also be advised to initiate a Directors. On Sunday’s show, Liz Dolan, Nike’s more positive public relations campaign spokesperson stated that it is unrealistic w ithin the Black com m unity. Ms. Dolan also w rongfully stated to expect Nike to bring in Blacks at top that Nike advertises in the Black media. level m anagem ent and expect them to m anage lower echelon em ployees. Such Apparently she is referring to the Black a statem ent by Nike m anagem ent lends media in other parts o f the world, for c re d e n c e to re c e n t c h a rg e s o f after two days o f contact with Black insensitivity,ignorance, and arrogance, media outlets around the country, 1 have in regards to race.Such a statem ent sim yet to find one that has received advertis ply implies that Nike docs not believe ing support from Nike. Factually speak Blacks are qualified to enter a new envi ing, is is im possible to get a returned ronm ent and successfully manage a phone call form Nike public relations or departm ent. Either that or Black em any one in management. This is a prob ployees at Nike are “ dead ended” with lem that has been on going for more than no hope for advancem ent. It is incon two years as far as this publication is ceivable that a m ajor corporation which concerned. Another issue that has surfaced since at it’s most recent stock holders meeting PUSH came to town is the division among announced sales were up from $270 som e o f the Black leadership in Port m illion in 1980 to $2.24 billion in 1990. land. W hen the Boycott was first an Certainly, with that much profit a m an nounced, some o f the local Black organi agem ent training program which would zations at first refused to endorse the include Blacks could have been put into move. Only after pressure from the place long ago. T A P a re n t S p e a k s L ulu R. S tro u d on decisions a n d choices PAGE 2 M iss A m erica M arjorie V incent hails from 111. PAGE 4 S tre et D ance T he O reg o n C o n v e n tio n center P arty by th e P oints PAGE 4 Light Rail Dedication 1:30 ■ p.m. at the corner of Holladay Street and Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard this Thursday, September 20. 1 I he town Hall show on Sunday 1 Ä k k . Fia i Sapporo, Japan, and Ulsan, Korea as well as officials from Taiw an’s United States office in Seattle will be in Port land September 19-21. They will be at- tending a ceremony on Septem ber 20 to formally dedicate works o f art pre sented to the Oregon Convention C en ter by their governments. Tri-M et will make it easier for some 100,000 people to enjoy this w eekend’s grand opening o f the Oregon C onven tion Center by offering free M AX rides, tickets for free rides home on buses and free shuttle buses from several parking lots. “ One hundred thousand party-goers and zero parking spaces. There are some jobs you can’t do w ithout transit, and this is one o f them ,” said Tri-m et General M anager, James E Cowen. “ So we want to invite the people o f the region to rely on Tri-M et for this w eekend’s party- going.” To help people participate in the opening celebration, all rides on M AX will be free on Saturday, Septem ber 22 and Sunday, September 23. In addition, M AX will run more frequently (every 10 minutes) during the busiest part o f the weekend. MAX trains stop at the new Convention Center station 168 times a day. Tri-M et will give a free ride home to anyone who picks up a commemorative ticket from the Tri-M et booth at the Convention Center trade show. To avoid any waiting lines. Tri-M et staff will also be at bus stops and MAX stations with tickets for free rides home on all Tri-M et buses leaving the Convention Center area. Buses serving the Coliseum,-Con vention Center area are: 1-Greeley, 4- SEE TRI-MET NEWS: PAGE 10 MM P. U - S-H ■"NIK E FACE TO FACE PAGE 7 25<P community, and witnessing endorsements from national chapters did they give lukewarm support. One local leader gave Nike a “ C ” grade. This is confusing when it com es from an organization that is supposed to cham pion equal opportu nities for all. Even more puzzling is the strange silence o f local elected Black officials. Perhaps they fail to realize that the Black agenda for the “ 9 0 ’s’ ’ closely borders that of the “ 80’s” -this time with more aggressive leadership. W e have yet to speak to a Black who is o f the opinion that Nike ia a “ racist” corporation. But, the vast majority does feel that the organization, because o f its hugh success, has given little thought to the Black com m unity’s desire for a re turn on its’ investm ent Footnote: After several weeks Nike Public Relations Director, Liz Dolan returned a phone call at 4:00 pm Septem ber 18 (Tuesday). Extremely apologetic, Ms. Dolan staled that already underway was N ike’s com m itm ent to invest in American Slate Bank on M artin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in Northeast Portland. Ms. Dolan claim s the announcem ent to the press by Nike headquarters, that the money was already on deposit was pre mature. According to Ms. Dolan, the de cision to invest was made by Nike offi cials last week, but before American State Bank was notified, or the Fiscal Department could work out arrangements, the information was leaked to the Press. The proposed investment would estab lish an account for the Nike outlet on MLK Jr. Blvd. Dolan also indicated that Nike would increase its minority adver tising to coincide with the opening o f its new est outlet store in dow ntow n Port land. The stores’ opening is scheduled for mid-November. B u s in e s s P r o file Christopher Guinn Studio 14 Hair Salon STUL > Christopher Guinn BY: ULLYSSES TUCKER, JR. The name Christopher G uinn III has a royal or sophisticated sound to it. Perhaps a polo player from England? The first cousin o f Prince Charles? No. Christopher Guinn III just so happens to be one o f the best male stylists in the Portland m etropolitan area. Som e of his clients include several Portland Trail blazers and new Urban League presi dent Dr. Darryl Tukufu. He is creative, considers him self an artist, and Guinn loves his work. He is twenty-five years old. A 1983 graduate of Madison High School, Guinn started cutting hair as a teenager and eventually m oved on to Cosm opolitan Careers, where he fin ished in 1986. He then received the op portunity to study under noted stylist Veronica Hill o f W aves Hair Design. At W aves, Guinn perfected his skills and built a solid client base. Now, Guinn Photo by Ullysses Tucker, Jr. is on his own at Studio 14 in Northeast Portland. Business is great. He can no longer handle the walk-in traffic and appointm ents arc a must. Guinn and his future wife, LaTrice reside in Northeast Portland. They have three children (Rich ard, 6; Krystal, 2; and Tuilour, 1). The business profile caught up with him re cently. P o rtla n d O bserver-H ow does an individual grow up wanting to be a styl ist? G uinn-” 1 don’t know exactly what makes a person desire a career as a stylist, but I know what made me want to. I’ve always had an interest in hair. As a young kid, I use to cut hair in the neighborhood and for most of my friends. I never thought about it as a career until much later on. I realized that I enjoyed standing behind people and cutting their hair. After being urged by my family SEE GU IN N : PAGE 11 4 l '«<