November 7, 1990---l he Portland Observer-"Page 9
Whatever Happened to Minority
Business? -Part 4
by Professor McKinley Burt
It was brought to my attention
last week that my observation o f the
federal M in o rity Business Program s-
” You can’ t force the government to do
anything (w ith ou t political heat)” - is
till holding true in the “ disadvantaged”
area. I was referred to a “ Letters to the
Editor” item in the October 29 edition
o f the publication “ American Contrac
tor” .
Here, a m inority contractor
criticizes the Small Business A d m in i
stration and affiliated agencies for plac
ing him in a “ Catch-22” situation in
respect to promises o f S urety Bond guar
antees. Months o f expensive effort,
time and other preparation went down
the drain when the firm was confronted
with the “ zapper” : The government
(SBA) w ill not guarantee bonds/con-
tracts i f the age o f the requesting firm is
UNDER 12 M O N TH S. Further, mud
dying the waters was a less than satisfy
ing “ Financial Capability Review” :
a young firm w ith no infusion o f capital
required to satisfy the prerequisite f i
nancial capabilities demanded by the
U.S. A rm y .”
In respect to the first situation,
it imm ediately occurs that it would have
been crim inal for the SBA and those af
filiated agencies to allow this firm to
waste so much o f its time and energy
w ithout inform ing them o f the ” 12
month” requirement (the question arises,
ofcourse, " I s thiskey stipulation pro m i
nently displayed in the 's c rip t’ , scuh
that any’ applicant would have been
aware o f the fatal constraint?” ) And is
the system still so impaired?
The second situation propels
us into one o f the most confused and
nebulous areas in all the interface be
tween government and citizen. Just
what is “ F IN A N C IA L C A P A B IL IT Y ”
w nhin the context and rubric o f A m er
ica’s widely heralded programs to “ bring
m inorities into the mainstream o f com
merce and in d u s try ." Somehow the
message gets conveyed that many o f the
laws and rules o f generally accepted
financial via b ility and c re d ib ility have
been suspended in varying degree in o r
der to bring the disadvantaged aboard.
Wistful, many seem to believe this. After
all, we did not get the 40 acres and the
m ule-so, conceivably, something is still
due.
I can certainly understand it i f
you are reminded here o f the piece I
wrote a few months ago citing a passage
from “ A lice in W onderland” as rem i
niscent o f the federal bureaucracy: caught
up in an attempt to mask his own confu
sion, Humpty Dumpty exclaims, “ Things
are what I say they are!” Right on! Let
the buyer beware (caveat emptor). Again,
I refer to m y own experience cited last
week. I had a sufficient financial base
until I allowed the government to attain
the position o f an unenforceable finan
cial commitment. Shame on me! I t ’s a
learning game--things went quite w ell
in previous commercial enterprises where
there was no federal involvem ent. So
what is it that we are saying in all o f this?
First, disabuse yourself o f all
those naive expectations. Politics and
voter registrations reign supreme. Ig
nore the rhetoric and the large advertis
ing budgets and display ads, and ap
proach the agencies just as you w ould a
USED C AR D E A LE R . Assume that
you are as innocent as any other con
sumer entering a new marketplace; per
haps more so.
An interesting aside here is that
a lot o f this kept ringing a bell in my
memory u ntil fin a lly things fe ll into
place. Loo kin g through my Black H is
tory files used in my university classes,
I found ju s t what I was looking for: ma
terials relating to that over a century old
debacle set up im m ediately after the
C iv il W a r-th e Freedmen’ s Bureau,
obstensibly designed to expedite the
entrance o f the freed black slaves into
the Am erican mainstream w ith “ all
deliberate haste.” So, what else is new?
W ill we learn? More next week.
Tenth Cans Film Festival To Benefit Hungry
M ovie fans can see a first-run
movie o f their choice and help Oregon ’s
hungry people by attending the Tenth
Annual Cans Film Festival on Wednes
day evening, November seventh. Forty-
two A c t lll theaters throughout Oregon
and Clark County, Washington, w ill cele
brate the event’ s tenth anniversary by
opening their doors to movie-goers who
contribute tw o cans o f nonperishable
food items in lieu o f the regular movie
admission price.
Congressman Ron Wyden w ill
k ic k -o ff this year’s Festival w ith a pub
lic appcrance at L lo yd Center Cinemas
at 9:30 a.m. the morning o f the event.
Stajc Senator Jane Cease and State
Representative Ron Cease w ill read the
M ayor’ s Proclamation, establishing
November 7, 1990 as Cans F ilm Festi
val Day. OFB Executive D irector Ra
chel Bristol L ittle and representatives
from the G irl Scouts and A ct III Thea
ters w ill also be on hand to answer
questions about the event and its 10-
year history.
On the evening o f November
seventh, local G irl Scout troops w ill
gather at area theaters to assist Oregon
Food Bank in collecting the canned goods.
Last year, Oregon Food Bank received
34,400 pounds o f food from Cans F ilm
Festival, a 38% increase over 1988 to
tals. This year’s goal is 40,000 pounds
statewide.
Cans F ilm Festival one o f a
series o f Oregon Food Bank pre-holiday
events that raise public awareness as
w ell as food. By participating in these
events, individuals and fam ilies help the
Oregon Food B ank’s netw ork’s member
agencies prepare fo r w inte r emergency
food nceds-a time when many Orego
nians face the m ounting financial pres
sures that so often come when the weather
turns cold.
Oregon Food Bank is a private
nonprofit network o f 19 regional food
banks serving nearly 600 social service
agencies throughout Oregon and Clark
County, Washington.
I
Business Profile:
Don Bankhead of L o ca l’s O nly
BY C Y N T H IA B R O W N
hard i f you have a relationship. I spend
“ A lot o f record stores do carry local
most o f my tim e at this. People don’ t
artists but they don’t do it like we do,:
understand why I work so hard. I l gets
said Don Bankhead o f Local’ s Only.
really stressful and hard on friends and
“ We feature local bands, show their
fam ily. But I always want to be in busi
posters, sell their l-shirts, bring them
ness for m yself. I ’d much rather be my
in to the store fo r liv e , all-age
own boss than have someone tell me
performances,and hold record release
what to do.”
parties.”
W hile growing up in Salt Lake
Bankhead and his partners
C ity, Utah, Bankhead showed his deter
(Sarah Moran, A rt
Thomas and Dan ______
Sause) decided to
open this unique
outlet after experi
encing the trials and
trib u la tio n s
of
trying to sell their
own music. “ W e’re
a ll
m usicians,
w e’ ve a lld o n e a lo t
o f recording and we
a ll had a hard time
selling our tapes.”
« t
The store stocks
$
C D ’ s,
album s,
tapes, and other
merchandise on 500
Don Bankhead co-owns downtown 's diverse
diffcrcntnorthw est
artists ranging from
Kenny G to the Oregon Symphony to U-
m ination at an early age. ‘ ‘When I was 8
Krcw .
years old I cleaned a music shop in
“ But we concentrate more on
exchange for piano lessons. I bought my
the guy who is up and coming and trying
first piano at age 12 by w orking at the
to make a name for him self,” he added.
shop and m owing lawns. I got a good
“ And there aren’t as many black artists
deal from the owner o f the store,” he
as there should be. I know they’ re out
recalled. “ M y parents had no idea I was
there. We want to sell their tapes.”
buying a piano until it was delivered.”
The broad range o f styles is a
He continued to take lessons and listen
com m itm ent to freedom o f creativity.
to an eclectic array o f music, m ostly
“ W e ’re here to sell music regardless o f
rock and roll. “ M y major influences
what it is. Our doors are open to all
were James Brown, The Beetles and
kinds. W e’ ve even had Aryan Nation
E lvis Presley; none played keyboards.
and Neo-Nazi bands. We have some
M y favorite keyboard players were in
thing for everyone,” said Bankhead.
‘Chicago’ and ‘ Spint’ ” . Bankhead cut
When Locals O nly opened one and a
his first album in 1978 and then changed
h alf yearsago their first m onth’ s income
his musical style to classical and jazz.
was S37O.OO. Now they average be
A fter high school he attended
tween $2500 and $3100 per month.But
the University o f Utah and majored in
business can s till be rocky. * ‘What w e’d
business and marketing. “ Going to co l
like now is to fin d a way to stabilize.
lege and studying business d id n ’ t really
W e’ re looking for money fo r advertis
help me out to run a business. But c o l
ing and we want to expand to other c it
lege is good to learn to get through and
ies,” he said.
stick w ith something,” he commented.
The biggest challenge for
A fte r college he went to C a li
Bankhead as a small business owner is
fornia and studied fashion design at the
the impact on his personal life, “ it ’ s not
U niversity o f San Francisco and worked.
ju s t a fu ll-tim e jo b ; i t ’s your life. I t ’ s
However, he soon decided to leave the
Portland Observer
CLASSIFIEDS
DATA PROCESSING
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST
MEDICAL CLAIMS
ANALYSTS
Blue Cross and Blue Shield is currently accepting applications fo r the position o f
Programmer/Analyst. The Programmer/Analyst w ill:
Design, develop and implement system improvements using current technology
Gather, analyze and document inform ation for developing or m od ifyin g opera
tional and inform ation systems to pinpoint areas where improvement can be
made
Designing programs, develop code and perform the necessary implementation
activities involved in the installation o f new and improved systems.
The successful candidate w ill have 1-3 years o f IB M mainframe experience and
a m inim um o f 2 years OS and C O BO L experience, w ith training in systems
analysis, and special emphasis in project management, user relations, data
gathering techniques and written & oral communication. A college deg desired.
College experience may be substituted by demonstrated commendable per
formance as a programmer.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield o f Oregon offers an excel employee benefits package,
flex-tim e work hours, and competitive salary. Pre-employment drug screening
required. To assure your resume is processed imm ediately, place ad #438 at the
top o f your resume or in you cover letter. Send resume to:
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
o f Oregon
Human Resources Dept., 5th Fir.
100 S.W. Market
LWJ
Portland, OR 97201
T D D #225-6780
Blue Cross and Blue Shield o f Oregon is currently accepting applications for
Medical Claims Analysts. This position is responsible for accurate and tim ely
payment o f blue Cross and Blue Shield o f Oregon’s medical claims. Experience
necessary to perform this task w ill include:
1 year recent clerical w ork experience in a doctor’ s office or hospital setting
Demonstrated knowledge o f medical term inology and anatomy. This may be
obtained through a classroom setting or o ffice experience
ICD-9/CPT-4 Coding
A m inimum o f 6-12 months experience using a C R T in a production oriented en
vironment
Fast, accurate use o f a 10-key calculator
Previous claims processing or insurance b illin g experience highly desirable.
Starting salary S1347/mo.Training class w ill begin Jan.2, 1991.
BlueCrossand Blue Shield o f Oregon offers an excellent employee benefits pack
age, flex-tim e work hours, and com petitive salary. Pre-employment drug
screening required. To assure your resume is processed immediately, place ad
#457 at the top o f your resume or you may apply in person between 9 A M -4P M
M on-Fri.
m
Equal Opportunity Employer
Sub-Bids Requested
Oregon Department of Transportation
UPRR Overcrossing To Pendelton Highway
Pendelton - Cold Springs Highway
Umatilla County, Oregon
Bid Date: November 15,199019:00 A.M.
Kiewit Pacific Co.
P.0. Box 1769, Vancouver, Wa. 98668
(206) 693-1478 258-4687, FAX (206) 693-5582
CCB063471
We are an equal opportunity employer and request sub-bids from women
and minority business enterprises.
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
o f Oregon
Human Resources Dept. 5th Floor
100 S.W. M arket
Portland, O r 97201
Blue Cross
Blue Shield
Equal Opportunity Employer
PUBLISHED
FIRST TIME TODAY
PORTLAND BUREAU OF
PARKS & RECREATION
MASTER PLAN BELLROSE
CORRIDOR OF THE 40 MILE LOOP
Bids due Noon, Nov. 21
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The Bureau of Parks & Recreation is inter-
ested in consultant services to assist the
Bureau in developing a master plan for the
Bellrose Corridor. Strong design and engi-
neering, and pubic involvement skills are
sought. Scope of work includes develop-
ment of a master plan, cost and funding
analyses, and an operational plan. If you
wish to receive a Request for Proposals, or
have questions, please contact: Mary Anne
Cassin, Portland Park Bureau, (503)
796-5229
Published Nov. 1, 1990.
bay area. "O n e day I was coming home
from w ork and saw some guy running
down the street shooting people,” he
said. Bankhead took some vacation days
and checked out Seattle. He spent one
day hitch-hiking to and from Portland.
“ It was a great experience. People were
friendly and h elpful..” The same people
who brought him to Portland gave him a
ride back to Seattle.
“ C om ing to
Portland and Se
attle was a breath
o f fresh a ir,” he
added. “ E v e ry
thing you could ask
for is in one place,
m o u n ta in s, the
ocean and nice
people.” Another
thing Bankhead
discovered in Port
land was blatant
racial harassment.
“ The firs t tim e I
was spit at and
called nigger was
in Portland. Grow
music store
ing up in Utah was
a great thing. M y
fam ily was always treated w ith respect,”
he said. But he retains a positive attitude
about race relations in Portland. “ I turn
the other cheek. I f they’d spend 5 m in
utes w ith me they’d know that it was
totally inappropriate to spit at me. L e t’ s
get into the deep roots o f racism, like
how alcoholism is studied-why is an a l
coholic an alcoholic? W e’ ve got to get
along.We have to meet in the middle
and tolerate each other u ntil the point o f
understanding each other.”
A fte r m oving to Portland
Bankhead worked as a manager fo r Fred
Meyer, wrote fo r the now defunct “ Pre
v ie w ” magazine, and started a lim o u
sine service before deciding to open a
record store.
Bankhead is comm itted to his
business and is in it for the long haul.
“ I ’ ve never had a better w orking rela
tionship than this one. I also think I can
set an example. I m ight have a chance to
be a role model fo r kids w ithout being a
basketball player,” he said. “ And I ’ m
doing it fo r me, not fo r anyone else. I ’ m
a type ‘A ” person. I always have to be
doing something and i t ’s an opportunity
to prove to m yself what kind o f person I
am and to g ro w .”
m Advertising
»Employment
» Bids/Sub-Bids
EMPLOYMENT
CITY OF PORTLAND
Data Entry Clerk-to $1,768/mo
District Aquatics Coordinator-to $2,468/mo
Energy Director-to $49,130/yr
Engineering Associate B (Traffic)-to $3,662/mo
Police Officer-to $3,217/mo
Senior Accountant-to $31,013/yr
Urban Services Manager-to $48,255/yr
For more info/closing dates
call (503) 248-4573 (24 hr jo b inform ation) No resumes please
B U R E A U O F PERSONNEL
1220 S.W. 5th Ave., First FI.
Portland, OR 97204
Apps also available at:
U R B A N LE A G U E
10 N Russell
M inorities, females and disabled encouraged to apply.