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I he P onland Observer—December ?, 1990
f t .
OPINION
t V ì r i W
i
i y
BY C M . BROOKS
Building self-esteem is not an
easy task considering the negativity there
is in our lives, the world, not to mention
all the consuming pressures there are in
day to day living.
Looking to my own surround­
ings, the proof of this is evident because
it is so conspicuous. Communities that
were once placide, clean, and beautiful,
are now nothing more than playgrounds
for gun-toting gang members. Debili­
tated structures remain as a reminder of
the days when businesses breathed life
into the community, and debris along
w ith children, are scattered in the streets.
And never have I been a witness to so
many people deal­
ing drugs and sell-
ing their bodies, and
for what 1 ask?
I would say
that more than a few
people suffer from
a lack of self-esteem
and would even
venture to suggest
that entire commu­
nities are sometimes
m m —
___
razed as a by-prod­
uct of such a defi­
ciency.
A wise person once said that
seeing is believing. So if some think
that I am exaggerating too strongly, I
would recommend if you are so inclined,
to roam about the city on any occasion
that is of convenience for you, to see
what has taken place and what will
continue for you, to see what has taken
place and what will continue to flourish
unless pride is instilled in ourselves and
our communities. 1 might also add that
although problems are prominent in North
and Northeast Portland, they are not the
only areas that arc inflicted with mal­
adies.
So how do we treat the sick­
ness? How do we begin to build self­
esteem for ourselves and our communi­
ties? First, it is almost a cliche to say,
but I believe that everything begins in
the home. If you instill in your children
that they are worthy of everything life
has to offer regardless of where they
live, or their ethnicity. If you believe
that hard work and patience makes you
a belter person and moves you ahead of
the game, then so will they. The key in
doing this is to practice what you preach
and to preach it often and loud enough
so that it will be heard over Mtv! Let
your message be the “ Golden Rule” in
your home, not anyone else’s.
Second, I rarel suffer from
low self-esteem, but whc. 1 do, the only
thing that will snap me out of it is just in
the doing of anything positive. If my job
has me down, 1 create things that are
more mentally challenging for me. If I
floating around their homes. Think of
the example set by it for the children.
Think of the pride the results of such an
effort would give us all!
Third, take pride in your ac­
complishments no matter how small they
are or how insignificant they may ap­
pear to be when compared to others.
You don’t have to be on the verge of a
medical break-through, or a Portland
TrailBlazer scoring 20 point a game, or
a famous rap-artist selling over 30 mil­
lion albums. Don’t compare yourself to
someone or something that has no bear­
ing or direct relation to you and your
life. Understand your accomplishments
and what they mean to you, and only
you. Pat yourself on the back for doing
a good job, then find
I
another obstacle/goal
and tackle i t
Fourth, an
ake pride in your accomplishments
excellent esteem-
builder was expressed
no m atter how small they are or
to
me by my cousin.
how insignificant they may appear
“ Looking to the fu­
to be when compared to others"
ture, instead of the
past, provides me
with the motivation
to feel good about
myself.” If your life
is filled with confu­
am feeling physically, unattractive than
sion and uncertainty because of past
I critique my good points and my not so doings, take heart in the future. You can
good points, taking inventory of the
lay the foundation for “ good” in your
things that I need serious work on. Most
lite by forging ahead because you can­
öfter
hat is required is some well-
not control the past, but you can get a
need . xercise.
grip on the future. There is no grief nor
When I grow weary of seeing
sorrow in the future, only possibilities.
my community in such a tired condition
If you drag the past with you then these
and feeling overwhelmed by it all, I go
negative elements cloud whatever good
outside, along with my other caring neigh­ fortunes are awaiting you and others.
bors, and clean-up the streets. By sweep­
Building self-esteem is not dif­
ing up garbage, leaves, and overall making
ficult, nor impossible. Lack of esteem is
my house a home, it gives me a feeling just an overwhelming feeling because
that if 1 can do this simple chore, maybe
there are so many contributing factors
it will inspire others elsewhere to do the
involved. Just when you think you have
same. And it also lets o'hers know that a handle on one problem, no sooner does
w edon’th a v e to liv e ir.e ru b b le nor do another arise. This can cause anyone to
we want to. This ma; ae a small step,
stop believing in themselves and every­
but think how liveable our communities
thing else. It can cause you to simply
would be if everyone went outside and give up. But before you give up, get up
picked-up the paper and other debris
and do something about it. Life is too
short to lose a battle that can be won!
ííy
Broadway Hair Weevers and Designers
will be offering X-Mas Specials Starting
Dec. 1, 1990 thru Jan. 1,1991
Curls $50.00
Reg. $65-$75
Relaxers $35.00
Reg. $45 & Up
10% off on partial weeves
15% off on full weeves
Free conditon or hair trim on press and curls
Nails Full Set $35.00
Reg: $45.00
M anicure $8.00
Reg. $12.00
.
So stop by 5852 N.E. 42nd Ave. and celebrate the Holidays with
Hattie Porter
&&
Flenard Grisby
Carolyn Stoudamire
Ethel Bates-Bailey
Karol Davidson
Protect yourself
against BIG
LOSSES and
COSTLY
RE PA I PS.
Call Levi Russell
289-3648
Christmas Event
For At-Risk Youth
The second annual Community
Christmas 1990 Event, a celebration
directed at bringing AT-Risk youth to­
gether with teens from Jefferson High
and the Oregon Episcopal School, will
be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church,
NE 20th and Killingsworth.on Saturday,
December 8, from 9:30 A.M. - 12:00
noon.
roc
M y name is Levi Russell. I am an ex­
perienced housing rehabilitation spe­
cialist and home remodeling inspector,
advise homeowners in making im­
provements to their homes, correcting
code violations, selection and quality of
materials, selection of contractors, and
estimating cost of improvements.
I also perform house inspections for
home buyers. For more Information,
call 289-3648.
'TTifrrlAM)
IWToBtKYT
TftMMISSIflN
Commission Meeting
Date: December 12,1990
Place: Portland Building
1120SW Fifth Ave., 11th FI.
Portland, OR
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Commission meetings are open to
the public. A complete agenda is
available at PDC Call 796-5300.
PDC is the C ity of Portland's urban
renewal and economic development
agency.
BY ULLYSSES TUCKER. JR.
social altitude. They consistently rein­
forced to me that I would never amount
to much, outside of a thug, and even
went so far as to say that someone was
going to kill me. My urban environment
validated and promoted this hopeless­
ness: crimes, poverty, violence, domes­
tic violence, drugs, welfare, despair of
the present and glorification of the wrong
role models not worthy o f praise. I had
no vision, no dreams, no parents, and I
was angry. Sylvia Watson, who eventu­
ally turned out to be a good friend, had
me figured out. Ultimately, low self­
esteem and all, I began to define myself
by the crimes I committed and built a
strong comradery with those owning the
same mentality. They loved and ac­
cepted me for what I was: poor and di-
spair? Had it not been for my grand­
mother, there is no telling where I would
As a sixteen year-old tenth
be today because she always believed in
grader in Washington, D.C., a young
me and encouraged me to do better. She
lady told me that I had low self-esteem
consistently told me that God was not
and an inferiority complex. I laughed it
finished with me, despite my decadent
off and went straight to the library. I
behavior and lifestyle.
actually had to look it up, after I figured
Once the court battles were over,
out how to spell the words involved,
I moved in with my uncle and eventu­
because it was beyond my comprehen­
ally with my grandmother as an elev­
sion and vocabulary. I felt really stupid,
enth grader. Moving out of my ghetto
confused, and bitter. Sylvia Watson, a
neighborhood was one of the best things
student in my art class at Ballou High
that could have happened to me because
School, was correct in her observation.
for the first time in my life, I lived in a
Why did I have low self-esteem and an
house just as nice as the one Sylvia
inferiority complex?
Watson lived in. At 18 years old, I ex­
Environment, family conditions,
perienced the thrill of having my own
economic circumstances, and percep­
bedroom and sleeping in a bed all alone.
tion of oneself can all be key factors in a
It was great. I had new clothing, a new
person’s de­
attitude, a new
velopment of
M
—
community, and
healthy self­
there was always
esteem or at­
food in the refrig­
titude towards
z z —
nfortunately, many humans are still caught
erator. It took me
life. Sylvia
« « I I up in the cycle of events that happened to
a little while to
Watson lived
ad just to the
I
I them as youngsters and consequently suffer
in a pretty, red
from low self-esteem today.”
“ square teen ­
brick house
ag ers” in her
around the
n e ig h b o rh o o d ,
comer from
____________ h m
but 1 made the ad-
my roach-in-
justments.
In­
fested apart­
stead of wanting
ment build ing, and she always wore nice
rectionlc s, just like them.
to steal cars, bum mailboxes, snatch
clothing. Both her parents lived at home,
Unfortunately, many humans
pocketbooks, or rob people, kids in her
too. Au contraire, I was parentless,
are still cat.
.p in the cycle of events
area talked about college, being Boy
caught in a nasty custody battle witli my
that happened. .o them as youngsters and
Scouts, getting good grades, and about
mother’s boyfriend and relatives over consequently suffer from low self-es­ Jack & Jill. I either had to conform to
the seven children left behind, and poor.
teem today. It is very important that
my new environment or catch to bus'
By not having some of the nice material
people learn to feel good about them­ across town to be with my old friends
possessions owned by some of the other
selves, their objectives, and future di­ and be home by curfew time. I con­
kids at school, I was (as were my broth­ rection. It is also important to have
formed. I also learned to define my low
ers and sisters) as easy target for jokes,
hope, because without hope, it is diffi­ self-esteem through sports, school ac­
public humiliation, and verbal abuse.
cult for an individual to see the entire
tivities, my own judgement and deci­
Other students made fun of me all the
picture or what the future might have in sions, and more importantly, by the posi­
time, but matters got worse when I grew
store for them. Parents can be most
tive words coming from those I respected
four inches over the school year. All of helpful in developing healthy esteem in and loved: specifically, my grandmother
my clothing, all of a sudden, was not
their children by providing constructive
and uncle. I turned 20 the summer after
large enough. Eventually, I dropped out
criticism, being supportive of their goals/
I graduated from high school, but I had
of school and started hanging out in the
dream, and by giving them a hug when
a Masters’ degree at age 25. The rest, as
streets more. To make matters worse,
it’s needed. Human touch can be so im­ they say, is history. Time builds charac­
my sister, who was once two grades
portant and critical to early develop­ ter and heals wounds.
behind me, caught up and passed me
ment. When I was down and out or
Today, I have healthy self-es­
academically. Certain family members
parentless, the last thing I needed was
teem and a strong sense of who I am. All
always suggested that she would catch
for family members to tell me that I i t took was a string of positive successes,
up with me or even pass me as she did.
would never amount to much. Could
a change of values, attitude, supportive
A self-fulfilling prophecy?
Other
they not sec that my criminal activity
people, and confidence that things would
members accused me of driving my
was like a cry for help, love, or emo­ get better. I also learned that if you do
mother (she died of cancer) to her grave
tional support? Why trample me (emo­ good, good tilings will happen to you.
with my criminal behavior and anti­ tionally) further into the mud of de-
People reap what thev sow.
,
MENTAL HEALTH
Tax Refunds
Opportunities With
Community
Psychiatric Clinic
to Be Claimed
‘
CPC is a rapidly growing Mental Health Center. We provide services to psy-
chiatrically disabled children & adults and their families through a variety
of nationally recognized tx progs, located throughout Seattle. We are
committed to a culturally and ethnically diverse workplace. Competitive
salary & benefit pkg.
SUPERVISOR-EL REY (dntn Seattle): full service residential tx facility for
the homeless mentally ill seeking supervisor for the CCR and TCF pro­
grams. Challenging opport. to work in innovative, nationally recognized tx
facility. Master, or BA in related field + supv. exp. Knowledge of res. prog,
pref. for mentally ill adults. Day, eve & wkend hrs. BA, exp in acute care.
Exp. working w/chem abuser pref.
CASE MANAGER-JDP (dntn Seattle): Case mgmt team servicing mentally
ill misdemeanant adults. BA, prev exp w/mentally ill criminal must system
MENTAL HEALTH NURSES
Full-time & part-time positions in expanding mental health agency serving
north central King Co. WA (Seattle). Opportunities to work w/multi-
disciplinary teams in community support, crisis intervention, residential
programs, providing assessments, medication evals and case mgmt,
positions avail for licensed RNs & Amps w/prescriptive authority and exp.
working w/disabled mentally ill adults.
CASE MANAGER WALLINGFORD HOUSE
Provide assessment, tx planning, crisis intervention, skill training & case
mgmt for mentally ill adults in psychosocial clubhouse prog. Salary
$21,500 - 27,500. BA + exp. w/mentally ill adults.
COORDINATOR-CIS: Screen acute mentally ill adults for respite care
beds. Coordinate client activities with local emergency mental health
providers, and provide support for clients. Swing and nite shift, skill in
crisis intervention, assessment, and referral. Ability to work independ-
a plusMin ReQ BAPlUS2 yrS 6XP Accessm entanddischa rgeplanning
Nearly $250,000 in unclaimed fed­
eral income tax refunds are waiting for
their proper owners to file claims for
them according to Carolyn Leonard,
Internal Revenue Service District Direc­
tor for Oregon. Leonard explained that
most of these refunds are going unclaimed
for lack of a current address.
The Portland District IRS office has
received 547 names of undelivered re­
fund check recipients. The original re­
fund checks were mailed to the home
address listed on the tax form but were
returned to the government as undelivcr-
able by the Post Office.
Leonard said many checks remain
undelivered because tax payers have
moved or changed his or her last name
and failed to notify the IRS. Other refund
delays, according to Leonard, arc caused
by errors and omission on the tax return,
or illegible names or addresses.
“ By publishing these names,”
Leonard said, “ we hope to encourage
these people to contact IRS so we can
arrange to have their refund checks reis­
sued.” The average unclaimed refund
amounts to $443.51. The total amount is
$242,599.97.
People listed should call the IRS
toll-free tax information number (1-800-
TAX-1040) for instructions on how to
apply for their checks. Infonnation needed
includes name and address a shown on
the tax return, present name and address,
tax year for which the refund is believed
due, social security number, amount of
refund claimed, signature of taxpayer,
and any other pertinent information to
verify the claim.
Leonard indicated that the process­
ing involved for reissuing checks nor­
mally takes up to six weeks.
L
PSYCHIATRIST
Full-time & part-time positions available in expanding community mental
health agency serving north central King Co., WA (Seattle). Opportunities
to work w/multi-disciplinary teams providing community support, crisis
intervention & psychosocial rehab. Min. req. WA State license, exp.
working w/disabled mentally ill adults. Contact Personnel Office at (206)
461-3614, or send resume to CPC, 4319 Stone Way N., Seattle WA
98103. EOE.
CHILD & FAMILY PROGRAM MANAGER
F/T position responsible for program which provides outpatient and day tx
services for S.E.D. children & their families. Includes clinical, administra­
tive, consultation & education activities Previous exp. working with chil­
dren, youth & families in a variety of settings is preferred. Salary: $27,437
- 33,215. Min. Req.: Master's degree & supervisory exp., must qualify as
child M.H. Specialist
Please send cover letter (identify position) and resume to: ATTN: Person­
nel, CPC, 4319 Stone Way N Seattle, WA •
'- j - ir I Opportunity
Employer.