Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1991)
P O R T L fl Volume XXI, Number 34 ERVER "The Eyes and Ears o f The Community" Beauty In Your Own Back Yard by T o n y W a s h i n g t o n Photo by Veronica Green 25<P August 21,1991 Karis Stoudamire Aretha Brown One of Job Corps Best to Visit Our Sister City by T o n y W a s h in g to n Reading Writing and Rapping by McKinley Burt PAGE 2 P iv o t Teen P arent . § Graduation PAGE 2 » ! A Skilled Foreman by Mattie Ann Callier-Spears PAGE 3 Black Churches: Can They Strengthen the Black Family by Alex Pointsett & Avery Russell PAGE 4 True Identity PAGE 6 Bank of America's Rock 'n' Rose Concerts Return to the Rose Garden Amphitheatre PAGE 7 by P r o f e s s o r M c K in le y B u r t INDEX ▲ “ If You Believe” from The Wiz. Nikesha achieved top 5 in the es say and stale costum e. Her costume was a beautiful Oregon Christm as tree which lit up when she was on stage. Nikesha hopes to utilize her new title in the com ing year by helping Barbara R oberts’ New Youth D evelop ment Program for hom eless children and to work in all capacities as a role model. A ryanna Hunter, age 8 and the younger sister o f Nikesha, was awarded 1st runner up to the N ational Queen in the Petite Division. N ikesha’s first start was through MARI (M inority Artists Representa tives, Inc. and Joe Bean Keller) along with R onetta W alker o f ABC KIDS. Getting the opportunity such as this is an honor according to Nikesha she is a hard worker and deserves the most rec ognition possible. So poised, and very serious about the future, it’s lovely to know that kids today are our natural re sources o f tomorrow. Nikesha, con- gratulation from all o f us! Was Columbus A Hero? Who Cares! ▼ News Religion Religion News Entertainment Entertainment News News Classifieds Classifieds & Bids Bids & News Nikesha Breeze Hunter o f Sher wood, O regon, winner o f The Oregon State M iss Cinderella Contest in 1988, was named National Young Miss of A m erica 1991-92 Pre-teen on August 8th, 1991 in Palm Springs, Ca. She is the daughter o f Terry and Kay Nelson, and CiCi and Steven Hunter. She is 11 years, old and attends Hopkins E le mentary School in Sherwood. Nikesha was crow ned by her sister, Celeste. This is the first time this has ever hap pened, where a sister has crowned another sister in successive years. N ikcsha’s long range projections look good. Her other activities include m odeling, gym nastics, dancing and singing. Nikesha was an extra in the current move K in dergarten Cop. She is a com passionate person who is very willing to help other girls realize their dreams. A t the national com petition the girls were judged on scholastic achieve ment, interviewing skills, poise and personality and in the catagories of essay, sportswear, evening gown and talent. Her talent consisted o f the song 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 W as he ju st a lucky adventurer who used the vagaries o f the ocean currents to pull him self up by his nau tical bootstraps to reach a honored place in history? Or did he as the National Council o f Churches has said, open the rem ainder o f the world to “ genocide, slavery and exploitation” ? In any case the national media has launched a massive binge of rhetoric and hype that will last through the next 12 months. As we approach the quincenten- nial celebration o f the DISCOVERY (?) OF AMERICA (October 1492-1992), we find that Christopher C olum bus’ adm irers or detractors have been sol idly in one camp or another. Some groups like the Irish and French C atho lics saw him early on as an * * Instrum ent of Divine Providence,” though pro pelled by the less-than-divine patron age o f Q ueen Isabella of Spain who wished to gain the lands, gold and trade of the “ Indies.” O thers have said that “ A m erica” should have been named for Colum bus; instead, he was said to be "m anifestly appointed of God to be the Finder o f these lands.” O n the other side o f the coin, na tive A m ericans are not that enam ored o f Columbus. They have described him as a pirate or worse, and as a person who “ makes Hitler look like a juvenile delinquent” (Russell M eans, Vemon Bcllccourt). W hen this “ discovery” topic com es up in discussions with African A mericans, my experience has continued on page 8 other girls from the Portland M etro politan area have been selected to par ticipate on a fifteen (15)-and-U nder group basketball team w hich will com pete in Sapporo, Japan, beginning A ugust 15,1991. W e will be playing in the Junior Goodwill Games against basketball teams from Portland’s “ sis ter” cities from Japan, Russia, China and W est Germany. Though basketball is a primary focus while on the trip, the girls also will have the opportunity to experience a homestay wi th a Japanese fam i 1 y after the com petition is over. Young Local Model Shoots Commercial Aretha Brown and her son, Elisah 9k»ne. At the age of twenty, Aretha Brown, the mother o f one child, Elisah Stone, needed to get a different focus on her life. A graduate of Jefferson High School, there was a definite m ust to start her life over. Aretha is a m em ber o f the new Non Resident Program at Sprindale Job Corps, where transportation.childcare, training and job placem ent is available. She recently went to give more insight to caseworkers and managers about better or new ideas for the program. W hat’s needed in our community is better job skills among our youth. We as adults need to set an exam ple for Aretha and others. T hey’re so important to our fu ture. Ï, ' S, Aretha enjoys picnicing and being with her 14 month old son. Job Corps has improved A retha’s com m unication skills, which is a must in the business world today. She’s very concerned about her life and is making new friends. She wants to see a change, and old friends sometimes must be forgotten. A role model, but not perfect, she’s enjoying her success. And the Portland Observer is also! If any needy single parents would like to get the sam e or simular opportunity such as Aretha. It’s easy to do. Job Corps offers a college program, where the fee is paid for by them. Give Lana Barr, State D irector, a call at 1- 800-344-4349 or 229-5366. ' ' ' ' " f ' ' " Youth Gangs Program Director Completes Probation Sheena T er’e Crittenden, a young Portland actress and model, was re cently involved in the shooting o f a com m ercial at various Oregon loca tions, including Pioneer Courthouse Square. Sheena is a graduate of ABC KIDS Acting & M odeling School and is presently attending American Dance Theatre and advanced acting classes at ABC KIDS. She is ju st six years old and has already done com m unity plays, fashion shows and a dance production. Sheena is the daughter o f Teresa C rit t e n d e n . _____________________ V - - >" Black United Fund to Hold Second Community Forum The Black United Fund will hold its second Com m unity Forum o f the year onT uesday, August 27,1991 from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. in the co n ference room o f the U.S. Bank at 5505 N.E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Com munity Forums arc a scries of w ork shops for nonprofit organizations. This m onth’s w orkshop is titled "N onprofit M anagem ent for the 9 0 ’s ” and will be presented by Gary W ithers, J.D., the Executive Director o f the Center for M anagem ent o f Nonprofit O rgani sations at Concordia College. Stanley Peterson O n July 1, Stanley Peterson com pleted the initial 90 day probationary period required o f all staff hired by the North N ortheast Coalition o f N eigh borhoods. Peterson took over the reigns o f the Y outh G angs Program after hav ing successfully directed the Grace Collins M emorial C enter from em inent shut down by C hildren’s Services Divi sion, to full recertification. The Youth G angs Program, an outgrow th o f the Youth Gangs Task Force, has been in operation for three years. It is a unique community based program tasked with prevention, inter vention and referral service programs and activities. Under Peterson’s direc tion, John Canda, the O utreach Coordi nator supervises field activities o f six (6) outreach workers: Art Richardson, Billie Porter, Roberta Taylor, Lewis W illiam s, M adolyn Frazier and Byron Brown. The program works extensively with Portland Public and East County schools to reach * ‘gang involved, gang affected and at risk” youths. Many are involved in the Juvenile Justice Sys tem while others are caught up in the seeming excitement and flash o f gang culture and lifestyle. Outreach work includes group and individual encounter sessions at schools and frequently in home, discussions, awareness training for parents, school administrative and teaching staff, pres entations to community organizations and businesses. There are a host o f other social or public events where YGP staff have assisted to prevent potential violence when rival gang m em bers are present at a location. The Rose Festival “ Fun C enter,” is one exam ple of the effec tiveness of YGP outreach. It is a widely held opinion that the absence o f vio lent acts and arrests previously associ ated with gangs, was in part due to intervention by YGP staff, in coopera tion with a well planned and executed coverage strategy on the part o f the Portland Police, under the direction Sgt. Steve Smith. Peterson is a native of Portland having returned a year ago to w ork for Merrill Lynch. After graduating from Linfield College he enjoyed a success ful career in Sales and M arketing for major corporations including NEC In formation Systems, ITT, Mcmorcx and Boise Cascade.