ni W» Page 4...The Portland Observer...February 12, 1992 Nero Delivers Keynote Address at the Fifth Annual Development Conference at Mississippi State University David M. Nero, Jr., Chairman/CEO o f N ero and Associates, Inc., a Port land, Oregon based professional serv ices company delivered the keynote address at the January 28th Fifth A n nual Developm ent Conference at M is sissippi State U niversity, Ita Bena, Mississippi. N e ro ’ s speech, “ Education: A V ehicle to Econom ic and Com m unity D evelopm ent” was presented to m i n o rity and female business owners and M ississippi Delta p olitical leaders at the Center fo r Economic Development on the university campus. In his talk, Nero pointed out that the conference theme, “ Education: A V ehicle to Economic and Com m unity D evelopm ent” suggests, “ that eco nomic and community development are targets we must s till get to...that we are not there yet. For me the phrase should state ‘ True Education: A Vehicle to Econom ic and C om m unity Develop m ent.’ I stress ‘T rue’ education be cause we must not make the mistake o f believing that ju st sitting in a class room or m em orizing facts and figures is w hat we need to succeed in what appears to be a coming tim e o f eco nom ic hardships and challenges. ‘T rue’ education must be a process that cre ates an ind ivid ua l who is both com m it ted and able to bring about positive changes fo r the comm unity in which they liv e and labor.” Nero went on to say "T h e very firs t step in u tilizing ‘ true’ education as a vehicle fo r progress is acknowledg ing that fo r us and for Am erica a severe problem currently exists. W ithout de nying the great strides that have been made in some areas o f national race relations, any honest look at where we are now compared to where we used to be and where we wish to be in the future, reveals that serious problems continue to plague those caught in the grips o f the economic and racial legacy o f an earlier era. A part o f the problem for Blacks is what non-Blacks continue to mistakenly believe about us as a group. The old stereotypes persist. A recent nationwide study conducted by the National O pinion Research Center at the U niversity o f Chicago revealed that 78% o f the country’s N on-Black population still believe that Blacks ‘ prefer to live o ff w elfare.’ S ixty-tw o percent said Blacks are more lik e ly to be lazy. Such continued m isinform a tion and ignorance is not harmless. It is manifested in many real and concrete barriers to Black progress and advance ment today. The study went on to state the m inorities lack access to training and development programs. Transuded out o f bureaucratic jargon that means they lacked ‘education.’ ” Nero continued, “ It is ‘ true’ edu cation that w ill be that vehicle, that mechanism, that w ill allow a brighter future for us all. One critical part is to in s till an appreciation in our youth for their history and culture. This is very important because for many genera tions there was a comprehensive and systematic attempt to pretend that only W hites had contributed to the develop ment o f the modem w orld we live in. O f course, this pretense is nonsense. W hites have certainly contributed their share--but many other individuals and groups were just as important and inte gral to that development.” Therefore, an important part o f ‘ true education must recapture the es sential truth o f our shared m ulticultural past and infuse it into the hearts and minds and souls o f our young people today. But by its e lf that w ill not be nearly enough. We should know that is not in itself enough to solve our prob lems because it has never been enough to solve the problems o f any group by itself. We need look no further than our fellow W hite Americans to see the truth o f that. The W hite youth o f America are surrounded and immersed in a sea o f W hite cultural history and identity support systems that truly dominate every aspect o f inform ation and com munication in this society. Yet, you all know the problems Am erica’ s White youth face today. Identity and role models alone w ill not suffice in a time o f economic recession and global competition. Look fo r example at our welfare system. W hile there lingers in Am er ica’ s p olitical and social m entality this absurd notion that welfare is a ‘ Black program ’ and that Black people abuse the system, when even a peek at the statistics o f welfare show what we know by intuition. We know that i f it were true that only Black people were on w elfare-there w ould be no w elfare— Period! And sure enough, the statistics show us to be correct. A revealing look at welfare by Tim e magazine recently showed that 61% o f those receiving welfare are W hite w hile only 33% are Black. In truth, considering the history o f racism and oppression in this coun try ’ s history, the real shocking story is not how many o f us are on welfare but the remarkable number who are not. Conversely, in a country that so over w helm ingly projects and protects the identity o f W hites and reinforces their cultural history, the amazing question is why are so many o f them ‘o n ’ welfare? In one sense the answer is simple and useful fo r our purposes today. It is not enough to have a sense o f identity or a pocketful o f role models. You must have skills and training and direction as well. ‘True’ education looks not only behind us but ahead. In addition to iden tity, we must teach geometry. Our youth must know o f both ancient Egypt and modem economics. They must know o f our great grandfathers but they also must know the grammar o f the board room. We must not let our traditions imprison our vision, keeping i t locked in the past, and preventing us from seeing the way to a better future. We must look at and compete in a global economy w ith global competition in a w orld in which the worth o f an unskilled individual has been seriously devalued. In today’s world o f technology and in- fo rm a tio n -o u r salvation is to acquire technical skills and master information. We, as a race, must also look not only to our own past fo r paths to progress; we must also look at our neighbors today and borrow from the techniques that supported their success. We must look at Whites, look at Jews, look at South east Asians, Japanese and Koreans. The lessons are there. They are not hard to Find but d iffic u lt in execution: 1. work hard. 2. work smart. 3. work toward a common goal. 4. share the success w ith those who shared the work. 5. put our youth in a position to benefit from progress already achieved and continue the quest fo r success. We can no longer hide behind complaints and accusations-regardless o f how v a lid -o r we w ill pay a terrible social and economic price-becom ing obsolete. Today our progress is at a point in history when the concept o f ‘ true ’ education for our youth can be the vehicle that advances their quest for personal worth and fu lfillm en ts as well as contributes to the larger good o f economic and com m unity development fo r us all. “ Starting today, let us make the gifts o f that great truth become self evident,” Nero concluded. Prophet Approves Access To Condoms In Portland High Schools Continued from front page authorities feel would provide improved protection to our students from sexu a lly transmitted diseases, I fe lt I needed the input and opinion on these matters from our parents, our com m unity and our students, to help me form my own opinions and to make a decision as to whether to support or not support the request from multnomah county. "A lso , because o f the various moral and ethical considerations, and other very challenging complications that arise when one deals w ith issues o f this kind, I fe lt it was important to conduct a reliable and scientific survey o f par ents, citizens and students with the survey to be conducted by an independent research firm . “ The times in which we live re quire responsible decision making and, I believe that the process we have under taken is fa ir and it is objective. Every one must know that in addition to the research findings, my decision also re flects and takes into consideration, other input com i*ng form c lin ic advisory committees at the schools, county and state health departments, phone calls and letters to the district, input from the religious com m unity, editorial views expressed by our local media, processes and outcomes in other cities who are dealing w ith this issue, and certainly, m y own knowledge o f what is really ap- pening w ith our children. “ I have decided to support the health o ffic ia ls ’ request to provide condoms in the six high school health clinics to stu dents under medical supervision. “ The six schools where I support the request are: Roosevelt, Jefferson, Grant, Marshall, Cleveland and M adi son. “ M y agreement w ith their request is w ith the understanding that condoms w ill be provided and dispensed only af ter comprehensive abstinence counsel ing has occurred, — along w ith other strict medical protocal and procedures. “ M y agreement w ith health o ffi cials is also given w ith the understand ing that medical personnel in the six teen health centers w ill urge and assist a ll students to obtain parental involve ment in all student health decision. This, o f course, is a practice which is cur rently being followed. Our efforts must remaib very vigorous in this area. “ It is also o f great importance to remind our parents and our community that in our classrooms, as w ell as the clinics, abstinence is the overriding and consistent message we teach to our stu dents, and that our program in health instruction w ill be closely monitored and supervised to assure that our stu dents learn and understand that - there is no such thing as safe sex. “ The provisions o f the new agree ment between the county and the school district w ill become effective as soon as Multnomah County finds it practicable to implement same. The agreement currently applies only to those high schools where teen clinics are located and operating w ith licensed health care providers. “ A t the four (4) high schools where there are no teen health centers, health officials and the school district w ill work toward the implementation o f this serv ice. " I am sincere in my b elief that we have adopted a resonsible public health policy and responded to the expressed wishes o f our parents and our commu n ity .” Metropolitan Human Relations Commission Task Force Report Issued Members o f Portland’ s C ity Coun c il met w ith the M ultnom ah County Board o f Commissioners in an in fo r m al jo in t session on February 10,1992. Called by M ayor C lark and County C hair M cCoy, the discussion centered on recommendations made by the M et ropolitan Human Relations Com m is sion Task Force appointed in October o f 1991 by the M ayor and County Chair to review the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission. C ity C om m issioner Gretchen K afoury said, “ We are now ready to discuss the Task Force’s recommenda tions. Reaching agreement w ill proba b ly not be easy but it is in the best interest o f Portland and Multnomah C ounty residents that we work this out together. I thank all o f the Task Force members who have given so w illin g ly o f their time and talents over the past few months.” “ We are most grateful that so many busy and committed people were w ill ing to spend so much lim e on a review which affects issues we all care so much about, diversity and inclusive ness,” said County Commissioner Sharron Kelley. “ The work session is certain to present us w ith challenges, but 1 expect that w orking together we can arrive at solutions benelieial to both Portland and Multnomah County.” Commissioners Kelley and Kafoury arc liaisons to the M etropolitan Human Relations Commission for the County and C ity. As liaisons, they have pro vided the staff support to the Task Force which has met almost every week since being formed in October. “ Clearly this review was important. The C ity ’ s Fu ture Focus Plan has as one o f its six prim ary goals, 'To embrace and cele brate diversity and eliminate bigotry, enhancing our sense o f community’ . We needed some help identifying what it m ight take to have the M H R C take a leadership role in w orking toward that goal,” said Gretchen Kafoury, chair o f the committee charged with implement ing the C ity ’ s Future Focus Plan. Black History Poetry Reading Mr. James B. Williams Beaumont M iddle School w ill present for Black History month a Poetry Recital Thursday, February 13, at 1:45 pm. The recital w ill be presented in the school library, 4043 N. E. Fremont. The recital w ill feature M r. James B. W illiam s (J. B.), Black H istory and poetry teacher. He w ill recite poetry from works o f famous American poets from the Cotton R evolution, 1825, to 1941, the Depression. The theme o f this recital w ill be: Lest W e Forget. Sharon Gary-Smith Elected Branch Chair of North/lnner Northeast YMCA The Y M C A o f C olum bia-W illam ette announces Sharon Gary-Sm ith has been elected Branch Chairperson o f the North/lnner Northeast Y M C A Branch. The N orth/lnner Northeast Y M C A is one o f eight comm unity branches in the Portland M etro area. Ms. Gary- Smith has served as National Program Director o f the National Black Women’s Health Project from 1984 to 1990. She has held positions in Public Relations, Management and as an account execu tive w ith T ri-M e t, Port o f Portland and Pacific Northwest Bell. Sharon is Presi dent o f the W omen’ s Foundation o f Oregon, a board member o f Planned Parenthood o f C olum bia-W illam ette, the Urban League and is Vice President o f the National Political Congress o f Black Women. Project Independence W hat: Project Independence is designed to assist single parents and displaced homemakers to become eco nom ically self-sufficient. The program provides access to a variety o f em ploy ment and training opportunities which enable participants to acquire neces sary skills in order to become success fu lly employed. The program is a jo in t venture o f Portland Com m unity C ol lege, the Department o f Education and A d u lt and Fam ily Services. Offices are located at PCC’ s Cascade Campus, W om en’ s Resource Center. A ll participants attend an eleven week, L ife S kills Seminar. Topics covered include: personal skills assess ment and development, assertiveness training, job readiness assessment, in formational interviews, transferable skill identification, career research, time, stress and money management. Job search skills fo r placement preparation include: cover letter, resume w riting, applications and videotaped mock inter views. Placement options include: education, direct jo b placement, train ing and referrals to apprenticeship and non-traditional employment opportu nities. Ongoing activities provided by Project Independence include place ment assistance, support services and counseling. Participants are continu a lly assisted w ith identifying and re- Packwood Again Leads Effort to Extend Unemployment Benefits ‘Crazy Hat Luncheon’ At Ymca Oregon Senator Bob Packwood today encouraged his colleagues in the Senate to vote in favor o f a 13-week ex tension o f unemployment benefits. Pack- wood broke ranks w ith the Adm inistra tion early last year to sponsor the first extension o f these benefits. Now they are running out again, and he urged the Senate to act quickly on another exten sion. ‘ ‘This recession has lasted longer than anyone anticipated, and it has left tracks on the backs o f many workers in m y state o f Oregon and around the country,” said Packwood. “ This b ill w on ’ t help us out o f the recession. But it w ill help those who are suffering. M y firs t p riority is to get unemployed Ore gonians back to work. But in the mean time, we must extend benefits for those who s till struggle to find w o rk ,” he The Y W C A o f Portland Northeast Center is sponsoring its firs t annual “ Crazy Hat Luncheon” on March 7, 1992 from noon to 2 p.m. The luncheon w ill be held at the Y W C A Northeast Center, 5630 N.E. M artin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tickets are $5.00. A ll pro ceeds w ill benefit the Northeast Center youth programs. For more inform ation contact the Y W C A -22 3-62 81 , Ext. 3057. continued. “ It took us six months last year to get an agreement on extending unem ployment benefits. D uring that debate here in Washington, unemployed tim ber workers and others in Oregon were suffering. L e t’ s pass this b ill and get some re lie f to our citizens,’ ’ Packwood concluded. The Senate passed the ex tension by a vote o f 94-2, and the Presi dent is expected to sign it. I • G. Ed Washington Endorsed by BLC for Vacant Position of Metropolitan Service District Councilor for District 11 The Black Leadership Conference (B LC ) is pleased to announce its en dorsement o f Ed Washington to f ill the vacant position o f M etropolitan Serv- ’ ice D istrict C ouncilor fo r D istrict 11. “ M r. Washington was recom mended to f ill the position because o f his record o f service and long-tim e commitment to the com m unity,” said Carl Talton, a member o f the Endorse ment Committee. Washington is president o f the Portland Chapter o f the National Asso ciation fo r the Advancement o f C o l ored People, and also serves on the State Unemployment Compensation Board, the United Way Board o f D irec tors, and a special committee that re viewed funding fo r the M id-C ounty Sewer Project. During the endorsement process, Washington expressed a keen interest in urban growth, land use, solid waste, water policy, and maintenance o f re gional facilities. B illy W hite, who recently returned to Portland after graduation from M ore house College was among several other candidates under consideration by the BLC . Northwest Front Avenue Urban Renewal Project Completed; Bonds To Be Paid Off 18 Years Early Saving Taxpayers More Than $10 Million Interest Payments Taxpayers w ill save more than $10 m illio n in interest payments w ith com pletion o f the Portland Development Com m ission’ s Northwest Front Ave nue Industrial Renewal Project and the retirement 18 years early o f urban re newal bonds issued to finance it. PDC Chairman Douglas M cGre gor announced achievement o f the milestone at form al ceremonies held January 31 at W ackcr Siltronic Corp., a m ajor employer and principal property owner in the urban renewal area. McGregor called the Northwest Front Avenue project “ a model for future urban renewal programs.” “ This project,” McGregor said, “ demonstrates how a wise public in vestment can come back to us many times over in jobs and in a broader property tax base. Paying o il the N orth west Front bonds 18 years in advance o f the due date should send one unmis takable message to the taxpayer: ‘The money you entrust to us is going to be worked ‘ to the m ax’ on your behalf w hile wc have it, and it w on’ t be tied up in a project a day longer than necessary to reach the intended result.’ ” M ayor J.E. Bud Clark hailed the project as ‘ ‘one o f PD C ’ s most success ful efforts.” PDC is the C ity ’ s urban renewal, housing and economic devel opment agency. “ This was an area that was largely empty; there were a few vacant, run down buildings and a rock quarry,” Clark recalled, referring to the 360- acrc area along the west bank o f the W illam ette River live miles north o f downtown Portland. “ But now, because o f this project anil the enormous invest ments made here by W ackcr and an expanded Atochem fa c ility , more than 1,000 people have jobs in the N orth west Front urban renewal area. In addi tion, an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 others in Portland and the region have jobs they owe indirectly to this project be cause o f the m illio n s o f dollars in goods and services Wacker and Atochcm buy locally every year.” Clark presented Certificates o f Appreciation from the C ity to Dr. Rudolph Staudigl, President and CEO o f W ackcr, and to Gene Spina, plant manager o f the Atochem North Am er ica fa cility. Former Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt said that the p u b lic’ s $14 m illio n investment in the project has yielded “ hughdividends” fo rth e C ity . Goldschmidt, as Mayor o f Port land in 1978, was instrumental in per suading Wacker to locate its plant in the Northwest Front district and in es tablishing the urban renewal area that made public financing o f necessary improvements there possible. “ Assessed property value in the urban renewal area has quadrupled since th e n -fro m $32 m illio n to $132 m il lion. Tax revenues available for the benefit o f Portlanders from one end o f the C ity to the other have risen 19- fo ld -fro m $165,000 back in 1978 to $3.1 m illion now,” Goldschmidt added. “ This is the way urban renewal was meant to work; the Northwest Front project has brought jobs to Portland that w o u ld n 't have come otherwise. W ackcr came at a time when the worst recession in a generation was about to engulf us. This project has generated, all told, more than $14 in private in vestment fo r every dollar put in by the taxpayer,” Goldschmidt said. “ The taxpayer clearly has gotten his money’ s A I moving barriers to their success and independence. Who: Applications to Project In dependence w ill be accepted lrom in dividuals who are displaced homemak ers or single parents w ith children 18 o f younger. Applicants must also live in the city o f Portland; be socially or economically disadvantaged and be able to benefit from participation in Project Independence. Cost: Project Independence is cur rently funded through June, 1993, w ith new sessions each term. The day time class is free, and the evening class has a charge o f $50 to the student. I f a student needs scholarship assistance, they should tell the sta ff during the intake interview. How: An applicant should person a lly call our office to be included in an orientation session. A fte r the orienta tion, there w ill be an opportunity to schedule an individual intake interview for final admittance into the program. Orientation sessions occur each term. T im e: Beginning Fall o f ’91, there w ill be an evening and day session o f Project Independence. Day classes are 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and evening classes are Monday and Wednesday 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Note: AFDC recipients should n otify their caseworker i f they apply. worth from the Northwest Front project and I ’ m proud to have been involved in starting it.” The Wacker fa c ility , which opened in February 1980, produces hyper-pure silicon wafers, the base material fo r integrated circuits in electronic devices. Wacker chose the Portland site after in itia lly considering some 70 locations in the U.S. It has invested more than $ 150 m illio n since acquiring its 80-acre site in the Northwest Front district. In the same period, Atochem (form erly Pennwalt), a chemical company, has invested $50 m illio n in expansion o f its plant in the urban renewal area. A ll o f the original production and clerical workforce hired by Wacker were Portland residents; 450 o f them came to W acker through a special Portland Com m unity College program. Today, a decade later, 41% o f the o riginal workforce is s till on W acker’ s payroll. The $14 m illio n in urban renewal and redevelopment bonds now being retired were issued in 1978 at 8% inter est and were due to mature in 2010. Paying them o ff now means that the remaining 18 years o f interest payments, totaling some $10 m illio n , need not be made and represents a direct savings to the taxpayer. The bonds paid for improvement and realignment o f Front Avenue to improve access to the area, for acquisi tion and assembly o f land parcels for the Wacker fa c ility , installation o f tw o major storm sewers and relocation o f a gas transmission line. The role o f pub lic funds in the land acquisition was a critical factor in Portland’ s selection by W ackcr over the other fin alist cities that were competing for the facility.