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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 10, 1992)
Page 4..The Portland Observer...June 10, 1992 Minority Youth Concerns Action Program Several form er gang members at- filiated with the M inority youth C on cerns A ction Program (M Y CA P) in northeast Portland are changing their lives through hard work, and the com m itm ent of M Y CA P, their parents, and the com m unity. MY CA P helps young men between 15 and 2 0 achieve personal,educational, and social skills necessary to become productive citizens. Justin R odarte, 19, is a former B loods gang m em ber and two-year M Y C A P student. He is graduating from Mount HoodChrislian High School in G resham on Friday, June 5, at 7:00 p.m . “ It took me five years to graduate from high school; I’m on my way to college now. If it had not been for MYCAP, I would be dead right now .” Phillip Green, a 19-y ear-old former Crips gang member, started work with the City o f Portland this week. Phillip just left the M Y CA Presidence program and moved into his first apartment. He and his girlfriend are expecting a baby this month. “ I feel good. Lots of my homeboys are still in gangs or pris ons. I’m glad I made the right decision. M yoid friends only think about getting a car, jew elry, or things like that. I’m concerned about getting married, buy ing a house, and being a father.” Daniel Rassmussen, 18, isa former Crips gang member. Daniel is working at Skippers and he is helping with the graffiti gang crew . D aniel and his girlfriend are having a baby in Septem ber. Daniel lives at MYCAP now. “ I do not want to be one of those fathers who are not there for his kids. I d o n ’t want to be locked up. MYCAP is helping me see w hat I have to do in life. They help me manage money and put it in the bank so I can become self-sufficient.” Attorney at Law Bankruptcy Chapter 7 & 13 Civil & Family Law Licensed To: Assist you w ith your legal concerns Protect your legal rights Convenient Lloyd Center Location 2161 N.E. Broadway Portland, Oregon 97232 282-7285 .............. Dajuana Harris On Honor Roll Dajuana Harris is on the Honor Roll at Martin Luther King Jr. Elem en tary School. Dajuana likes softball and Cooking. She attributes her academic acheivements to hard work and disci pline. You can count on hearing more about Dajuana in the near future. She is a beautiful girl in more ways than one! Eight helpful hints for expectant mothers We once thought that a child in the womb was in a world o f its ow n, com pletely oblivious to the outside world. But more and more, today’s research shows that an unborn child becomes accustom ed to its m other’s voice, re acts to the music playing around it, and even feels the effects of its m other’s anxiety. W hat you do, and sometimes even what you say, during this crucial period o f your bay’s life can make a difference. The Hubbard Dianetics Founda tion has established a hotline to answer question about prenatal life and care. And here are some tips they’ll be giving expectant mother who call in: * G et early medical care. Seeing a doctor early in your pregnancy, or even while you are only planning to get pregnant, can predict problems before they come up and help you to ensure proper nutrition and care tor your child from the beginning. * Don ’ t sm oke. among other things, smoking can lower your child’s intake of the oxygen that is vital for his sur vival and formation. * Don’tdrink. Medical studies show that alcohol can possibly affect the formation o f the child’s central nervous system (brain and spinal chord) and contribute to birth defects. * Avoid drugs. Many drugs will stay in your child’s body long after they ar gone from yours, and adversely af fect your child’s growth. Even if it comes from your doctor, find out first if they are stimulants or depressants and what affect they could have on the fetus before you take them. * Be careful with your movements. A child is more easily injured than you may think. Be aware of your m ove ments; picking up heavy objects and even bending overcan affect your child. Have someone help you to avoid stress on the child. *Be quit if injured. If you know that your is under physical stress or possibly injured, stay quiet. According to Dianetics, when underphysical stress, a fetus not only hears the sounds outside the womb, but makes a detailed record ing of them. The words you say may have an unconscious influence on the child later in life. ♦Stay calm. The unborn child, par ticularly in later stages of pregnancy, is aware o f the sound and rhythms of its m other’s voice. If the mother is under stress or upset, fetus ’ s have bee n k now n to respond to it. Provide your child with a safe, calm environm ent as much as possible. M ore information and a free book let on Silent Dianetics Births can be ob tain ed by callin g the D ianetics Hotline at 1-800-FOR-Truth or 1-800- 367-8788. Congratulations Dajuana! PORTLAND OBSERVER 'The Eyes and Ears of the Community Office: (503)288-0033 Fax#: (503)288-0015 Pomp And Circumstance Tips For Having Healthy Children AMA H eadstart, PCC Cascade campus graduated 13 pre-schoolers on Saturday, June 6,1992. Attired in green and purple cap and gow ns, carrying “torches” , these youth marched into the auditorium, accom panied by a parent or other relative. “On this stage, there is a doctor, a lawyer, a pilot, intoned Mr. Richard Brown, M aster o f Ceremonies who also shared the duties with Lillian W addle, who acted as Mistress o f C er emonies. One of the highlights o f the program was when each graduate pre sented a rose to her/his loved one. Mr. Ron H e rn d o n , D ire c to r, A M A Headstart, was guest speaker. Mr. Hern don encouraged the parents, relatives and friend to stay involved with their children as they enter school. He cau tioned them to believe that their child “be anything that he/she wanted to be”. The parent must believe in the child and not be deterred by what the parent might receive from the school officials. AMA headstart operates a fully licensed preschool-day program , full day, family focused program (7a.m. to 5:30p.m .),fivedaysper week, Septem ber through June. The program is dedi cated to developing the W hole Child and the W hole Family. It is documented that it is cost effective and has had a long range impact on both the child and the parents. Currently, AM A Headstart oper ates eleven centers. If you have a child, 3 4, or 5 years old, this child is toilet trained, you are working, training, go ing to school or on job search (public assistance) and you need free day care for a minimum o f 6 hours per day, five days per week, you might qualify. Call the program (503) 283-1267. Campaign ‘92: The African American Dilemma BY PROF. MCKINLEY BURT Contrary to a media-induced im age in the minds o f many Americans, there is in this country a vast num ber o f functioning African am erican citizens who understand their position in this society, make intelligent assessments and decisions, and VOTE! Not only must these blacks come to grips each day with the economic dis abilities and other traumas o f racism and institutional ized prejudices, but like the rest of the populace they too reel u n d e r th e b re a k d o w n o f the ESTABLISHM ENT’S VALUES AND M O R A L IT Y -in thcexccutivcandcon- grcssional departments o f government as well as in the areas of business and banking. The very same rascals, of course, sense their vulnerability and scream about “VA LU ES”, something they obviously have never possessed. As a ground swell o f revulsion sweeps through the nation and a long- suffering body politic (12 years) be comes determined to throw out as many of the elected variety of these criminals as possible, a new issue appears on the horizon. There is fast developing what might be called a “triple threat” presi dential campaign with no clear cut de cisions in the cards -- only the promise of utter chaos should the election pro cess be thrown into congress. In this situation it is not likely that African American voters will rely on that old Chinese proverb: “ A known devil is better than an unknown devil”. And therein lies the dilem m a, a choice between the consum m ate politician, saxophonist Clinton and the absolutely unknown factor, H. Ross Perot. W hile it is possible that one or the other will break and reveal his true colors, it is equally likely that we will not be granted that easy out and the dilem m a will remain intact. Another difficulty is that the media seems doggedly determ ined to play a strong hand in determining possible out-com cs in this election; more so than in any prior contest. Many of us have noted their new development, “manipu late either the politician or voter with a carefully crafted spectrum of POLLS (w ho’s on first). 1 do not think that it is any longer possible to depend upon the media for even their version of a fair and impartial report or analysis o f the process. Il is all about selling papers and about introducing their own undis closed views and concerns. Given these situations, what is it that African Americans should be about to ensure their survival in times as uncertain as any in their history? My readings of the articles and news stories in the black news papers from around the country tell me that the brothers and sisters are of two principal opinions; “ stay the course” (hold what y o u ’ve got) and “com e together” . And o f course, they admonish, “ watch the es tablishm ent bandits”. In respect to that latter warning, I would refer readers to my May 27 article here, “The G reat Society And New Carpetbaggers” , and sim ilar ar ticles I have w ritten on the rip offs practiced against innercity residents (the week before that 1 wrote about the housing scams, often abetted by the banks and mortgage brokers). A 24 hour vigilance isrequired because there will be a number of new programs initialed in the ghettoes and, believe me, the “ new carpetbaggers” already have gotten the scent of new opportu nities to further exploit the disadvan taged. Another front on which it is abso lutely necessary for blacks to not only “ hold what you’ve got” , but to make m ajor advancem ent, is that o f ED U CA TIO N , And Training. 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