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Page 6... The Portland Observer..July 8. 1992
Another Black Solution: “ Be Present”
BY JAMES L. POSEY
One most enlightening lessons
retaught to me during my briel assoc ia-
uon with National Black Women Health
Project and the rem arkable Black
women aligned with that organization
was the concept of “being present.” ! tu
concept is not new because it’s basic to
most psychological treatment theories.
Yet, when you put it into perspective of
the "Black Problem,” it has a Big Time
meaning.
Let me explain. What most Afn
can Americans take for racism, preju
dice and discrimination may instead be
just a total disregard for Black people
because of their lack of presence. For
example instead of thinking of some
White people as members of the K K K,
try thinking of many of them in a differ
ent way. Think of some of them as
members of the 1 1 I group (Ignorant,
Indifferent and Intolerant.) Can you
see how this condition could easily
exist in Poitland. When really get right
down to it, the truth is there are very few
places outside of Northeast where real
Black people exist. Which leaves room
for normally decent Whites to conjure
up any notions about black people they
choose. Guess what notions they have
chosen to conjure up?
The second part of the problem is
that even w hen there is a physical pres
ence of Black people there may not be
a spiritual presence. In other words, in
many places Blacks are represented by
Black skin instead of by Black soul.
Real Black people are “ Not Present.”
This is true because in many cases the
more “Black” you are the less likely
you will be hired in the first place.
There are spatterings of Black
people all-round the city in places like,
banks, insurance offices, government
agencies, etc. In most situations they
are absorbed into the white main stream,
almost invisable but vulnerable prod
ucts of the “last hired first fired mental
ity.” Many Blacks in hostile employ
ment situations aren't about to rock the
boatordonothingtocall undo attention
to themselves. They are afraid to “ Be
Present.”
But I am glad to say that the above
scenario is not always the case. There
are examples of Black people beine
present. For example, every Black per
son in Portland ought to be proud of the
few Black employees at the Portland
Development Com mission (PDC).
These brother and sisters organized
themselves to fight against obvious acts
of discrimination and racism at that
organizations. We know the hell they
went through and are probably still go
ing through in that organization. Simi
lar black employee heroics occurred at
Portland Community College a few
months back.
1 am overjoyed to hear that one of
my former Black co-workers at the U.S
Forest Service had brought a discrimi
nation compliant against a Forest Ser
vice union official for making racially
inappropriate remarks about a newly
developed African American forest fire
fighting crew. Becky Black and Oregon
Youth Outreach had to go through hell
to get the Forest Service to employ
community Black youth in what is tra
ditionally an all “white thang”.
I surely don’t want to leave out the
Black dump trucking business owner
who turned down a contract with a white
firm. The white firm was trying to use
him as a front. The white firm tried to get
the Black owner to use his minority
business status (DBE) to pass money
and opportunity back to his firm or other
white associates. The deal was that the
brother was suppose to this in exchange
for a token part of a subcontract. The
Black owner reported the incident to
Oregon Department of Transportation
civil rights section who took action
against the white firm. I have not been
ashamed to criticize ODOT (who’seivil
rights manager is a B lack woman) in the
past. In this in stan ce, I am
happy to commend ODOT and only
hope they keep it goin on.
There are other situations where
Black people are standing up and being
present. B ul you can believe it’s more of
the exception than the rule. As most
of us know. Black organization reflect
this lack of real Black presence. When
was the last time you heard of the
NAACP jump on something, take a
stand, follow through and rectify in
favor of Black people? Where is
Operation PUSH since they really
did force Nike to move in the nah»
direction but got beat up in the process?
1 hate to mention the Portland
Urban League because they have this
selective stand up posture. They stand
up when they feel it’s not going to hurt
their corporate image. Blacks in Gov
ernment is almost non-existent in com
munity affairs. They must only exist
when there is a need to hold a regional
conference. Has anybody seen the
Coalition of Black Men lately? The
Black United Front stands up the best,
but something is wrong when they pro
mote a march against racism through
the heart of the Black community and
there are more while folks, news media
and police in the march than black
people.
It is a sad irony when a white group,
the City Club has to come up with a
scathing condemnation of the whole
city’s lack of commitment to diversity.
Itseven sadder when the Black commu
nity lacks response. There is the sense
that Portland can acknowledge the prob
lem of racism and articulate it also
anybody. But the city is equally impo
tent as anybody to do anything about it.
What is really clear is that not much will
be done unless Black people “become
present” and take matters in to their
hands and do something about it. Real
Black people need to join the NAACP
and the Urban League and these other
organizations. More than that, not
enough to just criticize. Community
Black people need to go to these
organization’s board meetings and hold
their board member’s feet to fire when
it comes to taking on issues that they
know will negatively affect Black
people. Then they should influence
those other groupie organizations like
the fraternities and sororities and let
them know that while it’s OK to have a
few dinners and social events, the real
problems of the Black community
should have priority and be addressed
first by their organizations. Thinking
about solutions, perhaps the Black
United Fund or some other organiza
tion could organize a Blacks in Crisis
summit right herein Portland — ASAP.
It would be spectacular for many Black
people to come together, to “ Be
Present,” to solve Black problems, all
while at the same place.
Brochure Available To Help
Oregonians Through Recession
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W ith the re cessio n causing
Oregon’s unemployment rate to rise
just below eight percent, many Orego
nians are worried about their job secu
rity and financial future. To assist those
individuals facing unusually difficult
economic times, the Oregon Society of
Certified Public Accountants has a bro
chure available entitled, “Managing
Through An Economic Downturn.”
The brochure offers tips on how to
modify your financial behavior to ef
fectively cope with the economic down-
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turn. The brochure explores such topics
as rethinking your insurance coverage,
investing, limiting your borrowing and
scaling back on discretionary spending.
To request your free copy of “Man
aging Through An Economic Down
turn” write: Oregon Society of CPAs,
10206 SW Laurel Street, Beaverton,
OR 97005-3209.
The Oregon Society of CPAs is a
statewide professional organization of
certified public accountants with a
membership of over 4,100.
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Matthew W. Prophet, who recently
retired as Superintendent of Portland
Public Schools after a decade of ser
vice, will relay “Good News About
American Education” during a lecture
at Western Oregon State College on
Thursday, July 9 at 11:45 a.m. in the
Instructional Technology Center Audi
torium.
Prophet, one of the most highly
respected educators in.the nation, will
take a positive look at the United State’s
educational sy stem -a system often
portrayed in a state of decline. He will
examine reports that American students
actually are excelling in many areas
U nder P ro p h e t’s lead ersh ip ,
Portland’s 112public schools havemade
dramatic progress in student achieve
ments. The district’s drop-out rate is
among the lowest in the United Stales
for urban schools systems. Minority
and at-risk students have improved by
more than 60 percent in mathematics
and have made significant gains in read
ing.
The recipient of more than 250
awards and certificates since beginning
his public education career in 1971,
Prophet also was decorated with the
Bronze Star and Legion of Merit award
during his twenty years of service in the
United States Army. He currently is the
president of the Large City Schools
Superintendents organization for the
United States and Canada. A member
of many educational organizations, he
has served on the board of directors for
the Institute of Educational Leader
ship, Inc . and the Center fcr Excel
lence in Fducation.
The presentation is part a lecture
scries, titled “Summer perspectives: Cel
ebrate Teaching-Past, Present and Fu
ture,” that commemorates the 100th an
niversary of WOSC Summer Sessions.
All lectures will be held at 11:45 a.m. in
the Instructional Technology Center Au
ditorium. The complete lecture sched
ule follows:
Wednesday, July 9 - “Educators
and Change: Immovable Mountains to
the “Man in the Moon,” ’ Tom Stone,
1992 Milken Foundation Award recipi
ent, mathematics teacher, Sheldon High
School, Eugene.
Thursday, July 9- “Good News
About American Education,” Matthew
W. Frophet, retiring superintendent,
Portland Public Schools.
Wednesday, July 15 - “Alternative
Assessment in Mathematics,” Winnie
Miller, 1992 Milken Foundation Award
re cip ien t, m ath em atics teach er,
Hillsboro High School, Western O r
egon State College alum.
Thursday, July 16 - “Those Who
Can,Teach; Those whoCan’tRcscarch,”
John Minahan, Dean of Liberal Arts and
Sciences, Western Oregon State Col
lege.
Thursday, July 23 - “Education:
Compulsory to Age 18 or 81?,” Milton
Stem. International Government Stud
ies Fellow, University of California,
Berkeley; former associate professor at
the University of Michigan Graduate
School of Education; Dean Emeritus,
University Extension, University of
California, Berkeley. Dr. Stem is an
internationally recognized leader in con
tinuing education.
By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.
“Echoes From Brazil
The single largest gathering of
world leaders and heads of state were
together at the recent United Nations
Conference on Environment and De
velopment (UNCED), held for 12 days
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We were
fortunate to be present in Rio for this
historic international conference. The
words, speeches, commitments and even
some of the rhetorical affronts uttered
should be remembered mainly for con
tent but also for an understanding of the
contemporary world situation on the
questions of justice and liberation for
the “developing nations” of the world.
Our purpose here is to quote and
comment on the stated positions of
several of the heads of state that ad
dressed the Earth Summit in Rio. Our
analysis is devoted to viewing whether
or not there is in fact increasing interna
tional cooperation on protecting the
environment in the context of world
wide economic development. Now that
the so-called East vs. West conflict is
over, there is talk of the North vs. South
conflict or in other words the conflict
between the “developed nations” and
the “developing nations” of the world.
The United States, Germany, Great
Britain, France, Japan and other indus
trialized nations have been challenged
by the “de velopin'g nations” to decrease
industrial pollution and to assist in en-
vironmentally-safe economic develop
ment. Yet, looming behind these inter
national tensions is the question “Why
are the developing nations underdevel
oped?’
It is always interesting to note how
peoples who have been oppressed and
exploited historically are often put in
the position of debating with their former
or present oppressors the question of
responsibility for human degradation.
The debate in Brazil exposed this con
tradiction.
Most persons have already heard
that President Bush was the only major
head of state who refused to sign the
Earth Summit’s Biodiversity Conven
tion which advanced the international
understandings of the “just” appropria-
lion of the natural resources of the
developing nations by the industrial
ized nations and the responsibilities of
the “rich” nations to work harder to
protect the environment. Bush went to
Rio in the wake of the ashes of Los
Angeles, ironically. Bush’s arrogance
was nearly an isolated phenomenon
given the fact the other leaders ol the
industrialized nations signed the
biodiversity treaty.
A nation or a society that deliber
ately tolerates human degradation is
also a nation or society that will tolerate
environmental degradation. Through
out the UNCED summit, there were
forceful demands issued for both social
and economic justice as a prerequisite
for environmental justice.
President Fernando Collor of Bra
zil was the Chairman of the United
Nations’ summit in Rio. President Collor
stated, “This is the largest international
summit meeting in history. Being the
largest in size, it must be the greatest in
results. This meeting must stand as a
response to the great challenge of sav
ing life on earth. The world’s people
expect much from their leaders, whose
duty it is to work to implement the
decisions taken at Rio rapidly and effi
ciently. ’’Collor’s remarks were indica
tive of the sense of urgency at the Earth
Summit, some scientists believe that in
less than ten years the current rate of
global environmental destruction will
reach the point of irreversibility and
thus destine the earth’s ecological bal
ance to permanent damage.
Even Britain’s Prime Minister John
Major attempted to confess the impor
tance of protecting the wor Id ’ s environ
ment, but sought toavoid admitting that
much of the responsibility for the mas
sive rate of environmental destruction
has come from massive and unjust ex
ploitation of both natural and human
resources. Majorchided, “The environ
ment has become a vital interest for all.
Much of the damage has been not out of
greed, but out of ignorance.” Oh...how
is it that those who have in the past laid
claim to “intellectual superiority” now
claim and “ignorance” about the im
pact and the effect of centuries of
colom alization that advanced the
present post-modern era of technology
and industry.
Although the United States is pro
portionately the world’s greatest pol
luter and destroyer of the global envi
ronment, President Bush’s famous
words at the summit were, “I will not
offer an apology for what we are do
ing.” The Lord moves in mysterious
ways. The one head of state that re
ceived the largest applause and a rare
standing ovation at the summit was
President Fidel Castro.
President Castro affirmed, “An im
portant biological species is disappear
ing—Human. It deserves mention that
the consumer societies are responsible
for the atrocious state of the environ
ment. With only 20% of the world’s
population,, they consume two thirds
two thirds of its metal and three quarters
of its energy. They have poisoned the
waters and air and saturated the atmo
sphere with gases that produce cata
strophic affects. Now when there arc no
pretexts for cold war and arms races,
what prevents the immediate use of
those resources for the environment?”
Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany
explained, “The industrial countries
have a particular responsibility in se
curing environmental protection and
sustainable development and are called
upon to handle natural resources more
carefully than they have in the past.”
Perhaps it was said the best by
President Jose Eduardo dos Santos of
Angola. President Dos Santos con
cluded, “The most important thing, how
ever—much more important than blam
ing one another for the ecological im
balance—is finding the unity to con
front the problems.” Yes, the interna
tional unity won in Rio was historic and
remains as a profound necessity for
those of us who live in the United States
to strengthen our collective voices, de
mands and struggles for environmental
justice in solidarity with our sisters and
brothers throughout the world.
The Cutting Edge
&
GENEVA’S
NOW Enrolling 3, 4, or 5 years olds
• Full day programs providing instruction
and child care
• l-to-6 adult/child ratio
• nutritious meals & snacks
• sliding fee scale
• maximum enrollment: 30 children
• priority given to single parent,
low-income families
3 0 Anniversary
Hair
Retired Portland School
Superintendent Prophet
To Speak At
WOSC Lecture Series
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CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
M u s ic
•
Food
D ance
Sunday, July 12, 1992
an educational and community ministry of First Presbyterian Church
Red Lion at the Quay
SW 13th & Alder St.. Portland .228-7331
4:00 pm ’ til... 11:00 pm
Tickets $ 1 0 .0 0 advance
cc
$ 1 2 .0 0 door
GENEVA’S _
Leach Botanical Garden, a coop
erative between Portland Parks and
Recreation and Leach Botanical Gar
den Friends Group, is offering an Out-
door Classroom for the entire family.
This three-class series is free and will
be held on Saturdays, July 11th, 25th
and August 8th, from 10:00 am to Noon,
at Leach Botanical Garden, 6 /O4 SE
122nd Ave. This series is geared toward
the youngest family participant and
covers an introduction into such topics
Shear Perfection Barber-Beauty Salon
5601 N.E. M.L.K. Jr. Blvd. • Portland, Oregon 97211
Ticket Information: (503) 285-1159
Local Citizens
Appointed As
Ombudsmen
Sandra Malloy and Denise Woo,
were recently appointed by Meredith
Cote, the Long Term Care Ombudsman
for the State of Oregon, to serve as
Certified Ombudsmen in Multnomah
county. They will serve as advocates
for the residents of nursing homes and
adult foster care homes, helping to en
sure they receive the best possible care.
Ms. Malloy of Southeast Portland
is being assigned to Gracclen Terrace
Care Center. She works in the Philoso
phy Department at Portland State Uni
versity.
Mrs. Woo of Northeast Portland
will serve three adult foster care homes
in the Northeast area. She is a recent
graduate of Portland Slate University.
The Office of the Long Term Care
Ombudsman is a program of the State
of Oregon, dedicated to protecting the
rights, safety and dignity of the resi
dents of nursing homes, residential care
facilities and adult foster care homes.
The next volunteer training series will
be held in Portland on September 12,
1992. Call l-8(X)-522-26O2 for more
information on becoming a Certified
Ombudsman, or to report a concern
HOSTA & DAYLILY SHOW
Where:
Portland Nursery
5050 SE Stark
Portland PH.# 231-5050
When:
July 11th 10 a m -5 pm
Objective:
Educational display,
Information & uses pertaining to
Hosts & Oaylily In the garden.
Will have many experts in
this area at the show.
For more information contact
Jay or Chuck 873-6875
or Joe 873-2218.
Outdoor Classroom” For The Entire
Family Offered
At Leach
as: flowers, distinguishing shapes and
f
colors, fems, layers of the forest, trees,
Indian lore, creek life, gardens and
garden manners, and forest wildlife in
cluding birds and squirrels.
Pre-registration is required and
classes are limited to 25 participants.
An adult must accompany children
throughout the class series.
To register or for more informa
tion, call Leach Botanical Garden at
791-9503.
New Coordinator of
REACHOUT! Program Named
about a lacilily.
Peggy L. Jones has recently been
named interim coordinator of the
REACHOUT! volunteer program to
southeast Portland, succeeding Brenda
S. Lind, who has resigned to explore
other options.
Mrs. Jones has been a volunteer
coordinator before, and brings a varied
background of other experience to the
position, including volunteer work,
teaching, youth work, tax preparation,
and telephone fundraising.
REACHOUT! has existed since
1982 as an ccummcnical outreach ef
fort of many southeast and northeast
Portland churches. Volunteers from
these churches fill requests taken by the
coordinator for low income, elderly,
physically, and mentally challenged
residents. The requests must be for tasks
that the person cannot perform himself
or herself, through other agencies, or
through able friends and relatives Re-
quests are sometimes made by case
w orkers
of
o th er
ag en cies.
REACHOUT! provides volunteer help
only and cannot fill needs for food,
shelter,clothing or financial assistance.
About seventy-five percent of re
quests to REACHOUT! are for trans
portation for medical appointments,
shopping and other needs. Volunteers
also do minor home maintenance and
repair, mowing and yardwork, house-
cleaning and meal preparation, child
care and respite care, visitation of the
homebound, financial, legal ad vice, and
certain other professional services. The
organization can also make referrals to
other agencies for requests it cannot
fill.
Churches ad individuals interested
in volunteering or learning more about
REACHOUT! arc encouraged to call
Monday through Friday 9 a m. to 3
p.m., at 234-6333.
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