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Page MLK-10...The Portland ()bserver...January 13,1993
" If there is to be peace
on earth and good will
toward men, we must
finally believe in the
ultimate mora ity of the
universe, and relieve
that all reality hinges
on moral foundations."
W hat ’ s in
a N ame ?
?
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
Portland’s Highland Elementary school was renamed in 1968
Metroplitan Expositon Recreation
Commission Joins The Community in
Saluting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
for tire late Martin Luther King, Jr. Portland School District,
again responsive to community desires, named the schools
adjacent Neighborhood Facility to commemorate Dr. King
African Americans Encouraged To Join
Ranks of Blood Donors Fifth Annual King
Memorial Blood Drive To Be Held Jan. 15
American Red Cross and the Al
bina Ministerial Alliance are hosting
the Fifth Annual Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Memorial Blood Drive on
Friday, January 15, from 3 to 7 p.m., at
Immaculate Heart Catholic Church,
2926 N. Williams Avenue, Portland. In
addition to being a blood drive, the
event is a birthday party honoring King
and his many contributions.
According to American Red Cross
Health and Safety Services Director
Charles Stoudamire, honorary blood
drive chairman, organizers hope to col
lect more than 50 pints of blood at the
drive: Last year’s drive resulted in 52
pints of blood.
“S urvey s published by the National
Heart, Lung and Blood Instituted in
1990 indicated that the main reason
African Americans don’t donate blood
is because they have never been asked
to give. Red Cross is working to ensure
we ask as many people as possible to
giveblood in the late Dr.King’shonor,”
Stoudamire says.
Red Cross Pacific Northwest Re
gional Blood Services has a donor base
of more than 270,000 individuals. Ac
cording to Stoudamire, less than one
percent of the donor base is made up of
African Americans.
He says, “Portland’s black popula
tion is seven percent: Red Cross’ goal is
seven percent African American repre
sentation on our donor files. With chang
ing demographics, and diseases like
sickle cell anemia, which impact Afri
can Americans, it is imperative that we
meet this goal.”
African Americans also list fear of
needles and a false fear of contracting a
transmissible disease while donating as
reasons for not giving blood. Stoudam ire
says he also dislikes needles, but do
nates because of the need and the spe
cial contribution he makes as an Afri
can American.
African Americans are also under
represented on the National Bone Mar
row Registry.
“Last Year, 186 African Ameri
cans nationwide needed bone marrow
transplants: Only 11 of those individu
als found a match. Without a match,
most patients die,” S toudamire said, he
said he was pleased last year when 13
people of color signed up to be potential
bone marrow donors. “We want to
double that num ber this y ear,"
Stoudamire said.
“There are success stories to share
about matches, but not enough. African
Americans who join the ranks as blood
donors are the key to more success
stories and more lives saved.”
Tissue typing for bone marrow
transplants is even more precise than
blood typing: Persons of specific ethnic
groups are more likely to find a tissue
match from people of the same ethnic
background.
Different ethnic groups have dif
ferent blood types too. Twenty percent
of all African Americans have Type B
blood, compared to 11 percent of white
Americans. Almosttwiceas many Black
Americans need Type B blood if they
and later named its newest middle school to honor Harriet
I
Tubman. /•* Names, statues and portraits are only symbolic,
however. Is there substance to match the dreams of the slain
civil-rights leader?
have to be transfused.
According to Stoudamire, people
with sickle cell anemia, which is often
treated with transfusions, may need
blood from Type B donors, but only 11
percent of a population of all white
donors will have Type B blood. The
difference can result in shortages of
Type B blood when the Black commu
nity does not donate in proportion to the
numbers of Black patients requiring
transfusions. When this shortage oc
curs, all patients will have problems
because the blood types they need may
not be available.
“It is my hope that once African
Americans learn how much they are
needed, they will become regular blood
donors and give every eight weeks,”
explained Stoudamire.
Community residents, like 23-year-
old Veruska Hopes, who suffers from
sickle cell anemia, attest to the impor
tance of this special gift of life. Hopes
continues to use blood as she awaits a
second kidney transplant: “I have re
ceived more transfusions than I can
remember or count. I am thankful that
when I needed the blood, it was there
for me.”
Stoudamire asks people to celebrate
Dr. King’s birthday at the blood drive
while giving patients another birthday,
another chance at life. Those interested
and eligible can call Red Cross, 284-
0011, ext. 292, to schedule a donation
appointment. Donors must be at least
17 years old, weigh a minimum of 105
pounds and be in good health.
Consider the Portland School District s
pioneer commitments to affirmative action and to develop
ment of districtwide multicultural/multiethnic education. I*
Portland Public Schools believes all of its students are capable
of educational excellence. And proves it every school day.
Are there any better birthday presents?
P O R T L A N D P U B L IC S C H O O L S
W e B elieve I n I t ...
T he D ream
Portland Cable Access TV
2766 N.E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Portland, Oregon 97212
8 th A N N U A L T R IB U T E T O
//
We must come to see that human
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
progress never rolls in on wheels of
inevitability. It comes through the
tireless efforts and persistent work of
I 0 ■
men w illin g to be co-workers with
£
©
Cod, and without this hard work
time itself becomes an ally of the
forces of social stagnation. We must
use time creatively, and forever real
ize that the time is always ripe to do
right?
Monday, January 18,1993
12:00-5:00 pm
.
Jefferson High School
Performing Arts Center
5210 N. Kerby
program also sim ulcast on
K B O O Radio - 9 0 .7 F M
Paragon Cable - C h a n n els 30 & 38
Adm ission is FREE
-Martin Luther King, |r. 1963
featuring
•S
<1
I believe that unarmed truth
and unconditional love
will have the final say
in reality”
11
I - Z f ly a
Dr. Darrell M illner
Heaven Bound
Raul Gomez Flamenco Band
H ew Jerusalem C .O .G .I .C . Choir - Tacoma, WA
Chatswood H .S . Band - Chatswood, Austrailia
Inspirational Sounds - Eugene, O R
Woodlawn School African Dancers
R ay Leary
Traci Harris
...and M O R E
Martin Luther King, Jr.
For m ore inform ation call 222-1457
Keeo Livlne the Dream 93 Is sponsored by Portland Trailblazers, Portland Public Schools
Portland Association o f Teachers, and the Collins Foundation. Produced By World Arts Foundation, Inc.
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