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P age A 5
T he P ortland O bserver • A ugust 16, 1995
Minority Business For The Year 2 0 0 0 And Beyond; Part I
by
P rof . M c K inley B ürt
It is certainly not a case o f “ Here
We Go A gain!” The American eco
nom ic and p o litic a l p icture has
changed the business environment
for all and sundry and in a most
drastic manner; at all levels o f entre
preneurship and for all races and
classes. Yet the fundamental prereq
uisites for success remain the same:
Preparation and commitment.
In this current approach to meth
ods fo r achieving a better share o f the
Am erican/Portland economic pie,
what we most emphatically w ill not
do is take more than a passing note o f
those really high-flying black enter
prises. Though Ebony and Black
Enterprise magazines like to feature
these ventures in detail, we think the
more “ meat-and-potatoes” type op
erations make for better models and
learning techniques fo r the m ulti
tude. Besides, look at what is hap
pening to many o f them because there
is not a supporting m inority econom
ic and social substructure.
Just briefly: TLC Beatrice Inter
national Holdings, Inc. has had a
rocky and uncertain road as the na
tio n ’ s largest black-owned company
(Over a billion dollar valuation). This
food distribution business, founded
by the late Reginald E. Lewis, has
been run by his w idow, an immigrant
Asian attorney and as indicated in a
recent network show (Pinnacles), the
business is no longer considered
“ black,” or nearly as promising.
A strong tide o f disappointment
has run through America’ s black
com m unities at a ll levels since
Johnson Products Co. o f Chicago,
one o f the nation’ s most prominent
black-owned fam ily businesses (hair
care) merged w ith IV A X Corp., a
white-owned cosmetics and pharma
ceutical conglomerate. Perhaps to
ward the end o f this series we might
consider how in many cases some
foresight and planning might prevent
these “ cultural losses” occasioned
by death or divorce.
A t a recent meeting o f a new
crop o f prospective m inority entre
preneurs, I was questioned about two
in particular o f my past experiences.
Teaching business at Portland State
University and at the Northeast ex
tension campus, and as Advisor to
M in o rity Business for the Model
Cities program. Since as before, my
advice/curriculum is drawn from real
time experience as a business owner
and accountant for scores o f d iffer
ent types o f enterprises, there was
appreciation that I brought in some
current practitioners and successful
former students (now 20-year veter
ans).
A fter dealing with information
retrieval (and glut), marketing, pur
chasing, leasing, form design and
control and the aspects o f accounting
that N O C O M PU TER C AN DO
“ FOR” YO U , it was pointedly re
vealed that “ we” still have some struc
tured disabilities related to establish
ment prescribed “ plantation econom
ics.” A frequent plaintive query was
“ how do we start a business without
the playing field leveling provided
by “ set-asides,” which definitely seem
on the way out?”
Some may remember that years
ago, I anticipated the eventual phase
out o f this institutionalized disability
Wilson Keeps Up Push
On Affirmative Action
Gov. Pete Wilson o f California
is now the point man in the fight to
eliminate affirm ative-action pro
grams based on race and sex.
In speeches across the country,
and in a successful push to eliminate
preference programs in the Universi
ty o f California system, the governor
has seized upon an issue that by all
accounts commands the attention o f
many Americans.
But this is a 180-degree switch
for Wilson, one he has made rapidly
since affirmative action shaped up as
a major issue in the 1996 presidential
campaign and he decided to get into
the race.
For most o f his 30 years in pub
lic life, Wilson, a Republican, has
strongly supported race- and sex-
based preference programs in hiring,
contracting and college admissions.
As recently as last September,
he signed a b ill to make it easier for
minority-owned businesses to quali
fy for state aid, among the most c rit
icized types o f affirm ative-action
programs. And in October, just be
fore winning a second term as gover
nor, he said, “ I have long supported
set-asides as a means to assist tradi
tionally underrepresented business
es.” Set-aside programs reserve a
share, sometimes fixed, o f govern
ment contracts for minority-owned
businesses.
In the months since he became
an opponent o f affirm ative action,
W ilson has said that his earlier advo
cacy, during his days as mayor o f San
Diego in the 1970s and early 80s and
for years afterward, stemmed from a
need, then acutely felt among m il
lions o f Americans, to make up for
the nation’ s history o f discrimina
tion.
In any case, he has said, as
mayor he needed to comply with
federal laws requiring preferences.
“ But 30 years later,” he said at a
recent news conference in Burbank,
“ it is impossible to say that we should
continue to discriminate against bet
ter-qualified applicants in favor o f
lesser-qualified applicants who have
experienced no discrimination, and
to penalize those who have practiced
no discrimination.”
Some o f W ilson’ s critics con
tend that his switch in position is that
o f a Republican moderate edging to
the right in search o f support from the
kind o f delegates who tend to dom i
nate the party’ s presidential nomi
nating process. Whatever the case,
W ilson is not the only politician to
have jumped sides on the issue. One
o fh is Republican presidential rivals.
Sen. Bob Dole o f Kansas, was for
many years a strong supporter o f
steering federal jobs, contracts and
other opportunities to women and
minorities. Now Dole, too, favors
where the minority or female busi
ness person might be deprived o f the
real competitive learning skills nec
essary to a “ real” function in the
American economy. Many noted that
in the actual “ real-time” business
enterprises I got my university stu
dents to form and operate (success
ful), I insisted that they market solely
on the basis o f ability. O f course,
there was a game plan for the racist
shutouts.
This was especially apropos to
marketing plans aimed at wealthy
operators now ro m p in g in the
“ Elysian Fields” o f properties once
owned by hard w orking Portland
blacks As I describe the scene in my
social comment in “ Perspectives,”
on page 2: “ Urban Renewal., when
the grand removal saw the personal
urban planning and wealth-building
dreams o f black people go down the
drain (and into the coffers and bot
tom lines o f corporate giants that
straddle the Coliseum area).” Not
unlike the experience o f many whites
in the Columbia Gorge. Pay atten
tion!
Bob Rau To
Open Luncheon
Events At
Albertina
ending the effort.
But an examination o f W ilson’ s
record on the subject offers insight
into a Presidential candidate who,
perhaps more than any other, has had
hands-on experience with set-asides
Bob Rau, rioted authority on
antiques and for seven years co-host
o f the OPB television show “ The
Collectors” , w ill open a special fall
series o f luncheon events at
Albertina’ s at The Old Kerr Nursery
and quotas.
on Monday, September 18.
Back in the early 1970s, few
M r. Rau, him self a collector o f
major cities moved more rapidly or
fine antiques as well as a licensed
resolutely on affirmative-action pro
appraiser o f antiques, a w riter and a
grams than San Diego, thanks mainly
nationally-known consultant, w ill
to M ayor Wilson.
discuss treasures from the past and
By 1979, c iv il rights advocates
then w ill informally appraise small
and political analysts were describ
antiques guests may wish to bring.
ing the c ity ’s programs as “ national
The luncheon events are open to
ly acclaimed.” One o f the mayor’ s
the public and reservations open
campaign fliers boasted:
August 11. Tickets for the event,
“ Pete has been a strong support
including the discussion, appraisal
er o f the affirmative-action efforts
and Albertina’s 3-course gourmet
supported by the m inority communi
luncheon, are $20.00 each and must
ty. He believes that America's m i
be purchased in advance. For reser
norities have been handicapped for » vations and ticket information, call
years by inadequate housing, educa
231-0216. Because o f limited seat
tion and jo b opportunities, and he
ing, early reservations are advised.
has dedicated his efforts to alleviat
Mr. Rau’s talk and the luncheon w ill
ing these problems.”
be repeated Wednesday, September
That flie r now provides stark
20. Albertina’ sis located at424N . E.
contrast to W ilson’ s remarks o f this
22nd Ave., Portland.
Feb. 25, when he broke unequivocal
The luncheon series w ill contin
ly w ith affirm ative action just as he
ue Monday, October 2 with Maggie
was about to announce that he would
Zelgani o f Gourmet Works o f A rt
run for president and just as polls
and on October 16 w ith author and
were beginn ing to show voters’ deep
humorist Sue Kirby. The concluding
ly concerned, even resentful, over
luncheon ofthe series, Monday, Oc
preference programs.
tober 30, w ill feature Sandra Lee
K o ch, “ The H at L a d y ” and
chocolateer Dick Fuhr o f The Candy
CRC Chairperson Praises Voting Rights Act
U .S. C om m issio n on C iv il
Rights Chairperson Mary Frances
Berry called on all Americans to jo in
her in commemorating the 30th anni
versary o f the Voting Rights Act.
“ This Commission is proud to have
played a vital role in preparing the
way for this watershed event in the
history ofthe c iv il rights movement,”
she said.
The Commission’ s first public
hearing, held in Montgomery, Ala.,
in December 1958, was on voting
rights.
Like the C ivil Rights Act o f 1964,
the Voting Rights Act o f 1965 was
built on a foundation o f facts and
recommendations presented by the
Commission in its early reports.
These two acts are regarded as the
cornerstone o f U.S. c iv il rights as
they exist today.
“ The creation o f the Commis
sion by Congress in 1957, and enact
ment o f the C iv il Rights and Voting
Rights Acts,” Berry noted, “ were
Federal government responses to
America’ s growing revulsion over
officially-sanctioned injustices suf
fered by A frican Americans. Many
o fth e challenges to such injustices.
the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, the
c iv il rights marches, participated in
by Americans across racial lines and
captured by television camera crews
fo r the evening news, galvanized
public support for passage o f these
laws.”
The 1965 law, strengthened by
amendments in 1982, has provided
vital voting protections and greatly
increased the participation o f A fr i
can Americans and language m inor
ities in the American political pro
cess, Dr. Berry stated.
Referring to the long history o f
denying African Americans and oth
er m inorities access to the ballot.
B erry cautioned that the N ation
should be vigilant against any weak
ening o f the law and o f voting rights.
The Commission on C iv il Rights
Chairperson noted that proposals to
change the law and its enforcement
are numerous.
The key to judging a proposed
change is whether it w ill actually
strengthen voting rights.
She pointed out that minorities
still face barriers to electing repre
sentatives o f their choice at all levels.
“ But i f we look at the history o f
Po’ Folk Construction, Inc.
V 1
<A - In GOD almighty
we trust
After
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
901 N.E. Roselawn Portland, Oregon
Basket.
A ll proceeds from the special
luncheons w ill benefit the programs
o f Albertina Kerr Centers, one o f
Oregon’ s largest human services
agencies.
On Town Hall:
Aug 20 One Size Fits All
Seattle’s school board has urged
its schools to require uniforms or
adopt dress codes. Schools strug
gling to combat gang violence be
lieve uniforms could help.
Aug 27 The Power Of Talk
T V and radio talk shows alter
nately entertain and enrage us. The
president him self scolded extremist
talk programs for helping incite the
kinds o f prejudices that led to the
Oklahoma C ity bombing. Yet talk
shows also feature poignant personal
experiences that can change the lives
o f viewers for the better.
Parents Names: Michael
and Janet Rust o f Portland,
and Charles O. Daniels
Activities: Peninsula Little
Softball, Tennis, Portland
Foursquare Homeschoolers
Handbell Choir,
Celebration Singers, Acting
and Drawing.
Sponsors O f Certification
Fee: Evelyn. Harris,
Realty World Progressive,
Hair by Brian Sims,
and Pieces o f a Dream.
, ta —
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Call Daniel E. Russell at 282-7999
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V a • -
Clark County has grants funds available for projects to help young
people.
Karmel Shield, coordinator o f the C ounty’s Youth Investment Fund
Program, said about $76,000 is available for new projects to help rural
youth.
The Youth Investment Fund was established by the Clark County
Board o f Commissioners to help improve the lives o f young people. In the
past, the project has helped Hispanic youths stay in school and move on to
college.
The project also involves community services in which young people
do public service in return for group recreational opportunities, dramatic
arts classes and counseling assistance.
“ The fund is just not about dealing with problems,” Shields said. “ It’ s
about preventing them from happening by offering options. A number o f
programs are doing great things, but most o f the programs take place in
urban, suburban areas. This year we want to make rural commun ity projects
a priority.”
I f interested in suggesting a project call Karmel Shields at 699-2130.
Seattle Magic Wheels
Portland Brothers Free
Kids Picnic
Northwest United Brothers M .C. Association
Kid 's Happy Clown Faces
Free Pop • Free Food • Big Fun • Games
August 19th, 1995 12:00 Noon
Alberta Park (19th & Kitlingsworth)
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SPONSORED BY:
M .L .K Safeway
E & M M arket
42nd Street M arket
Alberta Street M arket
K id ’s Happy Clown Faces
Provided By Sharon Williams
Portland Buffalo Soldiers
Seattle Brothers of the Sun
For More Information Please Call the Clubhouse:
282-6847; Iron Horse: 282-0271; or 287-8673
Army Hometown News
Arm y 2nd Lt: Robert C. M urray has graduated from the 72-day Ranger
training course at the Infantry School at Fort Benning. Columbus, GA.
The training phases are conducted at Fort Benning, in the mountains
o f northern Georgia, in the desert at Fort Bliss, Texas, and in the Florida
swamps. The course is designed to develop confident and capable small-
unit leaders.
Additionally, emphasis is placed on developing skills in the planning
and conducting o f ground, airmobile, airborne, and waterborne patrolling
operations.
Murray, an infantry training officer at Fort Benning, GA., is the son o f
C lifford Murray, and Dina Murray, both o f Portland.
He is a 1989 graduate o f Roosevelt High School and a 1994 graduate
dg V.
'\,v
♦iT”.
o f Portland State University, Ore.
Lt. Murray attended the Infantry O fficer Basic Course prior to Ranger
School; his next duty station w ill be at Schofield Barracks, Wahiawa,
Hawaii for a 3-year tour o f duty.
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Before
voting rights, we find that in one
Southern State for example, only 7
percent o f the African Americans o f
voting age were registered on the eve
o f the passage o f the Voting Rights
Act,” she added. “ Two years later, a
m ajority o f African Americans o f
voting age were registered in that
state.”
Dr. Berry recollected that in
I9 6 0
President
D w ig h t
D.
Eisenhower had called the right to
vote “ one o f the strongest pillars o f a
free society.”
“ Our society cannot afford any
weakening o f the p illar,” she said.
“ The most appropriate way to praise
the Voting Rights Act on its anniver
sary is for all Americans to register
and vote to show their appreciation
o f this most fundamental freedom."
The U. S. Commission on C ivil
Rights is an independent, bipartisan
fact-finding agency. Its members are
Chairperson M ary Frances Berry,
V ice Chairperson Cruz Reynoso, and
Commissioners Carl A. Anderson,
Arthur A. Fletcher, Robert P. George,
C onstance H o rn e r, R ussell G.
Redenbaugh, and Charles Pei Wang
Mary K. Mathews is S taff Director
Miss Jr. West Multnomah Countij - Prctccn
7 3 3 9 N. E. MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD
PORTLAND, OREGON
“TRY THE REST THEN COME HAVE THE BEST”
CATERING SERVICE AVAILABLE
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PLACE ORDERS BY PHONE OR FAX
(503) 283-0201
(503) 283-0203 FAX
HOURS SUN - THURSDAY 1 0 :0 0 A.M. TO 9 :0 0 P.M
FRIDAY & SATURDAY 1 0 :0 0 A.M. TO 1 1 :0 0 P.M.
FEATURING
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PROPRIETORS: EDDIE AND JOSIE RICHEY
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