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Volume X X V I, Number 7
Committed to cultural diversity
(Tlji' ^ o rtla n h (©bseruer
SECTION
School Seniors
Prepare For
Enjoy African
Music, Jazz
I lonors
Portland State Uni versity student groups
are observing Black History Month with
authentic African soukous music and jazz.
L ’Orchestre Afri-Sound o f Seattle and
Thara Memory and his super band, are the
opening acts at a concert Friday in the PSU
Smith Center Ballroom. Food, beer and
wine w ill be available. Doors open at 8
p.m. with the starting at 8:30 p.m.
F
Cavalier Affair, a "Rites of Passage"
annual celebration.
The event, held at the Pittock Mansion,
Saturday, Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. to 10 p .m , will
honor more than 50 African American high
school students However, the spotlight is on
the 14 seniors who make their entrance into
adulthood with a -“ Rites o f Passage” an­
nouncement.
In the spirit o f B lack History Month, the
affair promises to be a celebration o f cultural
expressions. Performances w ill include the
Puget Sound Conference Youth Choir o f the
African Methodist Episcopal Church and the
Cavalier step team.
The prospective Cavaliers w ill also give
tributes to individuals or “community an­
gels” who are improving the quality o f life for
African American youth.
According to Thomas Parham’s “ Black
Men, An Endangered Species,” 70 percent of
all African American males w ill be unavail­
able to African American women by the year
2000. To combat this trend in the Portland
area, the Les Femmes organization has been
working with youth since 1951.
Les Femmes is comprised o f African J
American women dedicated to the develop-
mentofyouth by creating a highly-structured J
program and encouraging their academ ic and
social success. Each child who successfully
completes the club’s requirements is present­
ed in the Les Femmes Annual Debutante and
Cavalier Ball at the end o f their senior year.
To specifically address the challenges o f
being an African American male, the club
endorses a “ Rites o f Passage” curriculum in
which all prospective Cavaliers participate.
“ Rites o f Passage” is an African custom that
marks the transition o f bring a male adoles­
cent to becoming a man.
B y understanding and applying “the seven
barometers o f manhood” to their daily lives,
the prospective Caval iers are preparing them­
selves for adulthood and the rewards o f being
an African American man.
The seven barometers, identified in Dr.
Jawanza Kunjufu’s “Countering the Con­
spiracy to Destroy B lack Boys,” are spiritu­
ality, scholarship, cultural awareness, com­
munity service, time spent with positive adults,
respect and time management.
The affair is open to the public at no
charge, although a $25 donation is requested.
To reserve your attendance or for more in for­
mation, contact Kevin Fuller, director o f
Cavaliers at 2 94 -4108.
Shakespeare
Festival Opens
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival be­
gins its 1996 season this month with four
indoor plays: Tom Stoppard's “Arcadia,”
Nagle Jackson’s “ Moliere Plays Paris,”
W illiam Shakespeare’s “ The W inter’s
Tale” and Drury Pifer’s Strindberg in Hol­
lywood.” Discounted preview performanc­
es begin Friday with the season officially
opening Feb. 23. For tickets and informa­
tion call (541) 482-4331.
Foster
Grandparents
Needed
The Foster Grandparent Program is look­
ing for older adults to work part time to
help children who have special needs.
Under the guidance o f a supervisor, the
foster grandparent would give individual
attention and personal care to help ch il­
dren grow academ ical ly, soc ial ly and emo­
tionally, C all 284-4322 for more informa­
tion.
Live Music
On Stage
J
I
Mel Soloman and Boyd Small perform
Friday and Saturday nights at the Tianon
Restaurant and Lounge, 9225 S.W . Allen
Blvd. Norman Sylvester takes the same
stage on Feb. 23 and Feb. 24.
The 1RS and the Oregon Department of
Revenue are teaming up with Tax-Aide
volunteers to provide free income tax help.
This Saturday, a special Mall Days pro
gram gives people an opportunity to ask i
questions and get information. The help is
offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Portland
at Beaverton Mall, Clackamas Town Cen­
ter, Eastport Plaza, Jantzen Beach and
Mall 205.
Jackson Brown At
Schnitzer
The Portland Chapter o f the Am erican A sso cia tio n o f Zo o k e e p e rs h a s
fundraiser. Lo ca l bow lers can m a ke a strike for conservation and win
s e t for March 3 0 at B e a v e rto n 's S u n s e t La n es.
Coast Guard Rides Wave Of Diversity
Jackson Browne performs in Portland
on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer
Concert Hall. Tickets are available at Fred
Meyer F A S T I X X Locations.
Bridges Features
Brewers Dinner
'
B rid g e s w ill hold the third in a se­
ries o f m onthly “ brewers d inn ers” with
I a gourm et menu designed to co m p le ­
ment a selection o f B rid ge p o rt ales. A
representative o f the B rid ge Po rt B rew ­
ing C o . w ill d iscu ss the “ secrets” o f
P o rtlan d ’s best ales. B rid g e s is lo ca t­
ed at 2716 N .E . M artin Luthe r K in g
Jr. B lv d . C a ll 288 -4169 for reserva­
tion.
Water Center
Sets Celebration
A pancake breakfast follow ed by
fa m ily a c tiv itie s w ill h ig h lig h t the
grand open in g o f V a n c o u v e r’s new
W ater Center on Saturday, Feb. 24.
F o r more inform ation c a ll the Water
C enter at 696 -8 4 7 8
SUBMISSIONS: Community
Calendar information will be given
priority if dated two weeks
before the event date.
rom the west hills of Portland,
the cultural announcement - I
Am A Man - will be made by 14
I area high school seniors honored at The
More than 9 0 0 young m en and women attend the C o a s t G u a r d A c a d e n ^
London, Conn.
m P romise K i x ,
Chapman joined the force 2 1 years ago
after his high school. And he’s one o f the few
Guard point man In Oregon and
African-Am ericans in the service that has
lower Washington state. His
more than 39,000 active duty men and wom­
duty is to seek out qualified applicants
en nation wide.
especially among minorities for recruit­
“ My experience has been very beneficial.
ment.
It has taken me to Alaska, Europe and A sia,”
A
rchie Chapman is the Coast
I
said Chapman.
Fo r the next four years the C o ast
G uard, acco rd in g to Chapm an, is poised
to become an o rgan izatio n that is re co g ­
nized as the em ployer o f ch o ice for a
diverse w orkforce.
Part o f the force strategy is to develop
a w o rkin g and so cia l environm ent in the
Guard that is free from all form s o f
repression by re co g n izin g and d raw ing
strength from cu ltu ral d ifferences and
rem oving cultural barriers.
A nd to achieve this go al, Chapm an
explained, that the Coast Guard is ch an g ­
ing the com position o f its w orkforce to
better reflect the n a tio n 's population.
“ The Coast G uard is ch an g in g the
w o rkfo rce enviro n m en t to guarantee
equal treatment and opportunity. And
part o f the plan is to assign in d iv id u a ls,
from groups targeted in d ive rsity g o als,
to top management positions so they
could compete su cce ssfu lly for flag o f­
fice s and other se le ctio n s,” Chapm an
said.
The Guard is currently accepting applica­
tions. It requires recruits to have a high
school diploma and be between the ages o f
18-27 years old.
Training received from the force, accord­
ing to Chapman, are accorded college cred-
R adiom an is one o f the 2 3 e n liste d
sp e cia ltie s available to active duty
m em bers o f the C o a st Guard.
The possibilities o f continuing your aca­
demics, a $14,000 college education fund,
plus salary are part o f the attraction that
Chapman hopes w ill draw the best appli­
cants.
The Coast Guard recruits about 3,400 men
and women into its ranks yearly.