SS IN M N M H I S f vU S epi ember 25, 1996 • T he P ortland O bserver P age C2 InlDSIP^INIiC wMMmiiNiinry , CALENDAR September is National Hispanic Heritage Month Dolores Huerta Coming to Oregon October 6 Dolores Huerta, Co-founder and Secretary-Treasurer o f the U nited F a rm W o rk e rs o f A m e ric a , A F L - C I O , w ill speak in Woodburn on Sunday, O c to b e r 6 Ms Huerta's appearance headlines an event honoring the w ork o f the late C ip ria n o Ferrel, former President o f the Pineros y Ca m pesin o s U nidos del Noroeste ( P C U N f o t -\n E n g lis h -th e N orthw est T re e p la n te rs a n d F a rm w o rk e rs U nited. T h is event w ill take place from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm at P C U N ’s Risberg H a ll, located at 300 Y o u n g Street in W oodburn. For information, contact La rry Kleinm an at (503) 982-0243. César Chávez Leadership Conference Latino high school students are invited to attend the 6th annual C ésar E. C h á v e z Leadership Conference, which is the largest student event in the H ispanic com m unity in Oregon. The conference w ill be held a, the U niversity o f Portland's C h ile s Center on O cto b e r 8 Sign up through your school. Minority Business Opportunity Day is coming! The 12th Annual M inority Business Opportunity D ay Trade Fa ir is com ing to the O re go n C o n ve n tio n C e n te r on O cto b e r 9. T h is event is a procurement conference designed to help Women- and M inority-owned businesses be more successful in this increasingly competitive economy. Fo r Trade Fa ir or W orkshop information, call Don Matsuda or Bob Jensen at the S m a ll B u sin ess A d m in istra tio n , at (503) 326-5105 or 326-5102. Fo r inform ation regarding the luncheon, call Zaid a Klem at Im p act, (503) 245-9253. The O re g o n C o n ve n tio n C e n te r is located at 777 N E M L K , Jr. B lvd . in Portland. Oregon Latino Voter Registration Drive needs volunteers O L V R E P needs volunteers to help register voters for the Novem ber 5 general election. C ash contributions are welcome, too. Contact (5 0 3 )3 0 4 - 0058 in Salem for more information on how you can help this statewide En nuestras proprias palabras A idolicia Diaz, a 17-year -oldstu dent at Sierra Vista High School in Baldwin Park, California, won first prize in this ye a r's student essay contest sponsored by the California Association fo r Bilingual Education. A idilica says that she was so afraid to speak English when she first got to school in the U S. that she asked her father to take her back to Nayarit, Mexico. There, she continued her studies, but after three years, she returned to live with the rest o f her fa m ily in California Because she was so well-educat ed in Mexico, she says, this time she fo u n d it easier to pick up her studies in English Aidalicia says that she s extremely proud o f being Mexican, and has fo u n d that in learning a second language she didn "t have to abandon Spanish. “You don t have to forget your first language or your first culture, "she says. “Ifyou come *here, it's because yo u want to learn another one But yo u still have to keep your culture, cien porciento, one hundred percent. " IN M Y O W N W O R D S by Aidilicia Diaz “ When I came to this school, I had bilingual classes for three years. I met many people who were from different places. T h e y were from C h in a , V ie tn a m , M e x ic o , South Am erica and Germ any. W e all spoke different languages. W e all marched to different tunes. “ A s we sat in our bilin gu al class es, we sometimes talked about the ate human harmony. “ N ow , three years later, my friends and I have many regular classes. When we speak, it sounds as if we are m arching to the same tune as every one else We are part o f the sym pho ny that guides us to a better future. I am proud o f who I am, and o f the language I brought with me from my own country. M y language repre sents who I am and my new language represents who I am becom ing. I feel I add a different rhythm to this sym phony because o f my culture, which is in me. M y friends and I are a sym phony o f voices. “ A s you can see, we, the bilingual program students, speak other lan guages. We have our own tunes, but we strive to comm unicate with oth ers who also speak and have their very own sounds. When we com m u nicate and we don’t use our own sounds, we do it in English. Th a t’s when we come together and make a sym phony. That is why b ilin gual education truly is a sym phony o f voices.” Photo and article, written by Mandelit del Barco, appeared in Si Magazine, Spring 1996. Source: New York Times News Service. Photo credit: Joe Rodriquez cultures o f the country that we each came from. When we did this, we tried to comm unicate in English. We all sounded very different, sort o f funny, sort o f out o f tune. A t that time, anyone who listened to us speak ing w ould have only heard what they w ould think was a sym phony out o f tune. W e did n’t think we sounded like a sym phony at all. “ A sym phony is made up o f many different instruments with one spe c ific goal: to create harmony. I think o f us, the students in my class, as the instruments with different languag es. We are the ones who could only comm unicate together by way o f the E n glish language, as we tried to cre- InOurOvv n Wor<ls(F.n Nuestras Proprias Palabras) « ill lie a reg ular feature of The Portland Observador.offering to Hispanic south the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings and to describe their experiences- as a Latinoina predominantly Anglo environment. The Observador encourages our voting readers to submit their own w riting and a photograph and we w ill trv to find space in our pages for you. Latinos, unions need each other effort. Mexican-American art A n exhibition o f both recent and retrospective w orks by M exican- Am erican artist M ax Pruneda w ill be shown at A r t o f the People, located on First Street near Y a m h ill in Portland. Th e exhibit, titled “ I ranslating M em ory,” w ill run through the month o f September. Fo r information, call (5 0 3 )2 2 1 -0 5 6 9 . Pre-Columbian art exhibit coming to Portland A n •othibition o f Pre-Colum bian art from M exico, Central and South A m erica w ill be shown in Portland in October at A b an te F in e A rt, a private art gallery located on the corner o f Second Street and Y am hill, adjacent to the M A X line. For information, call Rudi M ilpacher at (5 0 3 ) 295-2508. Portland Observador seeks youth writers T h e P o rtla n d O b se rv a d o r is seeking essays by young writers for our In O u rO w n W ords (E n Nuestras Proprias Palabras) feature. We would like to publish yourthoughts, feelings and experiences from a H ispanic perspec tive. Contact Editor, T h e P o rtla n d O b se rv a d o r, 4747 N E Martin Luther K in g Jr. B lv d , Portland O R 97211. Please include the name o f the school you attend and a daytime phone number. Hillsboro PHCRC welcomes public comments The Hillsboro Police Hispanic Community Relations C ommittee meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday o f each month in the Public Services B u ild in g at 155 N . First Street, Room 245. The P H C R C exchang es ideas with the public on issues o f comm unity interest and offers problem solving. Contact N ancy A rriaza at (503) 693-4705 for information. Young Parents Program needs volunteers The O re g o n H u m a n D evelopm ent C o rp o ra tio n is actively recruiting for volunteers to help with it's Y o u n g P a re n ts P ro g ra m Volunteers 12 years old and older are needed for help with child care in a nursery setting during the w eekl;y support meetings, W ednesdays, early evenings. 1 he program's goal is to help young parents and pregnant adolescents in the H illsb o ro area enhance their parenting sk ills and promote the healthy developm ent o f their children. The Y o u n g Parents Program is funded by the O re g o n D epartm e nt o f H u m a n Re so urce s, the C h ild r e n 's T ru s t F u n d , and the W a sh in g to n C o u n ty C o m m issio n on C h ild r e n and F a m ilie s Contact A liso n Peck, Coordinator of Volunteer Services at O H D C at (503) 640-6349. Register and vote! Your vote is your voice. S u volo es su voz. You cannot afford to miss the opportunity to vote and help set the agenda for the future. There is still time to register to vote in the November 5 general election. Registration cards must be postmarked by Ocotber 15. If you have moved or changed party affiliation since you last voted, you must re-register by the same deadline. The Multnomah County election office may be reached at 248-3720. The numbers for Washington County are 648-8670 and Clackamas County 655-8510. H isp anic Am ericans have a long and proud history in the United States H isp a n ic A m e ric a n P ro files is an easy-to-use reference that provides a record o f more than 150 role models whose contribu tions have influenced every aspect o f Am nerican life. Included in the collection are biographies o f farm labor leader C é s a r C h â v e z , n o v e lis t O sc a r H ijuelos, Tejano singer Selena, and by S harolyn A. R osier , AFL-CIO N ews H isp an ic Am ericans, the fastest- gro w in g segment o f the w ork force, are fin d in g out that unions can be instrumental in helping them w ork their w ay up the econom ic iadder. “ I f diversity is an asset for A m e r- ic a -a n tj it is - it is even more o f an asset for the labor movement,” said A F L - C I O E xecu tive V ic e President Lin d a C have z-Tho m pso n. “A m e ri c a ’s unions are the best hope for w inning higher wages, better bene fits and more dignity for La tin o s and other people o f co lo r.” Rich ard Bensinger, A F L - C I O o r g a n izin g director, sees La tin o s as key to the future o f the labor m ove ment. “ The ranks o f the movement cannot increase sign ifican tly w ith out La tin o w orkers,” he said. T h e number o f Latino s in the w ork force w ill increase 75 percent by the year 2005, according to the Bureau o f La b o r Statistics. One out o f six new w orkers w ill be Latino. La b o r’s involvem ent with H isp an ic w orkers dates back to the found ing o f the Farm W orkers U nion in the early 1960s. From the 1968 grape boycott to the Service E m p lo ye e s’ Justice for Janitors demonstrations, unions have stood by Latino s in the w orkplace and in the halls o f go vern ment. Besides the Farm W orkers, other unions with strong traditions in o rga n izin g Latino s are S E IU , the Hotel Em ployees and Restaurant E m p lo y ees, U N I T E and A F S C M E . But as their numbers increase, Latinos are find ing homes in other unions as well. “ M any o f the most successful or g a n izin g drives have involved most ly La tin o w orkers - the Laborers on M a rylan d ’s Eastern Shore, U N I T E in D allas, the Carpenters during the d ryw allers’ cam paign, and the Farm W orkers, w hich is the fastest-grow ing union in the country today,” Bendsinger said. “ T h e challenge to the labor movement is to recruit more Latino organizers.” A m ajor voice for Latinos in the labor movement is the Labo r C o u n cil for Latin A m erican Advancement, an A F L - C I O co nstitu ency group founded in 1972. Starting with a hun dred delegates at its first convention, L C L A A hosted more than 1,000 del egates at its A u gu st convention in C o rp u s C h risti, Texas. Pow er through the union card and the ballot box is the message that L C L A A brings to H isp anic w orkers and their fam ilies, said L C L A A E x ecutive D irector A l Montoya. “ M any H isp an ics have made big contribu tions to our nation in labor, business, p o litics, the arts, sports and other fields. But there are many who are denied such opportunities.” T h e key is to provide good, steady jo b s at decent pay to help Latinos make a full contribution to the econ om y and society, he explained. Y o u n g Latinos are ready and w ill ing, as this year’s Union Sum m er revealed. “ We have between 100 to 200 Latino s in Union Sum m er,” said A n dy L e v in , the program director. “ We recruited at predom inantly H is panic co lleges like A rizo n a State, San F ra n c is c o State U n iv e rs ity , Brookland Com m unity C olle ge , the U niversity o f T exas at San Antonio and L o s Angeles Com m unity C o l lege.” Several Latino recru its already are w orking with the U F W organizing strawberry pickers in W atsonville, C a lif. Eight Latinos also serve as Union Sum m er field staff directors. S till, unions have a long way to go to break through to Latino workers. “The y know Cesar C h ave z but they don’t know about Lin d a C h ave z- Thom pson and Dolores Huerta,” said Tan ia Rosaria, assistant coordinator for the W ashington and Sacramento, C a lif., U nion Summer sites. But the union card definitely means an escape out o f poverty for Latinos, whose poverty rate is three times as high as the rate for white fam ilies. H isp an ic w orkers who are union members earn 50 percent more than non-union Hispanic workers, accord ing to L C L A A . “ W ithin building services, there is a large percentage o f Latino w ork ers,” said Anna A v ile s, immigration coordinator for S E IU “ The Justice for Janitors campaign is an ongoing effort we w ill continue to do as part o f a new vision and leadership” w ith in the union. The union also has a pilot project to help imm igrants become legal cit izens so that they are e ligible to vote in C alifo rnia. The project has been tested, and the union hopes to expand it to other areas and to include Asians. C a lifo rn ia unions have jo in e d Latinos to fight d ivisive initiatives like Proposition 187, which would prohibit immigrants from receiving p u b lic aid and attending p u b lic schools. Although the proposition passed, enforcement is forbidden until courts render judgm ent on sev eral lawsuits. With immigrant-bashingand attacks on affirmative action on the rise, these coalitions are becoming more impor tant. Miguel Carreras, the newly elect ed executive secretary-treasurer o f the Lo s Angeles A F L -C IO , was able to arrange the first meeting between Lat ino leaders and African-A m erican ministers in Lo s Angeles. “ U nfortunately, everybody has been fighting for the crum bs,” said D avid S ic k le r o f A F L - C I O Field M obilization Department. “T h is al liance w ill make our coalitions much stronger.” Those strengthened ties are e vi dent in the planning for the Oct. 12 national Latino and im m igrant c iv il rights march. The A F L - C IO , its a ffil iated unions and constituency groups are m ajor contributors. Raise your children to resist violence Research has shown that violent o r a g g re s s iv e b e h a v io r is often learned early in life. However, par ents, fam ily m em bers and others can help them learn to deal with their em otions w ithout using violence. Parents and others can also take steps to reduce or m inim ize violence. It is important that parents become better at w orking w ithin the fam ily, school and the com m unity to prevent and reduce youth violence. Suggestions for dealing with children G ive yo u rch ild re n co n siste n t love andattention. W ithout a steady bond to a carin g adult, a ch ild is at risk for becom ing hostile, difficu lt, and hard ’ to manage. B e h a v io r problems and delinquency are less like ly to devel actor and activist Martin Sheen. op in children whose parents are in Robert Goizueta, former Chairm an volved in their lives, especially at an and C E O o f C o ca -C o la , and Ellen early age. O choa, the first Latina selected by M ake sure your children are su N A S A and a space shuttle D isc o v pervised. Insist on know ing where ery astronaut are profiled as well. they are at a ll times and who their Both inspiring and informative, friends are. N eve r leave young c h il H isp a n ic A m e ric a n P ro file s (One dren home alone, even for a short W orld/BallentineTrade Paperback; time. $9 00, 1996) serves as an excellent Show your children appropriate introduction to the variety and rich behaviors by the w ay you act. The ness o f IIisp a n ic Am erican culture. behavior, values, and attitudes o f Hispanic American Profiles 4 In our own words parents and sib lin gs have a strong effect on children. V a lu e s o f respect, honesty, and pride in your fam ily and heritage can be important sources o f strength for children. Don’t hit your children. P hysical punishments stop un wanted behavior o nly for a short time. Even with very harsh punish ment, children may adapt so that it has little or no effect. Be consistent about rules and d is cip lin e. C hildren need structure with clear expectations for their behavior. Parents should involve children in setting rules whenever possible. M ake sure that yo ur children do not have access to guns. D o n ’t carry a gun or weapon. Ify o u do, this tells your children that using guns solves problem s. T r y to keep your children from seeing violence in the home or com m unity. C hildren need a safe and lo vin g home where they do not have to grow up in fear. C hildren who have seen violence at home do not alw ays become violent, but they may be more lik e ly to try to resolve con flicts with violence. T r y to keep your children from seeing too much violence in the me- dia. Teach your children ways to avoid becoming victims of violence Teach them safe routes for w alk ing in your neighborhood. Encour age them to w alk with a friend at all times, and in safe, w ell-lighted areas. Stress how important it is for them to report any crime or suspicious activ ities they see to you, a teacher, some other trustworthy adult, or the police. Show them how to call 9 11. Make sure they know what to do if anyone tries to hurt them: Say “ no,” run away, and tell a reliable adult. Sli css the daugci so f talking to strang ers. Tellth em n e verto o p e n th e d o o r to or go anywhere with someone they don’t know and trust. Help your children stand up against violence H elp them to understand that it takes more courage and leadersh ip to resist violence than to go along with it. Help them accept diversity in people C hildren need to be taught to ac cept and get along with others from various ethnic, racial and cultural backgrounds. Teach them that criti- I c izin g people because they are d if ferent is hurtful, and that nam e-call ing is unacceptable. An extra suggestion for adults Take care o f yo u rself and your community. Stay involved with your fam ily, neighborhood and friends. Reducing stress and social isolation can help in raising your children. Get involved in your comm unity. T ry to make sure guns are not available in your area Com plain to television stations and advertisers who sponsor violent programs. Encourage your children to get in volved in groups that bui Id pride in the community. In addition to making your neighborhood a safer place, these groups provide a great opportunity for parents, children, and neighbors to spend time together in fun, safe, and rewarding activities. (portions o f this article were e x cerpted from the pamphlet “ R aisin g children to resist violence What you can do” , published by the Am erican Academ y o f Pediatrics and the Am er ican P sycho lo gical Association. For copies ofthe pamphlet, write to A A P , D ivisio n o f Publications, P.O . B o x 927, E lk G rove V illa ge , II 60009- 0927)