Volilm e X X V II, Number 9
C ommitted to cultural “iliversity.
February 26, 1997
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Students Honored At Legislature
F
MHRC offers Dynamic
Differences Workshop
The M etropolitan Human Rights
Commission will sponsor a free diver­
sity training workshop, “Dynamic dif­
ferences,” on Thursday, March 20 from
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM, at the Hollywood
Senior Center, 1820 NE 40th Avenue
in Portland. To register, call Linda
Hunter at 823-5136 (TTY). If you are a
person with a disability who needs ac­
commodation, please call at least 48
hours in advance. The workshop is not
recommended for employer mandated
training.
Fundraiser
3rd Annual Chili Cook-Off and Chili
Feed! The Scientology Ladies Society is
sponsoring an All-You-Can-Eat Chili
Feed. Enter your favorite Chili in the
competition or come and pay $5.(W) and
eat all of the Chili you can eat! time:
11.00 AM - 3:30 PM on Saturday, March
1st. All proceeds to benefit the Foster
parents Association. 709 S.W Salmon.
228-01 16
Renters’ Rights Forum
The R enters’ Rights Forum is an
excellent opportunity to learn valuable
legal information which will help pro­
tect renters from landlord abuse and
neglect. The R enters’ Rights Forum
will be held Tuesday, March I I, 7 :0 0 ’
pm at the Metro Learning Center -
2033 NW Glisan. This event is free and
wheelchair accessible. Childcare will
be provided at no cost if arranged in
advance. For more information or to
register for childcare, call the County
Alliance of Tenants at 288-0317.
by
N eil H eilpern
ifty A frican -A m erica n high
school students from Portland
walked onto the floors of the
Oregon legislature last week to receive
accolades from elected officials.
As part of Black History Month, the young­
sters were selected as leaders among their
peers in academic achievement, athletics,
community service, performing and or vi­
sual arts, and extra-ordinary personal im­
provement.
When they arrived, half the group went to
the Senate while the rest visited the House.
They were ushered through the sw inging
gates, usually reserved for the legislators
and their staffs. The impact of their honors
did not start to hit home until they realized
their adult chaperones were not permitted
on the floor with them.
This was only for the students.
“ When I got up there, I felt respected,”
said Robert Ford ofCounteract and Jefferson
High School. “ It was an honor to be up
there.”
But, like others in his group, once seated
he realized “I couldn't participate and I felt
powerless.”
“ For a minute I felt like I wanted to say
something about a bill on criminal back­
ground checks,” said Sam O'Brien, o f PCC
High. Seated with Rep JoAnn Bowman, he
thought her job looked “pretty easy.”
“ It wasn’t as tense as I figured,” said
O'Brien. “They were lighter.”
He looked around the floor and noticed
that “There was a lot o f teaming up. If they
HEALTH LECTURES,
SCREENINGS & SEMINARS
• Senior health Fair :Thursday. March
20, Noon - 2 pm and 4-6 pm Adventist
Rehabilitation & Extended Care. For more
information, call 231-7166, ext. 180.
• Understanding Managed health
Care: Wednesday, April 23, 7-8pm,
Amphitheater C, Free. Preregistration
required. Call 256-4000
• VolkswalkingZVolksbiking Route
maps and other information are available
at the information/sign-up box in the
hospital’s main lobby
• Healthvan Call 261-6613 for dates,
locations and scheduled screenings.
SENIOR HEALTH SEMINARS
& LECTURES
• How To Reduce Your Risk Of A
Heart Attack: Friday, March 21. 10 am
- noon, at Amphitheater D Free. For
information call 251-6260.
• Better Breathers: Tuesdays, March
11 & April 8, 12:30 - 2pm, Conference
Room #4. Call 251-6830
• Diabetes Support Tuesday, March
4, 7-8pm. Ampitheater D; and Tuesday.
April I. 7-8pm, Education Center A.
Free. Call 256-4000
• Cancer Support: Mondays, 6:30pm-
8pm, Conference Room #4; and Tues­
days, lOam-noon (women only). Confer­
ence Room #5. Free. Call 251-6301
Spring training for senior
peer counselors
“Views", a Peer Counseling program
for older persons, is currently conducting
interviews for prospective volunteers in­
terested in joining their spring training
class that beings on March 31, 1997.
Please contact Susan Sweeting at 661-
5455 if interested.
SUBMISSIONS: Community
Calendar information will be given
priority if dated two weeks
before the event date.
Wendy Braker, Albina Youth Opportunity School, joined State Rep. Kitty Piercy (D-Port.) in the Oregon House. Wendy was one
of 50 Portland African American youths honored for achievements. Photo by Nell Heilpern
looked indecisive, they would look toother
representatives to see how to vote “
Aiyana Campbell, a senior at Marshall
High School, called her encounter with Rep
Lonnie Roberts, “real great, interesting.
“ I le explained the process of a bill becom­
ing a law.” said Campbell, "and showed me
the correct forms to use when speaking on
the House Floor and the different struc­
tures.”
Students visiting the house started to look
puzzled when representatives were called to
short caucuses for both parties. It took longer
than usual for the Republican and Demo­
cratic caucuses to assemble in their nearby
rooms because legislators paused to explain
Lee Owen Stone continues
to embrace diversity
Free programs & classes
for M arch & April
The following free programs during
March and april are open to the com­
munity. They will be presented at
Adventist Medical Center, 10123 SE
Market Street, unless another location
is listed. NO preregistration is required,
unless otherwise indicated. For more
information call 256-4000 ( toll free from
most areas in Portland/Vancouver).
SECTION
Long before “P.C.” meant politically cor­
rect, Lee Owen Stone Cooperative Preschool
set out to make diversity its heart and back­
bone. Originally St. Phillips Preschool (1965-
67), then St. Phillips Cooperative (1967-
72), the school found its namesake in a man
who embodies their ongoing educational
philosophy. Father Lee Owen Stone was a
versatile individual with great interest in his
fellow man. “You must learn to show respect
to all men... You are your brother’s keeper
You as the opportunity arises must make
your convictions felt.” Father Stone's caring
and conviction molded the school and its
future path.
Today, the Lee Owen Stone (LOS) Coop­
erative Preschool remains dedicated to the
spirit of Father Stone. Melody Winn, teacher
at LOS since 1985, was well prepared and
very suited for her role when she took it on.
With a degree in Early Childhood Education
and special training in anti-bias education.
Melody understands the impact early influ­
Students at Lee Owen Stone celebrate 30 years of diversty.
ences have on children. “ We believe it is
important to counter bias’ and stand up for
range of ethnic, social, economic, and reli­
entire family.
what is fair for all people." The anti-bias
gious groups. Melody believes it is impor­
The Lee Owen Stone Cooperative Pre­
curriculum at LOS is an everyday thing, not
tant to teach acceptance of all people, for
school prides itself on being different and
just a topic brought up once during the year
their differences. “Not just their looks or
special. Although the families come from a
and forgotten a week later. “The purpose of
race, but their ideas, personality styles, and
variety of backgrounds they all seem to have
preschool is to help children accept and
the way they choose to live. I try to help
one thing in common which binds them
develop skills to deal with a variety of people
children with this [accepting differences)”
together; a desire to have their children
while learning pre-kindergarten skills” she
she says. LOS also helps parents better un­
begin without bias. Who knows'.’ maybe a
says.
derstand diversity by requiring that they be
perfect world can be found...
The material used, and the makeup o f the
active in their child's preschool experience.
If you would like information about Lee
classroom reflects the diversity of LOS the
Newsletters, monthly meetings, in-class
Owen Stone Cooperative you can call Melody
young people and their families who form
parent interaction, and suggested readings
Winn at 283-0140. She would be happy to
the cooperative. The families traverse a wide
and seminars. Melody and LOS educate the
talk with you.
to the visiting students what was happening.
"I thought they were networking," ob­
served Derrick Haynes II, of Portland Youth
Builders Seated with Rep Randall Edwards
of Portland. Hay nes said “several times I felt
like I wanted to get up and say something.”
♦
Continued to page B2
Richardson
seeks Schoo
Board seat
andy Richardson, at the ag
of 27, is seeking election t
the Portland Public Schoc
Board. Randy learned the values c
public service at a young age iron
his parents.
R
After graduating from law school a
the age of 24, Randy declined to accep
very lucrative job offers from prestigiou
private law firms, opting instead to begii
his legal career as a Multnomah Count'
Deputy District Attorney to serve thi
community he grew up in.
In only his second year of practice
Randy was nominated and elected by hi
professional colleagues to serve a threi
year term as a delegate in the Oregoi
State Bar's House o f Delegates. Rand)
volunteers his time in the community ant
is serving on the Portland House o
Umojha's Board of Directors in ordei
that he may help gang affected and othei
at-risk youth achieve their full potential
NE Crime prevention is budget cut casualty
by
L ee P erlman
ONA will also reduce its appropriation to
s Its part of the city’s Ballot
the Neighborhood Mediation Program from
Measure 4 7 budget cuts, the
$330,000 to $200,000. and let it "spin o f f to
Northeast Neighborhood Office
become an independen, agency.
will lose its three crime prevention spe­
Like most other city bureaus, ONA has
cialists, half of its office staff.
been directed by the Office o f Fiscal Admin­
A
The Neighborhood Crime Prevention Pro­
gram is being transferred from the Office of
Neighborhood Associations, and its seven
neighborhood offices, to the Portland Police
Bureau, where it will be combined with that
bureau's own crime prevention program
The 20 existing staff will be invited to com­
pete for 14 jobs in the new program, along
with other applicants, in a civil service pro­
cess
istration to reduce its budget by 14.5 percent.
The commissioner in charge, Gretchen
Kafoury, has said that the neighborhood
offices shouId not be spared from the cuts
In an informal session last month. City
Council rejected a proposal by ONA director
Diane Linn that some of the cuts come from
eliminating the dow ntown office s telephone
information and referral program
The Northeast Coalition of Neighbor­
hoods, a non-profit corporation composed of
representatives o f 13 neighborhood associa­
tions and other community groups, operates
the Northeast Office on an independent con­
tract with the city. Through ONA it receives
funds to run the office, provide printing and
mailing funds for newsletters and flyers, and
hire staff to provide support services. The
crime prevention staff help organize block
watches and foot patrols, and assistance
w ith other volunteer activities.
Sharon McCormack, a former member of
the Northeast Office and now head of the
citywide program for ONA. says the change
would “keep the neighborhood support ser­
vices intact and allow them to concentrate
on their mission."
Marsha Palmer, the senior member of I
three-member Northeast Office crime p
vention staff, views the change as posit
under the circumstances “It’s a viable <
tion, one that would keep intact the conci
of crime prevention and community pol
¡ng,” she says. “ I realize that the pol
bureau is a paramilitary organization, a
decisions tend to be made from the top dov
but I don't think we'll lose our connection
the community.”
For the crime prevention staff, the budj
proposal “means that all of us will be vyi
for a limited number of jobs, and tha
scary," she says.