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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1998)
FEB. 4, 1998 Committed to cultural diversity. Volume XXVII, Number 57 ^ o rtla n b (Pbserucr -Ííí' '■ iií -: í SECTION . /íT n m m u n ttg vLLa l e tt & a r Book Reading M em bers o f the N orthw est African A m erican W riters W orkshop will read from their anthology, K U U M BIA IX, February 7 at Barnes and N obles, 1231 NE. Broadway from 2-3 PM. The pub lic is invited. L.A. Pop The T earaw ays, a strong guitar pop band from Santa Barbara, will be giving a free live perform ance with tree re f r e s h m e n ts o ffe re d at th e M u sic M illenium - N orthw est. They will p er form on T hursday. February 12 at 6 PM. Home ownership Opportunity The Portland Habitat for Humanity has home ow nership opportunities for 12 low income individuals and fam ilies m 1998. A pproved applicants must com plete 400 hours of volunteer work as a partial dow n paym ent on their home. To apply for a Habitat house, attend an inform ational m eeting on T hursday, February 19 at 7 PM. Call 287-9529. Diversity Training The M etro p o litan H um an R ights cen ter w ill o ffe r an o p p o rtu n ity for people to learn about the d y n am ics o f our div erse co m m u n ity . A D ynam ic d iffe re n c e s w ork sh o p w ill be p re sented at the SE. P recin ct at 4735 E. B urnside on T h u rsd ay , F eb ru ary 19, from 6 :3 0 - 9 PM. The w o rk sh o p is free and o pen to ev ery o n e. C all 823- 5136 A Children’s Concert The Oregon Chamber Players are pre senting a C h ild ren 's concert! Dance, sing and be a part of the C h ild re n 's Kazoo O rchestra! Saturday, February 28. at 7:30 PM. H u rry an d g e t y o u r tic k e ts form FASTIXX. Call 224-8499. Wally Dynamite M usic M illenium - N o rth w est will show W ally D ynam ite on S atu rd ay , February 28 at 5 PM. T his is a free live p erfo rm an ce located at 801 NW 23 (at Jo h n so n ). Call 2 4 8 -0 1 6 3 . State, Local Officials Talk To Latino Youth B\ N m Hi ii ft kn group of Latino teens sat in their favorite Dairy Queen on East Division Street last week, when Gov. John Kitzhaber. Portland Commissioner Jim Francesconi and other local officials concerned with youth walked in for a chat with them. "Why are there so many high school d ropouts in the Latino co m m u n ity ?” Kitzhaber asked the young people. The high school and middle school stu dents issued a litany of problem areas that frustrate them: problems at home which require teens to work and bring money to the household, dislike ot school, gangs, drugs and more. When the governor asked about lan guage barriers, one girl told him "Hispanics get into hard classes, don't understand the language or what they are talking about. A boy in the next booth added. "It isn't just Hispanics, but Asians and B lacks" Another boy noted that the increasing number of teachers who can communicate in Spanish, "but they don't understand our culture " F ran cesco n i asked about gang in volvem ent. M ost students said they did not w ant to be in gangs, but a lack o f after school a c tiv itie s gives them no p lace else to go. "We feel left out." said one boy. "No one cares about us and it leels like there is nothing to live fo r" Jorge M elendez, gang specialist lor El Hispanol Program a of C atholic C h ari ties, told K itzhaber and Francesconi that more aller-sehool activities, like sports, would "give them som ething positive, not just hang o ut.” The issue of green cards (working per mits for alien residents was raised, with the observation that without the card young people are paid below minimum wage, in cash, under the table. "W orking in the fields. I can't raise enough to go to college, said one girl. Kitzhaber told The Portland Observer he was aware of Northeast inner city pro grams for youth, such as Sell Enhancement. Inc. and the House of Umoja. "But, there is 1 ** r « i f > f • tZ. Commissioner Jim Francesconi (right) and Gov. John Kitzhaber (center) met with Latino youths. Photo by Neil Heilpern very little here in East Portland" He said his visit was to learn more of the Latino community 's needs so he could w ork them into stale legislative agendas. Kitzhaber and Fransesconi later met w ith teachers and administrators at the Harold Oliver Elementary and Middle Schools. F ran cesco n i told ed u cato rs P o rtland C ity C o uncil recognizes "som e kids in the system are u n d e se rv e d .” "Thecommunity needs toown theirschool districts, but they lost a lot of that with Mea sure 5," said Kitzhaber, referring to the real estate tax cut two sessions ago "There are a group of kids who w on't make it in the process" Several educators noted gymnasium fa cilities are not sufficiently used lor alter school activities They also cited need lor organizers and transportation to and Irom these activ ities. In te rm e d ia te S ch o o l p rin c ip a l Jim Dunovan said the need lor contact people to follow upon school-parental liaison work in Hundreds Rally for Pueblo Steelworkers Concerned about gangs, drugs and violence? W ho k now s your needs b e tte r than you, the co m m u n ity c itiz e n s? W hy is your voice not being h eard ? P lease co m e sh a re y o u r e x p e rie n c e s and q u e stio n s at the fo llo w in g Y outh G angs T ask Force M eeting for C o m m unity C itiz e n s. T he next m eetin g date is for F eb ru ary 18 at 6 :3 0 PM. Stage Performance The P o rtlan d C en ter S tage will be show ing a p rem iere o f S h a k e sp e a re 's M acbeth on M arch 21 th ro u g h A pril 25. For tick ets and inform ation, please call the P o rtlan d C e n te r S tage box office at 274-6588. Ladies Basketball The PCC I.ady Panthers is offering a free adm ission to all gam es w hich is a great way to e n te rta in the fam ily . W om en's games start at 8 PM tor all dates. PC C ’s Cascade C am pus is lo cated at 705 N. Killingsworth. The Lady Panthers will be playing C lackam as on W ednesday, February I I . Jazz in the Afternoon C hem eketa C om m unity co lleg e and W illam ette V alley V in e y a rd s w ill be having a Jazz Series R eunion C o n cert featurin g the Mel B row n S ex tet on M arch 8 at 6-8 PM For m ore in fo r m ation. call 588-9463. Essay Competition The C ascad e Policy In stitu te will be offerin g an In d ep en d en ce Essay C om petition w hich will aw ard $ 5.000 to O regon high school stu d e n ts to r the best essay s on the fo u n d a tio n s ot freedom . To receive the g u id e lin e s, call 224-1737. The en try d e a d lin e is M arch 4. I B Fargo means bankrolling war on workers " n Monday, Feb. 2 at 12:30 pm, Wells Fargo is the land financial institution in hundreds rallied with 21 union aconsortium of banks that isextendingahuge line members and supports who were of credit to Portland-based Oregon Steel Mills. Inc. arrested last November at Wells Fargo for whose subisdary CF&I forced I .(XX) Steelwork showing their support for striking Pueblo ers out on strike last October. The United Steel Steelworkers The rally look place in front ol workers of America (USWA) are increasing its the Justice Center at 1120 SW 3rd St. in pressure on Wells l argì > as a maj<>r lender u) bring Portland where the arrestees will stand trial a settlement in the labor dispute. that afternoon. USWA Local 9170 President Janice Menzie "Those arrested are only guilty of standing from Hie I Julies. OR. will speak at the rally ah >ul up for working families," said Irv Fletcher, why the union and Northwest Aluminum made a president of Oregon AFL-CIO. "On M on joint decision toclose ils S20 mill ion Wells Fargo day. we'll be standing up with them, and pension account. A protester dressed as a police rcmindingOrcgomans why banking at Wells O officer displayed mock warrants for the crime or war against working families CF& I/( )regi in Steel has re|ected the work ers' unconditional oiler to return to work after a three month old strike over multiple violations of federal labor laws, forced over time. and health insurance anil pension is sues. The company 's action has opened the door to a potential back-pay liability which could exceed $6<X>.(XX) per week Now. Steel worker supporters are intensify mg their national campaign to convince Oregon Steel's creditors, customers and shareholder to intervene in the struggle. nearby low income apartment complexes "critical." Even w hen flie rs do go hom e to p a r ents. noted te a c h e r D ave H u lb ert, "the p a re n ts d o n 't u n d e rsta n d w hen it says sports fees can be w aived for low in com e stu d e n ts. T h ey c a n 't read it and the kids d o n 't tak e p a r t.” Another person noted local businesses would love if youngsters had alternatives to hanging out at the store and taking "live linger discounts" Ministry Group To Honor Renaissance Market Ecum enical M inistries of O regon (EM O ) will present the V ollum E cu m enical H um anitarian aw ard to the B oard o f D ire c to rs o f N o rth e a s t P o rtla n d 's R en a issa n c e M arket on Thursday, Feb. 5. Bishop A W ells o f the Em m anuel Tem ple Full Gospel C hurch will ac cept the award, which recognizes o u t standing com m itm ent to hum anitarian responsibility that has sig n ifican tly impacted ecumenical efforts in the state. EMO has chosen Io honor the M arket for its com m itm ent Io the N ortheast Portland com m unity through econom ic and social revitalization. The award will be presented at Ecu menical Ministries of O regon's 80th an nual celebration and awards at 7 p.m.. Thursday. Feb 5. at First United M ethod ist Church, 1838 SW Jefferson. Portland An ecumenical worship service and in stallation ol new Executive Director David Leslie will precede the awards, beginning at 6 p in. at the church. M em bers of various civic, cultural and religious groups will participate in the service, including The Rev. Dorsey M c C u llo u g h ol the B e th e l A M I: Church. C harles Jordan ol Portland Parks and Recreation and Law rence Dark of the Urban League. EM O is an association o f 16 C hris tian denom inations w orking together lor unity and justice through th eo lo g i cal dialogue and ed u c a tio n , public policy advocacy and com m unity m in istry. For coverage of the aw ards cerem ony at 7 p.m. and/or ecum enical w orship service at 6 p in., please contact S han non G ustafson at (503) 221-1054.
