Page \ h
(The |J n rtla ttb
Eye With A View
To The Mothers and
Grandmothers--Who Still Care
Bv Sw i P u r i e , G i
h i
(Dbseruer
Five hosts, many topics appear on NE Spectrum TV show
W riter
M ost o f the articles that I vv rite are vv ritten from an emotional place o fjo y , passion, anger, com passion, etc.
and v ery seldom do I has e to collect m> sell just to get the manuscript going. But this article would he different.
As I stood in the presence o f a dear friend listening to her deep, deep felt pain and agony, w hile I knew I must
cons ey her story to this com m unity, the task tugged at me with great difficulty. The em otions that I felt w ere
grief, sadness, and hurt o se r the pain my friend ssas feeling. As she tried to share with me her frustrations o f
the "loss" o f her grandchild, ss hat came gushing forth ssas her lose, though coupled w ith the great quandary-
-WHY!
You see I have know n this woman for ten years, in all that time I have seen her smile, heard her laughter
o f jo y , her confidence, her leveled and grounded faith in God. But today, I would hear the w haling,
burdensom e and bruised pain flow ing out through her relentless tears. She disclosed to me how her 13 year
old grandson roam s the street at the wee hours o f the night getting into mischief, and edged on by older men
who should be teaching him the right way. O f course, he is no renow ned gangster, he doesn’t have a rap sheet
a mile long: his biggest victim is h e r-ta k in g things that to him that may seem trivial, but gives him his first
rehearsal into the life-strangling world o f crime.
Because o f his shenanigans he was given som e tough love; but the young man would alw ays return to the
love he knew w ouldn't forsake him —hers! Her tears gushed forth as she said to me, "Sam , the only w ay we
could get help for him. was fo rm e to turn him over to the police". She continued, "I can show you all the places
(she opened up a pad w ith all the nam es-and there were many!) I’ve called and tried to secure a place for him,
but have been tossed from program to program. I could only sit in silence as I listen to her cry for help and
the love com ing from the very last line o f defense left in the black com m unity-grandm others!!! It seem s to
this w riter many m others, way too m any fathers, uncles, aunts, neighbors, politicians, businessm en,
businessw om en, bureaucratic, dem ocrats, republicrats, the church-yes. even the church— have left our
children to die.
The woman I speak o f is Mrs. Ora Hart! I would venture to say. that many, if not most, o f you know her.
She’s been a successful businessw om an in this com m unity for years: and in very com petitive business at that.
But O ra has done well so her pain does not com e from a lack o f ability to be successful or to take o f herself,
but sh e’s broken over the “ loss" o f her grandson. And w hile it hurts to w itness her hurt, the reality that there
are still those who deeply agonize over the plight o f our children, w as a refreshing sight indeed!
She went on to ask me, w here do you send those who have not gotten in trouble w ith the law. but arc troubled.
My response to her was that this is exactly our goal for the Com m unity W ellness Center. We want to provide
psychological and alcohol and drug treatm ent for kids in this com m unity before they go to J D ll or to
MacLaren. We env ision a sem i-secured facility in our own com m unity, but it will not have the stigm a o f a
jail or add to or create a rap sheet. And with its foundation being Afrocentric and C hristocentic principles.
I also informed her how hard we have been w orking to get o ff the ground, but we have not gotten the help we
need. N evertheless, we hold our faith like a flint, and with God we will persevere until the vision is realized.
Let me say that I do not talk about the W ellness Center at the expense o f O ra 's pain, but as a response to
her inquiry. I know that God will build the W ellness Center, because the God that I serve is a Big God! W hat
I will say, if this com m unity does stand for and behind those w ho genuinely love our children, there may com e
day to that they too, may walk away. Not because they do not care, but because the w eight becom es too much,
alone, to bear. If that occurs, the com m unity will come tum bling down around all o f us: o f course, to the delight
o f those who secretly hate us and the dism ay o f those who care and have fought diligently with us. And God
forbid, if that day happens upon us; because you haven’t’ seen nothing yet!
Thus if the Roy W ashingtons, the Robert Richardsons, the Ora Harts, the Kevin Fullers, the Bishops W ells,
the Avel G ordlys, the Tony Hopsons, the Ray Learys, the Ann Sweets, the Lonnie Jacksons, the A skaris, the
Becky Blacks, the Michael M angum sthe Tim Holts and the others unnam ed—if these peoples voices ami hearts
are ever silenced by the passive abuse o f those who can help but d o n 't help, then friends, our children d o n 't
have a change in hell to survive. Excuse my cussing, but I'm mad. And I w ill not attempt to hide it any longer!
If Sam Pierce has any anger, it is from the gross indifference, passivity and malaise by those with resources
(m oney and clout) in our com m unity and governm ent w ho fail to see the grav eness o f the hour. W here in the
history o fa n y civilized w orld, let alone the most powerful nation on the earth, that the youth o f a culture was
at w ar with each other the w ay that our children are? W e must find a solution to this problem. And we must
surely do m ore than we are currently doing. Perhaps by doing so, maybe the pain, the brokenness, the w eight,
the hopelessness, the burden o f grandm others like Ora will be—can be lessened. For our children killing each
other is serious and cannot and must not be continually viewed in the lightness which it now appears.
To Affican/Atrican American, Asian, European, East Indian, Hispanics, and Native American mothers and
grandmother o f this community—ifourchildren are going to be saved from the crime and senseless violence that now
engulf them, then youalone will be there salvation. I have lost faith in the church and I have lost faith in thegovemment-
-but I believe in you! for you have always stood in the gap and petitioned God on our behalf. Throughout the ages, you
are the only force that I am aware, that no one—no man, no child, no government, no not even God, can say no to.
So I adm onish you to call us back to God,; call us to prayer; call us to forgive and love one another again.
For if we cannot do these things—we will never be a light or exam ple to Ora I lart's little lost grandchild. We
need you! W e need you now! Happy M other’s Day!
Portland SHINES in Showing Why It Should ..HOST
MAY 20 - 23 1998
"NUSA 9 8 "
Dick Bogle
C os i im
e n
F rom E ros i
I he other two hosts fo rN L Spee-
trum are Joyce Harris, an education
consultant tor the Northwest Regional
Education Lab. and Joe Bean Keller
o f the Portland public schools
Keller recently featured the A fri
can American civ il war re-enactment
group, the Buffalo Soldiers. I le told
the Portland Observer he plans to
bring in more young performing art
ists and the producer o f a fashion
fair.
A back stage production veteran
o f area concerts. Keller was a guest
on
the show 15 years ago anil ha.>
been hosting lor tw o years. "I don’
deal a lot in politics." lie was quick le
point out.
Harris, who has been on the show
almost 20 years, deals a lot with
ethnic affairs and African arts Sin
was unavailable tor an interv icw
A few times a year, all live host«
w ill gather for a group taping in ;
free-for-all. lively discussion when
they compare notes on various sub
jects.
African American Youth Held Achievement Rally
Urban League And State Farm Continue
"Achievement M atters" Campaign
Urban Leauge Director Lawrence Dark, jo in 's in the celebration of Achievment Matters.
(Photo by Larry J. Jackson Sr.)
I lie Youth Rally, featured live music, loeal celebrities and motivational speakers
including students and youth whohave achieved, t he rally is part of a loeal and national
campaign organized by the Urban League and State Farm Insurance. The goal is to
encourage Airiean-American and other inner city youth to value and strive for academic
achievement and to combat anti-achievement peer culture. The campaign includes radio
and newspaper advertising, parent involvement and school events.
The rally took place on Saturday, May 16, at the Lloyd Center Act 111 Theatres (outside
the mall).
450 students from elementary, middle and high schools in North and Northeast
Portland, along with some parents and chaperons; Urban League of Portland staffand
volunteers from State Farm Insurance Companies participated.
“State Farm
wants to recog
nize the talents
of young people
in our communi
ties who are
doing the right
thing, and cele
brate their spirit
of accomplish
ment through
the national
campaign.
Achievement
Matters”
"Neighborhoods!....
Soaring To New
H eights"
VI VV ’ ll. I* » «
“VJe must
create a culture
in our homes
and our
communities
which sends
the message
loud and clear
to our children
that learning is
one very
important way
to illustrate,
Achievement
Matters”
■h
Mt*
s
George Manning (left), Sheila Holden (Right).
(Photo by Larry J. Jackson Sr.)
NUSA Mission
Statement
To build stronger
communities by high
lighting the value of
neighborhood
residents and neigh
borhood associations.
To promote the weaving
of grass
root assets with public
and private sectors to
enhance the quality of
life
through shared
decision making.
i
4
-t unnen Thnmpnon,
Agent. State Farm
Insurance. Portland
George R. Manning
(Photo by Larry J. Jackson Sr.)
-Luwerenee Dark.
President,
Urban League
of Portland