A L G U S I U , 1998
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National Urban League Grades
President’s Initiative on Race
On the eve o f the first anniversary
o f President Bill C linton’s Initiative
on race, the National Urban League
has issued its own report card on the
effort. According to League Presi
dent Hugh B. Price, the Initiative
deserves a grade o f "B +” tor Good
Intentions, but thus far, only “C” for
impact.
The National Urban League sa
lutes Mr. Clinton and his Adminis
tration for their Leadership on many
related fronts that have improved the
well-being o f African Americans.
The President deserves an “A” for
the performance o f the economy. The
sustained recovery has begun reach
ing into cities and urban neighbor
hoods, and has reduced unemploy
ment among our people. Welfare
reform has helped propel poorpeople
into the world o f work, although the
jury is still out on the fate o f former
recipients who do not make this tran
sition successfully.
Mr. Clinton has been steadfast
and highly vocal in his support o f
affirmative action. He has appointed
an unprecedented number o f minori
ties and women to positions o f genu
ine authority in his Administration.
And his historic trip to several Afri
can nations has helped race relations
at home by dem onstrating to all
Americans-the economic, strategic
and symbolic importance ofthis long
neglected continent.
The President’s Initiative on Race
builds on this base o f accomplish
ments. Now to our assessment o f its
progress:
Good Intentions: B+
P re sid e n t C lin to n ’s m o tiv es
clearly are noble and his heart on
race issues is unquestionably in the
right place. We salute him for launch
ing this Initiative, which has nudged
the nation to face up to the unfinished
business o f race relations that Ameri
cans would prefer to ignore. Surveys
show that Mr. Clinton has placed this
issue much more prominently on the
nation’s radar screen than would have
been the case without the Initiative.
We give the effort a grade o f B+
instead of A, however, because Mr.
Clinton and the White House have
not gone flat out in pressing this
Initiative forward at the pace required.
Given delays in launching it and the
distractions facing the White house
much o f this year, implementation
has sputtered badly at times. Were
the Initiative on Race an even higher
priority for President Clinton and the
White House, we doubt this would
have happened.
Impact: C
Regrettably the President’s noble
intentions have yet to translate into
the kinds o f impacts that were rea
sonably expected by this point in
time. Hence our grade o f C. We
hope this mark will climb dramati
cally in the second year, assuming
the Initiative is extended. Given the
paramount importance of improving
race relations, as well as the promis
ing foundation that has been laid, we
urge the President to press forward
for another year. We give the impact
thus far a grade o f C for the fol 1 ow i ng
reasons:
*The Initiative on Race has flown
solo more than it should have and
could have. Many organizations,
such as the National Urban League
and our collaborators in the National
Voices Coalition-have been involved
only peripherally despite frequent
offers o f assistance. This has se
verely stunted the reach, staying
power and impact o f the Initiative in
communities. W e’ve been consulted
on occasion, but seldom called upon
to help in any meaningful or sus
tained way.
♦President Clinton’stwo televised
town meetings have helped raise the
public consciousness, but the topics
chosen and formats used have severe
limitations when it comes to address
ing the serious issues before the na
tion. The exchanges on air seldom
illuminate or promote the fuller un
derstanding that’s required to move
the ball forward. President Clinton
should use his bully pulpit and con
vening power with greater frequency
and focus.
♦To the President’s considerable
credit, he has engaged federal agen
cies in figuring out how to ratchet up
theirefforts. The Initiative deserved
good marks for stepping up overall
civil rights enforcement, targeting
housing discrimination for particu
lar attention and increasing aid to
minority businesses.
The final shortcoming that drags
the Initiative’s grade down in our
judgment is its failure to address
some o f the toughest problems of
race that still face our society. Al
though the televised advisory board
held a meeting w here they discussed
race, crime and the administration of
justice, the escalating problem of
police misconduct was not adequately
addressed. This violation-physical
abuse, harassment or racial profil-
ing-is widespread in minority com
munities. Yet the President and the
Initiative have paid scant attention to
the problem, much less proposed
solutions.
Having launched the Initiative in
Race, President Clinton should stay
the course. In the year ahead, we
urge him to devote more personal
attention to the Initiative, sharpen its
focus, tackle the really tough issues
and consume more political capital
on behalf o f this cause. If he does so,
both higher grades and a lasting
legacy are well within reach.
S outhwell
Hers was an opportunity shrouded
in adversity.
When a tragic mill accident left Jo
Anderson disabled and unable to re
turn to her job, she recognized a
turning point.
She sought help through Oregon’s
Vocational Rehabilitation Division.
Five years o f working and planning
followed. Today she owns her own
cleaning business called The Profes
sional, is financially independent and
employs others who may have men
tal or physical challenges.
Jo is one o f our success stories.
And while there are others, there
could be many more. Census data
tells us that one in five people in this
country has a disability. In Oregon,
220,000 working age people with
disabilities want to work; 79% are
unemployed. This is O regon's un
tapped labor pool o f skilled, moti
vated and respo n sib le men and
women.
Employed Oregonians with dis
abilities work in every job sector.
According to a 30-year Dupont study,
workers with disabilities are equal to
or better than their non-di sabled peers
in the following areas:
*97% have above average safety
records
*86% have above average atten
dance
♦90% have above average job
perform ance
♦76% are harder workers
♦78% are more dependable
As the w orkforce ages and more
people move toward retirement, we
will have to look at all our re-
sources-including people with dis-
abilities-to fill the vacancies.
At VRD, our m ission is to assist
O regonians w ith disabilities to
achieve and m aintain em ploym ent
and independence. The federal
Rehabilitation Services A dm inis
tration recently recognized our re
habilitation section, ranking it sev
enth nationally for its successful
em ploym ent initiatives. In 1997,
VRD provided rehabilitation ser
vices to more than 16,000 O rego
nians and successfully rehabilitated
and placed more than 2,400 indi
viduals in jobs. On average, those
receiv in g V RD service, versus
those who do not earn five times
more money.
Thousands o f Oregon businesses
have found a labor resource in this
pool o f people with disabilities.
Diverse individuals bring new ideas
and new approaches to business
challenges. The more divers the
w orkforce, the stronger the busi
ness advantage.
Em ployers who adjust an exist
ing w orkplace for a w orker with
The Salvation Army receives
25th Grant this Year
The Salvation Army received a
grant today for $5,000 from Oregon
Community Foundation, markingthe
25th grant from this generous foun
dation to The Salvation Army this
fiscal year.
Oregon Community foundation’s
grants to The Salvation Army this
year have touched thousands o f lives
in the past year alone, some o f the
programs funded include:
♦Greenhouse-a resource center for
the estimated 2,000 young people,
ages 12-21, who live on Portland's
city streets. Greenhouse just cel
ebrated another year o f success sto
ries with a prom for youth who
achieved their G E D ’s.
♦The Medford Transitional Shel-
ter-a shelter providing an intense,
three level transitional program for
500 homeless individuals and fami
lies in Southern Oregon each year.
•W hite Shield Center-a “last re-
sort” for pregnant and parenting
teens who m ight otherw ise have
their babies removed from their
c u sto d y by th e sta te .
W hite
S h ield ’s residential treatm ent pro
gram helps these young women
keep their babies and change their
lives.
• T h e W e st W o m e n ’s &
C hild ren ’s C enter-a safe place to
begin again for fam ilies surviving
dom estic violence. The W est pro
v ides tem porary and long-term
transitional shelter and a therapeu
tic preschool.
T he Salvation Army serve over
1,000 people each and every day in
the Portland M etro area, w ith a
w ide range o f services for every
one from infants to seniors. To
m ake a donation, volunteer, or in
quire about services, anyone may
call The Salvation Army at 503-
234-0825.
Kites and
balloons
should be
flown in open
areas away
from lines
Melissa, age ||
Keep clear
of trees or
structures
close to
power lines
Mahala. aqe 7
Workers with Disabilities Contribute
to the Success of Employers
by J oil
Jack S Jill went up the hill
& played near poles and wires.
A line was down S Jack soon found
if touched he would EXPIRE.
disability finds it is not costly and
actually is good for business. Rea
sonable accommodations may in
clude ramps, bathroom grab bars or
large print menus. The average cost
o f a job accommodation is about
$200.
By making our places o f business
accessible for our employees, we also
make them more accessible to our
customers. Future marketplace suc
cess depends on attracting a diverse
customer base and making all cus
tomers feel welcomed and valued.
Employers report that the training
and recommendations provided by
rehabilitation agencies have im
proved m orale and productivity
throughout the company.
With good jobs, people with dis
abilities become taxpayers and con
tribute as productive citizens. U.S.
citizens with disabilities control $ 15
billion and patronize the same busi-
nesses-perhaps your business-as ev
eryone else.
If you are looking for motivated
workers like Jo Anderson lor your
business, I encourage you to tap into
one o f Oregon ’ s greatest labor pools.
You will discover a working rela
tionship that wins.
For more information abut hiring
persons with disabilities, call VRD
at 503-945-5880 (voice) or 503-945-
5894 (TTY).
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