F E B . 24, 1999 Page A 5 (Ebr Jlortlanb (®bseruer Preventing Aids Among Young African-Americans is Goal of New Kaiser Permanente Study P O R T L A N D , O r e . - K a is e r P e rm a n e n te ’s C e n te r fo r H e a lth R e se a rc h (C H R ) h as b eg u n a new stu d y to u n d e rs ta n d h o w y o u n g A f­ ric a n -A m e ric a n c o u p le s can p ro ­ tect th e m se lv e s a g a in s t u n in ten d ed p re g e n c y a n d se x u a lly tra n sm itte d d ie a s e s, in c lu d in g A ID S . T h e C H R is c o lla b o ra tin g w ith th e P acific In s titu te o f W o m e n ’s H e a lth o n the P A R T N E R S stu d y , w h ic h is fu n d ed th ro u g h the P u b lic In s titu te o f W o m e n ’s H ealth o n th e P a rtn e rs s tu d y , w h ic h is fu n d ed th ro u g h P u b lic H e a lth In stitu te in L o s A n g eles. T h e s tu d y ’s g o al is to d e v e lo p c u ltu ra lly a p p ro p iate h ealth e d u c a tio n p ro g ra m s th at w ill h elp y o u n g A fric a n -A m e ric a n w o m en an d th e ir p a rtn e rs p re v e n t in fectio n w ith th e h u m a n e d e fic ie n c y v iru s (H IV ), w h ic h c a u se s A ID S , and o th e r se x u a lly tra n sm itte d d ieases (S T D ’s), as w ell as u n p la n n e d p re g ­ n an cie s. A ll th re e is su e s a re o f c o n c e rn w ith in A fric a n -A m e ric a n c o m m u n itie s. H IV /A ID S is p a r­ tic u la rly tro u b lin g g iv en th e h ig h d e a th a n d in c u ra b le n a tu re o f th e in fectio n . N e a rly h a lf o f all A ID S ca se s - an d 56 p e rc e n t o f th o se in w o m e n - h a v e b e e n in A fric a n A m e ric a n s, e v e n th o u g h th ey m ak e u p o n ly 13 p e rc e n t o f th e U .S. p o p u ­ latio n . A fric a n -A m e ric a n s acco u n t fo r 63 p e rc e n t o f all n ew H IV in- E m m a n u e l T e m p le , an d P a u l A. M a rs h a ll, E x e c u tiv e D ire c to r o f R en aissan ce M ark et. T h is ev e n t w ill tak e p lace at 12 n o o n o n S atu rd ay , F eb ru ary 2 7 ,1 9 9 9 at th e R en aissan ce M ark et, 9 0 9 N . K illin g sw o rth . “W e are reco g n izin g th ese tw o k ey in d iv id u als w h o are resp o n sib le fo r th e c re atio n an d c o n tin u e d su c ­ c ess o f a fu ll-s e rv ic e retail sto re that ch o o ses n o t to sell alco h o l o r to b a c c o p r o d u c t s , ” s a id C h i e f M o o se, C h a ir o f th e R eg io n al D ru g In itiativ e T a sk F o rce, “ ’r h e R e n a is­ sance M ark et is y e t an o th er ex am p le o f an o rg a n iz a tio n tak in g p o sitiv e actio n s at the lo cal lev el, fo reg o in g p ro fits from to b a c c o an d alco h o l sales to p ro m o te a h ealth y an d safe e n v iro n m en t fo r th eir cu sto m e rs.” T he O re g o n C o a litio n to R ed u ce U n d erag e D rin k in g (O C R U D ) ap­ p ro ach ed the Y o u th C o alitio n o f the R eg io n al D ru g In itiativ e (R D I) to co sp o n so r an e v e n t th at h ig h lig h ted ach ie v em en ts in th e field o f alco h o l an d d ru g a b u se p rev en tio n . T h e R D I Y o u th C o a litio n , m ad e u p o f P ort- lan d -area m id d le sch o o l an d h ig h sch o o l stu d en ts, d ecid e d to h o n o r B lack H isto ry M o n th b y ch o o sin g the R en aissan ce M ark et as a N E P o rtlan d o rg a n iz a tio n th at p ro m o tes Ballots In The Mail For The March 9th Vote-By-Mail Election Multnomah County Elections Division announces that the U.S. Postal Service will begin deliver­ ing ballots for the March 9,h Vote- By-Mail election. All reg iste red vo ters in Multnomah County will receive a ballot and a Multnomah County Voters’ Pamphlet. Before return­ ing the ballot, voters must sign the back of the return envelope; oth­ erw ise, the ballot cannot be counted. Ballots must be received at any Elections Office or a Drop Site by 8:00 p.m. on March 9* Ballots received after this deadline can­ not be counted. Postmarks do not count! A m e ric a n s ag e 25 to 44. S t a t i s t i c s fr o m th e O r e g o n H ealth D iv is io n ’s H IV /S T D P ro ­ g ram sh o w a sim ila r p ic tu re lo ­ c a lly . C u m u la tiv e ra te fo r H IV d ia a g n o s is p e r 100,000 p o p u la tio n (1 9 8 9 to 1997) am o n g O re g o n ia n s o f A fric a n d e se n t w ere h ig h e r th an fo r an y o th e r p o p u la tio n g ro u p - m o re th a n five tim es h ig h e r th an w h ites a n d 13 tim es h ig h e r th an A sia n -A m e ric a n s an d P a c ific Is­ lan d ers. “ P ro g ram s to p rev en t H IV /A ID S , n ity A d v iso ry B oard at C H R . “ M ore an d m o re A fric a n -A m e ric a n s are g ettin g th ese d ieases, an d too m an y p eo p le in o u r c o m m u n ity still b e ­ liev e th a t A ID S is n o t a p ro b le m that a ffects us. W e n eed ed u c a tio n p ro g ra m s that w ill c h an g e this p e r­ ce p tio n , w e need p re v e n tio n p ro ­ g ram s th a t w ill h e lp p e o p le a d o p t sa fe r sex u al b eh av io r, an d w e n e e d th ese p ro g ram s to b e b a se d o n re ­ search th at u n d erstan d s th e fe e l­ ings, n eed s, b eliefs and b e h a v io r o f S T D s and u n p la n n e d p reg n an cies am o n g y o u n g A fric a n A m erican s h av e not b een very su c c e ssfu l,” says N an cy V u ck o v ic, P h D , p rin cip al in ­ v estig ato r for the P A R T N E R S study at C H R . “ W e h av e to b e tte r ta ilo r p re v e n tio n p ro g ra m s to the n eed s o f the p e o p le w e ’re try in g to help. L e a r n in g h o w a n d w h y y o u n g c o u p le s m a k e se x u a l d e c is sio n s , e sp e c ia lly a b o u t c o n d o m s u se , w ill h e lp u s d e sig n p re v e n tio n th a t w ork fo r b o th p a rtn e rs.” “ H IV a n d A ID S a re serio u s p ro b ­ lem s in the A fric a n -A m e ric a n c o m ­ m u n ity ,” say s B a rb e r T a y lo r, p re s i­ d en t o f the A frican A m erican H ealth C o a litio n a n d C h a ir o f the C o m m u ­ A fric a n -A m e ric a n s.” T h e firs t o f the P A R T N E R S s tu d y ’s tw o p h ases is ju s t b e g in ­ ning in the com m unity. E ach w o m an ag e 18-25 w ho ag re e s to jo in th e stu d y w ill be ask ed to in v ite her m a le p a rtn e r to a lso p a rtic ip a te . T h ey w ill be in te rv ie w e d b y A fri­ ca n -A m e ric a n s train ed in d is c u ss­ ing sen sitiv e issues a n d en su rin g c o n fid e n tia lity . A fe m a le in te r­ v ie w e r an d m en w ill in te rv ie w w o m e n by a m ale in terv iew er. E ach p a rtic ip a n t w ill receiv e $30 at the e n d o f the c o m p le te d 6 0 -m in u te in te rv ie w , p lu s a list o f h ealth se r­ v ices a v a ila b le in th e co m m u n ity . A fric a n -A m e ric a n w o m e n a g e 18 to 25 w ho have a m a le sexual p a rtn e r a re en co u rag ed to p a rtic i­ p a te in th is study. If y o u w ould like to jo in the study o r w o u ld like m o re in fo rm a tio n , call (503) 4 9 9 -5 5 4 0 . Lewis &. Clark College to Present 18th Annual Gender Studies Symposium NE Portland Store Will Be Honored For Creating Safe And Healthy Role Models P o rtlan d P o lic e C h ie f D r. C h arles A . M oose w ill jo in m em b ers o f the R eg io n al D ru g In itiativ e Y o u th C o a ­ litio n and th e O re g o n C o a litio n to R e d u c e U n d e r a g e D r in k i n g to p re se n t certific a te s o f ap p reciatio n to th e R en a issa n c e M ark et, in rec­ o g n itio n o f the o rg a n iz a tio n ’s co n ­ trib u tio n to th e N E P o rtlan d c o m ­ m u n ity . R e ceiv in g th e certificates w ill b e B is h o p W e lls, p a s to r o f fe c tio n s am o n g p e o p le 13 to 24. E v en th o u g h th e d e a th ra te fro m A ID S h as fallen , it rem ain s th e le a d ­ in g c a u se o f death am o n g A frican - Lewis & C lark C ollege will present its 18* annual G ender Studies Sym po­ sium, “ E xam ining the Issues: G ender, P ov­ e rty a n d H e a lth ,” W ednesday, M arch 10, through Friday, M arch 12, Lewis & C lark C ol­ a safe an d h ealth y co m m u n ity . “ W e a re p ro u d to co n g ratu late B ish o p W ells fo r p u ttin g in p lace a p o licy th at is firm ly co m m itted n o t to sell alco h o l o r to b acco to m in o rs and h as p o sitiv ely ch an g ed this N E P o rt­ lan d n eig h b o rh o o d ,” said L orenzo Jo h n so n o f O C R U D . T h e R en aissan ce M ark et is a for- p ro fit en terp rise o w n ed and o p e r­ a ted b y a n o n -p ro fit o rg an izatio n , E m m a n u e l C o m m u n ity S e rv ic e s (E C S ). “ T h e R en aissan ce M ark et g rew o u t o f E C S co u n selin g , jo b train in g an d jo b p lace m en t p ro g ram s tw o an d a h a lf y ears a g o ,” said Paul A . M arsh all, E x ecu tiv e D irecto r o f R e n a issa n c e M ark et. “ W e re c o g ­ n ized th e need for eco n o m ic c o m ­ m u n ity d ev elo p m en t-to go b ey o n d ju s t jo b counseling to create jo b s for Dazon Dixon (below left), Michael Kimmelfbelow right) and Betty Jean Steinshoer(below) wiil be the key note speakers for Lewis & Clark co-director o f the documentary “Jane: A n A bortion S ervice,” and Judith Arcana, a former "Jane, "Portland writer and instructor o f w om en’s studies. Lundy and A rcana will present the film and discuss the history o f abortion and the current debate surrounding abor­ tion, W ednesday, M arch 10, 3 to 5 p .m ., in th e C o u n c il C h a m b e r, lege, 0615 S.W . Pa­ latine H ill R oad. The three-day sym ­ posium includes tw o keynote speakers, one keynote perform er and m ore than 4 0 presenta­ tions and panel discus­ sions o n a w ide range o f gender issues. A l­ m ost all o f the activi­ ties are in Tem pleton Student Center. All events are free and open to the K im m el is the author o f “M anhood in A m erica: A Cultural H isto ry " He also is an expert witness for the U.S. D epartm ent o f Justice’s Civil Rights D ivision on gender issues, gender in­ equality and the history o f masculinity. K im m el has testified in cases involv­ ing sex discrim ination at Vlrginia M ili­ tary Institute and The Citadel. •Betty Jean Steinshouer, perfor­ m ance artist, will present “C om fort M e W ith Apples: Homeless C harac­ ters Throughout Literature,” Friday, M arch 12, 4:45 p.m ., in the Council public. * D azon D ixon, an activist for the advancem ent o f w om en’s health is­ sues, will present “W om en and HTV: A H um an Rights Perspective,” W ednes day, M arch 10,7:30 p.m ., in the Coun­ cil C h a m b e r, T e m p le to n S tu d en t C enter.D ixon founded SisterLove in 1989, the first and largest w om en’s AIDS organization in the Southeast. Since then, SisterLove has grow n from to ch an g e th eir lives an d take o n re ­ sponsibility, and they have turned out to b e som e o f o ur m o st faithful and •Michael K im m el, author and pro­ fessor o f sociology at the State U ni­ versity o f N ew Y ork at Stony Brook, will present “ M en ’ s Health, M en ’ s V io­ lence, M en’s L ives: W hy Gender Equal­ ity is the A nsw er,” Thursday, M arch 11,7:30 p.m ., in the Council Cham ber, h ard w o rk in g e m p lo y ees.” rights. T em pleton Student Center. M ark et em ploys 25 em ployees, m any o f th em youth w ho have been gang- involved, com e out o f d ru g treatm ent p ro g r a m s , o r e v e n in c a rc e ra te d . T h ese youth ju s t need ed the o p p o rtu ­ n ity to dem onstrate they w ere ready grants from the National Endowm ent for the .Arts and die National E ndow ­ ment for the Humanities. Featured guest include Nell Lundy, a one-person operation D ixon ran out o f her Atlanta, Ga., hom e to a full- fledged organization w ith seven staff m em bers and tw o transitional homes for H IV -positive w om en and children. Dixon, w ho continues to volunteer for SisterLove, is the national program director for the C enter for H um an Rights Education, w here she special­ izes in w o m en ’s rights and human- o u r y o u th . N o w th e R en aissan ce form ance poetry, creative writing and literary research She has received Cham ber, Tem pleton Student Center. Steinshouer has performed her one- w om an shows throughout the country for the past decade A mong the charac­ ters she portrays are W illa C ather, M arjorie Kmnan Rawlings, Flannery O ’C o n n o r a n d G e rtru d e S te in . Steinshouer is the author o f “ Poems From the R oad"(C oquina Press, 1995). She teaches w orkshops in acting, per- T em pleton Student Center. T he film tells the story o f a small, underground counseling/clinic service that operated for four years in Chicago before abortion becam e legal in the U nited States in 1973. Service w ork­ ers at the clinic were called Janes. “Jane” has been featured at several film festivals, including Sundance, and has appeared on PB S station in m any cities.T h e sym posium includes 22 panel discussion with titles such as “V isions in Action: C om m itm ent to End H unger and Poverty,” “V oices o f W om en H e a le rs : A lte r n a tiv e H e a lth c a re in M o d e m S o c ie ty ,” “ M o n ey M atters: C a n ’t B u y M e H ealthcare,” “G ender Identity Crises in M odem Cinem a,” “W om en and the Politics o fW o rk ,” and “N ever Another Battered W oman: M en and W om en on D om estic Violence.” I "he G ender Studies Symposium also includes workshops, theatrical perfor­ mances. readings, roundtable discus­ sions and an art show. Sign language interpreters will be provided for the keynote addresses. SAFEWAY FOOD & DRUG Look For Your Safeway Weekly Shopping Guide In Your Oregonian FOODday Wheaties Cereal in the Portland Metro Area ...and save more by shopping at Safeway C y z / Visit Safeways Web site at www.safeway.com Fresh Fryer Breast Valu pack. Safeway brand. Grade "A" All natural. SAVE up to 9