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Volume \ . \ l \ . Num ber 10
Committed to cultural diversity.
MARCH 10,1999
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The
New
Carissa
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S team By P laying B asketb all
W RAP
W rite Around Portland, a new nonprofit,
seeks volunteers to facilitate w riting
workshops with people who don' t usually
have their voices heard. Our focus is on
enriching our communities and building
upon mutual respect; we believe writing
can be a powerful tool for this. We want
I to w ork with people who are motivated to
I fight the sense o f isolation so many people
carry w ith them through their lives.
| M aterials and full training provided. Call
232-2246 for more info.
The crew o f the New Carissa had been
through many trials—months at sea. several
severe winter storms, a shipwreck, and they
had been evacuated by a Coast Guard
helicopter from their vessel on February 4,h.
In Portland, the men were under a great deal
o f stress as they were holed up in a hotel
waiting to testily at the Coast Guard hearings
on Swan Island. Thanks to Linda White, the
unit director o f the Blazers Boys and Girls
Celebration Of Culture
Club, 5250 NE MLK Blvd., some of the men
I More than 400 community members are
e x p e c te d to a tte n d an ev e n in g o f
international entertainment and cuisine at
Celebration ofCulture Friday, March 12, at
7 PM in Melrose Auditorium at Linfield
College. Proceeds from the event will benefit
the Linfield College Hurricane Mitch Relief
Fund. Tickets are $2 and can be purchased
in the Campus Information Center in Riley
Hall. Formore information, call 434-2574
were able to blow off some steam by playing
basketball, which has replaced baseball as
the national pastime in the Philippines. The
crew had a small basketball court on the
deck o f their ship, but they could play only
in calm weather and already this year had
lost three basketballs. The all-Filipmo crew
played a 2-hour pick-up game last Tuesday
and then received a tour o f the showcase
facility by White. The hospitality converted
Midwifery Training
“The International Center for Traditional
Childbeanngt ICTC) is hosting an orientation
for women o f color who are interested in
midwifery training, on Saturday March 13,
from 10 AM to 3 PM at the NE YWCA on
MLK Jr. Blvd. For more information call
Shafia M . Monroe at460-9324.
the men to Blazer fans and the night before
the ships crew of engineers left, all the men
attended the Utah-Portland game which
the Trailblazers won in a double overtime
heart-stopper 102 to 100 at the Rose Garden.
“W e'll be Blazer fans the rest o f our lives."
Early Childhood Care
said ship oiler Arnold Cruz. "The Philippines
I On M arch 11, fam ily m em bers and
professionals will have the opportunity to
h e a r Jane K n itz e r, a d y n am ic,
know ledgeable speaker discuss new
strategies for supporting young children
and their families. They will also hear a
panel o f experts discuss issues specific to
Multnomah County and Oregon. The guest
speaker, Jane Knitzer will be at the Lloyd
Cinemas (1510 NE Multnomah Boulevard.
Call503/248-5274.
is crazy about the NBA.
Photos: Courtesy The Oregonian
L to R, Conrado Carlos. Linda W hite and Elmer Branzuela
Sharon Lincoln Named Executive
Director At Portland House Of Umoja
Interim Executive Director Sharon Lincoln has been named execut i\ e
director by the Portland House o f Umoja Board o f Directors. I he
Portland House o f Umoja provides residential and outreach services
to gang-involved youth and their families.
Lincoln, 45. has served as interim director since September of 1998
and was deputy directorsince 1997. Prior to coming to Umoja. Lincoln
was an accountant with Richard Harris, P C., CPA and had been on
contract with the House o f Umoja since 1991. The board ot directors
conducted an extensive search process and determined that it had the
Humane Society
ie Oregon Humane Society is celebrating
1130* anniversary o f caring for animals in
is community. Much has changed in
)w animals are cared for and viewed in
»ciety. On Thursday, March 25, Executive
irector Sharon Harmon will share the
□ciety’s history and how the Society’s
lission will fit into the next century while
reviewing “A Home For Butch, a 1950-
ra home movie o f the Oregon Humane
ociety. Come to the Oregon Humane
ociety at 1067 NE Columbia, Portland, on
larch 25 at 7 PM; a $5 donation per family
(tending is appreciated. Call 285-7722.
Cops & Lobsters
ifficers from the W ashington County
d ic e Department will be the “celebrity
•rvers” at Red Lobster for this year’s
ops & Lobsters event and help raise
loney for the Special Olympics Law
inforcement Torch Run. The event will be
n Sunday, March 7 through Saturday,
larch 13 (Dinner shifts). Cops & Lobsters
rill be at the Red Lobster on 10330 SW
îreenburg Rd. in Tigard. Cal, 624-0499.
Cheerleading Tryout
Conrado Carlos and Elmer Branzuela. Bottom L to R. Rlcharde
Paule, Thomas Cantleos and Leo Orate.
____
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Canda to be Acting NE Coalition Director
’rospective cheerleaders for the 1999
¡dition ofthe Portland Forest Dragons will
>e held Saturday starting at 8 AM at the
;edarM iUGold’sGym, 10860SW Barnes
<oad. A p p lic a n ts m ust have p rio r
¡heerleading and dance experience, skilled
n gymnastics and be 19 years o f age by the
dragons’ game on Saturday, April 10.
Applications and waiver forms will be
i vailable at die tryout Call 503/ 722-4501.
B y L ee P erlman
Design Classes
Portland Macintosh Users Group will
a seminar on Saturday, March 20, from
M to 3 PM at the PMUG office, located
rite 547 ofthe Galleria Mall, 921 SW
rison S t, Portland. Instructor bonnie
no will lead “Xpress Y ourself with
rk,” and cover the basics o f using the
itro n ic
p u b lish in g
so ftw a re
rkXPreas. Call 503/224-4289.
y Catorxftr mlbmwtton wilt be
best candidate already in place.
We are pleased to hav e Sharon in place to continue our commitment
to im prove and expand
im p o rtan t
co m m u n ity
services,” Board Co-chair
Anthony Jankans said
“ Umoja is an amazing
community resource, and we
are thrilled that Sharon has
ag re e d to c o n tin u e her
remarkable work as executive
director,” Board Co-Chair
John Emrick said. “As we
head into a new millennium,
we are very excited about
m eetin g the in c re a sin g
demands in our community
and turning young lives
around.
John Canda
John C anda w as ap p o in te d acting
executive director o f the Northeast C oalition
o f Neighborhoods last week, following the
resignation o f Ben P riestley effective
February 28.
The executive committee o f the non-profit
neighborhood coalition chose to appoint
Canda to the post rather than have Priestley
continue on an interim basis, president Willie
Brown told the Observer. "For whatever
reason. Ben wanted to leave," Brown said.
“It seemed better to honor that than to try to
call him back.”
NECN contracts with the city to provide
support services to volunteer neighborhood
groups in inner north and northeast Portland.
It is run by a b o ard c o m p o se d o f
re p re se n ta tiv e s
of
n e ig h b o rh o o d
associations and other organizations, which
oversees its staff.
Canda. the program manager o f NECN’s
Youth Gang Outreach and
Tri-Met Rider Advocates programs, says he
may be a candidate for permanent director
when the position is advertised.
This may take some time. Charles Ford,
chair ofthe coalition’s personnel committee,
says the group has yet to decide if the
directorship will remain under the city’s civil
serv ice system or become an employee ofthe
coalition, as is the case with most ofPortland ’ s
other neighborhood office jobs. In addition.
Ford says, “We don’t have criteria for the
position yet, and we w on’t until we determine
the direction the organization is going ”
Executive committee member Ron Laster
agrees, “We should take a holistic approach
rather than just looking at this as a position
to be filled."
Brown agreed, although he said that based
on previous evaluations the coalition’s
activities will include an emphasis on fund
raising, planning and providing for youth
Canda says that in the interim he may be
doing some assessing o f his own. "We need
to look at our goals and objectives.' he says.
“We need to look at our boards, programs and
committees to see what everyone is actually
doing We need to look at our funding bases,
and build bridges to new sources o f funds.
Our board members and employees need to
attend more community functions to get a
better handle on the needs o f the community;
after all, w e’re here to serve citizens, and we
need to find better ways to do it."
NECN should also look at collaborating
with other organizations on programs and
projects, he said. “No one organization can be
a one-stop shopping center," he said.
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