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Committed to Cultural Diversitv
Volume \ \ l \ . Number 19
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Mas 12, 1999
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Hot Summer Jobs
The Downtown Oregon Employment
Department is having a Job Fair on Wednes-
day.M ay 19 from 12:30 P M - 3 PM, at the
Days Inn City Center, Willamette Room,
located across from the Downtown Oregon
Employment Department, on SW 6th &
Columbia. Call 503/731-3035.
Cascade Symphony
The Cascade Symphony is looking to
build its already healthy orchestra mem­
bership by announcing a call for additional
string players (violin, viola, cello andbass).
Please call Maestro Aszemar Glenn at 286-
5032 if interested. TheCascade Symphony
meets once a week for about 2 hours to
rehearse and perform their concerts at the
historic Hollywood Theatre in Portland.
A Season For Nonviolence
A Season for Nonviolence, an interna­
tional grassroots peace initiative active in
over 100 US cities and 10 countries, is spon­
soring a Peace march on Saturday, May 15.
Registration begins at 10 AM, speakers and
music begin at 11 AM and the walk itself |
begins at NOON. The course isaneasy4mile
route of city street surfaces and begins and
ends at Grant Park, located 2 blocks north of |
NE Broadway between NE 33'd and NE 36'*.
Call Anna DeMers at 503/244-7957.
Yugoslavia Bombing
Local feminists will speak about what
is behind the U.S.-led NATO military
aggression against Yugoslavia and how to
pressure the American warmongers to stop
the bombing on Thursday, May 13, at 7
PM. An Eastern European buffet will be
available at 6:30 PM for a $6 donation.
The event will be at the NW Neighbor­
hood Cultural Center, Community Room,
1819 NW Everett, Portland. Call 503/
228-3090. W heelchair accessible.
The Community Congratulates the 1999
Graduates of Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI)
ommitment to a program that
works and dedication from a car
ing staff has made all the differ­
ence for SETs 1999 graduating class.
SETs 1999 class has the distinction of
being the first class to have students who
have been in the SEI program since 2nd
grade. SETs Coordinator for the senior
class, Mr. Troy Hollis, cites the students’
dedication as the winning factor. “Most
o f my kids have been in our program
since 2nd grade. You can see the growth
that has taken place in their lives. It says
a lot about these kids that they’re willing
to stick with their goals all the way through
to graduation. This quarter my kids have
an average GPA o f 3.3!” But it’s rela­
tionships that make the difference. “What
makes SEI so successful is the one-on-
one relationships that make the differ­
ence. “What makes SEI so successful is
the one-on-one relationships we build
with our kids”, said Tony Hopson, Presi­
dent o f SEI. “Our staff is willing to be
parent, mentor, friend — whatever they
need to be successful. They know w e’ll
always be there for them. It truly lets our
kids know that life does indeed have
options. W e’re very proud o f them.”
How do the students feel about SEI?
Jolanda Mills, a senior on her way to
Norfolk State University, said “(SEI) has
Photo by Marti Washington
given me the opportunity to do things
Upcoming graduates of Self Enhancement. Inc. (SEI). From left to right: Aisha Campbell, Andre Lawrence and Jolonda Mills.
that I know I will have never had the
chance to do. It’s like a second family”.
Andre Lawrence, a 3.0 student and Cap­
is a non-profit organization com m itted
Peterson, Shara B razzle, B randy O fford,
sity o f Portland scholarship credits SEI with
tain o f the Jefferson Varsity Basketball
to
helping Portland’s inner city youth
K enisha W ilson, D anita Flint, Terese
helping her “deal with problems and suc­
team, says “If I did not have SEI, I might
make positive choices to achieve their
B
ra
z
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le
,
C
re
s
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e
n
tia
D
ix
o
n
,
C
h
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s
ceed in school”. “Because o f them, I’m on
not be going to college.” Andre is plan­
full potential. Today, SEI serves 1,200
Sham bry, K enita M ason, Y olanda Cason,
my way to University o f Portland!"
ning on attending W estern Oregon State
school-age youth with services in 11 Port­
and Neom i C arrillo.
The ’99 class also includes : Angela
College. And AishaCampbell, a 3.8 GPA
land high public schools.
Founded
in
1981
by
Tony
Hopson,
SEI
B e n s o n , B r a n d o n T e llis , R a sh id a
student, and recipient o f a 4-year Univer-
C
Book Drive
The Friends o f the Multnomah County |
Library is in need o f thousands o f used
books in good shape for the annual county­
wide Book Drive on May 8-22 at the
Central Library (522 SW Fifth). Please no
old textbooks. Reader’s Digest Condensed
Books or magazines. And especially no
tom, ragged or moldy books. We also
appreciate CDs, audio and video tapes,
LPs and sheet music. Call 503/224-9176.
Artist Workshops
The Regional Arts & Culture Council
presents Survival and Growth: Tools and
Strategies for Artists and Arts Organizations
The next workshop is on Saturday, May 15,
9 AM -2:30 PM. There will be information
for individual artists on presenting and docu­
menting their work, and strategies for career
development Sessions will focus on writing
«trill» (resumes, artist statements, proposals);
documenting art work on video, slides, and
other media; resume/video/portfolio review
sessions; and a panel discussion on career
development strategies featuring prominent
local artists from a variety o f artistic disci­
plines. Call 503/823-5417 or 823-2927.
Gathering & Potluck
An Evening With Family & Friends
Continued from Front Page
designed to attract businesses to economi­
cally depressed areas. She pushed legislation
to retrain workers and upgrade the skills of
the Oregon workforce.
Although Carter has worked hard to en­
sure a better Oregon, she said her biggest
accomplishment is gaining a masters degree
while running a household with a husband
and nine children.
Eventually, Carter married again in 1970,
and added four more children to her five.
Maintaining a household with nine children
while studying for a masters degree was not
easy. “ It was the greatest challenge to prepare
a four-course meal each night, keep up with
all the kids’ activities and at the same time
prepare for academic success,” Carter said.
“But it is a challenge I hold dear. I know that
anyone who can manage a house with nine
kids and a husband, can run a corporation.”
Kay Toran
The Institute for Sustainable Culture
Loaded down with dreams, determ ina­
presents: Sustainable Community Gath­
tion and a sense o f adventure, Benjamin
ering & Potluck on Wednesday, May 12,
and Mary Rose Dean arrived in Portland
from 6:30 - 9:30 PM in the basement o f I from Alabama.
the Augustana Lutheran Church at 2710
The Deans, after working in the shipyards
NE 14'* (on the comer o f NE 15'* &
among other things, eventually opened a suc­
Knott). Call 503/525-5406.
cessful beauty/ barbershop in 1952, that op­
erates still today as Portland’s oldest black-
Women In Trade» Fair
W omen, is a desk job not for you? Do owned business.
“They believed in setting your goals,”
you like changing work environments,
said
their daughter, Kay Toran. “They be­
lots o f variety, something new all the
lieved
obstacles are there for you to figure
time? Come to the W omen in Trades Fair,
out
to
remove
them or get around them."
where women o f all ages can learn about
During
her
journey
through management
high-paying, exciting demonstrations, and
positions
within
state
government,
Toran held
en jo y a fash io n show o f w o m en ’s
to
her
parents’
belief,
never
allowing
an
workclothes. The 1999 Women in Trades
obstacle
to
become
a
permanent
fixture.
Fair will be held on Saturday, May 15 at
Toran, the former director of the state
the M etro Electrical Training Center
office for services to children and families
(16021 NE Airport Way). Free admis­
lauded for turning the agency around, retired
sion, free childcare, free parking and free
from herposition in February though she still
shuttle. Call 503/943-2250.
works for the agency as a consultant until her
s i B M IssK ) \ s < n iiiiiitin it'
replacement is hired. In the meantime, Toran
( i l r i n l . i l i l i l m I l l a r i o n " ' l l l>« u i s r l l
has ventured into another career as an author.
,11 m i ils i l i l . l l r i l I " I I " I l k '
Toran, the mother o f two adult children, is
lir iin i I h r i \ m l d i l l i .
currently writing a book about her journey
through senior management in state govern­ about where children will live within a year
o f the time they are taken into care.
ment. The title has not been decided, she
To be able to change the image and inner-
said. But the subtitle is, “Lessons Lived,
workings
o f the state agency with the help of
Lessons Learned, Lessons to be Learned: An
“a
magnificant
staff” is Toran s biggest ac­
African-American W oman's Perspective
complishment,
she said. “Even the experi­
Toran, who jokes that her age is some­
ences
that
have
been painful, I would not
where between Margaret Carter and Jaki
change them," she said. “Those are reasons
Walker, said she has spent more than 30
to self-reflect and to learn
years in state government and has valuable
insight. “In each o f those positions, I had very
Jaki Walker
unique experiences and I want to talk about
Never tell Jaki Walker it can’t be done.
where my challenges were and where my
The word can’t is a motivator for her.
support has been, and why I was able to be
Ju st a sk P o rtla n d re sid e n ts and
successful,” Toran said.
powerbrokers who didn't believe a small
Part o f being successful is learning from
minority-run community development agency
the challenges, she said.
could transform inner North and Northeast
Toran was hired to the position in May of
Portland neighborhoods from crime-plagued,
1994. Seven months later, a major challenge
abandoned, neglected places.
came her way. In 1995, the state took six
Under W alker’s eight years o f leader­
children from the home o f Diana L. White-
ship, that’s exactly what happened. Now, as
head o f Beaverton. Whitehead went to the
W alker plans to resign her position as ex­
media and immediately people against the
ecutive director o f the Northeast Commu­
state agency used the case as an example o f
nity Development Corp, to start her own
the state agency abusing parental rights.
company to help other cities nationwide
Toran said the biggest mistake she made
make community development a success,
during that ordeal was to delegate communi­
all o f her own successes point to four words:
cation duties to someone else. “I learned how
“It can be done."
important it is not to delegate to anyone when
Her work is about helping people, it is a
there is a crisis," she said. “You have to let the
trait Walker inherited from her mother
people hear directly from you.
“My mother embraced everything and
She considered it a lesson. “Every disap­
everybody," Walker said. “People could show
pointment is an opportunity to grow and to
up because o f any issue ... she took every­
leam," she said.
body in. She always cooked enough for any­
After the Whitehead incident, Toran con­
one who stopped by.”
nected with her staff and helped them articu­
W alker, the m other o f one son, arrived
late the needs o f children to the Legislature,
in Portland in 1991, under a hail o f criti­
which had criticized the agency and its lead­
cism and speculation about whether the
ership during the Whitehead scandal.
Northeast Community Development Foun­
dation could implement the U.S. D epart­
The result?
ment Housing and Urban D evelopm ent’s
In 1997, Toran campaigned for more fund­
Nehemiah Housing Opportunity Program.
ing from the Legislature. Her effort, com­
The program provided a grant to build and
bined with the effort of her staff, resulted in
renovate 250 homes for low- to -m oderate
the agency raising its budget to $454.8 mil­
income home buyers.
lion and adding 160 new workers.
Front-page articles in local newspapers
Toran also got legislative endorsement
and television broadcast said Walker and her
for what the agency calls “Best Interest of the
agency could not do it. Walker sa id .1 They
Child." The approach requires the agency
went on and on and on. saying they can’t do
and the courts to make a permanent decision
it, they shouldn’t do it, don’t do," she said.
But in May o f 1993, a home that was part
o f the Nehemiah project was selected as one
o f the nation’s best by Better Homes and
Garden magazine. “That’s it. That’s us in
Better Homes and Gardens,” she said point­
ing to the framed cover from the magazine
Since the Nehemiah project, the North­
east Community Development Corp, has cre­
ated beautiful houses and apartments in North
and Northeast Portland. The projects include
McCoy Village, which is a complex built last
year that contains 55 apartments with com­
mercial space. It is located along Northeast
Martin Luther King Boulevard.
As Walker toured her corporation’s cre­
ations throughout North and Northeast Port­
land recently, she easily remembered the
history behind each one. She remembers
choosing the paint for the outside o f the home
and making sure each home was well made.
“I always say we won’t create anything we
wouldn’t live in,” she said.
In addition to choosing the paint. Walker
remembers how building or renovating a
home in a crime-ridden and neglected neigh­
borhood prompted neighbors to repair their
property or to host neighborhood cleanups
and participate.
In addition to housing, the agency also
helps meet the needs o f the community in
other ways. For example, the organization
has sponsored a tour o f historically black
colleges for six years “W henever there is
a need in the com m unity, “we find a way to
make it happen," W alker said. “That is our
trademark.”
That trademark has been recognized and
applauded throughout the nation as Walker is
called on to give workshops and seminars in
cities whose leadership is interested in bring­
ing home ownership to their inner-city neigh­
borhoods. “My interest is taking a very com ­
plex, but successful strategy and starting it in
other communities around the country,”
Walker said.
Helping other people. Her mother would
be proud.