Page 2 January 12,2000 J.lort bob ©baeruer Focus International modeling competition highlights African beauty Focus CONTRIBUTED STORY FOR A S U P P L E M E N T T he P o R t l-A M t Q lte tK Y M i O F ■ J jJ o rtla n h (© b a e r ü e r Editor in Chief, Publisher Charles H. W ashington Editor Larry J. Jackson, Sr. Now entering its third year, M- Net’s Face o f Africa competition the co n tin en t’s prem ier fashion m odeling beauty show case is a unique entertainment and cultural ev en t th a t h ig h lig h ts som e o f Africa’s most beautiful women. The brainchild of M-Net, Africa’s larg est subscription television broad caster, this year’s final competition will be broadcast to over 42 coun tries throughout the African conti nent. Scheduled to be held in Capetown. South Africa on April 15th, the win ner o f this year’s Face o f Africa competition receives a $150,000 contract with Elite Model Manage ment in New York. More important, the winner will be launched into a high-profile inter national m odeling career. Four months after being named the first M-Net Face o f Africa and moving to New York, Nigenan-bom Oluchi graced the cover o f Italian Vogue. Since then, Oluchi has been photo graphed repeatedly by such world- class photographers as Steven Meisel and Richard Avedon. She also has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In a re cent survey in American Vogue Oluchi was cho sen as one o f the top four ru n w ay m o d e ls in America. The winner o f the second M -N et Face o f A frica competition, Namibian- b o rn B e n v in d a Mundenge, will be arriv ing in New York City in mid- January and hopes are high for her to take the m o d e lin g w o rld by storm. Copy Editor Joy Ramos Business Managet G ary A nn Taylor Above: M-Net Face o f A frica 2000 Southern A frica regional finalist, Surava Dhalakama. Left: M-Net Face o f A frica 1999finalist and Elite Model Look o f the Year finalist. Miriam Odem ba. Creative Director Shawn Strahan 4747 NE M artin Luther King, Jr., Blvd. Portland, O R 97211 Happy Birthday C.C. You’re an even nifty fifty. Love from all of us 503-288-0033 Fax 503-28R0015 Portland Opera offers e-mail: news@ portlandobserver.com dueling divas CONTRIBUTED STORY Deadlines for subm itted material: Articles: Friday by 5 p . m . Ads: Monday by Noon Focus welcomes freelance submissions. M anuscripts and photographs can be returned if accom panied by a self- addressed stam ped envelope. All created display ads become the sole property of You've heard o f “extreme” sports- how about “extreme” singing? Port land Opera and Borders Books and Music make this unusual concept come to life at A nti-Superbow l Party V, a Superbowi alternative January 30~ at 3 p.m. in the music section o f Borders, 708 SW 3rd. The event pits singer against singer in a grueling competition for the “ Singer o f the U niverse” title. Judges will include Portland music scene notables Valerie Day, Chris- kmhd for the love of jazz tin e M eadow s and B rennen Guillory. Leading the commentary w ill be R odney M enn, Ja n e t Coleman and Diane Syrcie. The vocal talents o f Portland O p era Works!, the touring division of Portland Opera, will present high lights from Die Flederm aus, La Bohe me, Manon Lescaut, Carmen, Turnandot, Show Boat, Into the Woods, Secret Garden, Pagliacci, and much, much more. The public is invited to share the adrenaline rush. Admission is two or more cans o f food for the O r egon Food Bank. the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the w ritten consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the com position of the ad. I* * * Tke PonlMii O ta tm r Congratulation Honor Roll Student Iesha Washington 89.1