October 4, 2000
Page C3
NittioMiii Minority Business Week—
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P r o file o f C o m m u n ity P a r tn e r s
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Stacey Drake-Edwards, center, meets with Interstate project
artists Valerie Otani, left and Adreine Cruz at the Interstate
Firehouse Cultural Center.
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John Toran, Jan Shearer, Bill Council and Amber Ontiveros
discuss Interstate community needs.
Bruce Warts gets ready for Interstate M AX
construction.
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Center
MEET NEW MEMBERS
OF THE INTERSTATE MAX
TEAM
^ /in te r s ta te
Delta Park/Vanport
Kenton
Bruce Watts, Stacey Drake-Edwards, Amber Ontiveros, John Toran and Bill Council are among a fast-growing new
group of Tri-Met employees who have strong ties and commitments to the people of North and Northeast Portland.
They are working to make sure the Interstate MAX project brings benefits to the neighborhoods it w ill travel through.
BUILDING WITH LOCAL RESOURCES
Bruce Watts, former executive director of the Coalition
of Black Men, has one driving focus in his work-
strengthening the community where he’s lived for the past
16 years. He wants to make sure the Interstate MAX light
rail project puts people and businesses in North and
Northeast Portland to work.
Fred Hansen, Tri-Met general manager, recruited Bruce.
“I told Bruce this was a chance to put his ideals to the test-
to really make a difference, Hansen said. Bruce is
convinced. “Fred’s and Tri-Met’s commitment is really
there,” he stated. “This is not simply a project about tracks
and trains,” he continued. “I want businesses to take
advantage of the technical assistance we offer, to expand
their capacity. I want the community to benefit from this
project long after the track is built.”
I WANT BUSINESSES TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE WE OFFER, TO EXPAND
THEIR CAPACITY. -BRUCE WATTS
ART FROM OUR HEARTS
Stacey Drake-Edwards spent eight years as a community
outreach and education specialist before becoming public art
coordinator for Tri Met. She honed her community involve
ment perspective while working with the Interstate Fire
house Cultural Center, Portland’s lead hazard reduction
program and school traffic safety education.
“My hope is that as many artists, especially artists of color,
will work on Interstate MAX,” she said.“We’re providing
opportunities for local artists to participate in an arena thats
new to them.”
Stacey believes art can be a way of healing. ’The stories we
all hear of displacement, racism and cultural differences in
the community are enibodied in the public art being
created for this very diverse community,” she explained.
O f her new employer, Stacey said, “Tri-Met is providing
opportunities for people of color to participate at levels I
have not seen in many public agencies. There is definitely
a respect here.”
OUTREACH BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS
Amber Ontiveros lived and worked in Northeast
Portland for eight years. As a legislative aide to Oregon
Representative Margaret Carter, she advocated increased
funding for schools, more services for welfare recipients
and strengthening Head Start programs. Amber brings her
wide-ranging communications skills to the task of
preparing and disseminating public information about
Interstate MAX.
She was attracted to Tri-Met because people she trusts
told her “you can take [General Manager ] Fred Hansens
word to the bank. I wanted to work for a leader who
follows through on what he says,” she explained.
Amber hopes that the relationships of trust with the
community remain strong long after the light rail project
is complete.
John Toran grew up in Northeast Portland and
returned here to work after graduating from Hampton
University. He volunteers for Friends of Children, a
mentorship program tor at-risk youth in Northeast
Portland. He joined Tri-Met as a community relations
assistant a few months ago.
“I have been standing on the sidelines watching
government operate for most of my life,” he said, referring
to his parents’ work in state government and the judiciary.
“Tri-Met is providing a foundation for what I want to do
in the future.”
Bill Council was 69 years old and finally ready to retire
when Bruce Watts told him Tri-Met was looking for
someone to staff its Interstate MAX information office.
Bill’s background as trainer, teacher, and facilitator serve
him well. “I went to work for Tri-Met because I could use
my skills and work on a worthwhile project benefiting my
neighborhood,” he said. “Besides, 1 love working with
people.”
H o w we g e t th e r e m a tte r s .
i
Freeway
• 5.8 miles long
• 10 stations
• $350 million budget
• 18,100 new riders by 2020,
including 8,400 new to transit
• Service through downtown
• Final design underway
spring 2000
• Federal funding grant signed
September 2000
• Sewer relocation starts
November 2000
• Trackway/street construction
starts spring 2001
• Opens September 2004
For project information call
503-962-2155
www.tri-met.org