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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 13, 2002)
Committed to Culturul Diversity « u w .portlaiidobserYer.com March 13, 2002 (Liti' ^ o rtla rth (©bsertter SECTION “S iiid y in y PwitlaruTó C am tniinitiet CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY Trail-blazing cultural achievements bring praise to local African Americans Six local African American residents were honored re cently with special Black History Month tributes from the Portland Trail Blazers. Bobbye Brown, Kevin Modica, Geneva Jones, Karanja Crews, Joseph Malone and Willie Ward received the honors at Blazer home games during the month-long celebration. Brown Speaks for Human Rights B obbye B row n is an outspoken hum an rights activist, volun teer and child advo cate. B ro w n tr a v e ls th r o u g h o u t th e N o rth w e st v is itin g s c h o o ls , y o u th groups and civic o r ganizations teaching hum an rights, African history and art w hile holding dow n h er full tim e jo b in hum an re la tio n s at P o rtlan d General Electric. H er bead p resen tation describes the life o f slaves before and during the C ivil W ar, as well as teach ing A frican history and culture. P o rtla n d Trail B la ze r a n d NBA g r e a t S c o ttie S he has becom e a P ip p en c o n g r a tu la te s B o b b y e B row n o n h e r driving force behind s e r v ic e to th e co m m u n ity . PG E ’s volunteer p ro gram , organizing fundraising drives and volunteer o rtu n ity for nearly 2,600co-w orkers. She is m ost passionate in her woi with children and has often said th at children are the co m m u n ity ’s m ost precious resource. Children Vital Focus for Malone Joseph M alone, the principal o fM ar- tin L uther K ing Jr. E lem entary School and Early Education C enter, has becom e an inspiration for the s c h o o l, s tu d e n ts and parents. M alone is often seen on th e p la y ground, in the class ro o m , o r s e rv in g lunch in the cafete ria. “ I love going to sch o o l e v e ry d a y ,” said M alone. “The children make all the difference.” A native o f T en nessee, M alone has dedicated his life to th e e d u c a tio n o f B la zer A s s i s ta n t C o a ch C a ld w ell J o n e s c h ild re n an d h a s c o n g r a tu la te s King S c h o o l P rincipal been involved in the J o s e p h M a lo n e. a d m in is tra tio n o f three Portland Public Schools. Students, teachers and parents say he is available at all tim es to solve problem s and help those w ho need it. H is leadership has helped K ing E lem entary create and m aintain valuable partnerships with local businesses and com m unity o rg a nizations, including SM A R T, the T ouchstone Project, the I Have a D ream Program and Friends o f the C hildren. n n t nt u n i t o a I r n b a V Red Cross Blood Drive T he A m erican B lood C ross is having a blood drive on Friday, M arch 15, from 12 :3 0 p .m . - 4:30 p.m . at the C hurch o f Scientology, 2636N E. Sandy Blvd.Call Vicki or Barbara at 963-8121. The selections were based on outstanding achievements and contributions to the community. Each o f the honorees was awarded a $500 contribu tion to a charity o f their choice. A section o f tickets on each night o f the honors also went to several Portland area youth groups, schools and civic organizations. Community Service Vital to Ward Trail B la zer R u b e n P a tte rso n (fro m left), c o m m u n ity s e r v ic e h o n o re e Willie W ard a n d B la ze r C o m m u n ity A m b a s s a d o r N ick J o n e s a re in tro d u c e d a t th e R o s e G arden. Willie Ward retired from work ing m ore than 21 years ago, but he never really quit w orking, he ju s t stopped getting paid. Retirem ent for W ard m eant he stopped going to this jo b and started volunteering, everyday, five days a week. T he L .I.F .E . C en ter, o r Low Incom e F am ilies E m erg en cy Geneva Jones Works to Empower Women and Entrepreneurs G eneva Jones is e s p e c ia lly know n for h er w ork em pow er ing black women a n d e n tr e p r e neurs. She has d e cades o f service w ith . g ro u p s s u c h a s th e W h ite S h ie ld C enter, Portland Police Sunshine D ivision, Inter state F irehouse C ultural C enter and the U nited N eg ro C o lleg e Fund. Jones is rec ognized for her nearly 30 years o f cooking exper tis e o n lo c a l show s such as G e n e v a J o n e s a c c e p ts a n h o n o r fo r lifelo n g K O IN K itchen c o m m u n ity s e r v ic e with h e r s o n , B la zer and A M N orth- e x e c u tiv e N ick J o n e s . w est. H er b eh in d the sc e n e s c o n trib u tio n s are m any, in c lu d in g serv ice on th e O reg o n B oard o f A g ricu ltu re and in v o lv em en t w ith L IN K S , a n atio n al serv ice o rg a n izatio n o f co n cern ed and c o m m itte d black w om en. trees, including a variety o f fruit and nut trees and native deciduous trees, in addi tion to native conifer seedlings. The give aw ay will be on Saturday, M arch 30, from 9 a m . to 5 p.m. at Friends o f T rees, 3117 NE. M L K .Jr. B lvd.andon April 20,9 a.m. - 5 p.m. at Environm ental M iddle School. C all 282-8846, ext. 17 o r go onlihe to Friends of Trees New Seasons Market Friends o f T rees' B ranching O ut p ro gram will give aw ay 6 to 12 foot tall yard W ant to learn w h ich fo o d s are b est for y o u an d y o u r g ro w in g b ab y ? C o m e to « V C e n te r on M artin L u th e r K ing Jr. B o u lev ard , w as the lucky re cip ien t o f W a rd ’s d e d ic a tion. H is d aily ro u tin e m eans p ic k in g u p u s e d fu r n itu r e , c l o t h i n g , f o o d , b e d d in g , h o u seh o ld g o o d s and a p p li an ces fo r fa m ilies in need. W ard says there are m ore and m ore fam ilies in need everyday. the N ew S easo n s M arket and learn how to o p tim ize y o u r food ch o ice s for a h ealth y p reg n an cy . The free S atu rd ay ed u catio n al p resen tatio n w ill be at the N ew S easo n s M ark et, located at 5 3 2 0 NE. 33"*,on Saturday, M arch 1 b at 1 p.m. Call 288-3838. Black History Month is held each February as time fo r Americans to reflect on both the history o f teachings o f African Americans whose contributions are still too little known. It is the month in which we bear witness to the progress, richness and diversity o f African American achievement. Modica Works for Positive Change Lt. Kevin L. M o d ic a h as dedicated his life outside the N ortheast Pre cinct to advo c a te fo r change in his c o m m u n it y , w orking w ith m any groups, ci vie organiza tio n s an d y o u th sp o rts program s. He is best know n for his work on the NE P olice Lt. K evin L. M o d ica (right) with B la zer 14“ P la c e D erek A n d e r s o n a re in tro d u c e d d uring a s p e c ia l N e ig h b o r c e r e m o n y in reco g n itio n o f B la c k H istory M o nth. hood Reclama tion and Traffic Calm ing Project, w here drug deals and drive-by shootings w ere com m onplace. N ow children ride th e irb ic y d e s, play gam es on the street and residents feel safe. M odica spends tim e on m any boards, including G ang Resistance E ducation and T raining, Police A ctivities L eague and th« B lazers Boys & G irls C lub. He has been the recipient o f the Jackie Joyner K ersey V olunteer o f the Y ear A w ard in 2000, B lazers B oys and G irls C lub V olunteer o f the Y ear in 1999, D ennis Darden O ffieero fth e Y earaw ard in 1999 and the D istinguished Service M edal 1993 for outstanding contributions to the com m unity. Karanja Crews Has Eye on Education Achievement Gap K aranja C rew s is a m inority-edu c a tio n a d v o c a te w h o c o n c e iv e d a n d p la n n e d a T e a c h in g w ith P u rp o se c o n fe r en ce last sum m er to h elp ed u cato rs n a rro w th e ac h ie v e m e n t gap in P o rtlan d . The c o n fe r e n ce b ro u g h t in n a tio n a l s p e a k ers w ho have a p ro v en a b ility to ra is e a c h ie v e m e n t le v e ls in s c h o o ls w ith a large p ercen tag e o f m in o rity c h il dren. Trail B la zer S h a w n K e m p p r e s e n ts a B lack C rew s is a Port H istory M o n th h o n o r to K aranja C rew s, a land State U niver P ortland S ta t e U niversity s t u d e n t w orking to sity stu d en t and b e tte r th e e d u c a tio n o f P o rtla n d 's m in o rity f u tu r e te a c h e r . kid s. He has w orked to h elp so lv e som e o f the issu es that face the P ortland S chool D istrict and E ducation C risis Tearn. He eventual ly becam e a m ediator and com m unicator b etw een the groups. shop choir on M arch 21 and 22 at 7 p.m. and on M arch 23 at 10 a.m .. follow ed by lunch at I p.m. A N ew H ope C hurch free concert is scheduled for M arch 25, 6:30 p.m . C all 281 -0163,698-5447 or send an Men’s Gospel Music Workshop Neighborhood Association Summit For all m ale youths and adults w ho can sing g o sp el, the N ew H ope B aptist C hurch, located at 3725 N. G antenbein, will be having a gospel music m en's w ork At the 3"' annual N eighborhood A ssocia tion, several w orkshops will be held with sm all group discussions and a field trip in tow n. The sum m it will be held on S atur r * day, M arch 16, from 8 a.m . 2 p.m . at C leveland High School, 3400 SE. 26* Ave. Call 823-4519. Gardening for Wildlife The Hoyt A rboretum , located at 4000 SW. Fairview B oulevard is having a class on gardening for w ildlife on Satur- day.Marvh I6,from 9a.m . II a.m. Lcam to use habitat plantings and structures to attract birds, butterflies, and other desirable w ildlife to your garden. To register, call 228-TREE. t l
