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.
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