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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2002)
August 21, 2002 (Eljr Jîortlanb ®b»cruer Page B2 R eligion Photo Program Helps Hispanic Teens Gain Cultural Awareness Students take pictures within their N.E. Cully neighborhood for the 2002 Youth Photo Exhibit that is currently on display through the end of September at the Baltazar Ortiz Center in northeast Portland. photo by J ulie K lttl T w elve H ispanic teens photo graphed the places and the people o f their N.E. Cully neighborhood. Their com pleted w orks are now on dis play at the 2002 Youth Photo Ex hibit that can be view ed until the end o f Septem ber at the new Baltazar O r tiz C e n te r , 6736 N .E . Killingsw orth. The 42nd A venue Target Area and H acienda CD C invites the com m u nity to the exhibit. View black and w hite prints o f the diversity and the changing culture o f their neighbor hood from a youth’s perspective. Professional photographers Julie Keefe and Jorge V inueza, along with two o f last year’s students, taught participants on w eekly visits to vari ous sites in the neighborhood, in- cluding an artist studio. The youth kept a w ritten journal o f their expe riences to give substance to their im ages. O ne o f the main goals is to prom ote cultural aw areness in a di verse and changing neighborhood from their understanding. The teens expressed having fun w hile learning new skills and some are considering a career in the arts. Hispanic Youths Sue Greyhound A group o f Hispanic youths have filed a $330,000 law suit against G reyhound Bus Lines claim ing ra cial harassm ent by a driver last year. The law suit claim s that 12 mem bers o f Latinos Unidos Siempre were harassed Aug. 9, 2001, and eventu ally were kicked off a bus near the Dalles while returning to Salem from a leadership conference in Idaho. Carl Crow ell, the group’s law yer, said the law suit was filed last w eek in M arion C ounty C ircuit C ourt due to legal issues surrounding the anni versary o f the incident, but settle ment talks with Greyhound have been under way for some time. G reyhound previously refunded the $840 cost of the group’s bus tickets, but the organization’s m em bers claim they were told dam ages w ould cover em otional distress, a n x ie ty , p h y s ic a l a n d v e rb a l assault. Tango Dance-a-thon to Benefit Argentine Charities Eager to give back to the country that gave them the power and elegance 1 of Argentine tango, the Portland tango community will hold a dance-a-thon, silent auction and performance by Ar gentine tanguera Florencia Taccetti from 7 p.m. until midnight on Sunday, Aug. 18, at the Viscount Ballroom, 722 E. Burnside St. All proceeds, including the admission fee, will go directly to benefit two relief organizations help ing people impoverished by the current economic crisis in Argentina. To sponsor a dancer, call Sharon Dzialo at 503-223-8901. For more info or to make a donation, contact Joan Ratley at 503-329-1316 or go online to www.embraclngargentlna.com. Smokie Norful Smokie Norful Worships with Melody It’s an old adage that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And the debut release from EMI Gospel’s Smokie Norful, “I Need You Now,” is proof positive. With a voice that both soothes and excites, and a songwriter’s pen that runs the gamut of much of modem popu lar music, Smokie Norful arrives alive and on fire. An incendiary live performer as well, Smokie has drawn great responses from both churched and unchurched audiences for mu sic he terms “urban/inspirational.” The album’s title song, “I Need You Now," is a gorgeous, jazz-tirtged ballad that means exactly what it says. “It’s All About You” displays Smokie’s comfort with a funky groove, and “Psalm 64” lets the Word, Smokie’s vocals and a grand piano deliver the message, while “Praise Him” is a rocking, hand-clapping traditional gospel arrangement that defies anyone to sit still. “Music is a pow er.. .it’s a force,” he says. “The Lord is the ultimate source of that power and He has no limitations or bound aries. If you tap into that source, people can’t help but take notice, whether they realize it or not. I try to write and perform songs that come out of my personal experiences, when I do that it seems to reach the heart o f people. Music is the calling card that opens the door,” he adds, “and then once you have people’s attention, you can impact them with what you have to say.” Ministry Fights Domestic Violence W hen You've Got Family Behind You, You're Never Alone! Russian Oregon Social Services, a program of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, recently received two grants from the Oregon Depart ment o f Justice totaling $69,816 to provide domestic violence services to the Russian- speaking community in Multnomah, Clackamas and W ashington Counties. The funding will also expand services to serve residents of Marion County. In 1998, ROSS began providing domestic violence services to the estimated 100,000 Russian-speaking refugees and immigrants re siding in the Portland metro area. The goals of domestic violence services are to increase awareness and understanding of domestic vio lence in the Russian-speaking community and provide direct services to victims of domestic violence. These services include advocacy and support, long-term case management and crisis intervention services, domestic violence sup port groups, mental health counseling and a mentorship program. There are many barriers in addressing do mestic violence services in the Russian-speak ing community, including cultural and reli gious beliefs. ROSS recognizes these percep tions and understands how to address thest|. sensitive issues in culturally appropriate ways. While there is not a way to make batterers stop abuse, there is a way to help victims become . survivors. It comes down to two things: educa- ; tion and support. As a result of the educational outreach ROSS provides, there is evidence of a growing acceptance of domestic violence ser vices in the Russian-speaking community. Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon is a state- ’ • wide association of 17 Christian denomina tions including Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox bodies working together to im prove the lives of Oregonians through theo logical education and dialogue, public policy advocacy and community ministry programs. Highland Plans Scholarship Banquet That's why so many single people, In your hometown and all over the country, rely on . American Family Insurance for their Insurance protection. American Family Insurance is committed to providing insurance coverage at a competitive price for millions of people, just like you. And, we're dedicated to handling your claims with Impeccable speed and care. Call an American Family Insurance agent today or visit us at www.amfam com Everyone is invited to attend the 16,h Annual Sam Johnson Scholarship Banquet on Satur day, Sept. 14, from 2 - 5 p.m. at the Embassy Suites, 4500 N.E. Airport Way. The youth and partners of Highland Haven will present six local college bound high school graduates with scholarships totaling more than $2,000 at the event. Proceeds from ticket sales help fund next year’s scholarships. Kevin Fuller of “The Oregonian” and the Bridge Builders Male Rights of Passage orga nization will be the keynote speaker at the banquet. Youths from the Highland United Church of Christ Mime Team and Step Team will present (S> b i t a dramatic poem commemorating the anniver sary of the 9/11 tragedy, dedicated to youth who lost parents in the World Trade Centers. The Sam Johnson Scholarship Fund was established in m em ory o f the R everend Samuel Johnson and W ilm ar Elliot. They . devoted many years o f selfless service help ing disadvantaged young people look fo r ward to a better future. Tickets are on sale for this upcoming schol- • arship banquet. The cost is $20 for ages 21 and under, $30 for adults. Reserved tables for 8 may be purchased for $280. Donations are gladly accepted if you cannot attend. For more information, call the Highland United Church of Christ at 503-287-9567. u a r p Raymond F. Hays Raymond F. Hays died recently. Funeral arrangments were under the directionof the Killingworth Little Chapel of the Chimes. He was bom on July 7,1923 in Gillispie, 111.and All >bur Protection Under One P ool O 2002 American Family Mutual Insurance Company and its Subsidiaries. Madison, Wl 53783-001 www.amfcm.com was married to Carmen Clairmont. He lived in Portland for 33 years, working for the Navy and later as a dental hygienist. Survivors include his wife; daughter, Dorothy M. Stephens; and three grandchildren. I 4
