August 21, 2002
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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