M a r t in E i t h e r K in o J r .
2 0 0 3 s p e c ia l e d itio n .
January IS, 200?
Page B7
Success on the Boulevard
REAMS
Geneva’s Shear Perfection Barber-Beauty Salon Co-founder Paul Knauls said the decision to
rename Martin Luther Kingjr. Boulevard 12 years ago was the deal-making factor for the shop 's
location.
continued
from B5
the African-American Health Alliance, while
Knauls Jr. snips, colors and braids, he is also
asks about his clients’ diabetes or nutrition,
which he says would probably come up any
way.
According to recent studies, African-Ameri
cans are twice as likely to die from a stroke and
one-and-a-half times as likely todie from a heart
attack as Caucasians.
Collaine Faddis, program manager for Racial
and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health
(REACH), said, “It’s a prime place where the
client would already be listening. There’s a
rapport of trust between the client and the
barber, often more so than with a doctor.”
While the salon’s location has been very good
to the Knauls, Paul Sr. identifies gentrification
as a mixed bag.
“This would be good if it was 25 years ago
and it was ours,” he said, counting less than 15
African-American business owners who also
own their store property.
Knauls says ironically that while gentrification
has been good for business, the money doesn’t
stay in the community and the trend for young,
white people to move into north and northeast
Portland is driving black families to the outskirts
of the city.
Mayor Vera Katz— who was sharply criti
cized for supporting an allegedly over-zealous
and racially profiling police force— became
what some see as an unlikely champion for
blossoming Northeast Portland.
We Celebrate the B irthday
of a Great American Hero
“At one point, she talked so much about north
and northeast Portland, I got concerned about
her re-election,” Knauls said.
Yet the city’s investment in northeast has
proven to be a sound one, particularly Alberta
Street’s $3 million facelift that brought trees, on
street parking and street lamps, as well as art
galleries, cafes and hoards of patrons.
f ind out how you can l>e a hero in your community...
When the Portland Development Commis
sion developed a Martin Luther King Advisory
Committee, local business owners and commu
nity members, including Knauls, joined with the
visit blazers.com for more information
intention of changing the reputation of the area.
The first project was to “shed light” on the
com er of Northeast Killingsworth Street and
MLK Boulevard. Today, where vacant build
ings yielded no foot traffic, street lamps now
If you think this is all we need to build the future.
illuminate a heavily patronized retail zone late
into the night.
“If s just sparked joy and pride in the commu
nity," said a delighted Knauls. “We were able to
put a couple new churches on the boulevard and
even KM) assisted living units down there— right
in our neighborhood.”
periences For A
Jjfetime
then we’d like
to hammer
home a point.
R emembering
The role of today’s construction
a»-'
Martin Luther
King, Jr.
V
industry is changing. We go far
J t
beyond simply building highways and
high-rises. We re committed to building
a future for our region that includes quality
education, efficient transportation, good
career opportunities and a livable environment
the basics for a sound economy. These days,
our most important tool is the partnerships that help
build strong economies.
AGC
Associated General Contractors
Oregon-Columbia Chapter
www.agc-oregon.org
B rooks S taffing
A Division of S. Brooks & Associates, Inc.
1130 NE Alberta St. • Portland, OR 97211 • (503) 284-7930
email: sbrooks@sbrooks.com • web: www.sbrooks.com
E2EE
Oregon’s construction industry. We build communities.