July 16. 2003
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Page A 3
A Lesson in Diversity
Young woman
was both student
and teacher at
West Linn
■v Ro.\ W eber
T he P ortland O bserver
Her tall, slender frame was any
thing but foreboding. Her large
brown soft eyes and big friendly
smile told me Brittinie Harper was a
young woman with a mission. She
was not a typical 18 year old.
While spending her senior year
at West Linn High School, Harper
was both student and teacher. Her
mission was to teach a group o f
students and staff what it was to be
African American.
One o f only five black students
in her class, she was alarmed at the
lack o f knowledge on the part o f
both her classmates and teachers
regarding black history in America.
After asking several students and
staff members what the NAACP
(National Association for the Ad
vancem ent o f C olored People)
meant, she was surprised that only
one person, a teacher, knew what
the initials meant and what the
group stood for.
Armed with this. Harper wrote a
proposal to help staff and students
learn more about African-Ameri
can people and their history. Al
though the school president backed
the proposal and the principal ini
tially called for a group discussion
on the idea, the meeting was never
held.
That did not stop this six-foot
one-inch lover o f the arts, music
and journalism. Harper pressed on,
insisting that the school do more
than a light brush-over on slavery
during February’s Black History
Month celebration.
Harper said after she and her
classm ates w ere briefly taught
about “slavery, Zimbabwe, zebras,
and the hot African sun,” she chal
lenged the school to go deeper into
the “American” African people and
“not, to concentrate so much on
slavery,” stating that her people
were much more than former slaves.
Any history book will prove this
true. African Americans helped
build this country to become what
it is today. Students need to be
given the opportunity to read about
it. Their exposure to the scores o f
black heroes in Europe, Africa, and
the Americas would help students
not only understand the important
role o f African Americans, but also
to focus on the need for diversity
and equality throughout the world.
As part o f her conquest. Harper
spent two days at Jefferson High
School, four days at Parkrose
High and som e tim e in New York
City. She w as also given a “ M ak
ing a D ifference” project and
chose reverse-racism , looking at
prejudices black A m ericans have
towards the w hite population. She
pointed out that much o f the prob
lem com es from jealo u sy and the
difference in educational oppor
tunities.
Harper also wrote a play titled
“Tomorrow,” for which won first
Kendra James Forum Airs
Portland C able A ccess is air-
t ing the entirety o f the K endra
Jam es C o m m u n ity F orum on
CityN et30.
The July 1 m eeting, nearly five
hours long, w ill air at 1:30 p.m.
W ednesday, July 16; 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 20; 6 p.m. M onday,
July 21; 11:30a.m .T uesday, July
22; and 5 p.m . W ednesday, July
23.
The forum addressed the po
lice shooting o f K endra Jam es on
M ay 5 during a traffic stop on
North Skidm ore Street.
R epresentatives from the po
lice d e p a rtm e n t an d d is tric t
atto rn ey ’s office presented in
form ation and answ ered q u es
tions during the public event at
M ount O livet B aptist C hurch in
North Portland.
Walk for Justice Saturday
On Saturday, July 19, St. Andrew Legal Clinic will hold its 4lh
annual Walk for Justice.
The five-mile trek will begin at 10 a.m. starting at the Alberta
Street Public House, 1036 N.E. Alberta St. There will be a
celebration there following the walk with awards, prizes andjive
music.
.
•
'
All proceeds from the event go directly towards helping low-
income families, with family law needs, coming to St. Andrew
Legal Clinic for legal assistance.
To participate in the Walk for Justice, there is a $25
registration fee, but the fee is waived for those who raise $75
or more in pledges. For more information, call 503-281-1500
extension 24.
Brittinie Harper was alarmed at the lack o f African American history at her mostly white school.
place in the Oregon Thespian Con each o f the kids grow up, they are
ference competition.
taking turns helping out at their
Harper comes from a large and father’s southwest Portland insur
close-knit family, headed by her ance company.
mom who is her best friend and her
Heading o ff this fall to the Uni
dad, Michael Harper, a former Port versity ofOregon, Brittinie plans to
land Trail Blazer and NBA star. As work towards a degree in journal
ism, focusing on media electronics.
Her dream job would be working for
MTV. Based on her drive, talent,
and deep commitment to her causes,
there is a good chance Brittinie
Harper will go exactly where she
wants to.
Ross Leads Affirmative Action Post
Peggy Ross
G o v e rn o r K u lo n g o sk i has
named Peggy C. Ross to the post o f
Directorof the Officeof Affirmative
Action.
“ Peggy brings extensive experi
ence in working with both public
and private-sector organizations to
promote diversity and inclusive
ness in the workplace,” Kulongoski
said. “She will help build com mu
nity partnerships to further the im
portant work o f this department.”
The A frican American Chamber
ofCom m erce extended a congratu
lations to Ross and Kulongoski for
the appointment.
Ross is the principal o f P.C.
Ross Group, a firm specializing in
business developm ent, diversity
training, and outreach services,
which she founded in 1994. She is
also a consultant to the O ffice o f
M inority, W om en & E m erging
Small Businesses and a co n tin u
ing education instructor at P o rt
land Com m unity C ollege. She
worked previously w ith the O r
egon A ssociation o f M inority
Entrepreneurs.
Ross studied business adm inis
tration and psychology at Nebraska
Wesleyan University and Portland
State University.
Healthy Choices Give Your Day a Boost
by O livia
R amos
W hat’s your excuse for skip
ping breakfast? “I don’t have
time,” “ I’m fine with coffee,” or
“I ’m not,hungty when I get qp”
are all excuses licensed dietitian
Valerie Edwards hears often.
“It’s hard when you don’t usu
ally eat a morning meal to make it
part o f your daily routine,” says
Edwards, a dietitian with Provi
dence Portland Medical Center.
“But if you keep experimenting
and find out what works best, you’ll
enjoy the many benefits from eat
ing a healthy breakfast.”
According to the American Di
etetic Association, eating break
fast can help you control weight,
think clearer and helplowercholes-
terol, which reduces the risk ofheart
disease.
Think y o u ’re cu ttin g calo ries
by
s k ip p i n g
b re a k fa s t?
C h an ces a te y o u ’ll be sta rv e d
by lunch, w h ich m ay lead you
to o v ere at la te r in the day.
“ B rea k fast h elp s ju m p s ta rt
y o u r m e tab o lism in th e m o rn
in g ,” say s E dw ards. “N o rm ally ,
y pft’re m o re ac tiv e d u rin g the
d ay , an d th e c a lo rie s y o u c o n
sum e in the m o rn in g w ill burn
o f f m ore q u ic k ly than th o se you
eat la ter w hen y o u r body ten d s
to be re s tin g .”
If you’re taste buds don’t crave
traditional breakfast foods, try
something different. Vegetables,
salsa and low-fat shredded cheese
wrapped in a tortilla or even left
over veggie pizza can give you the
right combination o f nutrients to
start your day.
Edwards suggests if your ex
cuse for skipping breakfast is lack
o f time, try some simple grab and go
breakfast items like a handful o f
nuts, a fruit cup, a small carton o f
skim milk, whole-grain cereals, hard-
boiled eggs or peanut butter on
wheat toast.
W ELLS
FARGO
The N ext Stage*
Meiping sehodta pet to the¡< next stage,.
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