O ctober 15. 2003
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Page A5
Midwives Share Experiences Supporting Women
Healers to
Connect at PSU
bv
J a v m e e R . C irr i
T he P ortl and O bserver
From hair care to healthcare,
alternative m edicine and natural
cures have becom e very trendy.
Some say household rem edies are
more affordable. O thers like the
com m on-sense holistic approach
to good health. M any are casting
a line to their ancient ancestors
and adopting cures once trusted
by healers.
O ne Portland-based organiza
tion is making history by bring
ing African-American healers and
m idw ives together to share tech
niques, philosophy and provide
support for an underrepresented,
yet age-old profession.
P ortland S tate U n iv ersity ’s
W om en's S tudies D epartm ent
h asjo in ed with the International
Center for Traditional C hildbear
ing for the second annual Black
M idw ives and H ealers C onfer
ence from T hursday, O ct. 17
through Sunday, Oct. 1 9 atP S U ’s
campus.
“ I’ve attended many confer
ences for midwifes, but none have
really addressed issues that black
midwives face,” said Shafia Mon
roe, board president and confer
ence organizer. “With an increase
ofblack healthcare providers in the
profession, no one is addressing
what we can do to help decrease
disparities for women o f color who
have the highest infant mortality
and premature birth rates.”
The conference, the only o f its
kind, is draw ing about 200 people
from Oregon, California, Nevada,
Idaho, Alabama, Georgia, Canada,
G hana and Berm uda.
Participants are reconnecting
with ancient traditions through
w orkshops such as "W hat is the
B lack D iet,” "M o th erin g the
M o th e r an d th e T ra d itio n a l
Doula,” and “ Health, Healing and
W h o le n e ss fo r th e A fric an -
Am erican W om an” and activities
such as W est A frican dancing
and creating a com m unal alter.
R eturning to ones roots is in
tegral to the work o f the m odem
m idw ife, according to M onroe, a
m idw ife for 23 years and m other
o f seven. She taught practical les
s o n s in n u tr itio n , m a ssa g e
therapy and proper posture from
an A frican perspective during a
recent session w ith a client.
Robyn H arris, w ho is seven
m o n th s p r e g n a n t, sa id she
sought out a m idw ife for the em o
tional support she would provide.
“ I w ant the cultural reference
o f having a m idw ife,” she said. “ It
ties the cultural aspect o f a vil
lage raising a child and makes the
birth m ore special if the baby is
delivered by som eone w h o 's ap
proachable.”
M onroe says she agrees that
m idw ifery incorporates a "v il
lage” approach to childbirth.
N u rs e M id w ife B a rb a ra
D ouglass, a keynote speaker at
the conference, will speak on
“ U nity is O urs.”
“ P rofessionals d o n ’t always
work collaboratively,” said M on
roe. “ If professionals are collec
tively unified in the health out
com es o f a client, a reference sys
tem could include a chiropractor,
m assage therapist, nutritionist,
breastfeeding advocate and m en
tal health councilor that all have
the sam e philosophy.”
The documentary "B ringin’ In
Da Spirit,” which heralds the ac
complishments o f African-Ameri
can midwives in the Unites States,
wi 11 debut at the conference. Rhonda
L. Haynes, the film ’s director, pro-
PHOTO bv J avmee R. Cirri/T he P ortland O bserver
M idwife Sh a fia M onroe (left), fo u n d er o f th e International C enter for Traditional Childbearing, h elp s
Robyn Harris learn s a fe p o sitio n s for sta n d in g a n d b ending during pregnancy.
ducer and cinematographer, will
take questions during a discussion
after the viewing.
For more information about the
conference or the various pro-
gram s that International C enter
IL
Hispanics in
Military’s
Lowest Ranks
(A P ) — T he P entagon needs
to review the p ro m o tio n p ro
ce ss that has left m ost H isp a n
ics serving in the m ilita ry ’s low
est ranks, H ispanic lead ers say.
“ W e have no fo u r-sta r g e n
eral or adm iral th a t’s H ispanic,”
said A lb ert C. Z ap a n ta, c h a ir
m an o f the D efense D epartm ent
re se rv e fo rc e s p o lic y b oard.
“O ut o f all the eth n ic g roups ...
we
are
th e
o n ly
ones
u n d e rre p re s e n te d ,
u n d e rp ro m o te d , u n d e r-e v e ry -
th in g .”
Z apanta spoke to H ispanic
journalists, businessm en and aca
dem ics as they assem bled for a
speech by D efense S ecretary
D onald H. Rum sfeld, as part o f
H ispanic H eritage m onth, that
honored H ispanic contributions
to the m ilitary.
The group w ants the depart
ment to set up a group that w ould
begin to look into the prom otions
and find away to lift more Hispan
ics am ong the ranks.
A fter his sp eech, R um sfeld
ac k n o w led g ed th e plea for a
review o f the p roblem . He said
“ the fu n ctio n in g o f th is force
d ep en d s on our b ein g able to
reach out to the en tire so c ie ty ”
and for peo p le to know there
w ill be good o p p o rtu n itie s for
them if they jo in the arm ed
fo rces.
Black Caucus Praises Hispanic Leadership
Calls for the
celebration of
different cultures
This is a historic time in
America, where the voice and
collective power o f African
Americans and Hispanics
have never been stronger.
The Congressional Black Cau
cus is praising the work o f His
panic leaders past and present as
part o f Hispanic Heritage Month.
“The progress our great n a
tion has m ade is a testam ent to
all that can be achieved when
people o f all races, religions,
and ethnicities put aside their
differences and com e together
to work for a stronger more in
clusive nation, said U.S. Rep.
Elijah E. C um m ings, D-M d.,
chairm an o f the caucus.
Cummings called foran America
where different cultures are cel
ebrated, "an America where an in
- U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, chairman of the
Black Congressional Congress
dividual isjudged on his or her merits sacrifices delivered rights to thou
rather than their skin color or coun sands o f workers.
try of origin, and a nation where
Healso saluted Celia Cruz whose
every single child is able to realize hypnotic rhythms spread across
their full potential regardless oftheir borders and touched millions, and
economic background.”
Severe Ochoa whose scientific dis
He said all Americans should coveries won him the 1959 Nobel
rem em ber the trailblazers who Prize and helped save countless
helped our country move forward, numbers o f lives.
like Cesar Chavez whose selfless
"This isa historic time in America,
■MMMMMMMMMMNMHM
WHM
Estefan Receives Humanitarian Award
(AP) — Gloria Estefan, this year’s re
cipient o f The Buoniconti Fund Humani
tarian Award, autographed drums at a
fund-raiser to raise awareness o f spinal
cord injury.
Cal Ripken Jr., Oscar De La Hoy a, David
Robinson J im Brown, Dorothy Hamill and
Roger Penske were among those honored
at the “Great Sports Legends Dinner” in
New York.
Marc Buoniconti, son o f Hall o f Fame
linebackerNick Buoniconti, was paralyzed
in a college football game in 1985. The
dinner, now in its 18th year, brings to
gether business, sports and entertain
ment leaders.
Hispanic Heritage
Celebration, Protest
S inger a n d
humanitarian
Gloria E stefa n
autographs drum s
b efo re a ttending
th e 1 8 th Annual
Great S p o rts
L eg en d s Dinner in
N ew York. (AP
photo)
where the voice and collective
power o f African Americans and
Hispanics have never been stron
ger," Cummings said. "In Congress,
I am proud o f my partnership and
friendship with Congressman C'ire
Rodriguez, Chair o f the Congres
sional Hispanic Caucus. He and I
believe that the liberties espoused
in the Constitution will not be real
ized unless we come together as
one nation, united for a prosperous
future.”
for T raditional C hildbearing of-
fers, cal 1503-460-9324 extension
3orvisitwww.blackm idwives.org.
Party S upports El
S alvador M ission
V olunteers w ith N orthw est
M edical Team s will host a ben
efit on Friday, O ct. 24 to raise
funds to cover expenses for an
upcom ing m ission to El Salva
dor. The event is from 5 to 8:30
p.m. at Urban W inew orks, 407
N.W. 16th Ave.
The evening will feature live
music by jazz artists, the City
Lights Project, plus a selection
o f fine wines and a collection o f
eclectic art by N orthw est art
ists.
Become a community
radio hero»
Donate some o f your
valuable time
The level o f
commitment is up
to you.
Volunteers are
needed to
answer phones
October 23—28
Get
involved...
Call 503-^92-7607
Do the
bright thing
Pacific Pow er w an ts to help you use elec tricity wisely. W hen your hom e is energy-efficient,
you can save m oney an d be m ore com fortable. G et started w ith these sim ple tips:
■ W h e n co o le r w e a th e r hits, se t y o u r th e r m o s ta t b e tw e e n 65° an d 68°F,
if your health perm its. Each degree you low er y o u r th erm o stat can save up
to 3 percent on y o u r bill.
S inger a nd songw riter Victor
M anuelle p erfo rm s in honor o f
H ispanic Heritage M onth in th e
E a st R oom o f th e W hite
H ouse. (AP photo)
■ D o n ’t block h ea tin g reg isters, b aseb o a rd s, ra d ia to rs o r cold air re tu rn s.
Air has to circulate for y o u r heating system to w o rk efficiently.
■ P u t c o m p a c t flu o re sc en t bulbs in light fix tu res that are heavily used.
These bulbs use o ne-quarter the energy an d last 10 tim es as long.
■ Install en erg y -efficien t sh o w erh ea d s an d fa u c e t a e ra to rs . They can save
on hot water, an d the new est m odels deliver excellent w ater pressure.
(AP)— Thelively beat and smooth
rhythm ofCaribbean music li lied the
White House on Thursday as Presi
dent Bush celebrated Hispanic Heri
tage month with several hundred
Hispanics - a voting bloc that’s cen
ter stage in the 2004 presidential race.
“Mi casa es su casa (My house
is your house)," Bush told the au
dience, a w ho’s who o f Hispanic
musicians, sports figures, govern
ment officials and celebrities.
TheCongressional HispanicCau-
cus called the more than hour-long
event a photo-op and declined to
attend.
I
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■ Look for th e E nergy S ta r ' label w hen buying new appliances. You'll save m oney
on energy costs and help protect the environm ent by using less energy.
The Energy Trust of O regon is offering FREE Energy Reviews for residential custom ers.
They might suggest program s - from low-cost d u ct sealing to efficient heat p u m p s - to help
you use less electricity an d save money. C ontact them at at 1-866-ENTRUST o r visit their
Web site at w w w .energytrust.org.
O ur Bright Ideas booklet is filled w ith m ore energy-w ise tips. For y o u r copy,
visit w w w .pacificpow er.net or call 1-888-221-7070.
# PACIFIC PO W ER
Making it happen.
k
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