Committed to Cultural Diversity
www.portlandobserver.com
IUNE 2. 2004
Votes are In
M etro
Trace o f gospel propels
American Idol winner
See story, page B4
Íí?l ^ o rtla n h (©bserver
SECTION
C
o m m u n ity
n I e 11 cl it r
Arts Scholarship Etended
The African American Visual
Arts Scholarship at Portland
S tate U niversity application
deadline has been extended to
July 31. The com mittee is seek­
ing young A frican-A m erican
artists and offering to pay $3,000
per year. For information, call
503-725-3397o r503-725-5560.
Going Green
Our Garden, Inc. is holding its S*
annual Our Garden Kids Party and
Plant Sale from noon to4 p.m. Sun­
day, Juneôat King Plaza,3939N.E.
Martin Luther King Blvd.
Plan On It
A Juneteenth Planning Com m it­
tee will meet Friday, June 4 at
6:30 p. at the Philadelphia M is­
sionary Baptist Church, 236 N.E.
Mason. For more information,
call 503-282-2216.
Ya Gotta Regatta
You gotta go to the 10* annual
Columbia Slough Regatta small
crafts show and paddling event
from9a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July
26at the lowerColumbia Slough.
Better Homes
A Fix-It Fair is a free neighbor­
hood resource for building a bet­
ter home and growing a greener
garden from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, June 5 at Helensview
High School, 8678 N. E. Sumner.
Birth Ready
W hether you need childbirth
preparation classes, or ju st a re­
fresher, Providence Health Sys­
tems has a workshop for you.
Prepare for pain, take a weekend
seminar or prepare big sisters
and brothers-to - b e throughout
th e su m m e r by v is itin g
www.providence.org/classes or
call 503-574-6595.
A Walk with Cancer
Creating comfort in knowledge for women of color
by J aymef . R. C un
T he P ortland O bserver
The worst time to learn o f the shortage o f
culturally-specific information about breast
cancer is the day you’re diagnosed.
One longtime northeast Portland resi­
dent is becoming a fi Immaker so other women
w on’t have to experience her isolation.
N orm a Roland knew she w as at high
risk for cancer. H er father and several
brothers suffered from lung can cer and
being African Am erican put her in a higher
risk group.
Roland was conscientious about her diet
and punctual with mammograms. Yet in Sep­
tember of 2002, she was diagnosed with
breast cancer— the most com mon type of
cancer among African Americans.
“I didn’t go into it with the frame o f mind
that I’m going to die. I made up my mind that
positive thinking will help the body heal,”
Roland said.
Her survivor’s attitude pulled Roland
through a yearof chemotherapy and a double
mastectomy.
W hat she w asn' t prepared for was feeling
out of touch with the literature and videos
designed to comfort and educate her.
“I looked at the material that was written
and there really w asn’t anything available
for women of color. There weren' t any women
that looked like me and that I could relate to
based on race.”
R oland found o th e r w om en in her
oncologist’s waiting room echoing this same
sentiment.
Canine 101
The Oregon Humane Society ex­
plains problem pooches at Ca­
nine 101 classes on Saturdays,
June 5 and 19 at 11 a.m. A $10
donation is suggested. For more
information, call 503-285-7722or
visit w w w.oregonhum ane.org.
Women Speak
Women have a voice at Women
in N AACP, a new w om en’s
group, m eeting from 10:30 a.m.
to 1 p.m. the first Saturday o f
each month at the American Red
C ro ss B u ild in g , 3131 N.
V ancouver. For questions, call
503-249-6263.
photo by
M ark W ashington AT he P ortland O bserver
Norma Roland has embarked on making a video documantary to teach other
minority women about breast cancer in a style inclusive to them.
“A lot o f women I ran into said this is fine
if you’re w hite’ but women o f color look at
things differently. Cancer is cancer and it has
no color but women o f color have different
issues and dialogue that they d o n ’t feel
should be open to others.”
Roland, who is a retired TriM et custom er
service supervisor, immersed herself in medi­
cal studies. She interviewed doctors and
patients, read medical journals and spent
long hours at the library to become an expert
in her disease.
“I can 't save the world but there needs to
be something out there for women o f color
so if they’re diagnosed with cancer at least
there can be a videotape that they can relate
to,” said Roland.
A spokesw om an with the A m erican
C ancer Society said the agency is taking
steps to reach people o f color, beginning
Celebration grows with voter drive
An annual celebration representing
freedom for African Americans has a
strong political feel this year.
The 9* annual Juneteenth celebration
is moving to the Jefferson High School
campus this year, to accommodate the
5,000 expected participants from Friday,
June 18 through Sunday, June 20.
All performers, visitors and vendors
are encouraged to register to vote. A
“Rock the Vote” team will be prepared
with forms and a camera to get as many as
possible included in the politi­
cal process.
“This is an election year so
it's certainly an opportunity to
empower youth and give them
the opportunity to be respon­
sib le v o te rs,” said W oody
Broadnax o f House o f Exodus
Juneteenth Celebration North­
west.
The Juneteenth committee
has also partnered with the lo-
Rose Smith
cal chapterof Big Brothers and
Sisters, to bring exposure to
Amachi, a program that pairs
adult mentors with children of
incarcerated parents for fun and
meaningful relationships.
Rose Smith, a Project Hope
social worker with Big Broth­
ers Big Sisters, said volunteers
in the program often introduce
kids to restaurants, movies and
sporting events.
Health campaign says
use your feet
Interest In Adoption?
A Healing Song
Sankofaa Health Institute offers a
free diabetes support group from
6 to 7:30 p.m. every third Thurs­
day at Alberta Simmons Plaza,
6707 N.E. MLK Blvd. For mote
informât] on, call 503-285-2484.
NAACP Meetings
i
“They have these dates to help these
children have fun,” Smith said
Juneteenth has a full schedule o f three
days o f fun, including a Basketball Ex­
travaganza tournam ent on Friday, June
18; a Fun Center with artisans, food and
games; a Juneteenth history lesson; a
Freedom Trail Parade; and an Old School
R&B concert on Saturday, June 19.
The Juneteenth com mittee is still seek­
ing vendors and volunteers. For more
information, call 503-282-2216.
Ten Toe Express Now Boarding
A free information meeting for
prospective adoptive parents is
held the third W ednesday o f ]
every month from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
at Belmont Public Library, 1038
S.E. 39* Ave. Form ore informa­
tion, call 503-226-4870 or visit
www.openadopt.com.
The Portland Branch o f the
NAACP holds two monthly ex­
ecutive com mittee meetings, on
the second T hursday o f the
month and the Thursday before
the fourth Saturday o f the month.
General membership meetings
are held on the fourth Saturday
o f each month. For more infor­
mation, call 503-284-7722.
with a prostate can cer cam paign geared
tow ard A frican-A m erican men.
A newsletter called Neighborhood Health
Matters is distributed quarterly to 350 orga­
nizations throughout the community, in­
clu d in g ch u rch es, sch o o ls, and retail
stores. A local Cancer Society staff member
who sits on the African American Health
Coalition’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Ad­
visory Panel is currently working com m u­
nity leaders and volunteers involved in the
American Cancer Society’s Body & Soul
program, which encourages church mem­
bers to eat more fruits and vegetables to
reduce their risk o f cancer and other dis­
eases.
W ith her can cer in rem ission, Roland
has begun a new jo u rn ey . She team ed up
with a professional film m aker and is learn­
ing the industry ropes w hile creating a
d o cu m en tary to teach o th er m inority
w om en about breast cancer in a style
inclusive to them.
The docum entary sits half-finished while
Roland researches grants and other funding
possibilities. She is planning to distribute
the video to doctors’ offices throughout the
nation, beginning with Portland.
“It’s still a work in progress, but I know
it’s G od’s will and the project will get done,”
Roland said.
The film depicts her “walk with cancer,”
showing Roland before and after surgery,
discussing types o f cancer and talking about
prevention and the importance of nutrition
and exercise.
tK &
uneteenth
U a arty o Jans
Juggling Meds
An Aging Forum at the Provi­
dence Center, 4805 N.E. Glisan,
helps older adult learn how to
manage multiple medications at
6:30p.m. W ednesday, June 16in
the social room. To register, call
503-574-6595.
B
Walkers traveled round trip from the North Prescott Street Max Station on Interstate Avenue to discover this little known
scenic river walk on Swan Island.
Area residents and workers are being en­
couraged to use their feet to travel.
With the opening o f the Max Yellow Line on
Interstate Avenue, the city is distributing a free
walking kit that includes a digital pedometer to
count steps, a walking map, guided walking
schedule and a coupon book for local busi­
nesses with more than $100 in savings.
K aiser Permanente and the African Ameri­
can Health Coalition are among the partners in
the cam paign to get a health message across to
a target audience — the 12,000 households that
live closest to the new mass transit service.
“This is an exciting opportunity to use fed­
eral funds to promote walking to North Portland
residents first as transportation choice and
second as a way to stay healthy,” said Com m is­
sioner Jim Francesconi w hooversees the city’s
transportation bureau.
R ecent m edical new s reports indicate in­
activity and poor nutrition are taking their
toll on A m erican 's health and life ex p ect­
ancy. C urrent C enter for D isease control
g uidelines allow for the accum ulation of
m oderate intensity physical activity o ver the
course o f the day. M ultiple, shorter w alks
also have com parable im provem ent in card io ­
respiratory fitness and health.
For a free Ten Toe W alking Kit or more
inform ation call 503-865-TO ES or e-mail
tentoe@ pdxtrans.org.