Committed to Cultural Diversity
M etro
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September 8. 2004
Literature from the North
Blacks from Canada share fiction,
poetry, plays and songs
See Focus, page B3
SECTION
C o a ni l e ni n u d n it a y r
AAH C Takes
On Mental
Orchid Show
See hundreds of beautiful and
unusual orchids at the Fall 2(X)4
Orchid Show and Sale from on
Oct. 16 and 17 at the W ashing­
ton County Fair at the Main Ex­
hibit Hall at 873 N.E. 34 Ave.
Admission is $3 for more infor­
mation, call 503-649-4118.
Health Care
Bento for REACH
Enjoy a Bento meal and support
REACH, an affordable housing
program, for $5 at New Seasons
Market Concordia location at
5320 N.E. 33 Ave, on Saturday,
Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12,
from 11 a.m .to5p.m .
Paddle the Willamette
C e le b ra te w ith W illam ette
Ri verkeepers during the Portland
Paddle canoe and kayak event
from Willamette Park to the Ross
Island to the East Bank Esplanade
to the Portland Boathouse on Oct.
2 at 8:30 a.m. For more informa­
tion, call 503-223-6418.
Benefit Show
D avid’s Harp is a program offer­
ing opportunities for indepen­
dence and an improved quality
of life for adults with mental ill­
ness with a benefit concert at 7
p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23 at Parkrose
United Methodist Church, 11111
N.E. Knott. Tickets are $20 to the
12lh Avenue Hot Club quintet
that plays blends o f ‘30s and
'40s jazz. For more information,
call 503-25 M 975.
Rummage Sale and BBQ
W alker Temple will host a rum­
mage sale and barbeque lun­
cheon on Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. at 5023 N. Michigan Ave.
The community is encouraged
to attend. For more information,
call 503-287-7232.
AIDS Walk 2004
Help save lives by participating in
AIDSWalkO4 on Sunday, Sept.
26, presented by Nike. This 5k
event starts at 8:30a.m. at Pioneer
Courthouse Square and ends at
the same location. Activities run
through noon. For more informa­
tion, call 503-223-9255.
Gallery of Visual Arts
View art from talented local art­
ists o f all ages throughout the
month o f September at the I nter-
state Firehouse Cultural Center,
5340 N. Interstate Ave., from 9
a.m .-6 p.m., free.
Alberta Farm Market
Marketing healthy, affordable,
high quality food, the Alberta
Cooperati ve Grocery offers sea­
sonal produce from local grow­
ers, ready-to-eat food and weekly
entertainment. Open from 10a.m.
to 2 p.m. daily, located on 1500
N.E. Alberta St. For more infor­
mation,call 503-287-4333.
Experience Cultural on
Alberta
Come to Alberta Street and dis­
cover a thriving urban com mu­
nity at the annual community
faironSept. 18 foranoutpouring
of street spirit, with a parade,
music, food and a dazzling dis­
play of arts and crafts. Learn
more at www.artonalberta.org.
Get Fit, Stay Healthy!
Sankofaa Health Institute offers
a free diabetes support group
from 6 to 7:30 p.m. every third
Thursday at Alberta Simmons
Plaza, 6707 N.E. Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd. For more informa­
tion, call 503-285-2484.
Home Improvement
The largest show if its kind on
the W est Coast featuring the
latest trends, the newest prod­
ucts and expert advice for re­
modeling, new construction and
home improvement is coming to
theCity of Roses Sept. 2 3 - 2 6 at
the Oregon Convention Center.
Visit www.remixlelshow.com for
ticket information.
B
Portland Wellness Walk Grows
Keith Dempsey (from left), Rose Pickett, Ayanna Stoudamire, Anita Noble, Dora Asana and Lou Radja are workers, volunteers
and participants in the second annual African American Health Coalition Wellness Within REACH Walk, held Saturday at
Dawson Park. The 4-mile walk drew more than 700 participants, according to early estimates, compared to 512 participants
last year. Dignitaries including Portland mayoral and commissioner candidates Tom Potter and Nick Fish were in attendance
and Charles Jordan was the grant marshal.
M M M N M M M M I
It’s now on Interstate but it’s still
A insworth D rug
by L ee P erlman
T he P ortland O bserver
The store with the familiar name is now located at 4027
N. Interstate Ave., but it's still Ainsworth Drug.
Owner Ron Hatch kept the name when he moved his
"institution" to the refurbished brick-front storefront in the
Overlook neighborhood. Left behind was the com er at 3002
N.E. Ainsworth St., where the business had served nearby
residents for more than 50 years.
Hatch has kept the old name despite being pushed into
a new location because o f rent increases. For one thing, he
was thus able to avoid having to get a new phone number.
Also, he points out, “Mr. Ainsworth was one of this city’s
founders. This is not so much a street name as a city name."
A Ithough the new spot is a few mi les from the old comer.
Hatch says most o f his old customers have made the
transition. Unlike the original location, the new spot has its
own parking lot at North Mason Street. It also has easy
access from the new MAX yellow line, and Hatch says
some people do arrive that way.
As to the new space, he says, “Everyone’s been uni­
formly impressed."
He has picked up many new custom ers from the
surrounding neighborhood. U nlike the old storefront
on A insw orth, an isolated com m ercial building in a
residential area. Interstate A venue is a com m ercial strip
housing other businesses, including the landm ark Alibi
nightclub across the street.
“Yes, there are more businesses around us here, but a
half-block to the east and west there’s a residential neigh­
borhood," Hatch says. “The people here have never had
a drug store so close."
Kaiser medical facilities, a few blocks to the south,
doesn't add pharmacy business, because Kaiser has its
own pharmacies for Kaiser patients, but Hatch offers other
merchandise that can be expected to draw Kaiser people
past his doors.
Hatch also has a loyal African-American customer base
that he expects to grow in the new location.
The store's pay station allows customers to pay Pacific
Power. Portland General Electric, cell phone, satellite dish,
Comcast. Northwest Natural Gas, and current City of
Portland water bills.
He stocks mailing supplies - envelopes, tape, bubble
wrap, pens, notebooks. And there are gifts - ceramics,
personal hygene products, greeting cards, locally pro­
duced jellies and jam s, scented soaps, cracker jacks, choco­
lates realistic-looking cat dolls and (no lie) goat's milk.
photo by M ark W ashinoton TT hk P ortland O rsekykr
Ainsworth Drug is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday Ron Hatch, owner o f Ainsworth Drugs and Gifts, reopens his store at a
through Friday, 10 to 6 Saturdays.
new location on North Interstate Avenue.
The A frican A m erican H ealth C o a­
lition will soon assum e a new respon­
sibility.
Besides the variety of programs aimed
at gaining and maintaining the health of
people o f color, the agency will support
Project Network, a residential substance
abuse treatment center and licensed men­
tal health provider for African-American
women in northeast Portland.
Legacy H ealth System s is donating
Project N etw ork to L ifeW orks NW,
w hich is supported by the C oalition,
by Oct. 1.
"Project Network is a great example of
a successful medical care pilot project
that's blossomed into a comprehensive
social program that makes a difference in
the lives o f African-American families,"
said Cheryl Purvis, director o f Legacy
W om en's Services.
Legacy is donating the Project Net­
work building to the African American
Health Coalition (AAHC), and the pro­
gram and its other assets to LifeW orks
NW.
“W e’re all committed to the same
goal— helping these women and their
families break the cycle of abuse and get
a fresh start as a healthy, functional
fam ily,” says Corliss McKeever, presi­
dent of AAHC.
March
and Rally
Senseless
Violence Leads
To Silence
Saturday, Sept. 11,h is the 2nd annual
march and rally in honor of Asia Bell, and
in remembrance to Isaiah Strickland and
all others that have been killed or af­
fected by senseless violence. The march­
ers will assemble and leave from Irving
Park on Northeast 7th Avenue and Fre­
mont at 9:30 a.m. at 10 a.m. The march
route will then go west on Fremont to
Martin Luther King Boulevard, then
north to Killingsworth. The march will
continue east on Killingsworth to Alberta
Park.
The activ ities will begin at A lberta
Park from 11:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. The
day will feature speakers, m usic, mime,
dance and poetry. T here will be a
ch ild ren ’s play area with parental su­
pervision required.
A sia Bell Jam es was a 24-year-old
m other o f four, a com m unity college
graduate and a gainfully em ployed
contributing m em ber o f our co m m u ­
nity. On Nov. 29th, 2002, she was
se n se le ssly and ran d o m ly g u n n ed
dow n w hile sitting on the front porch
o f her hom e with her husband. Her
m urder has not only affected her fam ­
ily. it affected neighbors and friends
throughout Portland. The person who
took her life is still at large.
Her husband T yrone Jam es w as also
shot in the head and is now legally
blind.
Isaiah Joseph S trickland was 17
years old, living life as a norm al teen ­
ager. He was m urder on Nov. 2 ,2 0 0 3 ,
on 7lh and Frem ont with about 20 w it­
nesses present. He loved to hang out
with his friends, telling jokes and laugh­
ing. Isaiah w ould give his friends his
last dollar. O ne thing special about
Isaiah is that he w ould alw ays tell his
friends about Jesus.
As the violence continues to filter
throughout our com m unities we must
jo in together to talk about solutions.
For volunteer opportunities, dona­
tions and for more information, call o re-
mail Joe "Bean" Keller at 503-493-3533
ext. 24, PerliaBell2@ msn.com, 503-421 -
0078 or Areba Strick kind at 9 7 1 -235-6477
orvisitwww.blackonblackviolence.com.