M a r t in L u t h e r K in o .J r .
2 0 0 ,5 s p e c / a / e a H i o n .
lanuary 12. 2005
Page A7
Focus
Coach Carter is True Basketball Story
Film addresses
challenges for
student athletes
Inspired by a true story o f cour
age and conviction, “Coach Carter”
opens nationwide Friday, Jan. 14
from Paramount Pictures.
The film stars Hollywood heavy
weight Samuel L. Jackson and multi
platinum recording artist Ashanti,
as well as Robert R i’Chard, Debbie
Morgan, RobBrown, Rick Gonzalez,
A ntw on T a n n e r and N ana
Gbewonyo.
Ashanti holds her own among
the strong cast o f men, giving an
impressive perform ance in her first
feature film role. She plays Kyra,
girlfriend of Kenyon (Rob Brown),
who has a promising future in bas
ketball. He wants to play basket
ball, keep his grades up and move
on tocollege, however Kyra and he
have a real life situation to deal
with. They wrestle with her preg
nancy and how it will change their
future.
"CoachCarter” is an inspirational
account o f a controversial high
school basketball coach, Ken Carter,
played by Jackson, in Richmond,
C alif who received both high praise
and staunch criticism when he made
national news in 1999 for benching
his entire undefeated basketball
team for poor academic perfor
mance.
Parents as well as school offi
cials were outraged - basketball for
these kids appeared to be their only
hope of escape from the impover
ished Richmond streets to attain a
better life for themselves.
Carter who had him self attended
Richmond High, had been in those
b o y s’ shoes. He still held the
school’s records for scoring, as
sists and steals after 30 years. His
mission was to teach these young
men the meaning o f sportsmanship
while giving them a tangible vision
and opportunity to make choices in
their lives beyond basketball that
would prevent them from succumb
ing to drugs, gangs, poverty, prison
or even death.
He wanted them all to have the
option o f attending co l
lege, giving them the abil
ity to fulfill their dreams,
hopes and destiny. To do
this they w ere going to
need more than basketball
skills. They needed to learn
self-respect, discipline and
com mitm ent to make the
g rad es and C oach Ken
Carter was determ ined to
be the man to help make
that happen.
The true story will also
speak to Oregonians, who
may remember Ken Carter
as a co lleg e b ask etb all
player at G eorge Fox Uni
versity in Newberg.
Samuel L. Jackson
stars as Coach
Carter, an inspira
tional coach who
benched his entire
team for poor
academics.
‘Ghetto Passport’
Inside view of poverty, politics and healing
W ith a ll th e
up in B aton R ouge,
co n tro v e rsy su r
L ouisiana.
r o u n d in g
B ill
1
“ I w anted to be a
C o s b y ’s c o m -
‘
voice for not only
m ents about poor
those that broke the
m in o rity y o u th ,
c y c le
of
th e r e le a s e o f
d y sfu n c tio n a lism ,
M ic h a e l
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but too, for children
M cK enzie’s book
that are entrenched
“ G h e tto P a s s
in uninspiring envi
p o r t” is p e rfe c t
ro n m e n ts as w e
tim ing. W ith an
s p e a k ,”
s a id
overall them e that
M cKenzie. “I hope
p ro m o te s r e s i l
this book serves as
iency and p hilanthropy, “G hetto a means o f healing, hope, and un
P assport” is a can d id ly w ritten d erstanding. A lso, it seem s as
realistic book that explores and though the story o f poor m inority is
recants the in tricacies o f w el too often being told by those that
fare checks, gun fig h ts, drug ad are clueless as to w hat a day to day
diction, p olitical n aivety, Social life o f poverty is like.”
r e ta r d a tio n ,
and
low
G hetto Passport is available e v
so cioeconom ics w hile grow ing eryw here books are sold.
Stories from the Street Hip-Hop Star Raises Funds
Author finds
escape from
street, prison life
Shannon Holmes — Essence
best-selling authorof B-MoreCare-
ful and Bad Girlz, and one o f the
brightest stars in urban fiction —
returns with a dramatic must-read
novel inspired by his own life.
“Never Go Home A gain” is the
story of Corey Di xon, a young man
whose father tries as best he can to
steer him away from the lure o f the
streets. And yet, like so many oth
ers in C orey’s neighborhood, he
finds the temptations of the lucra
tive drug trade too great to resist.
While he makes fast money for a
while, it is inevitable that it is he
who has to pay, with his time and
maybe even his life: by the age o f 16
Corey is locked up.
Incarcerated in Riker’s Island and
then in prisons upstate, Corey lives
through experiences that threaten
to destroy his body, his mind, and
eventually his spirit. But in the midst
ofhis horrific imprisonment he dis
covers new strength to keep him
self together and survive. Corey
meets a few kind souls who mean
him well, including a teacher who
encourages him to get out o f prison
and make something o f himself. The
teacher also advises C orey to
“never go home again.”
Though the hom esick Corey
does not immediately understand,
he ultimately realizes the wisdom of
his m entor’s words.
Unflinching and riveting, this
story is the firsthand account o f the
b ru tal, u n fo rg iv in g in n e r-c ity
streets and prison life, as well as a
difficult lesson in accepting re
sponsibility and moving on.
“NeverGo Home Again” is avail
able through Atria Books for $24.
(A P) — The
U.N. World Food
Program released
anew music video
by W yclefJean to
help Haitians who
h av e su ffe re d
th ro u g h h e a v y
floods and rising
violence.
“G o n a iv e s ,”
the title o f the
video song with
Creole lyrics, is
named after the WyclefJean
H a itia n
c ity
stricken by the September Hoods.
“W hat we wanted to do was
c a p tu re th e raw e sse n c e of
Gonaives and what we saw dur
ing the floods,” Jean said in a
statement. “The song is not a
song o f sadness.”
The video shows the 32-year-
old hip-hop star, who launched a
humanitarian effort in N ovember
for his native land, distributing
relief food, giving people clean
water to drink and chatting with
Haitians.
The W orld Food Program is
now feeding more than 600,000
people, including
l(X),(XX) flood vic
tim s,in Haiti.
Long im pover
ished, Haitians also
have been reeling
from violence. At
least I (X) people, 19
o f them police of
ficers, have been
killed since Sep
tember, when sup
porters o f ousted
P re s id e n t Je a n -
Bertrand A ristide
ste p p ed up p ro
tests to dem and his return from
exile in South Africa.
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HAP aspires to realize 20 percent participation o f disadvantaged,
m inority-owned, women-owned, and emerging small businesses
(D/M/W/ESB) on HAP projects.
A Production of World Aits Foundation, Int.
7sAíe¿x> C o lu m b i A
( r i/t m
m
iu /ty
Jefferson High School
a new mixed-income development in the Portsmouth neighborhood
School o f Champions — School o f Pride
enhancing the lives of residents and neighbors and
The Robert G. Ford Memorial Theater
5210 N. Kerby, Portland, Oregon
creating opportunity for community businesses.
I iib u l e I o:
R e v. D r . M a r t in L u th e r K in g , J r.
Monday, Januaiy 17,
“ Keep \ li\e - N il l)RI \ \ l
2005
12:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
r— —
—
——
- ---------------------------- >
Live Broadcast/Sinuilcast
Jefferson High School
Television Dept./Television Services (PPSl. Channel 28
KBOO 90.7 FM
Donation: $3.00
or 3 cans of non-perishable food
Sponsored bv:
l’i H1! .mil I’ublii Si hinds • I’m 11,mil
\ ssiii i.iliim u l lumbers • k illin ^s u n illi
I l i t It ( Impel nt ( hi nits • S \| 111)
( oi ¡mi ,n mu • ( )i tin in I dm , ii ion
\ssoi i, ii,on • I’lo M iltiu e llt.illh System
• I’ i i i i I. iih I ( o i, iiiiiiin l\ ( olleee
•I nleipi ise Reni- \ i ,n • I’orll.ind
l.e iittil I lei Un. • klf(M) K.iilin • I'oitl.iud
1 o iiiiiiiin ily \le d i.i • \ fin ,m \m v i u ,m
LIMITED EXHIBIT SPACE
AVAILABLE FOR VENDORS
For More Information Please Call:
i li.im b ei nl ( iinnneii.e
For program information
Æ event schedule log onto:
www.worldartsfoundation.org
The New Columbia redevelopment provides unique opportunities for
D/M/W/ESB businesses, HAP resident-owned businesses, HAP residents
and others in the North Portland, Northeast Portland and greater
Portland metropolitan area.
Final New Columbia contracting opportunities:
Mixed Use Buildings............................... Bids due February 1, 2005
Park Structures................................................................ March 2005
Homeownership lot sales:
Soon HAP will reissue an offering for the last tw o blocks at New Colum
bia. D/M/W/ESB homebuilders are strongly encouraged to reply.
For more information call:
HAP (Elaine H o lt)......................................................... 503-802-8509
Walsh Construction (Carolyn W ilson)....................... 503-222-4375
Housing Development Center:
Contractor Support Program (Jonath C olon )............ 503-335-3668
Or v is it h ttp :/ / w w w .h a p d x .o rg /n e w c o lu m b ia