B lack H istory M
'< f cbruary 16, 2005
onth
.W
s p e c ia l
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PageAS
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Black History Month
Exhibit Celebrates Black History Month
Kenneth McFadden's “Just Hanging Out. ’ (2004)
Black photographers
interpret love
by K atherine
K ovacich
T he P ortland O bserver
n celebration of Black History
Month, Nordstrom has selected
a talented group of African-
American photographers to share
their ideas about love, captured on
film inanexhibitcalled "Love Now.”
The exhibit will be displayed in the
Lloyd C enter N ordstrom store
throughout the entire month of
February.
In its third year running, the ex­
hibit is a public tribute to the artistic-
expression of black photographers,
and will feature 23 photographers
from across the United States and
one from Switzerland.
“We are honored to celebrate
Black History Month with the ‘Love
N ow ’ exhibit,” said Delena Sun-
I
day, Nordstrom executive vice presi­
dent of human resources and diver­
sity affairs. “This unique exhibit is
a thought-provoking journey into
the way love inspires and illumi­
nates moments in life. We are fortu­
nate to share the work of these
renowned, up and coming artists
with our customers.”
Jorge V alis o f N ordstrom cor­
porate com m unications, said the
goal was for each photographer
to
sh o w case
th e ir
ow n
personal interpretation o f love in
o u r current tim es - for som e that
interpretation may have a con­
nection to civil rights, for others
it may mean fam ily, rom ance
or community.
“By allowing for a range of dif­
ferent interpretations, we are able
David Ogburn's “Bohari's Barbershop. ” (1970)
This unique exhibit is a
thought-provoking journey into the
way love inspires and illuminates
moments in life.
Nicole Mayhorn's “Love." (1995)
missioned portraits, which allows
her to form a connection with her
subjects and to have the ability to
bring out their true colors.
While David “Oggi” Ogburn
specializes in chronicling the hu­
—Delena Sunday, Nordstrom executive vice president
man side of music industry with a
subtle eye, his photo from 1970
to highlight not only the talent of emotional release that has allowed called “Bohari's Barbershop” takes
these photographers, but the di­ him to grow in other areas of his life. a peak at an uncomfortable child’s
verse range of their style in terms of
Nicole M ayhom 's 1995 work, haircut. Ogburn’s photos have been
image, composition and subject,” “Love,” is one o f many in a collec­ featured at the Smithsonian Mu­
Valis said.
tion of photos created that capture seum of Natural History, the Center
Kenneth McFadden, a photog­ the spirit of the subject perfectly. for African American History and
rapher from Seattle will have his M ayhom ’s work is internationally Culture and the Brooklyn Museum
2004 piece “Just Hanging Out” fea­ known and has been exhibited in of Art.
tured in the exhibit. McFadden said galleries in Washington, D.C., and
Valis said the placement o f the
that photography gives him an London. She specializes in com- photos are such that they are blown
up and fit on large panel fixtures on
the main floor of the store, along
with information about the photog­
rapher. Depending on the layout o f
the store, the panels are lined down
one o f the main aisles, or grouped
around the escalator well in the
middle of the floor.
“W e’ve heard from many of our
customers that are pleased to come
to our store and discover the work
of professional African-American
photographers, many of whom they
otherwise might not have been fa­
m iliar with,” Valis said. “This was
a lw a y s the in te n t b e h in d the
exhibit, so we are truly pleased to
get that feedback.”
The Face of
the Federal Budget
By
Reg Weaver,
President,
National
Education
Association
We need to
invest in
children
today!
nea
NATIONAL
EDUCATION
ASSOCIATION
nea.org
Great Public Schools
fo r Every Child
NE A s 2 7 million
members are the
nation's leading
advocates for
children and public
education
It’s budget tim e again in W ashington, with bureaucrats and
pundits talking about millions and billions o f dollars with
glib sound bites and snap judgm ents about what it all
means.
W hat they don’t talk about is how people’s lives are affected
— all from the alteration o f a single num ber in a single col­
um n in those reams o f paper.
As educators, who work in publicly funded schools every
day, we know too well how those colum ns can change the
lives o f the children we teach. The change o f a five to a zero
can mean even m ore students in an already-crowded class­
room , or another year with the same 10-year-old textbooks.
It can mean that a much needed reading aide won’t be
around next semester o r that the weekly music class is can­
celled.
Black History Month
In February
we recognize
America’s
many great
black pioneers
and leaders.
Maggie l ena Walker
The 2.7 million m embers o f the National Education
Association are forced to deal with those changes every year.
For the past few years, it hasn’t been easy. Every day I hear
from teachers and school employees all over the country
about how those seemingly harmless num bers end up h u rt­
ing the children they care about so much.
I know that this doesn’t sound like the same budget we have
been hearing about this week in the news. The
A dm inistration will argue that education wasn’t cut as
much as other domestic issues, but the level o f requirements
w on’t be reduced either. Is this really the standard we
should have for America’s m ost im portant resource?
(1867-1934)
Maggie Lena Walker was the first black woman to be a bank
president. She founded the Saint Luke Penny Savings Bank
in Richmond, Virginia, in 1903. The bank began as an
insurance society in which Walker became active at the time
o f her marriage in 1886. When she retired because o f
ill-health in 1933, the bank was strong enough to survive
the Depression, and is still in existence.
As the budget debate continues, teachers, school employees
and parents want policymakers to rem em ber this: It’s not
just how much federal money is invested in o ur schools, but
how it is invested.
For America to succeed in the future, we must invest in chil-
dren today. That means putting resources in the classroom.
T hat’s where children learn.
/
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