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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2005)
Businesses Make Big Impact Minority & Small Business Week From Alberta eateries fueling the local economy to a florist opening a neighborhood shop, Portland entrepreneurs shine with hope See Minority Business Section B, inside (Observer ‘City of Roses’ Established in 1970 Volume XXXV. Number 39 T. Week ¡n TheReview Rita Wrecks Smalt Towns www.portlandobserver.com Committed to Cultural Diversity Wednesday • September 28. 2005 Self Enhancement, Inc. Bunds Futures Residents of the Texas refinery towns hit hardest by Hurricane Rita on Saturday were blocked from returning totheirhomesTues- day because of the danger of de b ris-c h o k e d stre e ts, dow ned power lines and a shortage of ice and generators. Damage to the small, rural towns of Jasper, Port Arthur and Orange and several other towns in Louisiana were vir tually complete. Police Chief Resigns New Orleans Police Superinten dent Eddie Com pass resigned T uesday a fte r fo u r turb u len t weeks in which the police force was wracked by desertions and d iso rg an izatio n in H urricane K atrina's aftermath. As the city slipped into anarchy during the first few days after Katrina, many officers deserted their posts, and some were accused of joining in the looting that broke out. Former FEMA Head Grilled Form er FEMA director Michael Brown blamed o th e rs, e s p e cially Louisiana G ov. K athleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, for most government failures in responding to Hurri cane Katrina on Tuesday. Brown said that in the days before the storm, he expressed his concerns that “this is going to be a bad one” in phone conversations and e- mails with President Bush and his Administration. Negro Leagues Player Dies Byron “Mex” Johnson, a short stop for the Kansas City Mon archs of the Negro leagues and Satchel Paige’s traveling team, died Saturday at 94. Johnson played for the Monarchs in 1937- 38, when blacks were barred from the N a tio n a l and A m erican leagues. He joined the traveling team o f the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige in 1939 and stayed through 1940. New Citizen Wins Lottery A man who immigrated from Kenya to the United States found pros perity beyond his expectations on the day he became a U.S. citizen. Shortly after Moses Bittok, of West Des Moines, took the oath of citizenship on Friday, he dis covered he had a $1.89 million winning ticket from the Iowa Lottery’s Hot Lotto game. 5 photos by K atherine B lackmore /T he P ortland O bserv er Self Enhancement, Inc. President Tony Hopson Sr. and the SEI Gospel Choir at the SEI Center, 3920 N. Kerby Ave. Youth benefit from comprehensive training program by K atherine B lackmore T he P ortland O bserver In fifth grade, school w asn’t Crescentia Dixon ’ s highest priority. Sitting in class was a daily task before coming home to help her single mother take care of her younger brother and two sisters. Then Dixon became involved with Self Enhancement, Inc., a local program that directs youth toward a life of positive fulfill ment. “SEI was my escape sometimes when I was overwhelmed at home,” Dixon said. “This is my life. It’s a part of me, part of my family. The coordinators are like your par ents - they’re your second mom and dad.” Now at 24, she said the values instilled in her through SEI have helped shaped her in a remarkable way. “It’s not just a youth program,” she said. “ You feel it in your heart. These people want to be here and want to help. It’s another culture here. When you walk into the build ing, you’re home and no one will ever turn you away. There are so many opportunities we’ve been given.” Nicknamed “Cupcake" by others around SEI, Dixon now works as a receptionist for Crescentia Dixon, 24, has been a part o f the Self Enhancement Inc. program since fifth grade. She now works as a receptionist with the community service agency. the program while taking care of her 3-year- old son. Khali Warren. She said without the lessons she’s been given through the pro gram. raising her toddler wouldn’t be the same. “We live by the standards, we value them," Dixon said. The program’s “seven standards” are a mantra among its youth, based on values of integrity and respect. They include: greet ing each other every day with a smile and handshake: honoring and respecting each other with proper language and speech: t Its not just a youth program. You feel it in your heart. These people want Bo be here and want to help. - valuing the space of oneself and others; being mindful of truth and honesty; treasur ing cultures, whether it be your own or others; and reflecting beauty both inwardly with understanding and outwardly with appearance. “If I could sum it all up into one word, it would be that it’s a blessing because so many people are watching overyou,” Dixon said. Humble beginnings, happy endings The one person w ho’s always watching over SEI is Tony Hopson Sr., the agency’s founder, president and chief executive of ficer. He planted the seed with a one-week summer sports camp in 1981 and its roots blossomed into a popular meeting place where more than 700 local youth are guided continued Crescentia Dixon MMMMMMMI on page AS SN M M H HM M H I Knott Street Boxers Enter Hall of Fame Northeast gym holds generations of champions by K atherine B lackmore T he P ortland O bserver After years of fighting for honor, the Knott Street Boxers o f north east Portland have finally found some recognition from the Oregon Sports Hall o f Fame. The team that made boxing history from 1956 to 1972 will be inducted with a cer emony on Oct. 11 at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Being included in these ceremo nies has been a long sought goal of the team, having named lONational Amateur Athletic Union Champion boxers, two Olympic team members and many top 10 rated professional boxers during their heyday. “It’s a long time coming," said Halim Rahsaan, one o f K nott Street’s champion boxers. “We were really responsible for putting Oregon on the map as far as sports, post and pre-civil rights era.” Rahsaan credits trainer Chuck Lincoln as the backbone of the gym during that time. “He pushed us, giving us the confidence we needed. He was a father figure, a doctor, a psycholo- Portland is Laura Dalente. gist, a sociologist,” he said. Lincoln, a Golden Glove cham pion who once found it difficult as a welterweight to get professional boxing matches because of his in tim id a tin g sta n c e , e v e n tu a lly turned to coaching, churning out the bread and butter of the Knott Street ring. “I enjoyed it. I learned a lot from tf ise guys. It was a lot o f hard work, but it was enjoyable. I just stepped in to see how far we could go. We just kept on winning and winning and I got used to it." Lin coln said, grinning The team, which has 40 Golden Gloves titles to its name, includes Thad Spencer, who will be honored in his own right at the induction ceremonies. Spencer was ranked top heavyw eight co n ten d er to champion Muhammad Ali in 1967. A lthough the induction c e r emony is limited to 350 people, it will also be broadcast locally on FOX before game one o f the World Series on Saturday, Oct. 22. Those wanting to experience the wonders of a more modem Knott Street Boxing team before the in duction ceremony can cheer at the Downtown Rumble, being held on Sunday, Oct. 2 at dow ntow n's Hilton Grand Ballroom. Fighters ranging from ages pre-teen to mid- 20s will be boxing in a benefit for the Knott Street Boxing Club and JOIN, a non-profit housing program for Portland's homeless community. The inducted boxers will also be honored at this event. “There’s a lot of young talent that's com ing along.” Rahsaan said. "I see the tradition being car ried on. I like to see the young boxers look up to the older boxers as role models.” Laura Dalente is one of the mod em boxers fighting in the Down town Rumble, nicknamed by trainer Ray Milton as “The Million Dollar Baby That Lives," referring to the Oscar-winning movie staring Hi lary Swank as a star female boxer, with Clint Eastwood as her mentor. continued on page A III
