December 7, 2005 Page A 6 Call to Action on African American Health continued African Americans because of scan­ dalized mistreatments and experi­ ments on minority populations from past decades. Dr. Joy Leary, author o f Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, said from Front in r e g u la r h e a lth f a c ilitie s ,” Norwood-Knight said. Emmanuel Temple Church Pas­ tor C.T. W ells and the other local leaders all urged Smith to take ac­ tion to ensure federal funding for community-based solutions. “Prayer alone does not resolve the health disparities people face,” W ells said. Corliss M cK eeverof the African American Health Coalition said ste­ reotypes about African Americans in health facilities where they are not represented create paranoia for all parties involved and can led to healthcare mistakes. She said an example is a patient being overdosed with medicine in a hospital because of a misconcep­ tion that a higher dose is needed for African Americans. There is also the fear of being used as guinea pigs for a lot of Prayer alone does not resolve the health disparities people face. -B is h o p C.T. Wells these fears create less black partici- rising number of blacks that are pation for current health trials. being incarcerated. He further added African American health dispari- that people who suffer mental health tie s fo r Oregon are at Dar with those conditions and are being ignored PHOTO BY Moment of Silence for Rosa Parks from Front munity also took time out to remem­ ber Parks during a memorial service at Emmanuel Temple Church in north Portland. Many, including prominent fig­ TriM et G eneral M anager Fred ures in the community attended the Hansen, Portland Mayor Tom Por­ event, including Sen. Margaret ter, and Bishops A. A. Wells andC.T. Carter, Dr. Rev.T. Allen Bethelofthe Wells of Emmanuel T empie Church. May P arks’ spirit and legacy A lbina M inisterial A lliance, Oregon’s First Lady Mary Oberst, live on. Tobacco Prevention Network Started A new health coalition wants you involved with anti-tobacco efforts. Local residents are encouraged to attend the first meeting of the African-American Tobacco Pre­ vention and Education Network to be held Thursday a, noon at Talk­ ing Drum Coffee Shop and Book­ store (formerly Reflections) at 446 N.E. KillingsworthSt. The meeting is an opportunity to participate in a community-wide effort to reduce smoking and expo­ sure to secondhand smoke, accord­ ing to Y ugen Rashad, the coalition’s program coordinator. Rashad said the focus of the network is the high prevalence of tobacco use in the African-Ameri- and tend to self medicate by way of alcohol or drugs, leading to in­ creases in crime and homelessness. Sen. Smith said he emphasized with the concerns brought to him. “1 lost a son to mental illness,” he shared with the group, agreeing that mental illness is a health issue and that health organizations need to cross-train health providers in both physical and mental illness. Smith also agreed that funds are vital to fight against these health disparities and that he was going to take back to W ashington D.C. with him the cries of the community. He said the governm ent must put people first. “The health disparities issue is a fight I am very passionate about,” he said. K h AYA D a RK o / T h E PO R TLAN D OBSERVER Dr. Rev. Leroy Haynes o f Allen Temple Church and Bishop A. A. Wells, founder o f Emmanuel Temple Church, lend support to a forum on healthcare inequities. M continued at the national level, therefore it is an American problem, she said. Dr. Norwood- Knight said men­ tal health in the African American community also is not being ad­ equately addressed, leading to a If You were the Owner or Beneficiary o f an Industrial Life Insurance Policy Issued by Am erican National Insurance Com pany and are African-American or H ispanic You may be en titled to additional death or surrender benefits These additional benefits are being provided as part o f a m ulti-state regulatory settlem ent betw een A m erican N ational Insurance Company and the insurance regulatory authorities o f the states in which A m erican N ational does business. T he settlem ent only applies to industrial life insurance policies w ith a face am ount o f $1,000 o r less, issued by A m erican N ational betw een 1936 and 1939 (A frican-A m erican and H ispanic), and betw een 1948 and 1964 (A frican-A m erican only), and w here a surrender or death benefit was paid since D ecem ber 31, 1959. To find out if you are entitled to additional benefits, you must act by D ecem ber 31, 2005 by calling our toll-free number: 1-866-229-9685 Yugen Rashad (left) and Calvin Henry help launch the African- American Tobacco Prevention and Education Network. can community. Discussions will also focus on possible solutions to creating a healthier community. Smoking-related diseases kill 45,000 African-Americans each year. About 27 percent of African- American adults in Oregon smoke compared to 21 percent of the gen­ eral population. Black American men are at least 50 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than white men. Or write to: Am erican N ational Insurance Com pany P.O. Box 1900 G alveston, Texas 7 7 5 5 3 -1 9 0 0 ■More information is available at www.regulatorysettlement.com In Loving Memory Fannie Lee Smith Fannie Lee (Robinson) Smith went home to be with the Lord on Nov. 30, 2005. She was bom Nov. 16,1910 in Anniston, Ala., the daughter of Mose Robinson and Rosie Dale. She accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. She married Sanders Smith and moved toOregon in 1944. The family joined Mt. Olivet Baptist Church three weeks after arriving in Portland. Sister Smith loved the Lord and served him in the church and hercom m unity. She was a Sunday school teacher for many years and sang in the Chancel Choir for over 40 years. Her love and passion for youth resulted in herorganizing the Ameri­ can Baptist Girls Guild at M t. Olivet. She also served as Guild camp di­ rector for over two decades. She was a member of the church’s Lott Carey Circle and was ordained a deaconess under Rev. John H. Jack - son. She served with American Baptist Women and Church Women United on both local and state lev­ els. She was a member of the na­ tional Council of Negro Women and the Federated W om en's Clubs and many other civic and service organizations. In 1965, she trained at the Uni­ versity o f St. Louis and became one o f the first A frican-A m erican women employment specialists for continued from Front All this follow s the fact that in 1804, Lewis and Clark, accom pa­ nied by a slave only know as “Y ork,” set out on an extrao rd i­ nary jo u rn e y o f e x p lo ra tio n . T heirs was not merely a physical trek to the Pacific and back, but a journey o f the mind set in motion by a president im patient to learn as m uch as he could about the G et th e F lu S h o t, N ot th e F lu . the state of Oregon. She worked for SEP and the Youth Opportunity Center. She helped many people; especially African-American youth find employment. She was an active member of OASIS. She attended Wednesday morning Bible study and was an inspiration to all who knew her. A lm o st ev e ry o n e c a lle d her “Gramma Fannie or Miss Fannie.” Many young women loved to spend time with her because of her strong faith and the wisdom. Her love of God was evident to everyone. She was a reminder to us all that God does not have a retirement plan. Sister Smith leaves to cherish her memory,daughters Helen Britton and Angela Branch of Las Vegas, Nev., and Rosie Tabb of Portland; sons; Edward and Moton Smith of Port­ land; grandchildren Joyce DaSilva, Trecoslyn Collins, Patricia Britton, W inston Branch and T ’Neshia Branch all of Las Vegas, and William Henderson (Monica),Terri Hamilton (David), Anthony, Timothy and Ebony Smith of Portland; 19 great­ grandchildren, 6 great great-grand­ children and a host of nieces, neph­ ews and friends. Her husband Sanders Smith, daughter Mary Ann Smith and grandson Sanders Smith preceded her in death. North A m erican continent. Two hundred years later, their expedi­ tion inspires new journeys o f the mind. For teach ers, students, and lifelong learners, the bicenten­ nial o f this historic event is an opportunity to becom e immersed in President Thom as Jefferson’s spirit o f discovery and to learn more about the views of those w ho already lived in the West. Flu Shots arc Covered for People with Medicare Part B For Information, call 1-800-MEDICARE or visit www.medicare.gov ' / . < //, «ZZ < / ' / z ,zZ(///»n al u tete.m etU t at capa i '• a a. I f.