ilu’'¡¡lortlauìi COhseruer
March IS. 2006
Page A3
Celebrating W om en's H is to iy & Careers
Bike Group
Serves Local
Women
U n iq u e p ro g ra m h e lp s w ith re p a irs
by S araii B lount
T he P ortland O bserv er
On W ednesday evenings
you’ll find a handful of women,
including transgender women
and men. filtering into North
Portland BikeW orkson Missis
sippi Avenue. With hikes in tow,
they get to work on anything
from fixing a fiat to overhauling
an old Schwinn.
The important thing to re
member about the donation-
based Women and Trans Bike
Night is that it’s not about ex
clusion. The program is geared,
rather, to reaching women and
people who have experienced
gender oppression, said Bob
Kendrick, one of the non-profit
bike shop’s founders and me
chanics.
The shop has steadily built a
solid cooperative group since
opening in the summer of 2002.
Men make up the majority of
cyclists, but take a look down
any Portland street and you'll
spot a woman very soon.
In resp o n se, B ikeW orks
has hosted Women and Trans
Night since the beginning, in
viting an important part of the
comm unity to use shop space,
bike stands, tools and m e
c h a n ic e x p e rtis e , fre e o f
charge, for small or ongoing
bike projects.
In acity teeming with as many
bikes as microbrews, the pro
gram may seem unremarkable,
but it was the first of its kind in
the nation.
K endrick and m echanic
Jackie Davis, both fam iliar
faces on Wednesday night, said
the majority of cyclists come
in because their bikes have
been sitting, unused, for a
while, and they’re seeking help
w ith general bike m ain te
nance. BikeW orks gives them
access to a com plete line of
tools and m echanics to teach
them the basics in a laid-back
w orkspace.
With a little instruction in a
supportive environm ent, the
crescent wrench sitting on the
shelf becomes practical, not
unfamiliar.
Davis and Kendrick believe
that's why the program is suc
cessful. They recognize differ
ent learning styles and under
stand the underlying issue of
gender socialization.
The tiny shop serves any
where from four to 20 people
weekly. Many come in for single
projects, but the shop has its
regulars, too.
Janice McKeachern has at
tended the bike night for the
past two years. She’s now work
ing on her second bike, convert
ing it from a multi to fixed gear.
McKeachern said she's learned
a lot about the inner workings of
a bike, and is now seeking job as
a bike mechanic.
“I was enrolled ataCitybikes
overhaul class, but you have to
pay,” she said. “This has been a
great resource.”
For more information, email
npdxbikeworks@hotmail.com
or call 503-287-1098.
photo
in M ark VV ashington /T he P ortland O bservei
Inspiration for Kids
Highland Community Church Rev. Dr. W.G. Hardy, Jr. and his wife AH (center) join children with new coloring books donated by
Amtrak in honor of Black History Month. The Really Big Coloring Books of African-American Leaders were deigned to inspire kids.
Open House for Women’s Academy
Program at Tubman
to open in fall
The future Young Women’s Academy
at Tubman School in north Portland is
holding informational sessions for poten
tial students in grades 7 and 8 for the 2006-
07 school year.
The Academy is geared toward prepar-
ing students for successful futures by pro
viding them with a rigorous college-prepara
tory core curriculum while encouraging them
to explore the fields of math and science-
related careers. The Academy will also work
in partnership with families to instill our
students with the values that will make them
good citizens and strong leaders.
The upcoming informational sessions are
scheduled in the Media Center at Tubman,
2231 N. Flint, on Thursday, March 16from4-
6 p.m.; Monday March 20 from 4 -6 p.m ; and
Tuesday, March 21 from 6-8 p.m.
The Young Women's Academy is the first
all-girls school in Portland Public Schools since
the closure of Monroe School for Girls. School
leaders say the teaching of a rigorous core
curriculum in a single-sex setting is getting
increasing national attention as an effective
learning model.
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BikeWorks mechanic Jackie Davis (left) helps Janice
McKeachern convert her bike to a fixed gear.
How many stars does
y o u r bank have?
Church Celebrates 61 Years
Vancouver Avenue Baptist
Church, 3138 N. Vancouver
Ave., invites the community to
its 61st anniversary celebration.
The service will be held at
the church on Sunday, March
19 at 3 p.m. The theme is “The
C hurch that is M oving up
and Reaching Out.” Dr. R.C.
Jointer, pastor of New Hope
Church and president of the
General Baptist Convention of
the Northwest, will serve as
guest speaker.
I ive Star Service ( »u.ir.mteed
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