Committed to Cultural Diversity www.portlandobserver.com M etro îl’1 JJnrtlanb (iDhsmwr Novem ber IS. 2(M,6 HEALTH B e a u ty •J M years», Preventing cold and flu, plus tips fo r managing your hair. See pages B2 and B3, inside * t onintuni ty> se n it e SECTION B Leaflet ^•Tamenco Acclaimed dancer coming to Portland Playwright Lava Alapai tells the story o f a woman who s just learned she's black. A Portland audience will soon explode in excitement for the dazzling work of flamenco artist Eva Yerbabuena. Accompanied by her outstanding musicians and singers, Yerbabuena brings her new pro­ duction. “ Ballet Flamenco Eva Yerbabuena” to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall for an exclu­ sive performance on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m., presented by Portland’s White Bird Dance series. Based in Seville, Spain, Yerbabuena is con­ sidered by many to be the most important and exciting flamenco artist working today. She receives accolades for the purity of her work and the intensity of her spirit. She last played in Portland to a wildly enthu­ siastic sold-out house in the spring of 2004. Yerbabuena was featured in Stomp's award­ winning IMAX fdm “Pulse,” and has wonevery major Spanish choreographic award, most no­ tably the Premio Nacional de Danza 2001, a recognition ot her place among the great figures of flamenco. Dance Insider describes her as not only an impressive flamenco dancer, but an impressive dancer, period. Tickets are available at all Ticketm aster locations and the Portland Center for the Performing Arts Box Office on Southwest Broadway and Main. Playwright Challenges Racial Issues Satire follows journey of self-realization A local playwright is challenging racial issues with levity and bravery in her world premiere production "Mutt” opening Friday, Nov. 24 at North Portland's Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center. Lava Alapai tells the story of a bi-racial young adult's mistaken Caucasian self-identity. She follows the harrowing yet achingly funny jour­ ney of Serena Matthews as she comes to the realization of her own race. Both a playwright and performer, Alapai speaks out on untold aspects of racial tension such as black racism towards mixed-race people, and a multicultural person's confusion when The play digs deeply into questions o f cultural ownership, unwritten rules o f racial identity, and the boxes we are pushed into by race. k Eva Yerbabuena is one o f the world’s most exciting flamenco dancers. Whitebird Dance brings her to Portland’s Schnitzer Concert Hall on Wednes­ day, Nov. 29. Sisters in Action Celebrate 11 Powerful Years Sisters in Action for Power, the grassroots organization for young women promoting ra­ cial, economic and gender equity, will hold their 11 th Annual Celebration on Friday, Nov. 17 at 6:30 p. m . in the Ki ng Elementary School cafeteria, 4906 N.E. Sixth Ave. /com m unity C a le n d a r Work Against Abuse Com m unity A dvocates invites those in­ terested in protecting children from abuse to becom e an event volunteer, event out­ reach. technology expert, graphic artists or office support team member. For more information,call 503-280-1388. Women in Community Service V olunteerfem ale mentors are being sought by W om en in C om m unity Service to work with incarcerated women at the Coffee Creek C orrectional Facility. The women provide support and encouragem ent for inm ates transitioning from prison back intothe com munity. For more information, call5O3-57O-66l4. Black History Museum The Black History M useum o f Oregon is seek i ng bri 11 i an t m i nds o f concerned indi­ viduals to help in restructuring the m u­ seum foundation's com m ittee. For infor­ mation, call 503-284-0617. Global Exchange T h ursday, N ov. 16. at 6 p.m . at the PSU The theme of the evening is “Passing the Torch: Emerging Leaders - A Vision Comes True.” Sisters in Action for Power Executive Direc­ tor Amara Perez is leaving the organization and will pass the torch toTerenie Faison, a longtime S m ith C en ter Ball Room . Portland State U niversity S tu d en ts for U nity, present N ig eria n e n v iro n m e n ta l and hum an rig h ts a c tiv ist, O m o y ele S o w o re: a fo rm er political p riso n er, speaking o f the death and d estru ctio n cau sed by m ultinatio n al oil co m p an ies th ro u g h ­ out the N iger D elta. Oregon Food Bank T he Oregon Food Bank seeks volunteers on M ondays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.. and Tuesdays. 9 a.m. to mxin. to sort and repack perishable foods. Cal 15, 13-282-0555, e x te n s io n 2 7 2 o r v isit th e w eb at O regon foodban k .org. Racial Profiling Discussion T uesday, Nov. 21. from Nix,n to I p.m. at the Portland State U n iv ersity 's Smith M emorial Student Union. M ulticultural C enter, Smith 228, JoA nn Bowman, the associate director o f Oregon Action, will discuss "R acial Profiling and Resistance in Portland". Title Wave Book Sale M ultnom ah County L ibrary’s Title W ave U sed Bookstore, 216 N.E. Knott St. hosts a custom er appreciation sale Friday, Nov. 24, from 5:30 a m. until 4 p.m. Treasures member and youth leader. The new staff leadership team will include Chirece Olugbala and Courtney Jones, also longtime members and graduates of the group leadership program. For more information, call 503-331 -1244. hidden throughout the store. For more inform ation, call 503-988-5021 or visit m ultcolib.org/titlew ave. Women of the Season Sunday. Nov. 26, at 4 p.m., the V ancouver Avenue First Baptist Church, 3128 N. V ancouver Ave., presents: honored guest Jessica P. Manaway, Evangelist C.P. Monk, Lady Della Johnson, and M issionary Zina M cGee to share the gospel and rebuild hope. Volunteer for Crisis Line W ant to m ake a d ifferen ce in y o u r co m ­ m u n ity ? V o lu n teers and ad vo cates are needed for the Portland W o m en 's C ri­ sis Line. T he needs include on-call ad ­ vocates to resp o n d in person or over the phone, o u treach and educational effo rts, and fu n d raisin g and ad m in is­ trative duties. Call 503-232-4176 form orc inform ation. Home buying Classes Portland C o m m u n ity Land T rust helps firs, tim e and low -incom e h om ebuyers p urchase h om es at below m arket price. A ttend a free, o n e-h o u r class to learn m o re a b o u t th e p ro g ra m . C o n ta c t Ke I ly (ft pclt.org o r cal 1503-493-0293. trying to be "black enough." The play is loosely based on Alapai's personal experience of moving from her home in Hono­ lulu, Hawaii, to West Virginia for her first year of college in 1992. Raised by her Japanese mother and grandmother and her Hawaiian grandfather, she'd never been exposed to black family members. Experiencing her "blackness" in the mainland South was an entirely surprising experience - one she wasn't equipped to handle at the time that is beautifully transformed into a very per­ sonal fiction in “Mutt.” The play digs deeply into questions o f cultural ow nership, unw ritten rules o f racial identity, and the boxes we are pushed into by race. Serena is 18 years old when she learns from her guidance counselor (Jane Fellows) that she is Bradley-Angle House The Bradley-A ngle House needs volun­ teers to help its outreach against domestic violence. W om en o f color and bilingual w omen are encouraged to call. For more information, call 5( )3-282-994(1. December Zoo Lights The w alk-through winter w onderland O r­ egon Zix, Lights com es to life throughout the month o f D ecem ber. The festival in­ cludes: the lighted zoo train, choral and ensem ble music, puppet show s, and a model train display. Festival hours: Sun­ day - Thursday. 5:(Ml p.m. to 8 p.m.. Friday and Saturday. 5:00p.m. to8:30p.m .Closed: Dec. 24 and C hristm as Day. C ontact 503- 2 2 6 -1561 or visit oregonzoo.org for more information. Parenting Classes N ew borns d o n 't com e w ith instruction m an u als but parents and p aren ts-,o -b e can attend classe s through P rovidence H ealth S ystem s to learn ab o u t a variety o f to p ics from pain and ch ild b irth to b reastfeed in g to infant C'PR and much m ore. For a sch ed u le o f ev en ts, call 503- 5 7 4 -6 5 9 5 o r v isit: p ro v id e n c e .o rg / c la sse s. continued on page H5 “Scrooge Lives" Craft Bazaar Mt. Hood C om m unity C ollege will host the 37th annual craft bazaar, at the Gresham Cam pus Lounge; Room 1051. The bazaar is scheduled for W ednesday. Nov. 29 and Thursday, Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more inform ation contact: 503-491- 7260. Holiday Ceramics Sale Mt. Hood C om m unity C ollege invites the public to attend the 23rd annual student works sale to be held in the Visual Arts CenterCallery at the MHCC Gresham Cam ­ pus, T uesday. Dec. 5 through Friday, Dec. 8, from 10a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec.9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 503-491 -7309. Fashion Show Saturday M en's and w o m en 's casual, business, evening and wedding apparel will be fea­ tured at the "Im agine the Possibilities" fashion show , Saturday, Nov. 18 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Kennedy School- M cM enam ins. A portion o f the profits will benefit the W oodlaw n Boys o f D istinc­ tion, an after-school program started by preem inent A frican A m erican teacher Lionel Glegg. f