Comniitted to Cultural Diversity
D ecem ber 27. 2ÒW6
www.portlandobserver.com
M etro
r
Looking Back.
b
African Americans
we lost in 2006
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JJortlanh (Dbseruer
SECTION
Breaking Barriers to Owning a Business
Association incubates ideas
of disabled entrepreneurs
by S arah B lount
T he P ortland O bserver
Job Erickson is a typical Portland ntan
in his m id-20s - he w ants to express him ­
self artistically and make a living doing so.
But unlike other young artists, Erickson
does not supplem ent his ail with early
shifts at a coffee shop or late nights tend­
ing bar. Because o f a serious head injury,
it's difficult for Erickson to express a word
in less than several minutes.
But with the help o f his mother, a care­
taker and the D ifferently-abled Business
Association, his graphic design sketches
(made b> hand, and then draw n onto the
com puter) have earned hundreds o f d ol­
lars this year, with a website com ing soon.
E rickson's success story illustrates the
business potential o f those living with
disabilities. His business achievement look
photos by S araii
B i . oi n i / I ' iie P ortland O bserver
Differently-abled Business Association staff member Tanya Montgomery (left) and DBA founder Kedma Ough help
disabled individuals find resources to start their own businesses, most of which are launched in-home.
Sarah Bourne was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder years ago
and had difficulty starting her own quilt shop business. Now, as a client o f the
Differently-abled Business Association, Bourne ic getting business advice
tailored to her particular needs.
Iris M. DeGruy Bell is joining the O r­
egon Com m ission on C hildren and Fam i­
lies as its D irector o f Youth Policies and
Initiatives, providing policy analysis and
strategic planning direction in the areas of
com m unity schools, juvenile crim e pre­
vention. hom eless and runaw ay youth
p o m m u nity
C a le n d a r
Season for Giving
T he A frican A merican Health C oalition, a
non-profit that touches the lives o f m il­
lions o f African A m ericans each year,
rem inds you to support your com m unity
organization. All donations, grants, and
gifts are tax deductible. For more inform a­
tion, visit aahc-portland.org.
Diabetes Support Group
contribute to society,” Ough said. “W hen
Job com es into the office we treat him as
a business ow ner.”
Ough w asted no tim e spotting the gaps
in local opportunities for underserved
entrepreneurs when she arrived in Port­
land five years ago. Shortly after relocat­
ing from Arizona, she created the Avita
Business C enter, w hich provides em ploy­
ment resources for w om en, m inorities and
clients with disabilities.
She and her staff continue to operate
Avita. but an epiphany O ugh experienced
nearly a year ago led her to look into futher
work with clients not suitable for work, but
suitable for self-em ploym ent.
“ I was frustrated because there was no
voice fordisabled people in business to be
heard collectively,” she said. “ I began
researching, and it daw ned on me there
was nothing like this in the United States."
With nearly a decade o f small business
experience under her belt, Ough devel­
oped the concept o f a disabled business
ow ner resource center, and secured the
three-year, $85,000 grant through the
continued
on page H6
Minority Outreach Boosted at PDC
Bell Takes
Reigns
as Youth
Advocate
Experienced
executive to lead
commission
Hight when his vocational rehabilitation
counselor contacted Kedma Ough.
A longtime advocate for women, m i­
norities and disabled persons, O ugh se­
cured a United W ay grant this fall to foster
the business instincts of entrepreneurs
like Erickson. I leadquartered in the Gotham
Building on North Interstate Avenue in
the A lbina neighborhood, the DBA is a
first o f its kind organization that offers
traditional resources fordisabled individu­
als.
“W e get frustrated when the assum p­
tion is made that disabled persons can 't
engineering firms in­
crease their minority,
nity groups. She will also have
women and emerging
responsibility for P D C 's m i­
sm all business c a ­
n o r ity - o w n e d ,
w om en-
pacity.
owned and em erging small
She conducted or­
business and co n stru ctio n
ganization and team
w orkforce div ersity in itia­
assessm ents and fa­
tives. The new jo b starts on
c ilita te d p la n n in g
M onday, Jan 15.
discussions leading
Burnett most recently has
to o r g a n iz a tio n a l
served as a program m anager
ch a n g e fo r c lie n ts
at Providence Health Systems
such as the city of
where she has assisted the
Portland, Clackam as
healthcare provider on fos­
C ounty, W ashington
tering a diverse workforce,
C ounty. City o f Eu­
com m unity partnering and Lolita Burnette
g e n e , a n d K ing
cross cultural care giving.
County in W ashing­
She specializes in leadership and ex ­ ton. She has also served as director o f
ecutive coaching, strategic change initia­ public and em ployee relations at the city
tives including di versity and cultural com ­ o f G resham and spent 20 years in a series
petence. public involvem ent and the d e­ o f leadership positions at US West C om ­
sign and delivery o f related educational
munications. A T&T Com m unications. Pa-
programs. As a form er small business
continued
on page H6
ow ner and external consultant, she helped
New director to focus on equity, diversity
Iris M. DeGruy Bell
and cultural com petency. She will also
represent the agency on the sta te 's
C hild W elfare Advisory Com m ittee.
Bell has worked in governm ent for
many years, and brings a w ealth o f
m anagem ent experience related to the
continued
on page H6
The Portland D evelopm ent C om m is­
sion has appointed Lolita B. Burnette, an
experienced executive in P ortland's busi­
ness and governm ental sectors, as its new
director o f business and com m unity rela­
tions.
Burnette will be responsible for im ple­
menting strategies and program s to en ­
sure that PDC supports com m unity val­
ues, goals, equity and diversity.
"W e heard directly from the com munity
and our own staff that com m unity rela­
tions and diversity needed to be repre­
se n ted at the h ig h e st le v els o f the
agency— and we have responded,” said
Bruce W arner. P D C executive director. “ 1
am very excited to have Lolita joining the
PDC team. She is the right person to build
upon our outreach efforts as well as m an­
age our im portant contract com pliance
and w orkforce hiring program ."
Burnette will be the prim ary representa­
tive between the city agency and com m u-
Nutritional Cooking
Bradley-Angle House
Oregon Food Bank
On Tuesday, Jan. 9, from 6:30 p.m. to8 p.m.,
the National College o f Natural M edicine
w ill host a free nutrition class and cooking
dem onstration by the N ikechefat 2 2 1 N.E.
Freem ont St.C all 5 0 3 -4 13 - 1850for reser­
vations, seating is limited.
The Bradley-A ngle House needs volun­
teers to help its outreach against dom estic
violence. W om en o f color and bilingual
women are encouraged to call. For more
information, call 503-282-9940.
The Oregon Food Bank seeks volunteers
on M ondays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
and Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon, to sort and
repack perishable foods. Call 503-282-0555.
extension 272 or O regonfoodbank.org.
Girl Scouts Screen Video
Volunteer for Crisis Line
Friday, Feb.2, from 2 p.m. t o 4 p.m., at the
Kennedy School theater, the Girl Scouts
will raise funds for its Family G iving Pro­
gram with the screening o f the locally
produced video “ A C ircle is R ound” . Call
503-287-514 0 or 5(13-977-681 )5 for more i n-
formation.
W ant to m akeadifference in your com m u­
nity? Volunteers and advocates are needed
forthe Portland W o m en 'sC risis Line. The
needs include on-call advocates to re­
spond in person or o ver the phone, o ut­
rea ch an d e d u c a tio n a l e f f o rts , and
fundraising and adm inistrative duties. Call
503-232-4176 for more information.
Fitness Challenge
Portland Parks and Recreations host the
6th annual W ater W arriors fitness ch al­
lenge, M onday, Jan. 1, and running
through the entire month o f January. For
details, call 503-823-5130.
Legacy Emanuel Hospital hosts a diabe­
tes support group the first and third T hurs­ Fort Lantern Tours
Fort V ancouver National Historical Site,
days o f every month, from 7 p.m. to 8 p a n -
in Room 1027. Next m eeting is Thursday, ' I(X)I E. 5 St., will host the highly antici­
pated lantern tours from 7 p.m. to9p.rn.on:
Jan. 4.
Friday, Jan. 5, Saturday, Jan. 20, Friday
Hospice Volunteers Needed
Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 17. R eserva­
Legacy H ospice Services is looking for
tions are required. Call 3 6 0 -8 16-6230.
volunteers for the Scappoose/ St. Helens.
Holiday Art Exhibit
Beaverton and O regon C'ity/Gladstone
WSU
Vancouver. 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek
areas. W intertrainingclassesstart Jan. 18.
Ave.,
presents A crylics on Clay, by local
Call 503-225-6157oremail: atcox@lhs.org.
artist Linda Sawaya. through Jan. 12. in the
Weight Loss Series
Student Services G allery and selected
New Seasons M arket at N ortheast 33rd
w orks by Ines Epperson thru Jan. 28, in the
and K illingsw orth Street will host free
Engineering and Life Sciences building.
w eight loss classes on Jan. 31. Feb. 28.
For
m o re
in f o rm a tio n ,
v is it
M arch 28. and April 25 from 7 to 8:30p.m .
vancouver.w su.edu.
Write Around Volunteers
Home buying Classes
Are you interested in becom ing a facilita­
tor for W rite Around P ortland's volun­
teer-run ten-w eek w orkshop? The w ork­
shop is for low -incom e adults, hom eless
or mentally disabled people or others w ho
face barriers to w riting w orkshops. C o n ­
tact Jill Tuleya at 503-796-9224.
Portland C om m unity Land Trust helps
first time and low -incom e hom ebuyers
purchase hom es at below market price.
Attend a free, one-h o u rclass to learn more
about
th e
p r o g ra m .
C o n ta c t
Kelly @ pclt.org or call 503-493-0293.
Work Against Abuse
Parenting Classes
Com m unity A dvocates invites those in­
terested in protecting children from abuse
to becom e an event volunteer, event o u t­
reach. technology expert, graphic artists
or office support team member. For infor­
mation, call 503-280-1388.
N ew borns d o n 't com e with instruction
m anuals but parents and parents-to-be
can attend classes through Providence
Health System s to learn about a variety o f
to p ic s fro m p ain an d c h ild b irth to
breastfeeding to infant CPR and much
more. For a schedule of events, call 503-
574-6595 or visit: providence.org/classes.
Women in Community Service
Volunteer female mentors are being sought
by W omen in C om m unity Service to work
with incarcerated women at the Coffee
Creek Correctional Facility. The women
provide support and encouragem ent for
inmates transitioning from prison back
into the com m unity. For inform ation, call
503-5704)614.
Black History Museum
The Black History M useum o f Oregon is
seeking brilliant minds o f concerned indi­
viduals to help in restructuring the m u­
seum foundation's com m ittee. For infor­
mation, call 5O3-284-O617.
community service