M
January 10,2007
a r t in
L uther
•ta i
K
in g
J r
Page BIt
'/ l i o n
Activist Advances Local, Political Causes
Keeping progress
on justice issues
in focus
B y C harity P rater
T he P ortland O bserver
Jo Anil Bowman, 49, sits in
her office thinking fora moment
about her upbringing, her expe­
riences, and her appreciation
for Dr. Martin Luther King.
“ It wasn’t until adulthood
when I really began appreciat­
ing MLK. 1 was always more of
a Malcolm X fan, only because
I couldn't imagine being abused
and not having a right to strike
back,” Bowman says. “Nowa­
days, we are still fighting rac­
ism, just during a different time
of war.”
Bowman is the associate di­
rector of Oregon Action and
has been since 2004. There, she
is committed to educating low
income people and advocating,
politically and otherwise, for their
best interest.
“We are focused on getting
people connected and excited
about our political system,” Bow­
man says.
Oregon Action is a member-
ship-based organization that fre­
quently works on combating lo­
cal issues.
“One member of ours is an
immigrant and spoke about get­
ting pulled over by the police
four times in a short period of
time,” she says. “And to ad­
dress that we held community
meetings so the police could
share their policies with the com­
munity and the community could
share with them their view­
points.”
Along with addressing racial
profiling, Oregon Action works
to register new voters during
election times, and advocate for
low income people who other-
photo bv M ark
W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Community activist Jo Ann Bowman (left) and Turiya Autry, professor o f Black Studies at Portland State University, attend a fall seminar on
racial profiling and resistance in Portland.
wise might think that they have
no effect on influencing their
local community.
Bowman was born and raised
in Baltimore, Md. and fora brief
period of time attended the Uni­
versity of Maryland. She soon
left her col lege career to join the
Navy. She spent four and a half
years traveling in the service.
“The most amazing place we
stopped at was Mombasa, Af­
rica (along the Kenya coast),”
she says, “ It was the first time I
had ever been to a place where
a majority of the people looked
just like me. It was incredible.”
Bowman’s parents’ genera­ water and mountains.
“ I chose Portland because 1
tion lived through segregation
“It was a toss up between knew one person here that I
continued
on page 1116
and she remembers them telling Denver and Portland,” she says. could stay with until I got a job.”
her about it. Sadly, she believes
that her generation has, in a
sense, protected their children
from the history of racism by not
2736 NE Rodney Avenue
passing the stories down.
After the Navy, Bowman
Portland, Oregon 97212
worked in real estate and de­
(503) 281-4891
cided to move on after she no­
ticed that the real estate indus­
try was on a downward swing.
She moved to Oregon in 1990,
from Oakland, Calif. She wanted
Schawna & Jerome Cox-Tanner
to be able to afford her own
Williams, Lee Andrew 9-30-06
Harper, Miracle (Baby i 1-1-06 (H cases in Jan)
McCool, Cherry 4-6-06
home and still be close to the
Smith, Tommy R. 10-3-06 (I I cases in Oct)
Williams, Arilla Mae 12-17-05
Cox & Cox Funeral Chapel
Remembering Those
Who Passed In 2006:
lam
taking care o f myself
At Planned Parenthood, we’re here
for you with high-quality, personal
care at an affordable cost—for
checkups, birth control, including
emergency contraception, testing
and treatment for sexually
transmitted infections,
pregnancy testing,
and more.
To find the health
center nearest you
cal!
TALK TO US IN CONFIDENCE.
WITH CONFIDENCE.
or
Crass, Gertie 1-4-06
Moore, Cliristeen I-4-O6
King, Josephine I -7-06
Johnson, Jimmie 1-10-06
Hall, Eunice 1-16-06
Locke, I.aril hi 1-20-06
Carter, Christopher Darryl John 1-23-06
Alexander, Loretta 1-26-06
Willis, Sivanderbil CD 1-28-06
Garnett, Kay 2-2-06 (15 cases in Feb)
Townsend, William 2-3-06
Glass Moffett, Sherry 2-4-06
Williams, Raberl B 2-4-06
Hudson, Louise 2-5-06
McPherson. Reginald 2-6-06
Banner, Eugene 2-8-06
Campbell, Frank 2-8-06
Mandies, Elijah 2-14-06
Smith. Jahn L 2-15-06
Sanders, ¡wilder 2-16-06
Edwards, Irma Jean 2-17-06
Harrington, Myrtle 2-17-06
Jones, Sharon 2-22-06
Wilborn, Alma 2-22-06
Williams, Pandora 2-23-06
Mouton, Alphansa Jason 3-1-06 NCaesinMar)
Streeter, Willie (III) 3-1-06
Williams. Paul 3-6-06
Cannon Blocker. Bessie F 3-7-06
Gilliam. William (Sr) 3-12-06
Grace, James 3-14-06
Mott, Curtis (Jr.) 3-14-06
Spain, Mars 3-15-06
Smith. Otis 3-22-06
I arthan. Albert 4-6-06 (8 Cases in April)
We thank those families who have patronized oar business!
Family Owned & Operated For 60 Years!
GMJti/OORl R 0.L/IÌA ILi/ROb
\ \ lie n
LifeWorks NW promotes a healthy
community by providing quality and
culturally responsive mental health and
addiction services across the lifespan
Gregory P. Oliveros
Attorney At Law
O liveros A O’B rien , PC
9200 SE Sunnyhrook Bl\d„ Suite#150
Clackamas, OR 97015
IliiW ORKS
O
R
T
H
W
E
S
T
Locations: 4925 N. Albina Ave., Portland. OR 97217;
and other sites throughout the Portland Metro area.
C V ll men shout ugly
words of hatred, good men must
eommit themselves to the glories of love.
W here evil men would seek o perpetu­
ate an unjust status quo, good t ten must
seek to bring into being a real order
of justiec.”
—Martin ! ,ufher King, Jr.
— Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968)
Oi
Williams. Katie ¡0-4-06
Dawson, Martha 10-4-06
Cheesman, Arthur 10-6-06
Pittman, Edna 10-7-06
Sloan, Galen 10-7-06
Jackson, Marguerite 10-13-06
Vdoka, Vital is 10-17-06
Foote, Hope Marie 10-17-06
Scales, Raymond 10*18-06
Bunn, Allah Rashaun 10-19-06
Davis, Elizabeth 10-25-06
Woodies. Antonia 10-25-06
Mitchell, Doris /0-26-06
Due re, Troy I I - I -06 (3 case in Nov)
Logan, Allen 11-4-06
Kimmons. Grads II 4-06 (89 case here)
Brant. Shirley 11-9-06
Bell, Bennie 11-15-06
Harvey, Oneida 11-20-06
Varner, Lizzie /1-24-06
Cook (Jr.), George I I -26-06
Standafer. Eugene 11-27-06
Kel.saw, Frank 11-28-06
Tadeo. Faith 12-2-06
Ott, Jannie 12-6-06
Pike, Msrul 12-8-06
English, Anna 12-9-06
Tilahun, Shawon (Baby)
Cotton. Ruthia 12-20-06
Lockett, Maria 12-20-06
Scurlock, Benjamin 12-24-06
Harris-Brown. Ellen 12-24-06
Saunders, William 12 -24-06 1108 Cases here)
Kelsaw (Sr.), Eugene 12 27-06
Strickland, Edward 12-30-06
"We are there for families"
tQ Qur websitfi at
"Everything that is done in
the world is done by hope."
Kemp, Barbara 4-6-06
Rasliad. Deborah 4-12-06
Turcotte, William 4-14-06
Williams, Lais 4-14-06
Parker, Fannie 4-18-06
Merriweather, Lola 4-22-06
Blandford, Gloria 5-3-06 (3 Cases in Mas )
litadles Di bofdh 5 ' 05
Howard, Richard 5-14-06
Moore. Carolyn 5-31-06
Akres, Shariotte 6-2-06 (7 Cases in June)
Warren, Harold (Sr.) 6-I I -06
Diamond, Trade 6-14-06
Harrington, James 6-18-06
Smith, Eicca 6-18-06
Johnson, Paula 6-28-06
Gamble-Armstrong. (Baby) /juu/anajh 6-3046
Smith, Wade 7-7-06 (3 Cases in July)
Rahsaan. Abdul Halim 7-14-06
Shannon, Roy Charles 7-27-06
Johnson. John 8-2-06 (12 Cases in Aug)
Askew, Michael 8-2-06
Frison. D'nnell 8-4-06
Turner. Kelsie 8-6-06
Warren. htvene 8-12-06
Molhudi, Baby Khadra Aultkan 8-13-06
Johnson, Alberto 8-17-06
Wilson, Charles 8-20-06
Baker. Olivia S 8 23-06
Patton. Margaret 8-26-06
Alexander. Janice 8-28-06
Ru e, Gregors Lamar 8-28-06
Jessie. Leonard 9-3-06 ( 5 Cases in Sep)
Johnson. Jennifer 9-9-06
Williams Bennie 9-13-06
Jackson, Decovan 9-29-06
503-786-3800
NJ
I