Portland Observer
M etro
11,1 ^lo rtlan b ODhserucr
/c o m m u n i t y
V .a 1 e n d a i r
Bike Fair at PCC
M arch 21. 2 0 0 7
www. port I a ndobserver. com
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Ducks Make It to
All Stars
‘Sweet 16’
Our Boys and Girls
All-City Basketball
Team selections
University o f Oregon Coach
Ernie Kent leads University o f
Oregon to the NCAA semifinals
See Sports, page lift
See Sports, page B6
SECTION
B
Humiliated Couple Cries Foul
Portland C om m unity College is hosting a
B icycle Safety Fair from 10a.m . to 2 p.m.
on Saturday, March 24 in front o f the
Public Service Education B u ild in g at the
Cascade Campus in north Portland. C h il­
dren w ill receive a free bicycle helmet
Y o u r invited on the th ird Tuesday o f each
W ith in four months the property was the
subject o f 52 police calls, having become
a spectacle o f countless allegations from
neighbors cla im in g witness to w ild party­
ing and drug a ctivity. B y November, these
com plaintsculm inated in an early morning
police raid. A c iv il law suit from the C ity o f
Portland fo llo w e d shortly after. I f the city
wins, they can legally force the Howards
from their home fo r up to a year.
Meanw hile, the Howards have earned
enough bad press lo ca lly that their repu­
tation has landed them a h u m iliating spot
on the Geraldo Show on Fox.
N ow they say all they want is to sell
their house and move on, preferably in the
country somewhere.
The Howards date the beginning o f
their trouble to their $2.6 m il I ion winnings
month from 5:30p.m. to6:30p.m . when the
A fric a n A m erican A d v is o ry C o u n cil
from the Oregon Lottery. They opted fo r
a lum p sum payment o f around $800,000 -
meets at the K ing Facility, 4815 N.E. Sev­
enth Ave. Call 503-823-0000 fo r more in ­
money that has been "n o th in g but a nig h t­
mare," Sam, 54, said.
They purchased their home on N orth­
east Emerson C ourt fo r $285.(MM) in July
2(X)6 and live there w ith their son Westley,
20 (named in the lawsuit w ith son Sam Jr.),
De-Shaw ne, 15 and daughter Tierra, 13.
Once settled in, they say trouble really
began to brew when one hateful neighbor,
instead o f approaching them about com ­
plaints. made several o f the 52 calls police
received. Sam said the First incident hap­
pened when this neighbor asked him to
remove his car from blocking his d rive ­
(w h ile supplies last) and get to navigate
a bicycle safety course.
Black Museum Action
Thursday, March 29, and Thursday, A p ril
5,at6:30p.m „the Black Museutncom m it­
tee w ill be meeting at K ing Neighborhood
F a cility, 4815 N.E. Seventh Ave., to es­
tablish the foundations structure. T o be
in v o lv e d , v is it b la c k m u s e u m o fo re
gon@ yahoo.com or call 503-284-0617.
African American Council
formation.
Spring Beach Cleanup
Saturday, March 24, from 10a.m. to I p.m.,
thousands o f Spring Beach Cleanup v o l­
unteers are needed to help restore the
coastline to a pristine condition. V o lu n ­
teers can call 800-333-7658orvisitsolv.org
to register.
Zoo Teens Needed
The Oregon Zoo needs 300 high school
students fo r the summer to assist in edu­
cating zoo visitors. I f you love animals
and teaching others, call 503-220-2449.
Spring Break Art Journeys
M onday, March 26 thru Friday, March
30, the Portland A rt Museum hosts the
instructional art series fo r children ages
7-12. C ontact 503-226-2811 o r v is it
portlandartm useum .org, fo r more in fo r­
photo by
M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Sam Howard stands in front o f his northeast Portland home, the subject of a city nuisance complaint lawsuit that he
said left him and his wife victimized by discrimination.
Calls for city to
back off lawsuit
by S arah B lount
T he P ortland O bserver
A large tw o-story home in northeast
Portland is the catalyst fo r the c ity 's re­
newed vigilance when it comes to what
they call chronic nuisance properties.
The four-bedroom home, once owned
by K O IN news anchor Ken Boddie, d id n ’ t
garner much attention until Samuel and
Elizabeth Howard moved in last summer.
way.
“ We own six cars," he said. "W e 're in
a cul-de-sac so i t ’ s going to be an issue."
From that point on, they said police
officers issued the Howards com plaints
"at every o p p o rtu n ity."
continued
on page H3
mation.
Used Book Sale
Wednesday, March 28, from 8 a.m. until
6 p.m., the M ultnom ah C ounty Library
used book store at 2 16 N.E. K nott St. w ill
celebrates its 19th anniversary by offer-
in g a ll used merchandise at 55 percent off.
Bringing Diversityt0 the Table
Zoo’s Gone Wild Spring Break Party
Through A p ril 7, the Oregon Zoo w ill
host a week o f tropical island fun and
events. The event is free w ith zoo adm is­
sion. For more inform ation call 503-226-
1561 o rv is ito re g o n z o o .o rg .
Rabbit Romp
Saturday, A p ril 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the
Oregon Zoo w ill the host this anticipated
spring celebration fo r all ages. Events
include a 20-m inute Easter egg hunt fo r
children ages 2 - 1 0 years old, games and
fun at the petting zoo. V is it oregonzoo.org
orcal 1503-226-15 6 1 for more information.
Life After High School
Monday. A p ril 9, from 9:30a.m. to3 p.m.,
PSU’ s Smith B allroom , w ill host the Ca­
reer and Educational O pportunities Fair,
a venue fo r local businesses, trade ap­
prenticeships, summer w ork programs
and educational organizations to present
careeropportunities available w ithin their
organizations. For more inform ation call
503-230-9427.
photo by
Fostering Diversity
Thursday, A p ril 26 thru Friday, A p ril 27,
M t. Hood C om m unity College and Port­
land State U niversity, w ill host the tw o-
day conference to address critical d iv e r­
sity-related issues in the Portland and
Gresham comm unities, w ith educational,
business and cultural leaders. C all 503-
491 -7254 fo r more inform ation.
Community Support
The A frica n American Health C oalition,
a n o n -p rofit that touches the lives o f
m illio n s o f A frican Am ericans each year,
reminds you to support your com m unity
organization. A ll donations, grants, and
gifts are tax deductible. For more inform a­
tion, visit aahc-portland.org.
Diabetes Support Group
Legacy Emanuel Hospital hosts a diabe­
tes support group the Firs, and third Thurs­
days o f every month, from 7 p.m. ,0 8 p.m.,
in Room 1027.
Bradley-Angle House
The B radley-A ngle House needs vo lu n ­
teers to help its outreach against domes­
tic violence. W omen o f co lo r and b ilin ­
gual women are encouraged to call. For
more inform ation.call 503-282-9940.
M ark W ashington /T he P ortland O bserver
Ella Booth builds community partnerships with Steve Hutt o f the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. (left) and Randy Stewart of Albertsons.
Advocates focus on
new leadership
by S arah B lount
T he P ortland O bserver
C onsidering the good deeds o f non-
profits in Portland's comm unities o f color,
surprisingly few m inorities represent the
organizations making critical decisions lo r
their own neighborhoods. T hat's because
white members still make up the ma jority o f
the boards that govern these organiza­
tions.
The volunteer group Hands on Port­
land is w o rkin g to connect m in o rity busi­
ness leaders w ith n o n-profit and govern­
ment institut ions through a program cal led
C iv ic Leaders.
“ There is a gro w in g percentage o f
people o f co lo r in Portland, hut i f you look
at boards they remain homogenous," said
A ndy Nelson, executive director o f Hands
on Portland.
A pilot program fo rC iv ic Ixaderstraces
its roots three years p rio r when now -city
com m issioner Sam Adams paired w ith d i­
versity advocate V ic k i Nakashima torec-
ognize the obvious diversity shortcom­
egon Health Sciences U n ive rsity's school
able to get back to the type o f institution
ings.
“ A comm on thing I hear from leaders is
they are interested bu, do n 't know how to
get connected," Nelson said. "W hat I hear
from the boards is they are interested in
increasing diversity, hut don't know how ."
o f medicine. Booth jo in e d the Portland
C om m unity College Foundation Board in
July through the help o f C iv il Leaders.
She serves on the hoard's finance sub­
committee. w hich reviews and recommends
scholarships to students throughout the
"The goal is to create a network o f
leaders w ho can share stories o f sim ilar
district.
A fte r Nelson learned a little about
that got her going."
Booth said as a p rixlu ct o f a com m u­
n ity college, she was interested in being
involved in helping future PCC students.
“ Because many students are disad­
vantaged econom ically. I find it a hum ­
bling experience to read their stories and
recommend a scholarship."
PCC serves a broadly diverse popula­
tion. Yet Booth is o nly one o f tw o A frica n
American board members, joined by tw o
Hispanic members and 14 white members,
w hich raises the question, can the board
more accurately reflect PCC students?
“ No, the boards d o n 't represent the
diverse number o f students, especially in
com m unity colleges, but they're w o rkin g
No, the boards don't represent the
diverse number o f students, especially
in community colleges, but they're
working on it.
— Ella Booth, Associate Dean of Diversity at Oregon
Health Sciences University’s School of Medicine
struggles o f being the only person o f color
on a board," said Hands On program man­
ager Brenden Butler. " It has been educat­
ing to see how many barriers there are."
El la Booth is a g o ixl example o f a leader
o f co lo r w ho found the right fit.
As associate dean o f diversity at O r­
Booth, he suggested the PCC Foundation
as a natural fit. O rig in a lly from Baltim ore,
B»x»th attended a com m unity college w hile
holding down a fu ll-tim e jo h and raising
tw o children as a single mother.
"W e talked to Ella about where she
wanted to be," Nelson said, "and she was
on it," Booth said. “ A ny tim e you can
d ive rsify any board, it's to everyone's
advantage."
C am pfire U SA, an organization that
has diversity as one o f its core values, has
worked closely w ith C iv ic leaders since
the program 's inception. They h aven't
placed a board member yet. but C EO Keith
continued
on page H3