www.portlandobserver.tom
Committed to Cultural Diversity
December 12. 2007
An Inspiring Start
M etro
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1 e n d a r
St. Johns Posada
The St. Johns Posada, an annual event
celebrating the Christmas story o f M ary
and Joseph's search fo r shelter, w ill be­
gin w ith a candlelight procession on Sat­
urday, Dec. 15 at 4:30 p.m. at the St. Johns
Plaza at N orth B urlington and Lombard.
The com m unity is invited to enjoy live
music, dancing, piñata play, flow er-m ak­
ing, facing painting and traditional Latino
and North Am erican food.
Homeownership Help
Thursday, Dec. 13, from 6 :3 0 to 7 :30p.m.,
the nonprofit Portland C om m unity Land
Trust w ill provide inform ation on a ffo rd ­
able homeownership opportunities. The
orientation class w ill be held at the N orth
Portland L ib ra ry, 512 N. K illin g sw o rth .
For registration inform ation,call 503-493-
0293 o r visit pclt.org/buy.
Weatherization Workshops
Thursday, Dec. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m., James
John Headstart. 7439 N. Charleston Ave.,
w ill host the free educational workshops
to self-weatherize your home: p a rtici­
pants w ill receive a free w eatherizing kit.
Free weatherization is available fo r se­
niors. Call 503-284-6827 fo r inform ation
on additional workshops and to register.
Television Production Lesson
Saturday, Dec. 15, from l:3 0 to 4 :3 0 p .m „
the Interstate Firehouse C ultural Center,
5340 N. Interstate Ave., w ill host the
workshop teaching the basics fo r pro­
ducing taped o r live studio productions;
$20 fee. For more inform ation, call 503-
288-1515.
Ranger Lantern Tours
Saturday, Dec. 15, from 7 to 9 p.m., w ith
lantern in hand and a skilled ranger lead­
ing the way, explore the history o f Fort
V a n co u ve r, 612 E. Reserve St. in
Vancouver, Wash. Call 360-816-6243 fo r
more inform ation.
Winter ‘ZooVentures’
Dec.26-Dec. 28, & Jan. 2-Jan.4, the O r­
egon Zoo w ill host winter-break day
camps fille d w ith lots o f adventures fo r
kids, kindergarten through fourth grade;
fo r more inform ation, visit oregonzoo.org
orcall 503-220-2781.
Guitar Zero to Guitar Hero
Beginning Wednesday. Jan. 9, M t. Hood
C om m unity College w ill o ffe r guitar
classes fo r beginners; classes w ill be
held at M orey M id d le School, 2801 S.W.
Lucas in Troutdale. The fee is $59: fo r
registration information,call 503-491 -7572.
100% Oregon Duck
Jefferson
basketball teams
enjoy victories
Coach Ernie Kent
brings fruition to
U of O hoops
See stories, Sports page B5
See stories, Sports page B5
Opening
Doors to
Diversity
Career electrician
promotes union
workforce
by R aymond R endleman
T he P ortland O bserver
A 20-yearcareerelectrician, Larry W ar­
ren im m ediately saw a problem when he
started organizing fo r his Portland trade
union. A fric a n Am ericans make up about
six percent o f the city population but only
one percent o f the union w orkforce that’ s
com m itted to protecting high wages and
generous benefits.
The discovery was even more "unbe­
lievable” fo r Warren, since unions repre­
sent black workers nationwide in a larger
proportion than any other ethnicity. O f
employed workers, blacks have 14.5 per­
cent union membership to the I l.7percent
o f whites, according to the latest U.S.
Department o f Labor survey.
D uring the 1940s in Portland, blacks
hud p a rtic u la rd iffic u lty in obtaining union
membership, as frequently reported in the
local A frican-A m erican newspapers o f
that time.
C ivil-rig h ts obstacles to A frica n -A m e ri­
can union membership in Portland have
dim inished, but disparities remain. Lead
labor organizers hope to show that union
doors have opened much w ider now for
m inorities and that people o f co lo r only
need to discover the advantages o f indus­
try solidarity.
“ The biggest b a rrie r is that people
a re n 't a p p ly in g ,” says W arren, the m i­
n o rity -re c ru itm e n t c o o rd in a to r fo r his
local c h a p te ro f the In te rn a tio n a l B ro th ­
erhood o f E le c tric ity W orkers. “ W hen
you take hundreds o f a p p lica tio n s and
you o n ly get tw o o r three a p p ly in g , then
t h e y ’ re n o t k n o w in g
th a t the
o p p o rtu n ity ’ s out th e re ."
Unions attract dedication through gen­
erous pay packages that increase w ith
co st-o f-liv in g adjustments and each year
o f experience. W ith the current starting
wage at $33 an houron the check. Portland’ s
PHOTO IO
M \R K
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a
S H IN G T O N /T h E
P()R 11
XND OBSERVER
Larry Warren concentrates on minority recruitment in his efforts as lead organizer for the local chapter of the Interna­
tional Brotherhood of Electricity Workers.
The biggest barrier is that people area't
applying. When you take hundreds o f
applications and you only get two or three
applying, then they 're not knowing that the
opportunity's out there.
-L arry Warren
IB E W members make a m inim um wage anil
benefits package amounting to $48.09 an
hour.
"The retirement you w ill receive o ff o f
that w ill ju s t be tremendous," says W ar­
ren. M any IB E W retirees can expect to
receive about $7,000 a month after the age
of55.
Warren sees a common misperception
in th inking that skilled trades are more
dangerous or require a certain personal­
ity. “ A lot o f people tend to think o f
electrical as being d iffic u lt, but w ith any
jo b , once you learn a jo b , it's very easy,”
he says.
A lso a track coach at Jefferson High
School. Warren strives to connect w ith
students across the city who are begin­
ning to consider plans fo r the future, in
addition to his mission to unionize unaf­
filiated workers.
“ W e're really reaching out as w ell to try
to educate the youth on the requirements,"
Warren says, citin g the 2.0 grade-point
average and year o f mathematics needed
toget intothe IB E W training center. A n y-
continued
on page H2
Advocates Needed
Volunteer advocates and investigators
are needed to serve as ombudsmen fo r
residents o f nursing homes, residential-
care facilities, assisted-living and adult-
foster-care homes; training and ce rtifica ­
tion begins Thursday, Jan. 10. For more
inform ation on how you can get involved
contact Kathy W alter at 800-522-2602.
Learn to Make Recycled Art
Portland C om m unity College is o ffe rin g
the hands-on training to create art from
recycled materials; classes w ill be held at
the R eBuilding Center. 3625 N. M issis­
sippi Ave. C all 503-731-6622 fo r more
information.
Alternative Transportation History Revealed
Artist plays off
Traveling through
Time’ series
R aymond R endleman
T he P ortland O bserver
bi
W hile riding M ax trains this year, Gabe
Flores saw something missing among the
“ T raveling through Tim e” placards o f old
streetcars, trains, ferries and lour buses
that display Portland’ s transportation his­
tory. Flores longed fo r images that con­
fronted the history o f those who were
subject to oppression.
His research led him to the Oregon
H istorical Society where he found photo­
Helping the Hungry
The Oregon Food Bank desperately needs
your donations o f nonperishable foods
and funds. To fin d out how you can help,
call 503-282-0555.
Literacy Volunteers Needed
The Volunteer Literacy Program at Port­
land C om m unity College-Cascade needs
volunteertutors to provide free in d iv id u ­
alized instruction in basic literacy, En­
glish language, and math skills. Call 503-
244-3898 o r visit oregonliteracy.org.
Volunteer for Crisis Line
W ant to make a d ifference in yo u rc o m -
in u n ity ? V o lunteers and advocates are
needed fo r the Portland W o m e n 's C r i­
sis Lin e . The needs in clude o n -ca ll
advocates to respond in person o r o ver
the phone, outreach and educational
e ffo rts, and fu n d ra isin g and a d m in is ­
tra tive duties. C a ll 5 0 3-232-4176 fo r
more in fo rm a tio n.
African American Council
Y o u ’ re invited on the third Tuesday o f
each month. fro m 5 :3 0 to 6 :3 0 p .m „ when
the A frican Am erican A dvisory C ouncil
meets at the K ing Facility, 4 8 15 N.E. Sev­
enth. Call 5O3-8234KXM) fo r information.
graphs o f African Americans between 19(X)
and 1962 w orking as servants, caterers
and luggage handler'.. He then transfixed
those photos w ith logos that played o ff
T riM e t’ s series fo r an art exhibit he calls
“ Traveling through a Sim pler T im e ," on
display this month at the Portland A rt
Center. 32 N .W . F ifth Ave.
Flores, who has a history degree from
Port land State University, wanted to bring
out aspects o f the past that are often
overlooked in mainstream literature.
"W e ’ re so afraid o f pointing the fin g e r
at ourselves." he says.
A longtim e resident o f northeast Port­
land, Flores hopes that his alternative
history w ill act as a strike against racism
resurfacing. He wants h isa rtw o rk toserve
as a reminder that it wasn’ t that long ago
that the Kian was a pow erful force in the
state.
Flores credits a philosophical discus­
sion w ith his friend Rachael W ilson w ith
the concept and wishes to thank her for
helping him sift through the prim ary docu­
ments at the Oregon H istorical Society.
There is one Hispanic person in his
display, but Flores hopes to find more
racial diversity among railroad builders as
he strives tow ard his own 50-image archive.
W earing a shirt to his First Thursday
opening last week that read "hyphenated-
am erican," Flores h im se lf is a m ixture o f
French. Natn e American. Italian and Span­
hyphenated-american
PHOTO BI R AVMONP R l N l)l EM AN/T i IE PO RTLAND O b s ERV ER
Gabe Flores found historic photographs of African Americans in Portland and then transfixed them to TriMet “Traveling
through Time" logos to create an inspiring art exhibit.
ish.
H e considered ending the series on a
positive note w ith his favorite piece repre­
senting an A frican-A m erican bus d rive r
named Robert D illard in the early ‘50s after
the Urban I .eague exerted’pressure on the
continued
on page H2
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