www.portlandobserver.com
Committed to Cultural Diversity
lanuary 16, 2008
‘Reel’ Festival
M etro
Celebrates 25th Season
See inside, A&E page B6
^com m unity service
'r'!' P o rtla n b ODhscruer
o m m u n it y
C a l e n d a r Pageant Focuses
on ‘Total Person’
MLK Tribute at PSU
Marian Wright Edelman, founder and
president of the Children's Defense Fund,
will be the featured speaker during a
community-wide commemoration on the
life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at
Portland State University's Lincoln Per­
formance Hall.
Me, Too & Company
Tuesday, Jan. 29, begins the free eight-
week support group for children, teens
and adults who have experienced the
death of an immediate family member or
close friend; for more information con­
tact 503-499-5307.
Sisters of the Road March
Sisters of the Road, a community-advo­
cacy group for the homeless, invites ev­
eryone to join their annual Martin Luther
King Jr. Day March and Rally on Mon­
day, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. beginning at the
Sisters of the Road Center, 133 N.W. 6th
Ave.
Zoo Experiences
Throughout the month of January, the
Oregon Zoo will host several interactive
adventures for parents and children ages
3-5 years, for more information visit
oregonzoo.org orcall 503-220-2781.
Day On, Not a Day Off
Monday, Jan. 21, from 9 a. m. to 2:30 p.m.,
Portland State University- Hoffman Hall,
1833S.W. 11 th Ave., will honor Dr. Mar­
tin Luther King legacy, through a day of
service; for more information, contact
503-725-9727.
MLK Memorial Mass
Saturday, Jan. 19,at5:30p.m.,St. Mary’s
Cathedral at N.W. 18th and Couch Street,
host an annual mass in honor of Martin
Luther King Jr. in the African-American
Catholic tradition featuring a combined
Gospel choir.
Delegates
chosen for Miss
Black Oregon
Em phasizing intelligence, strong
character and perseverance, the Miss
Black Oregon Scholarship Founda­
tion doesn't fit into the typical image of
a glamour-girl “beauty pageant.”
The event focuses on the “total
person” in finding someone with a
beautiful mind and body to represent
the best in female African A m eri­
cans' strength and determination.
State winners are expected to use
the civic platform to promote issues
surrounding health and education, two
social indicators that organizers con­
sider vital to the African-American
community.
The winner will receive $3,500 for
college, an all-expenses-paid trip to
Gam bia and an opportunity to repre­
sent Oregon in an international com ­
petition.
A nonprofit corporation. Miss Black
U.S.A. believes that education is the
key to lifelong success and em pow er­
ment; it strives to provide scholastic
achievem ent for young wom en by
developing the “w hole w om an”in
“mind, body and spirit.”
The pageant is scheduled for Feb.
24 at the Sheraton Portland Airport
Hotel.
Lead Poisoning Prevention
Thursday, Jan. 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.,
Sellwood Community Center. 1436 S.E.
Spokane, will host this free workshop to
protect your family from lead poisoning;
participants receive a free test kit and
cleaning materials: to register call 503-
284-6827.
kree Weatherization Workshop
Saturday,Jan. 19,1'rom 10a.m.tonoon.St.
John’sCommunity Center, 1901 S.E. Oak
Grove Blvd. in Milwaukee, will host this
free workshop to help lower your energy
bill. To register, call 503-284-6827.
Renewable Energy Series
Saturdays. Jan. 19 and Feb. 16, from 8:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m., PCC Cascade Campus,
705 N. Killingsworth St. Room SC-202,
will host the series designed to investi­
gate opportunities for renewable energy
applications. For more information call
503-978-5143.
Portland Copwatch Meets
Tuesday, Jan. 22, Portland Copwatch
invites those who wish to volunteer or
those interested in police accountability
issues to attend a free orientation at
Laughing Horse Books, I2N.E. I Oth Ave.,
beginning at 7 p.m. For reservations, call
503-236-3065.
The Vocabulary of Architecture
Saturday,Feb.9 ,from lOtol 1:30a.m..the
Architectural Heritage Center. 701 S.E.
Grand Ave., will host guest speakers
Jane Morrison and Carol Lane in the
educational seminartodemystify the lan­
guage of architecture; to register, call
503-231 -7264 or visit AHC.org.
Advocates Needed
V olunteer advocates and investiga­
tors are needed to serve as om buds­
men for residents of nursing homes,
residential care facilities, assisted-liv­
ing and adult foster-care homes; train­
ing and certification begins Thursday,
Jan. 10. For more information on how
you can get involved contact Kathy
W alter at 800-522-2602.
Catch the Authors
Thursday. Feb. 28. at 6:30 p.m.. In Other
Words, 8 N.E. Killingsworth St., will host
the reading night featuring five gay/les-
N an/transgender authors including:
Gabrielle Goldsby, Diane Anderson-
Minshall, Jacob Anderson-M inshall,
Kathy Beige and Gina Daggett; for more
information, visit inotherwords.org orcall
503-232-6003.
Delegates competing for Miss Black Oregon o f 200 8 surround last year's winner Kelci Rae Flowers.
The new contestants are (clockwise from bottom left) Gente' Traylor, Yvenie Martino. Marneet Lewis,
Denaya Wilson, Kiara Dent, Brittany Jefferson and Michelle Washington.
Oregon Health Plan
to Open Rolls
First new enrollments
available since 2004
For the first time since mid-2(X)4. the Oregon
Health Plan is preparing to accept new enroll­
ees for its standard benefit package, serving
low-income Oregon adults ages 19 to 65 who
do not qualify for traditional M edicaid but earn
less than the federal poverty level ($20,650
annually for a family o f four).
Beginning Jan. 28, Oregonians who believe
they might qualify for the health insurance may
put their names on a reservation list. On Feb.
29, the Oregon Department of Human Ser­
vices will begin draw ing names from the list by
random. OffictaJs will then send individuals
whose names are drawn applications for the
insurance.
At its peak OHP-Standard served 132,000
people. However, due to budget cuts in 2004,
the program was closed to new enrollments
and the num ber of clients served was reduced
to an average o f just 24,000.
The program now is supported by taxes on
hospitals and m anaged-care plans, which the
two industry groups supported. Attrition has
dropped the numbers of people served to 19,(XX),
opening the way toenroll more individuals until
the average of 24.000 clients is reached.
"We believe dem and will be high for this
health care coverage," said Jim Edge, DHS
state'M edicaid director. "Many more people
qualify than the num ber of openings available,
which is why we have created the reservation
list and random selection method. We believe
this is the most equitable way to enroll new
clients."
People wishing to get on the reservation list
may visit oregon.gov/DHS/open and select
"Request Form" from the menu option. You
can also pick up a form at a DHS office or call
I -8(X)-699-9075 toll-free Monday through Fri­
day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
No reservations will be accepted prior to
Jan. 28.
Edge noted that DHS is trying to reach as
continued
on page R5
Entrepreneur Builds on Success
Cutting is barber’s passion
east P ortland and w ent on to
Beau M ode H air D esign. He
Daniel Natrell Laboy Parks is a home. The house was always full encountered som e hardships that
striving entrepreneur in the Port­ of kids in the neighborhood coming delayed his com pletion date. But,
to get their hair cut.
instead o f being the local drug
land community.
P a rk s
g r a d u a te d
fro m d e a le r o r g an g m e m b e r, he
He began cutting hair at the age
of 13 in the basement of his parent’s Jefferson High School in north- started traveling throughout the
city cutting hair. He
was known as “On the
M oves C u ts.” T h a t's
how he e a rn e d his
m oney to support his
wife and children.
Through all the tri­
als. Parks faced his
fa ith , and p ra y e rs
brought him through
while he com pleted the
s c h o o lin g at B eau
Mode. He was hired at
Leon's Barbershop, a
place where he had al­
w ays d re a m e d o f
working on Northeast
14th and Fremont. He
looked up to Mr. Leon
as one ot Portland's
veteran barbers and re­
mained faithful to him
for several years.
After years of cut­
ting and building a got k 1
reputation w ith clients,
a door opened for his
ow n shop at 5514 N.E.
16th Avenue, around
th e
c o rn e r
from
Killingsw orth Street.
He nam ed his ow n
place D aniel's Natural
Cuts and Styles. Now
creating a rhythm for
himself, he will enter
his second year in busi­
ness this M ay. The
community is invited to
com e out and patron­
ize this young talented
Daniel Natrell Laboy Parks works with a customer in his barber shop
barber
where cutting is
called Daniel's Natural Cuts and Styles at 5514 N.E. 16th Ave.,
a passion.
around the corner from Killingsworth Street.