Februaiy 6. 2008
PagcA2
Activist Fired
continued
from Front
provide stall and financial support to 12 recog
nized volunteer neighborhood associations.
It also m anages the TriM et Rider A dvocates
and the Youth Gang O utreach program s, and
provides office space for tw o N eighborhood
C rim e Prevention Program specialists.
Em ployees, including the executive direc
tor, work w ithout contracts on an “at w ill"
basis, and can be term inated without cause.
Such firings have occurred in the past in some
o f the c ity 's six other district neighborhood
offices, but M onday’s action was a first for
NECN since it was established in 1975.
Santos-L yons' hiring follow ed a torturous
process.
The g ro u p 's last perm anent director, John
C anda, resigned in late 2006 to fill a newly-
created position in m ayorT om Potter’s office.
Form er board chair W illie Brown took over as
acting director, originally on a three-m onth
contract that was extended twice.
Brown, who at first said he was interested in
filling the position permanently, eventually said
he had changed his mind. A board selection
committee eventually narrowed the field o f ap
plicants to three finalists: Crime Prevention Spe
cialist Celeste Carey, and longtime community
activists Anjala Ehelebe and Ann Rothert, o f the
Woodlawn and Concordia neighborhood asso
ciations, respectively. The hiring committee had
a tie vote between two o f these candidates. At
that point they decided to consider other appli
cants, including Santos-Lyons.
Illumination Project Spotlights Racism
With focus on
social justice
P ortland C o m m u n ity C o lle g e 's so
cial ju s tic e th e a te r g ro u p , th e Illu m i
n atio n P ro je ct, h as a n n o u n c e d a w in
te r sc h e d u le o f fre e an d o p en to th e
p u b lic p e r f o rm a n c e s d e s ig n e d to
b a ttle rac ism .
T h e p ro je c t h as th e d u al p u rp o se
o f p ro v id in g p a rtic ip a tin g stu d e n ts
w ith an o p p o rtu n ity to d e v e lo p sk ills
as e d u c a to rs, a c tiv is ts an d le a d e rs,
and to e d u c a te stu d e n t, sta ff, fa c
ulty an d c o m m u n ity a u d ie n c e s on
so cial ju s tic e issu es.
Linder th e g u id a n c e o f p ro g ra m
c o o rd in a to r J e a n n ie L a F ra n c e , th e
d iv e rse g ro u p o f stu d e n ts h a s p ro
d u c e d th ree o rig in a l p la y s a d d r e s s
ing th e issu es o f rac ism . T h e se p la y s
are b ased on re a l-life e x p e rie n c e s
th a t th e 17 stu d e n ts in th e p ro je c t
h av e h ad in th e ir o w n lives. P e rfo r
m a n c e s a d d re ss issu e s o f im m ig ra
tio n , in te rra cia l re la tio n sh ip s a n d d is
c rim in a tio n in th e c la ssro o m .
"T h e interactive theater ex p erien ce
gives the au dience the ability to physi-
Jeannie LaFrance (right) takes her students through a group exercise during rehearsal for the Illumination Project.
cally take the stage and act out how
they w ould change an o p p ressiv e situ
ation fo r the b etter,” said L aF rance.
"T h ro u g h active learning, student e d u
cato rs h ope to give th eir aud ien ces the
tools they need to act the next tim e
they ex p erien ce racism .”
P e rfo rm a n c e s a re sc h e d u le d on
the Sylvania, Rock Creek and Cas
cade campuses. For more informa
tion or to schedule a performance,
call 503-977-8149.
Schools Foundation Director Leaving
tfou. art fwifed to Attend/
Departure called ‘mutual’
ANNUAL NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY
a r t c o n te s t
If you need additional info, please co n ta ct
Ronnie Meyers @ 503-988-3030 x 25677 or ronnie.w.meyers@co.multnomah.or.us
African American AIDS Awareness Action Alliance
li II U I H i I II II I H II 11 II 11 III II 111 II H 1111 II 111 II 11 i 111 HI 111111 III
T he executive director o f the
Portland Schools Foundation is
leaving. Connie Van Brunt, a C h i
cago charter-schools leader, was
recruited to lead the foundation
last summ er.
Her departure follows a report in
W illa m e tte W eek th a t the
foundation's board was investigat
ing how Van Brunt used foundation
money to pay her rent— beyond the
agreed-upon date after she moved to
Portland — and whether she sought
to h ire h er h u sb a n d , M ich ael
Samachson, as a grant writer.
Doug Nichols, foundation presi
dent and board chair issued the
follow ing statement:
“W hen the P ortland S chools
fessional career.
“However, various
F o u n d a tio n h ired
initiatives and respon
Connie Van Brunt as
sib ilitie s a sso cia te d
executive director, it
with the role o f execu
was with the under
tiv e d ire c to r h av e
standing that she was
emerged which do not
a highly skilled edu
reflect Ms. Van Brunt's
cational reform advo
areas of focus. There
cate and practitioner
fore, Ms. Van Brunt and
with a proven track
the Portland Schools
record o f closing the
Foundation have m u
achievement gap. We Connie Van Brunt
tually agreed to part
continue to believe
company. There are no
that today. In Portland, Ms. Van allegations o f wrongdoing by either
Brunt launched an agenda o f com party. There is no pending financial
munity engagement work, education investigation.”
reform work andevaluativeoutcome
Fred Miller, a retired Portland
analysis o f significant caliber, paral General Electric executive, has been
leling the work she has effectively nam ed the foundation’s interim d i
pursued throughout her 30-year pro rector.
W ORKING FOR EOUALITY
IN HEALTHCARE
PACT Parents and
Children Together
Is raising a child with
ADHD stressing you out?
Mothers:
P arents a n d C h ild re n T o g e th e r (PACT) is a research study
We believe that everyone should enjoy
the best healthcare available
As the only local and community-
owned nonprofit health system, Legacy
Health System takes a leading role in
raising the health status of all in our
community
In honor of Black History Month, we
think it is fitting to look at the role we play
in addressing health disparities
We support dozens of efforts aimed at
improving the health of people of racial and
ethnic diversity Such steps as
• Helping cooks at Peninsula Children's
Center in North Portland prevent
childhood obesity
• Partnering with the African American
. Health Coalition regarding diabetes
management
• Supporting a program from Self
Enhancement Inc that provides
preventive dental care to youth who have
not had regular visits to dentists
• Providing a diverse workplace to reflect
the communities we serve
In addition, we provide more than $127
million in health services to people with
limited ability to pay.
For more information on Legacy's
work in the community, sec www.
Iegacyhealth.org/inthecommunity
Legacy Health System
comparing two approaches to helping families with children
with ADHD. Eligible families receive either an ADHD family
advocate or education materials.
You m a y be e lig ib le if you have a child with ADHD and live in
the Portland area.
There is no cost to participate in this study. You w ill receive a gift
card o f a t least $50 every six months.
For more information:
call 503 418-3603
or email pact@ohsu.edu
$
HEALTH
OREGON
LEGACY
St/sfcw
/ M th
OHSU
Change can't happen if we see things just one way That’s why diversity is
important to who we are We are proud to he an equal opportunity institution
IRB#2O71
)
&SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY