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M a r t in L u t h e r K in g J r .
January 12, 2011
2011 s p e c ia l e d il ion
Civil Rights from Your Perspective
Labor Commissioner documents Oregon struggles
Oregon Labor and Industries
Commissioner Brad Avakian is
getting the word out about a
project he’s taking to publish
civil rights experiences from the
perspective of Oregonians who
personal ly or through their fami
lies lived the events themselves.
“My Civil Rights Story” is an
effort to document the historic
and present day civil rights
struggles experienced by our di
verse communities.
Avakian said what’s needed
are aspiring writers who have a
personal story to tell.
“Together, we will illustrate
the progress - and sometimes
regress - of civil rights from
those who shared the experi
ence th e m se lv e s,” he said.
"W hile I will provide an intro
duction and conclusion to the
book, g en e ra lly d isc u ssin g
O regon’s civil rights history and
themes, your stories will tell the
real Oregon story.”
“I encourage you to write
about your or your family’s ex
periences living and working in
Oregon. Some stories will illus
trate hard fought, and sometimes
tragic, battles for equality. Oth
ers may portray the efforts lead-
ing to leaps forw ard in the
progress of civil rights. Some
may reflect the personal, quiet
toughness of people doing what
they must to survive in a culture
that was not yet willing to recog
nize them fully. Whatever your
story is, I am interested in hear
ing it.”
Avakian is the paternal grand
son of Armenian immigrants who
fled genocide and oppression to
seek a better life in America.
As commissioner of the Or
egon Bureau of Labor and In
dustries, he enforces O regon’s
civil rights laws, protecting people
He is a former state represen
tative and state senator from
Beaverton.
The personal stories submit
ted for the “My Civil Rights
Story” project must be received
by Feb. 14. Some stories will be
selected for publication in the
book. Other submissions will be
presented on a website for all to
read.
For suggestions on how to write
your story, you can go to the
website mycivilrightsstory.net.
Submissions can be emailed
Brad Avakian
to brad@ mycivilrightsstory.net
from discrimination in employ- or mailed to My Civil Rights
ment, housing and in all public Story, 17915 N.W. Lonerock
Places.
Dr., Portland, OR 97229.
Helping
Homeowners
with Repairs
[N E W
continued
N O W D E L IV E R IN G
Y o u r fa v o r ite
n e ig h b o r h o o d
g r o c e r ie s
g ro c e ry s to re
r ig h t to y o u r h o m e
now
line maintain the exteriors of then
homes.
T he
p ro g ra m
allow s
homeowners to avoid potential
code citations, loss of homeowner
insurance and foreclosure while
improving the appearance of lo
cal neighborhoods
A $5,000 community grant
from State Farm Insurance is
making the outreach possible.
"We have made a com mit
ment to work with responsible
neighborhood organizations like
Habitat for Humanity who share
our business-oriented objective
of healthy neighborhoods", said
C hris Sum m ers, State Farm
Agency field executive.
Since 1991, Evergreen H abi
tat for H um anity has w orked
to improve living conditions for
low-incom e Clark County resi
dents. The non-profit organi
zation w orks in partnership
with people in need from all
walks of life to develop com
m unities by building safe, af
fordable housing. Homes are
sold at no profit with a zero
percent interest rate m ortgage
after the partner fam ilies com
plete their sweat equity hours.
d e liv e r s
o r o ffic e .
w w w .n e w s e a s o n s m a r k e t.c o m
you click, we deliver, (or pull up for pick up
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