February 23. 2011
Page 23
^'PortlandObserver Black History Month
*
northby
northeast
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
W e c e le b r a te a n d h o n o r
P o r tla n d ’s B la c k H is to r y
A 1 9 7 6 photograph shows César Chávez at work in the community garden at La Paz in Keene, Calif.
Exhibit Opens on Life and
Work of César Chávez
Civil rights hero
suffered cruelty
of racism
"In His Own W ords: The Life
and W ork o f César Chavez," an
exhibition o f photographs and au­
tobiographical reflections, has
opened at The Ham ersly Library
at western Oregon University in
M onm outh.
As a child, César Chávez expe­
rienced the freedom and joy of
growing up on his family’s farm in
Yuma, Ariz. But the Depression
brought hard times, and Chavez's
family was forced from their land
in to a life o f m ig ran t w ork.
Throughout his youth and young
adulthood, Chávez experienced the
pain and suffering of farm labor
and the cruelty of racism.
It was during these difficult times
that a seed o f determination was
planted. Influenced by the prin­
ciples of his parents and his reli­
gion, the ideals o f his mentors and
the study of successful civil rights
leaders, Chávez developed a clear
and uncomprom ising vision for
change.
Chavez went on to found the
first farm w orkers union. He
worked to secure better pay, im­
proved job safety, better living con­
ditions and many other essential
rights and protections for laborers.
In turn, he became an inspiration to
millions who continue the fight for
justice and equality.
Featuring thirty-eight photo­
graphs paired with personal rec­
ollections, "In His Own W ords"
exam ines the ethics and experi­
ences that drove Chavez to work
tirelessly to improve the lives of
Am erican farm workers, recog­
nizing this important 20th C en­
tury leader as a civil rights hero,
an influential labor leader and a
cham pion o f change.
The exhibition will be available
through M arch 21.
Dr. John C. H am m erback,
emeritus faculty from the Univer­
sity of Washington, will present a
guest lecture titled "To Enable Com­
mon People to do Uncom m on
Things:* The Rhetorical Career of
CésarChàvez" on Wednesday, Feb.
23 at 5:30 p.m. in room 211 of the
Instructional Technology Center.
A reception will immediately fol­
low the lecture.
The exhibit is produced by Hu­
manities Texas, the state affiliate of
the National Endowment for the
Humanities. "In His Own Words"
is made possible by a "We the
People" grant from the National
Endowment for the Humanities and
is funded, in part by the Polk County
Cultural Coalition.
For information, contact Jerrie
Lee Parpart, exhibit coordinator at
503-838-8419, parpaij@ wou.edu.
Health happens here! North by Northeast Community
Health Center provides high quality health care to
uninsured neighborhood adults with diabetes and
high blood pressure. Thanks to all the volunteers and
supporters who have allowed us to provide over four
years of service to the community. And, most of all,
thank you to our patients for putting your trust in us.
3030 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. | Portland Oregon 97212
503-287-49321 nxneclinic.org
unrrnij
Leaders
Mentors
Activists
Respectful
Admirable
Pioneers
Devoted
Proud
TRAIL BLAZERS
Congratulations to all of our Black History Month honorees...
you are true trail blazers in our community.
Rob Ingram
Baruti L. Artharee
Barbara Neyland
make it better
•»PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
tra ilb la ze rs c o m /m a k e itb e tte r