Februaiy 22, 2012___________________
^ 'P o r tla n d O bserver B la c k H iS tO iy M o n t h
E mpowering P ortland
continued
from page 10
“W e have been very very focused on those
recom m endations and w orking to im plem ent
those recom m endations. W e have also been
focused on engaging and helping our com m u­
nity to have the capacity to advocate for
them selves.”
A nnual State o f Black O regon policy briefs
take a deeper look at the issues and update the
data.
“ N o t m u ch h a d im p ro v e d , as a m a tte r o f
fa c t, a n d in key a re a s, th in g s h a d g o tte n
w o rse. T h a t re a lly re in fo rc e d o u r re s o lv e ,”
she said . “ W e w a n t p o lic ie s in the c ity , the
c o u n ty an d sta te th at are fo c u se d on o u t­
c o m e , an d im p ro v in g o u tc o m e s fo r the
A fric a n -A m e ric a n co m m u n ity , o th e r c o m ­
m u n itie s o f c o lo r an d o th e r v u ln e ra b le
c o m m u n itie s.”
An archive photo from around 1945
shows Edwin C. Berry, the first Urban
League o f Portland executive director.
Purcell said all o f these issues, including
high unem ploym ent rates, barriers to housing,
health disparities, education, and the lack o f
youth jobs, are contributing to a real crisis that
M ake a night of it.
m ust be dealt with immediately.
“W e have to dem and accountability from
our policy m akers to address these issues,”
she said. “Not only educate, but to be one o f
the vehicles in the com m unity that bring people
together so they can fashion solutions and
w ork together to m ake those solutions be­
com e a reality.”
This is why the U rban League is so im por­
tant today, she said.
“I think that our com m unity is not the sam e
as it was in 1945, and it certainly is not the same
as it was 20-years-ago.”
According to Purcell, gentrification has frac­
tured the cohesiveness o f Portland’s African-
A m erican population.
“This has created a challenge for all o f us,”
she said. “The m ajority o f A frican A m ericans
no longer live in north and northeast Port­
land.”
H ousing discrim ination historically con­
centrated black populations in one part o f the
city, which Purcell said created unintended
beneficial outcom es o f a strong cohesion, with
strong institutions.
Today, the U rban League has needs that
are as great as they have ever been, she said.
"The last 20-years have seen a displace­
m ent and dispersal to som e degree o f our
com m unity, and I think it is a challenge for all
o f us to m ake sure we are still able to serve our
com m unity that now lives in east county, in
the “num bers,’ and in W ashington County
and G resham .”
“T he future o f the Urban League is grow ­
ing in strength, grow ing in capacity, and grow ­
ing in our ability to serve the needs o f our
com m unity,” said Purcell.
“T h e U rb an L e a g u e is h ere to h elp
stre n g th e n o u r c o m m u n ity th ro u g h a d v o ­
cacy an d th ro u g h s e rv ic e ,” said P u rce ll.
“T h a t is w h at w e w a n t to do, an d w e in v ite
th e su p p o rt o f e v e ry b o d y to h e lp us in
th a t c h a rg e .”
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