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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2013)
January 16, 2013 lì M artin L u th er K in g J r . Page © 2013 special ed itio n * Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, t Our legacy is yours. Legacy Health values diversity in how we work with each other, how we deliver care, how we partner with our community and how we do business. - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. www.legacyhealth.org/diversity Walking Among1 Eveiyday People ing during the foreclosure cri sis to helping register thou who are disproportionately af sands o f voters in the 2008 fected by HIV/AIDS, on how to presidential election, to m obi eliminate its spread. lizing citizens for police reform Ward emphasizes the need to following the 2010 police shoot em power the most vulnerable in in g o f u n a rm e d A a ro n our communities— seniors, im C am pbell, to advising the p o migrants, sexual minorities. “All lice b u reau’s N ortheast Crisis for one and one for all,’’ said Response Team on dom estic Ward. “God doesn’t discrimi and gang violence, she is beck nate.” oned w here injustice calls. Recently, in observance of In her leisure time, Ward is a W orld AIDs Day, W ard along well-rounded artist; an actress, with other advocate groups, and dancer, model, and author. Chrysalis Ministries hosted “I She is writing her first book, Speak Life,” a concert show which she hopes to have com casing many visual and perform pleted in 2013. A project that has ing artists in a call to support taken her close to 15 years, it will those living with HIV or who consist o f interviews she’s done have succumbed to the AIDS with women in and out o f the illness. church. The event gave voice to the Ward is in the unique position mantra “Planting a S.E.E.D,” to counsel women who walk embracing the attributes of Ser through the door o f the church, vice, Education, Empowerment distressed by domestic violence, and Dedication. infidelity and other crises. Not HIV/AIDs are not the only free o f her own oppressions, and issues Ward has risen against. as a female, African A m erican “I ’m blessed to work within dif woman in a still very misogynis ferent movem ents, especially tic society, she offers a uniquely grassroots,” she said. personal perspective on the is As a young woman in her 20s, sues people face. W ard said she le arn ed the “Yes, I ’m ostracized,” she “modus operandi” of grass roots said, “The very thing I fight organizing living in the San Fran against, I experience.” cisco bay area where she had W ard starts each morning the fortune of knowing many early and prepares herself for inspiring civil rights leaders from the unexpected challenges o f the the Black Panther M ovement day. She reads scriptures, medi like Huey Newton and others ates to music, and sings her songs activists like A1 Sharpton and before setting out on her mission Dr. Cornell West. to be o f help to som ebody, In Portland, she has remained whether it is paying a visit to a constant in giving voice to the man ailed by stomach cancer or disparities and socio- economic su p porting survivors o f the issues, and she has become a Clackamas mall shooting. local and national motivational “I do believe everybody is a speaker and respondent. special assignment,” she said. “I From educating “everyday cannot make any changes, but people” about predatory lend little ones.” c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 18 The PO RTLA N D WATER BUREAU honors the memory & legacy o f the REVEREND DR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR d i- ■ f ■ - JANUARY 15, 1929 - APRIL 4, 1968 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day January 16,2012 » ¿ ¿ il P ortland WATER B U R EA U FR O M F O R tlT TO F A U C IT 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Room 600 Portland, Oregon 97204 503-823-7740 wAvw.portlandoregon.gov/warcr Randy Ixonard, Commisioner David G. Shaft, Ddministraror
