Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2016)
Page 4 January 27, 2016 Advertise with diversity in The Portland Observer Call 503-288-0033 or email ads@portlandobserver.com Whiteness History Month Defended C OnTinued frOm P age 3 I started by wanting to support this effort to investigate a structure. The effort was never about investigating individuals. The more individuals attempt to make it about them, to make it about their comfort, the more I have to reassess my mental model and my approach here. concept of whiteness has changed over time, and a panel of white Portlanders involved in antiracist groups and organizations discuss- ing their experiences and how to be most effective in working against racism and white suprem- acy. Kate Chester, director of com- munity engagement at PCC, ex- plained that the event is targeted not at speciic people or groups of people but at whiteness as a social construct. She says the school was prepared to publicize the events once the agenda was inalized by its organizers, subcommittee of --A black woman working as faculty the colleges’ Cascade Campus Di- versity Council, in early February. But the event attracted national cussing it the week of the Dr. Mar- equity. attention when conservative blog- tin Luther King Jr. holiday, using A student supporting it said, gers and news sources began dis- language like “whiteness sham- “Often, the focus has not been on ing” and “hate whitey month”. who deines and propagates ra- The school has received many cial categories but the victims of messages both from people taking it. Turning the gaze allows us to offence at the event and “person- have more critical conversations alizing it”, and from supporters about how this country was start- who recognize the event’s ability ed and how it came to prosper that to contribute to social justice and is missing from mainstream dis- Catering & Take-Out Chicken • Pork Ribs • Beef Ribs Our Specialty: Real Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Q Wayne Cannon (Proprietor) Mon-Thur 11:30am-9:00pm • Fri-Sat 11:30am-11:00pm • Sun 1:00pm-7:00pm 5410 N.E. 33rd 503-288-3836 Building a Workforce C OnTinued frOm P age 3 in the area, resulting in a cycle of poverty. Building the trades center and its programs are key in com- bating this issue, he said. “The value of the trades cen- ter is clear,” Frederick said. “You have to have people who under- stand how to do these jobs right here; you can’t outsource them. We want to make sure everyone can be part of getting these jobs.” Hinshaw explored how the inance sector supports region- al manufacturing through sus- tainable workforce development training and education, as well as providing access to capital for businesses. He said that Portland course on race.” However, the controversy around this event is also affecting individual people of color at the college. A black woman working as faculty, blogging anonymous- ly, says about how her co-work- ers have reacted, “I started by wanting to support this effort to investigate a structure. The effort was never about investigating in- dividuals. The more individuals attempt to make it about them, to make it about their comfort, the more I have to reassess my men- tal model and my approach here.” The interim college president has also issued a statement de- fending the event: “We view this project as part of a larger national conversation around race and so- cial justice on America’s college campuses...[this] event is intend- ed to enable a rich and engaging exchange of ideas. We hope it will open up a space for dialogue and discovery around these com- plex issues,” Sylvia Kelly said. Alex Wise is a student intern at the Portland Observer attending Portland State University. has the 17th largest manufacturing sector among the top largest 100 metro markets in the country. “I’m a big champion of the manufacturing industry,” Hin- shaw said. “It’s an under-recog- nized sector in the state and is a big deal for me. Twenty six per- cent of the state’s GDP is from manufacturing. Our partnership with PCC has been a natural path for us. It’s great to see all of the work PCC has done here.” New Center Brings Hope C OnTinued frOm f rOnT 1989 in honor of two members of Portland’s African American community, the late Rev. Dr. John W. Garlington Jr. and his wife, Yvonne, who successfully pushed for more social services in the community during the 1970s and 1980s. The couple died in a tragic trafic accident in 1986. The new clinic would be placed on a 1.5 acre site in the heart of Portland’s historic black commu- nity in the Eliot Neighborhood at 3034 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., and serve as a new commu- nity-centered healthcare model for local residents. The campus will house one building for primary health care and mental health services and a separate four-story 52-unit apart- ment building in which 10 to 12 of the units will be reserved for peo- ple experiencing behavior health challenges and economic difi- culties. Rents would be targeted at around $700 a month, although those suffering from mental ill- ness will have access to subsidies, oficials said. Mental health, addiction, and disease management services would be coordinated with an on-site integrated medical team, and preventative care and healthy lifestyle classes. Additionally, the center would offer wellness resources including a communi- ty kitchen, food pantry, exercise room, and shared gardens acces- sible to all. The projected com- pletion date would be around fall 2017. “Our new campus addresses our community’s need for im- proved behavioral health services and affordable housing,” says De- rald Walker, Cascadia president and chief executive oficer. “We know that together we can help those in need experience better health outcomes.” In addition to FamilyCare’s donation, Cascadia has received $250,000 from an anonymous donor, $250,000 from Meyer Memorial Trust, $250,000 from Multnomah County, $100,000 from the Mitzvah Fund of the Or- egon Community Foundation and a host of smaller donations from other groups. Cascadia’s “Building a Cul- ture of Caring” philanthropic campaign was started with the visionary support of Howard and Jane Glazer with their $1 million property donation. Cascadia ex- pects to raise the inal $3.5 mil- lion over the next six to eight months. “Serving lower-income Or- egonians is at the heart of what FamilyCare is all about,” says Jeff Heatherington, the insurer’s pres- ident. “Providing assistance for a neighborhood-based clinic com- bined with supportive housing is exactly what we believe it will take to help people get the care they need, especially those facing mental health challenges.”
