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January 27, 2016
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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-
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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.”