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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 22, 2021)
Decemeber 22, 2021 Page 3 INSIDE O piniOn C lassified /B ids page 9 pages 10 Established 1970 USPS 959 680 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 2008 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer--Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication--is a member of the National Newspaper Association--Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association PO QR code Publisher: Editor: Mark Washington, Sr. Michael Leighton Office Mngr/Clasfds: Lucinda Baldwin Admin.Coord.: Quayuana Washington Creative Director: Kenya Anderson Office Asst/Sales: Shawntell Washington CALL 503-288-0033 • FAX 503-288-0015• news@portlandobserver.com ads@portlandobserver.com• subscription@portlandobserver.com Postmaster: Send address changes to Portland Observer, PO Box 3137, Portland, OR 97208 2021 Year in Review Con’t Continued from Page 2 Activist Named Marshall Leader May 5 -- Vancouver NAACP President, Jasmine Tolbert, was recognized for her work responding to systemic rac- ism and racial inequities by organizing listening sessions within Clark County, receiving a George C. Marshall Leader- ship Award from Vancouver’s Historic Trust, in partnership with the city of Vancouver. Gun Violence: Connecting the Dots May 19 – Community leaders Sam Sachs (from left), Dr. S. Renee Mitchell and Elijah Hasan stand in solidarity to introduce a cam- paign of billboards and other messages to stop Black-on-Black gun violence. Racism and self-hate fuel the crisis, the advocates for the African American community said. Greene, Hollands for Schools June 9 – Herman Greene, pastor of Abundant Life PDX Church, and Gary Hol- lands, a small business owner and executive director of the nonprof- it Albina Sports Pro- gram, get elected to the Portland School Board, the seven-member panel joining incumbent Mi- three Black representatives Continued chelle Depass to give for the first time in its history. on Page 5 NAACP Rejects Police Meeting Union scolded for opposing group’s priorities The Portland NAACP is cit- ing the Portland Police Associ- ation’s long history of opposing its police reforms and other ba- sic changes in policing as rea- sons not to meet with the union. The local civil rights group issued a statement last week reporting that it was recently contacted by Portland Police Association union head Aaron Schmautz asking for a virtual or in-person get together to discuss the state of the community. NAACP leaders rejected the overture. “We remain steadfast in our goals to prioritize models of safety that center community wholeness, over aiding a union that has seemed to prioritize punishment of our community, the impunity of officers, and the growth of their department, “a NAACP statement said. NAACP leadership pointed out that in a state that holds a deep history of institutional vi- olence towards Black residents, the community should consider the role of the Portland Police Association, the oldest function- ing police union in the country, in ongoing outcomes that have been negative for Black and mi- nority residents. The follow statistics of im- pacts on Black residents were supplied as an example: Oregon holds the fifth worst incarceration rate for Black peo- ple in the country, despite being only 2% Black. Black Portland- ers make up nearly 20% of traf- fic stops, despite being about 6% of the city’s population. Of the more than 40 fatal shootings in- volving Portland police officers since 2003, a disproportionate number of those who have suf- fered are Black Portlanders. NAACP leaders said none of the Portland police officers in- volved in shootings have been indicted. Of those officers that have been put on leave, often paid, almost all end up back on the force or transferring to other area departments. Black people make up about half of the PPB’s reported use of force incidents Also, amid the urgent George Floyd uprising in Portland last year, Portland Police Bureau officers were tied to more than 6,000 documented uses of force, including the indiscriminate use of poisonous CS gas, more com- monly referred to as tear gas. “It is not lost on us that basic reform efforts have been rail- roaded by the union, whether it be a community-oversight board, dissolving problematic specialty units, or simply shifting money from their quarter-billion dollar budgets into non-law enforce- ment responses,” the Portland NAACP said. “It is clear our demands are not the priority of the Portland Police Association. We want Continued on Page 9 A Living Legacy Maurice Lucas Foundation gives back The Maurice Lucas Foun- dation’s 11th annual gala held virtually Dec. 9 raised nearly $700,000 to support free academ- ic and athletic programs for Port- land youths. The total was almost $100,000 above last year’s event, officials reported. KOIN-TV news anchor Ken Boddie and auctioneer Johnna Lee Wells again co-hosted the celebration. Foundation Execu- tive Director and founder David Lucas, son of the late Portland Trail Blazer legend Maurice Lu- cas, served as the gala’s master of ceremonies. Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams was presented the foundation’s annual Maurice Lucas Enforcer Award. The honor is given to an indi- vidual who best embodies many of the characteristics that its namesake displayed both on and off the basketball court, including motivating and empowering kids. In his acceptance speech, Wil- liams recalled the time he got to know Maurice Lucas when both served as assistant coaches for the Portland Trail Blazers. David Lucus, son of the late Trail Blazer legend Maurice Lucas, presents an Enforcer Award during an annual celebration in his father’s name to raise donations to support free academic and athletic programs for Portland area youth. “I’m grateful for the lessons I ing scorer on the 1977 NBA learned from him,” Williams said. champion Portland Trail Blazers “He had a huge impact on me. and a five-time NBA All-Star. He Thank you all for allowing me the had a storied 14-year career in honor of having this award.” professional basketball, but off Williams also thanked Port- the court is where Maurice built land, “that allowed me to be a part his legacy of community service. of the community and the culture Maurice passed away Oct. 31, that Luke helped build.” 2010, at age 58. Bill Walton, Lionel Hollins The foundation carries on his and Bobby Gross (all members of legacy by working with youth to the Blazers’ 1977 championship help them realize their individual team) are among the award’s past potential through education and recipients, along with Bill Russell, sport. More information about the Bill Schonely and Nate McMillan. foundation and Maurice Lucas is Maurice Lucas was the lead- online at www.ML20.org.
