Local News
Trayvon Martin: Rally
Saturday March 24 in
Peninsula Park
By Helen Silvis
Of The Skanner News
P
ortland mom Mary Hill is organizing a
rally and march to demand justice for
Trayvon Martin. Hill is asking Port-
landers to show their support for Trayvon’s
family at a rally in Peninsula Park at 9 a.m.
Saturday, March 24. Miller says rally organ-
izers are asking people to wear hoodies,
because the teen was wearing a hoodie
when he was shot.
Miller says she is organizing the rally
because, “I’m a mom and it could be any
one of our kids or brothers. I can’t not do
something. We want justice.
“I’ve never been fired up like this before.
It has touched me and I can’t be quiet. I
dream about Trayvon and when I talk about
this I feel shaky and get goosebumps.”
The mom of five children, aged 13 and
under, Miller says like others she could not
believe that an unarmed teen could be shot
with impunity.
“I can’t believe something like this can
happen in 2012,” she says. “I want people to
start thinking about this. We need to face
these issues.”
The Feb. 26 shooting of the unarmed
Florida teen has sparked outrage in commu-
nities across the country. A 17-year-old
high school student, Martin went to the
store to get candy and was returning home,
when he was shot by neighborhood watch
C
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Blues Reunion for Health Care
captain, George Zimmerman. Zimmerman,
a White Hispanic man has a long history of
calling the police to report “suspicious”
people in his gated apartment community.
Police made no arrest in the case, citing
Florida’s controversial, “stand your ground”
law, which permits citizens to act in self-
defense when they believe they are
threatened. Martin’s family called for Zim-
merman’s arrest and have pointed to cell
phone records, a 911 call and witnesses who
dispute Zimmerman’s version of the shoot-
ing.
The U.S. Department of Justice is investi-
gating the case.
NAACP President and CEO Benjamin
Todd Jealous joined local NAACP leaders
at an open forum at noon March 21 to hear
local residents offer testimony on abuses
and discrimination by the Sanford Police
Department. The NAACP plans to submit
this testimony to the Department of Justice,
which is investigating the Sanford police.
The forum follows a Town Hall Meeting
at Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Tuesday
March 20, where hundreds of local residents
rallied in support of Trayvon Martin. Many
residents expressed outrage and offered
their own stories of discrimination at the
hands of police.
“This is at least the third instance in the
last several years where a black man has
been assaulted or killed in Sanford and jus-
tice has not been delivered,” Jealous said.
M
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The Oregon Single Payer Campaign is throwing a party on Saturday, April
14 at the Melody Ballroom called the Inner City Blues Festival Reunion—
“Healing the Healthcare Blues.” The Inner City Blues Festival was a popular,
annual event sponsored by the Portland Rainbow Coalition that ran from
the 1988 “Jam for Jesse” Jackson until the last Inner City Blues Festival
concert in 2003.
In the spirit of the Rainbow Coalition, many Northwest blues stars that
performed in the festival in the past are coming together for a night of
music that will benefit the work of the Oregon Single Payer Campaign for
a universal, affordable healthcare system for all Oregonians.
Included in the program are: Norman Sylvester Band with special guests:
Lloyd Allen, Sara Billings, LaRhonda Steele, Sonny Hess, Jim Mesi, Richard
Arnold, Bill Rhoades and Peter Moss; Lenanne Miller-Sylvester & Janice
Scroggins in a “Tribute to Lady Day” (Billie Holiday); Lloyd Jones Struggle;
Chatta Addy; Mad as Hell Doctors; and musician/tap dancer Shoehorn.
The event is emceed by Paul Knauls and Renee Mitchell. For more
information about the Inner City Blues Festival Reunion and the Oregon
Single Payer Campaign go to www.singlepayeroregon.org. To purchase
tickets online go to www.ticketsoregon.com.
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P ORTLAND 2012
B ULLETIN B OARD
If you have an event you want to share
with the community, email it two weeks
in advance to The Skanner at
info@theskanner.com
Thursday March 22
ELECTIONS EVENT. Join Concordia University for
this Portland Mayoral and City Council debate.
The focus of this forum is on education from pre-k
through higher education. This forum is free and
open to the public. 7 p.m. Concordia University,
2811 NE Holman St.
Saturday March 24
A FREE WRITING PROMPT WORKSHOP: Trying to
make time to write? Take this Saturday afternoon
and enjoy writing prompts provided in company
of other writers. 2 – 5 p.m. Paper Tiger Coffee
Roasters, 703 Grand Blvd. & Mill Plain Blvd in
Vancouver, WA.
Saturday & Sunday March 24 & 25
Page 2 The Portland Skanner March 21, 2012
THE PDX BICYCLE SHOW: Over 120 exhibitors will
be showing off the latest in bicycle technology,
gear, apparel and nutrition, Free bike parking
and bike checks will be offered to those who ride
to the show. Saturday hours 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday Hours 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Portland Expo
Center – Hall E, 2060 N. Marine Dr. Adults $10
kids under 12 are free. Discount tickets available
by visiting www.pedalnationevents.com.
Sunday March 25
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR THE UNEXPECTED:
Learn 9 steps to prepare yourself and your
neighbors for disaster response. You will also
learn practical and safe food and water storage
and other needed items. Suggested donations
$25 per family or household. 1 p.m. Unity of
Vancouver Church, 3814 Franklin St. Vancouver,
WA.
Week of March 26- 30
SPRING BREAK ACTIVITIES
All youth and teens are invited to take part in
activities at the PAL Portland Youth Center, 424
N.E. 172nd Ave., Portland.
The center will be open to all youth from 10 a.m.
to 7 p.m. with extended hours for teens 13 and
older (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.)
Membership costs $50 or $30 for students on free
or reduced lunches. (Runs from Sept. to June 8,
2012) Drop-in fee over the break is $5 a day.
Activities will include: Free basketball throwathon;
Trip to Wunderland; Mt. Hood sledding trip and
Games Tourney.
Parents are invited to join youth at the Spring
Break Barbecue, 4 to 7 p.m. March 30.
Questions? Contact Jay Williams 503-256-3479
Wednesday March 28
TEEN 3 ON 3 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Don’t miss
the coed 3 on 3 basketball extravaganza.
Players all across the city are welcome to join.
There will be 16 team limit so register early or just
come watch all the youth players. 2:45 – 5 p.m.
East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106th
Ave. For more info call 503-823-3450.
EASTER FAIR! Come and join us for our second
annual Easter Fair! Everything is free. There will be
lots for the kids to do and lots of candy too. 5:30
– 7:30 p.m. New Life Foursquare Church, 811 NE
88th Circle, Vancouver, WA
Friday March 30
WHAT SORT OF COMMUNITY DO YOU LIVE IN?
Occupation Nation Premier: B Media collective’s
5th variety show, Occupation Nation slams the
new era of global uprising into a new episode of
political remix videos. 8 – 11 p.m. St. Francis
Dining Hall, 330 SE 11th Ave. FREE
Saturday & Sunday March 31 & April 1
32ND ANNUAL TRILLUM FESTIVAL & NATIVE AND
HARDY PLANT SALE: Trillium Festival also features
guided tours, nature hikes, children’s activities
and much more. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. both days.
11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd.