Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 2012)
WWW . THESKANNER . COM O CTOBER 10, 2012 P ORTLAND , O REGON V OLUME XXXV, N O . 1 25 CENTS Celebrating The Skanner News’ 37th Anniversary C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW Better Route to Wellness SPIRIT OF PDX Liberation-Based Healing Conference Oct. 19 in Portland STEVE GIBBONS PHOTO P laywright Sunshine Dixon, Pastor Cliff Chappell, anti-trafficking advo- cate Jeri Williams and family therapist Pilar Hernandez-Wolfe are just a few well- known Portlanders who will join national speakers at the 7th Annual Liberation-Based Healing Conference. The conference runs from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19, and 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Oct. 20, at Friends of the Children, 65 NE Stanton St. Social justice, equity and questions of power and privilege are at the heart of liber- ation-based healing, said Andrae Brown Ph.D, an associate professor at Lewis and Clark’s graduate school of counseling edu- cation, and one of the founders of the con- ference. “The three cornerstones of liberation- based healing are: accountability, critical consciousness and empowerment,” Brown said. “It’s not just about getting people well or better. It’s about transforming lives so people can live in a spirit of freedom.” The conference aims to bring together community activists, parents, youth, researchers, teachers, social workers, thera- pists, writers, spiritual leaders and social justice pioneers from all walks of life to build networks of understanding, resistance and healing. “We go into different communities and bring in master presenters, but we also high- light a cross-section of people working in the community,” Brown says. “We started the conference to connect people who are doing work that is transfor- mative, liberating and challenges the status quo, but they feel isolated” Brown said. “What we know is that most of these groups of people are not usually ever in the same room together.” Brown and Hernandez –Wolfe co-founded the conference along with author and fami- ly therapist Rhea Almeida and Affinity Counseling Group founder Lisa Dressner. Their goal? To apply social justice to the The University of Portland women’s soccer team has been named a recipient of a 2012 Spirit of Portland award, presented Oct. 7 at Merlo Field. The team – which has led the nation in women’s soccer attendance every year since 2005 – was nominated by Commissioner Nick Fish. The Pilots are an instrumental force in building Harper’s Playground, above, in Arbor Lodge Park. Inspired by six-year- old Harper Goldberg, who was born with Emanuel Syndrome, the Pilots launched a season-long silent auction in 2011 and raised $5,000 for the playground. This season, the team is donating tickets and other items to raise additional funds. Connect with the Pilots on their website, www.portlandpilots.com/ Sexual Trafficking Controversies Questionable statistics, heightened prison time hyped at event By Helen Silvis Of The Skanner News M ore than 200 people from 14 states attended training on the sex trafficking of minors, at Port- land’s Embassy Suites Hotel, Oct. 4 and 5. Entitled, “Do you know Lacy?” the training high- lighted the stories of girls who suffered victimization in the commercial sex industry. It also cited controversial and disputed figures on the size of the prob- lem. See HEALING on page 3 INDEX News ..............2,3,9,10 Opinion ..................4,5 A & E ......................6,7 Food..........................8 Bids/Classifieds ........11 Shared Hope International, a nonprofit started by Linda Smith, a former Washington Congresswoman, offered the training to prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, youth service providers and communi- ty advocates. The aim? To educate more people to recognize how and why U.S. children are forced into prostitution. And to build community efforts to reduce demand, prevent child traffick- ing and hold traffickers account- able. “I just curl up inside when I hear the term child prostitute,” Smith told attendees. “It’s the only crime, where the victim of the crime is labeled with the crime and then she’s put in jail. That’s not right.” That’s true in many parts of the country, although in Mult- nomah County girls are not put in jail, but instead are recog- nized as victims. Anyone over 18, however, can be prosecuted for prostitution. Elizabeth Scaife, director of training for the nonprofit, said sex trafficking is poorly under- stood. The majority of girls involved in commercial sex industry are targeted, groomed and controlled by pimps. Traffickers manipulate child victims by destroying their sense of self and self-worth and preying on misplaced feelings of loyalty, as well as through violence and the fear of vio- lence. “Kids are victims— period,” Scaife said. “If you’re under 18 and you’re involved in the com- See MINORS on page 3 Family Insurance Agency Opens Doors Vince McCreary, an industry veteran, steps back into the business Bruce Poinsette Of The Skanner News A s the owner of an independent insur- ance agency, Vince McCreary makes sure his customers come first. “I work for insurance companies but real- ly, I work for the insured, making sure they get the best rates possible and the right com- pany,” he says. McCreary has been in the insurance industry for 29 years. His stops have includ- ed Allstate, Clements Worldwide and First Tech Insurance Services; in past years he owned an agency down the street from his current location on 2914 N. Lombard St. This year, he decided he wanted to own his own agency again. After going through a series of appoint- ments and getting a lease, he launched the Vince McCreary Insurance Agency in August. He specializes in personalized plans, which include life, auto, home and commercial insurance. McCreary also works with 17 different insurance compa- nies, allowing him to be flexible when it comes to serving customers. Familiarity has helped him get his new See MCCREARY on page 3
