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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (April 29, 2015)
News Baltimore ‘Cuts and Checks’ continued from page 1 With little information about what exactly happened to Gray, and with no arrests or indictments against the officers involved, many in the city had had enough “For the most part, these young teens that are doing a lot of this mischief are all misguided youth,” said David Stock- ton as he watched the looting that was unfolding. “A lot of them now have gotten to the liquor store, now they’re drunk. It’s not a good representation of what’s the true cause, or true meaning of this event. Don’t let this one inci- dent, or our anger, be the representation of who we are or what we stand for.” Many of those who watched often expressed regret over the rioting, and older men did their best to keep things as safe as possible for those present. They did not challenge the younger men for their destruction of property, perceiv- ing it perhaps as a necessary escape valve for life-long tensions, but stepped in whenever it appeared someone might cross a line into interpersonal violence. At one point, what appeared to be a SWAT team from Anne Arundel County arrived in an armored vehicle to res- cue a store owner trapped inside his business that by then PHOTO BY DONOVAN M. SMITH now using it as a prop for their selfies and photos with friends. It had been over two weeks since Gilmor Homes resident Freddie Gray had suffered fatal injuries while being taken into custody by Baltimore police. With little information about what exactly happened to Gray, and with no arrests or indictments against the officers involved, many in the city had had enough. Free blood pressure checks are being offered in three Northeast Portland barbershops as part of a new initiative kicked off in April between the businesses and North by Northeast Community health Center called ‘Cuts and Checks.’ “We all know that good health is something we should strive after and in the barbershop people are more comfortable to talk about things they may not be so comfortable going to the doctor talking about,” says Jamaal lane, owner of Champions Barbershop, one of the program’s participants. “We’re just happy to be a part of the movement to bring awareness to high-blood pressure in our community.” In addition to Champions, you can also get your free checkup at Geneva’s Shear Perfection and Terrell Brandon’s Barbershop. For more information go to www.nxneclinic.org. had been thoroughly looted. Officers jumped out of the vehicle and aimed their weapons, some of them appearing to be nonlethal, at the crowds on the various corners of the intersection. A group of older men formed a large circle in the middle of the intersection and held hands, protecting both looters and bystanders from the menacing weapons trained on them as police rushed a man into the armored vehicle and then sped off. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com Q&A continued from page 1 was also important. TSN: Did you feel like there were thriv- ing Black communities outside of Portland in any of the places you went? Poinsette: Klamath Falls was probably the biggest of them. They have their own Black church, their own Black community. It’s not like a gigantic Black community obviously, but it’s a significantly sized and – even more than Portland — everyone knows each other. Even if they don’t get along, everyone is still kind of connected. The other thing is that we talked to more church people and they have a connection to Portland through that, so they’ll make the drive up for revivals and whatnot. TSN: What was the strongest moment for you during this trip that connected the past of Black Oregon to the present of Black Oregon? Abioto: I guess being able to go out to La Grande and seeing one of the first Black churches that was built in the state, and it’s still standing and there’s still a community of people that go there. It’s not all a Black community that attends it, but it’s still there. those kinds of stories of historical sites and things. It’s more about the state of things now, so — statistics, and case studies and interviews and things like that. TSN: What were some of the things you were looking for in terms of case studies? Even if they don’t get along, everyone is still kind of connected There was a Black man that came into Klamath Falls — maybe from Arkansas in the 40s — and he was an army vet and passed away there. They did not allow him to be buried in the city cemetery; there was an exclusion law about that. But what’s inside of “The State of Black Oregon” that’s coming out is not so much Poinsette: Everything: incarceration, reli- gious stories, youth. One was in Eugene — there was a “rites of passage” program that, quite honestly is something people in Portland need to be looking at. We need to model some things we’re doing for youth after it. It’s been there for 18 or 19 years. You have these dynamics in a lot of places like Eugene, where a lot of people are mixed- race. So, to see so many shades and perspectives of these kids — but coming together around history, around culture, doing Tai Chi in the morning was great. Abioto: They were doing critical theory, and critical reading. Teachers just teaching them about themselves. Allowing them to read stuff about things like the LA riots, all kinds of things. Poinsette: When I was younger I was a part of a rites of passage program in Port- land called Bridge Builders, which is now defunct. When I go down to Eugene and see this thing, it really reminds me of that and to see it working so effectively — that’s prob- ably one of my favorite stories. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com Scams continued from page 1 artists who try to take advantage of others’ generosity. If people want to help the vic- tims in Nepal, they should donate to charities they know and trust. Nobody wants to see this tragedy resulting in dona- tions winding up in a scam artist’s pocket.” Officials say that if you give your money to a fake charity there is little hope of get- ting it back. That’s why it’s better to watch out before you give. “All of us in Washington and around the country have deep sympathy for the victims and their loved ones at this tragic time,” Ferguson said. “As you look to provide assistance to help those in need, be sure to exercise caution so your hard-earned dollars go to trusted charities, not to scam-artists.” Consumer protection officials warn of fake charities that may look and sound legit- imate online or even hijack the names of well-known organizations. Scammers will Officials say that if you give your money to a fake charity there is little hope of getting it back often pose as official charity agents and call potential donors, pressuring them to make a donation over the phone. “With crowdfunding being so popular now we want people to be careful about that too, because there is no way you can find out where that money is going even if you donate $5,” says Sophie Dichter of the BBB. “We know from the Boston Bombing and other incidents that they come out in force and try to profit off tragedy,” said Ellen Klem, Oregon Department of Justice direc- tor of consumer outreach and education. “We believe people should be generous but skeptical.” Klem directed Samaritans to www.ore- gonconsumer.gov, where they can find much more information on avoiding scams including instructions on how to look up whether any given charity is registered. “One of the things that is unique about Oregon is we actually regulate charities in the state,” she said. Also make sure that your donation is tax deductable, because any charity that spends less than 30 percent of their funds on their charitable mission don’t qualify for that. Steer clear of high-pressure demands. Take time to research charities and avoid emotional appeals that don’t explain how the charity will help victims. Contact poten- tial charities directly. Use trustworthy charities. Be sure the charity is equipped and has the resources necessary to help with disaster relief. Review whether a charity meets all 20 stan- dards of accountability at Give.org, a website run by the Council of Better Busi- ness Bureaus. Also visit the Secretary State’s Information for Donors page. Avoid cash donations. Write checks or pay by credit card to charities directly. Scammers will try to convince their victims to wire money or use prepaid debit cards to make a donations. Never give personal information or money to a telephone or email solicitor. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com April 29, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 3
