Page 2 The Skanner December 30, 2015
Challenging People to Shape
a Better Future Now
Bernie Foster
Founder/Publisher
Bobbie Dore Foster
Executive Editor
Jerry Foster
Advertising Manager
Christen McCurdy
News Editor
Patricia Irvin
Graphic Designer
Arashi Young
Donovan M. Smith
Reporters
Monica J. Foster
Seattle Office Coordinator
Susan Fried
Photographer
2015
Opinion
Happy New Year — and Thank You — From The Skanner
L
ooking back at 2015, I
want to say a big Thank
You to all of our readers
and friends. This year,
our 40th year of service to
the Northwest community,
you have been behind us in so
many ways.
Many of you came to The
Skanner Foundation’s Dr
Martin Luther King Jr. Break-
fast to hear Ben Chavis speak
about voting rights and edu-
cation.
We hope you’ll join us in
January for the 2016 Break-
fast and hear from a brilliant
lawyer and a legend in his
time: Charles Bonner.
We have been humbled by
the generosity that has seen
us recognized in ways we
never expected. The Oregon
Bernie
Foster
Publisher
Historical Society indexed
our photos. Our awards also
belong to all of you. Without
you we would not be here.
So, please, keep contributing
your stories and sharing your
views. They are important.
The Skanner celebrated its
40th birthday. And you cele-
brated with us.
On the political stage we
made some progress. It was
the year of Black Lives Mat-
ter and Don’t Shoot Portland.
MERIT
AWARDS
WINNER
It was the year of Black Male
Achievement and Ban the
Box.
President Obama did his
best to humanize prisoners
and reform the justice sys-
tem.
But this year was tough too.
Thank you to all the activists
“
ple. And thank you to those
working for justice reform.
From Ferguson to Chicago
to Baltimore and Charleston,
we wept and raged.
We lost good people. We
lost some illusions.
But we did not lose our fight.
And we do not lose our hope
and faith in a better
future for all people.
If 2015 was eventful
we can expect 2016
to bring just as many
changes.
Let’s help each oth-
er make those good
changes.
So from everyone here at
The Skanner we wish you and
your loved ones all the very
best for 2016.
Happy New Year.
A big Thank You to
all of our readers
and friends
and the nonprofits working to
help weather the renters state
of emergency. Thank you to
those working to take guns
out of the hands of young peo-
The Skanner has received 20 NNPA awards since 1998
The Skanner Newspaper, es-
tablished in October 1975, is a
weekly publication, published
every Wednesday by IMM Publi-
cations Inc.
415 N. Killingsworth St.
P.O. Box 5455
Portland, OR 97228
Telephone (503) 285-5555
Fax: (503) 285-2900
info@theskanner.com
The Skanner is a member of the
National Newspaper Pub lishers
Association and West Coast Black
Pub lishers Association.
All photos submitted become
the property of The Skanner. We
are not re spon sible for lost or
damaged photos either solicited
or unsolicited.
PHOTO BY JERRY FOSTER
www.TheSkanner.com
Trayvon’s Mom
©2015 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in
whole or in part without permission prohibited.
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
PHOTO BY KATE WILLSON
A packed house came to Maranatha Church in Portland in April to hear Sybrina Fulton, mother of the late Trayvon Martin, speak on her
advocacy work and youth empowerment.
Friends Reunited
Sanders Interrupted
Black Lives Matter activists Marissa Johnson and Mara Jacqueline Willaford took over the stage during
a speech by Bernie Sanders in Seattle in July.
Hiab Ghebregherghis and Filmon Elyas attended grade school in the East African country of
Eritrea; both their families escaped war there to become refugees in different parts of the world.
Earlier this year they bumped into each other again at the Multnomah County Rockwood Library
Computer and Homework Helper program.
Check out the Computer and Homework Helper program online at www.multcolib.org/events/
computer-homework-helper. Rockwood Library is at 17917 SE Stark St., Portland.