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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (June 7, 2017)
Page 2 The Skanner CAREERS EDITION June 7, 2017 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 Melanie Sevcenko Reporter Monica J. Foster Seattle Office Coordinator Susan Fried Photographer 2016 MERIT AWARD WINNER 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 Opinion Building a Pipeline of HBCU Students to Washington, D.C. S ummer internships are one important way that students can explore passions they want to pursue as a profession. They are exposed to a form of learning that goes beyond the books and may be the best chance they have to ensure they are making a wise invest- ment. I am a strong believer in the notion that, in order to have your issues heard, you need to have a seat at the table; which is why I applaud HBCU students who are interested in pursuing government and policy and have worked with both Democrats and Repub- licans in Congress to ensure they have summer intern- ships opportunities on Capi- tol Hill. Representative Bryne (R-Ala.) and I founded the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus in April of 2015; we knew there needed to be a platform to promote and protect the needs and interests of HBCUs around the country. After two years, the caucus now consists of nearly sixty mem- bers in both the House and the Senate, who recognize the importance of HBCUs and ap- plaud their history of produc- ing successful graduates. The more than 100 HBCUs nation- wide only account for three percent of all institutions of higher learning in the U.S. yet Alma Adams Congress- woman (D-N.C.) they produce 20 percent of African American graduates with a bachelor’s degree and 25 percent of African Ameri- can STEM graduates. This is- sue is personal to me, because I would not be here today if “ two HBCU students, one from North Carolina A&T Univer- sity and one from Johnson C. Smith University, traveled to Capitol Hill for the internship program. Each student spent four weeks in my office and four weeks in Representative Walker’s office to get a feel for the differences and many commonalities we share. They attended congressio- nal hearings and committee meetings, drafted memos and constituent correspondence, and met with Members of Our vision was to create a pro- gram that brought bright and driven HBCU students to Capitol Hill to intern in both a Republican and Democratic office it were not for an HBCU that was willing to take a chance on me. I am a strong advo- cate for our schools because I know, firsthand, the impact they have on a student’s life. During the summer of 2016, Representative Mark Walker (R-N.C.) and I part- nered together to create the Bipartisan HBCU Internship. Our vision was to create a program that brought bright and driven HBCU students to Capitol Hill to intern in both a Republican and Democrat- ic office. During its first year, Congress and their senior staff to learn from their ex- periences. Often, Capitol Hill internships are unpaid and the prohibitive cost of living in Washington, D.C. without an income excludes many qualified applicants from the opportunity. To ensure stu- dents of all backgrounds and economic levels can partic- ipate, the Bipartisan HBCU Internship includes a stipend to cover expenses during the eight-week program. Upon completion of the in- ternship, students left D.C. with writing samples, work experience, incredible memo- ries and personal connections to aid them in their job search after college. But it’s not just students that benefited from this experience, Democrats and Republicans alike got to hear directly from HBCU students about their campus life, challenges they face, and their pride in their institu- tions. Their presence made our fight for HBCUs personal and reminded Members of Congress that our similarities far outweigh our differences. W.E.B. Dubois said, “Of all the civil rights for which the world has struggled and fought for 500 years, the right to learn is undoubtedly the most fundamental.” HBCUs are rooted in the tumultuous history of race in America but their contributions to modern society go far beyond their humble beginnings. HB- CUs play an integral role in ed- ucating students of color and, with increased advocacy and a seat at the decision-making table, their reach will contin- ue to grow. Congressman Walker and I are proud to continue this internship for a second sum- mer to increase the diversity of opinions and experiences on Capitol Hill and to build a pipeline of HBCU students to Washington, D.C. info@theskanner.com www.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. ©2017 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission prohibited. Local News Pacific NW News World News Opinions Jobs, Bids Entertainment Community Calendar RSS feeds SAVE THE DATE The Skanner Foundation MLK Breakfast January 15 2018 NEW LOCATION! ‘Using Airbnb to Grow My Business, ‘I Bike Harlem’ F or decades, many travel- ers to New York City have limited their excursions to Manhattan neigh- borhoods south of Central Park. Moreover, those who do choose to go beyond the traditional tourist hotspots often see neighborhoods like Harlem — my home for nine years — from the top floor of a tour bus. This experience cannot pos- sibly impart the “real” Har- lem — a vibrant and historic community with world-class cuisine, soulful music and a rich artistic scene that contin- ues to breathe new life into an area whose cultural exports have been changing the world for over a hundred years. I want visitors to see the Har- lem I know up close, not from behind the plexiglass of a tour bus window. My business, “I Bike Harlem,” gives travelers the opportunity to discover our handsome brownstones and vibrant small businesses. It’s a business I am incredibly proud of and it’s a business that would not exist were it not for the economic oppor- tunity provided by Airbnb. I began sharing my home on Airbnb as a way to earn a little extra money while start- ing I Bike Harlem. Through Airbnb, I was able to raise the funds I needed to start my business — investing in the bicycles, helmets, storage, Maxine Daniels I Bike Harlem and insurance that brought it from an idea on paper to real- ity. Now, my business is grow- ing — with customers from all around the world including right here in Harlem. In fact, “ ferent forms, now more than ever. For example, I cannot count on an angel investments or incubators to help my busi- ness grow. Rather than rely- ing on “startup” culture, my business is grounded in Har- lem’s culture and the desire of travelers to experience a new place from a local’s per- spective. And the investors who helped my business get off the ground aren’t venture capitalists; they are everyday I am proud to be an ‘Experience’ host, bringing the Harlem I know and love within reach of millions of Airbnb travelers many of my customers are Airbnb guests. In that way, I am part of an “Airbnb busi- ness cycle”: I started my com- pany with income earned as an Airbnb host, and in turn, Airbnb guests have helped my business grow and thrive. Our elected officials often talk about fostering a “start- up” culture in New York City, with millions of dollars invested in tech campuses, incubators, and tax credits throughout the Empire State. Important as these invest- ments are, the truth is that our public policy must recog- nize that entrepreneurship and the economic activity it generates, comes in many dif- people who chose to stay with me on Airbnb. Hosting on Airbnb gave me the opportunity to start my business. And guests on Airb- nb helped build my business. Now, Airbnb has launched a new tool that will take my business to the next level. Dubbed “Airbnb: Experi- ences,” this new service al- lows visitors to partake in offerings of hundreds of local entrepreneurs—everything from a multiple-day dance immersion to a tour of local pubs. I am proud to be an “Ex- perience” host, bringing the Harlem I know and love with- in reach of millions of Airbnb travelers. In addition, Airbnb helps visitors identify and patron- ize authentic local businesses by publishing neighborhood guidebooks and partnering with local business associ- ations, such as the Harlem Business Alliance, to hold “Small Business Socials” and “Merchant Walks.” The impact of these ini- tiatives are two-fold: saving businesses money otherwise spent on marketing, while drawing visitors to neighbor- hood businesses off-the-beat- en-path. In fact, 76 percent of restau- rants in guidebooks appear outside of traditional hotel districts. With these services, it’s no wonder that Airbnb guests spent $470 million at NYC restaurants in the year ending September 1, 2016, and more than $1.5 billion in restaurants over the same pe- riod in America’s 19 largest cities. Airbnb is more than just a short-term rental website, it is a dynamic platform that is proving to be an engine of economic opportunity. It helps neighborhoods that have long been ignored by the traditional tourism industry, brings in new customers to local shops, and gives New Yorkers like me the chance to forge a new livelihood by sharing my home and build- ing my business.
