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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (April 3, 2019)
Page 2 The Skanner Portland & Seattle April 3, 2019 ® Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now Bernie Foster Founder/Publisher My Truth — Celebrating Strong Women Bobbie Dore Foster Executive Editor H Jerry Foster Advertising Manager Christen McCurdy News Editor Patricia Irvin Graphic Designer Monica J. Foster Seattle Office Coordinator Susan Fried Photographer 2017 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 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. ©2018 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 LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS LOCAL EVENTS n F ebo m me • nts TheSkannerNews o k • learn • co in y o u r c o m m u n d ay ! • L i ke u s o ac it Updated daily online. to y • Opinion ave you ever experi- enced a sunken feeling, a feeling of despair, of hopelessness? You know the feeling you have or the moment you find yourself feeling regret after something has happened and you’re thinking, “If I coulda, woulda, shoulda.” Well, you have to seize the moment, every moment! If you want to tell someone you love them, you need to do it. Don’t hesitate and don’t let anyone else make or take away your decision to express your feelings. If you want to tell someone you don’t like them, well, think again and also ask yourself “what do I hope to accomplish,” or “what is the end game?” We have to understand that there are consequences and repercus- sions for our actions and our inactions. We have to be ac- countable and also hold oth- ers accountable. Years ago I went to a funeral and a young man stood up and said that he wished his loved one could hear all the acco- lades that were being shared that day because his relative took his last breaths thinking that he was unloved. What a tragedy. Cheryl Smith Publisher, Texas Metro News Which brings me to my truth. I really like Caller I.D. This feature has kept me free from telemarketers, bill col- lectors, exes, and folks who only call when they want something. Well recently, a number ap- peared on the caller I.D. and “ my first FAMU alumni chap- ter meeting. Over the years we became close and at one point she served in my cabi- net as my vice president. We had long talks about life, our love for FAMU and our common interests. Juanita finished FAMU in the early 1960s, and me in 1980. What a difference time makes, but we bridged the gap and shared so many special moments. When we were really ac- tive with the alumni chapter, we had active members from the 1940s - 1980s and we had events that appealed to all And while I didn’t get the opportu- nity to say farewell, I take solace in knowing that every conversation ended with expressions of love while it was unfamiliar to me, I felt compelled to answer. And I’m glad I did. When the call was completed, I sat deep in thought. The caller informed me that they had come across my number and wanted to alert me of the pass- ing of someone who was very special to me. I met Juanita Benson when I moved to Dallas and attended ages so everyone felt included. Juanita’s love for FAMU was genuine and never-end- ing. Sometimes Juanita and I talked just twice a year, for my birthday and for hers. But they were good talks and I valued that time. In all of our conversations, Juanita never dwelled on her cancer diag- nosis. She was always being supportive of others and es- pecially her son, Bill, whom she was very proud of. I am so glad that Bill reached out to me. Unfortunately, he was unable to contact me in time to share in the celebra- tion of life for his mom and that saddens me because just one more moment with my friend, just one more… Juani- ta believed in me. The thought of her pass- ing brings back so many fond memories of her living. I am grateful for the time we shared together because there was no pretentiousness. Instead there was a sincerity and compassion that made Juanita so special. Juanita didn’t have to guess about the relationship we had. So I don’t have to ponder this thought at all. When I ask myself which do I prefer, being in attendance at Juanita’s celebration of life to tell others how much I cared for her or sharing those expressions with her while she could hear me, I feel bet- ter. And while I didn’t get the opportunity to say farewell, I take solace in knowing that every conversation ended with expressions of love, respect and appreciation, strengthened by prayers. Moving Toward a More Liveable Wage I t is unfathomable that the federal minimum wage has not been increased in more than a decade, since 2007. That the wage, at $7.25 per hour, has remained flat through recession and recov- ery, through extremely high unemployment rates and much lower ones. Republi- cans have absolutely refused to consider minimum wage increases, and in early March rejected a bill that would in- crease the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. Still, with the Democratic majority in Congress, the bill came out of committee on a 28-20 party line vote. While the federal govern- ment drags its feet, six states, the District of Columbia and several other cities now have a minimum wage that will rise to $15 in the next few years. In late March, Maryland joined California, Massachu- setts, New York, New Jersey and Illinois in increasing the minimum wage, even though Republican governor Larry Hogan vetoed the legislation. Both houses of the Maryland legislature overrode his veto, even though he melodramati- cally noted that a higher min- imum wage would “devastate” the Maryland economy. Unions, McDonald’s work- ers, and the Fight for Fifteen have fueled the national push to raise the minimum wage, Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist especially as people have noted that wage stagnation has resulted in an extremely uneven economic recovery. While those at the top are cel- ebrating economic growth, those at the bottom have bare- “ While those at the top are celebrating economic growth, those at the bottom have barely experienced it ly experienced it. And the current minimum wage of $7.25 produces annual pay of $15,080, assuming that some- one works a full 40 hours a week all 52 weeks of the year, which is often unlikely be- cause many minimum wage jobs are part-time jobs. The poverty line for a fam- ily of three (a working mom and two children) is $16,910. A woman working full-time at the minimum wage is liv- ing below the poverty line. She qualifies for SNAP (food stamps), and possibly for fed- eral housing aid if she can get it. All too often, the list for housing subsidies is full, as is public housing, so assis- tance is not an option. What is a woman earning such a low wage to do, then, living at the economic periphery? She house-shares, lives with fam- ily or endures homelessness. She lines up to get food at food banks or from other chari- ties. She struggles to make ends meet, while her Congres- sional Representative earns $174,000 a year whether they produce or not. (I’d suspend Congressional pay when they choose to shut down the gov- ernment). Too many of the people who earn the minimum wage, mostly women, are caretak- ers. They mind our children and our elders, as nannies and home health workers. While we say that our chil- dren and elders are precious, we don’t pay the folks who care for them as if they are. Parking lot attendants, who care for our automobiles, of- ten earn more than the people who care for our children, mothers, and grandmothers. And yet the economy depends on them! How many work- ing women would be hard pressed to work if their nan- nies or home health workers stayed home? And how would the economy adjust to the ab- sence of nearly half of the la- bor force? Ai-jen Poo, the Executive Director of the National Do- mestic Worker’s Alliance, re- cently spoke about workers in the care industry, how poorly they are paid, and how es- sential they are. Eighty-eight percent of these workers are women, mostly women of color, and while demand for their services is increasing (with an aging baby boom, and increased births to mil- lennial women), pay is not. Poo and her organization are working to raise the visibili- ty of these workers, not just so we can see them, but so we can ensure that they are ade- quately paid. The movement toward a living wage must in- clude these workers. Kudos to Maryland for taking a step in the right di- rection. Shame on House Re- publicans who are enjoying economic recovery, but deny- ing its benefits to those at the bottom. The Fight for Fifteen has momentum now. This is a great time to keep up the pressure on the states and on the federal government. In- creasing the minimum wage lifts people out of poverty. Shouldn’t we all be able to support that? nt • lo c a l n e w s • eve
