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Concerned Portland tribal members take it upon themselves to
help 'all people everywhere1 get ready to compete in the job market.
ICON-A-WAY TIL-LI-KUM
'All People Everywhere'
11 10 S.E. Alder
Suite 203
Portland, OR 97214
(503)736-9534
By Oscar Johnson
TWon-A-Way Til-Li-Kum Profes
Lku sional Corporation, a new
company started by mostly Grand
Ronde tribal members, is poised to
help "all people everywhere" gain the
skills they need to succeed.
Co-founders of the business are of
fering mental health counseling, in
terpersonal skill building, technical
and professional training as well as
consulting with the aim of helping
clients become healthy self-sufficient
members of the workforce.
On April 5 the new vocational and
life skills training company opened
its doors to the Native and non-Indian
public adjacent to the Tribe's
Portland outreach office.
"We contract with the tribes and
other agencies and work with clients
to provide proficient and professional
life skills to get them job ready," ex
plains Renaldo Minjarez, Kon-A-Way
corporate executive officer.
Minjarez, Trade Meyer, chief pro:
grams officer, Baxter Archuleta,
chief employment officer and Ronda
MetCalf, mental health director, say
the idea for Kon-A-Way came from
their desire to help meet their
community's needs.
"Our main idea was to work with
Native Americans because of the
lack of nearby services and we
wanted to figure out a way to help
tribal members in this area," recalls
Archuleta.
"Then Ronda said, 'what about
helping all Indians," added Meyer.
MetCalf s insight, came in part,
because she is an Upper Skagit
tribal member and the only one of
the business' founders who is not a
member of the Grand Ronde Tribe.
Like the groups diverse skills and
personalities, the difference made for
a perfect fit.
"We all have our own expertise
and we all just clicked that day," says
Meyer, recalling the evening the
group came up with the idea. Since
then the idea has expanded to in
clude everyone.
"Our primary target group is Na
tive Americans but we don't close our
doors to anyone," Minjarez says.
In fact, the group says they chose
the name Kon-A-Way Til-Li-Kum be
cause it means "all people every
where" in Chinook Jargon.
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"For all people everywhere," Kon-A-Way Til-li-kum staff (from left): Renaldo Minjarez, CEO; Baxter Archu
leta, chief employment officer; Tracie Meyer, chief programs officer; Ronda MetCalf, mental health director
and Michael Michelle, technical assistant talk shop about their new vocational rehabilitation business.
Kon-A-Way is currently con
tracted to serve 28 Portland and
Grand Ronde-based tribal members.
Archuleta and MetCalf each meet
once a week with clients in Grand
Ronde.
Central City Concern's Veteran
Reintegration Program has also con
tracted the group to help 10 veter
ans of any ethnic background get
off the streets and back into the job
market.
Kon-A-Way staff use their indi
vidual skills to promote what they
call "holistic healing" while prepar
ing their clients to become success
ful employees in their chosen fields.
"We want to get them ready for
employment and get them employed
and we want to get them healed men
tally, physically and spiritually," ex
plains Meyer who helped develop the
program and negotiates contracts.
In addition to teaching basics such
as time management, she favors a
client centered approach that in
cludes Native storytelling and riddles
to get clients "to step beyond their
comfort zone" to facilitate personal
growth and take better care of them
selves. Minjarez, with the help of techni
cal assistant, Michael Michelle,
teaches more than just the basic
computer hardware and software
skills needed to navigate through
many of today's work places. He
also adds the "how and why" of com
puter workings such as basic binary
code.
"It gives them a boost in the com
petition for their level of experience,"
he says. "It also helps break down
the barriers and fears they may
have towards computers."
. By working with clients on tasks
such as filling out job applications,
writing resumes, conducting inter
views and sending follow-up letters,
Archuleta says he gets "clients
ready and equipped for work."
He also schools clients on appro
priate workplace behavior; compiles
a list of potential Portland, Salem
and Grand Ronde employers; and
conducts follow-up visits with newly
employed clients.
As Kon-A-Way's resident thera
pist, MetCalf provides anger and
stress management, assertiveness
training and communications skills
building in one-on-one, group or
family settings.
She says her background work
ing with clients suffering from a mix
of chemical dependency and other
issues has been useful.
"The majority of clients we have
so far are in treatment programs,"
MetCalf says. "We're focusing on
shame and guilt because that's what
often keeps them so self-oppressed."
MetCalf is also starting the Young
Moms Support and Educational
Group which will provide services
such as health education, parenting
skills, peer support and home visits.
Other potential Kon-A-Way
projects include securing a Mult
nomah County grant to start a
Youth Encampment Program to in
spire Indian youths to become lead
ers, and working with the State
Bureau of Labor and Industries to
help ex-incarcerated veterans get
back into the workforce.
Although Kon-A-Way staff say
they are committed to providing their
services to "all people everywhere,"
they have a special concern for those
who consistently slip through the
cracks.
"If we have a client that doesn't
follow through we don't drop them
from the program. We don't let go,"
insists MetCalf. "A lot of agencies
don't necessarily provide follow-up.
We just want to provide good ser
vices." But good service comes at a price.
A price, it would seem, that many
are unable to pay.
"We're not getting rich and some
of us are getting a little behind on
our bills," she says. But with our
commitment, Grandfather will pull
us through."
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