Aretha Franklin’s Family Powerful Legacy Holds PSU Funeral services Accountable planned for Pushes for undisputed disarming force; ‘City of ‘Queen of Soul” firing officers Roses’ See story, page 2 See Local News, page 3 www.portlandobserver.com Established in 1970 Volume XLVII • Number 33 Wednesday • August 22, 2018 Committed to Cultural Diversity BY DANNY PETERSON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER Jo Ann Hardesty, the front-runner for a seat on Portland City Council, briefs her campaign staff on Saturday before they head out for door-to-door canvassing from her campaign headquarters at the Filipino American Association at 8917 S.E. Stark St. BY DANNY PETERSON answers my reporter questions while also THE PORTLAND OBSERVER keeping the potential voter in her orbit. There wasn’t a minute to waste as Port- As the decisive May Primary winner for land City Council Candidate Jo Ann Hard- a position currently occupied by retiring esty greeted supporters and reached out to City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, Hard- voters. The frontrunner to become the first esty is running confidently. Her optimism African American female city commis- shows just as it had the night before at a sioner was fully engaged in her signatory Focused Race Talks Forum which also featured boots-on-the-ground activist mode. Hardesty’s opponent, Multnomah County Meeting at the Bipartisan Café, just Commissioner Loretta Smith. down from her campaign headquarters in on Hardesty, 60, a former state representa- southeast Portland, Hardesty had the phone tive from Portland from 1995 to 2000, and to her ear. She thanked a union representa- a longtime grassroots political activist and tive who had just given her their endorse- former president of the Portland NAACP, ment. Another endorsement is delivered Issues has centered her campaign on four main in person when a woman running for the Hardesty’s boots-on-the-ground campaign platforms: Housing and homelessness, State Legislature canvassing in the same green jobs, police accountability, and ac- neighborhood stops in to greet her. Hard- he ordered. “Not yet,” Hardesty quipped. “I’m just cess to local government. esty then finds a moment to turn to an el- “You come in here an awful lot,” the running for a little small post like Portland On her point to make entering politics derly man who was sitting next to her at man told her. “You must be the governor City Council.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 the cafe, making sure he got the sandwich by now.” The man listens intently as Hardesty Page 2 August 22, 2018 Aretha Franklin’s Powerful Legacy sic during her career, she contributed to Funeral services to the changing of our society from a seg- regated one to one where all people, men span four days and women were equal. Funeral services for the undisputed Her chart-topping hit Respect became “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin will the De facto anthem for a nation strug- span four days, with two public viewings gling to break free from the chains of rac- available to her fans and community. ism, segregation and a staunch patriarchy. Franklin, a cultural icon around the Not only did she lend her voice to the goble who sang with matchless style on struggle, but at times and in substantial such classics as “Think,” ‘’I Say a Lit- ways, donated money to the Civil Rights tle Prayer” and her signature song, “Re- Movement, supporting the work of Dr. spect,” died Thursday at her home in De- Martin Luther King, Jr., the NAACP and troit from pancreatic cancer. She was 76. others, NAACP officials said. Franklin will lie in state in two loca- “What would our struggle or American tions with the first viewing to take place society be without the music of Aretha?” at Detroit’s Charles H. Wright Museum asked NAACP President and CEO Der- of African American History from Aug. rick Johnson. “Her unmitigated ‘Black- 28-29. A second public viewing will take The undisputed “Queen of Soul,” singer Aretha Franklin, died Thursday after a long illness. ness’ and contributions to art and national place on Aug. 30 at Franklin’s lifelong matched musicianship, Aretha helped those moved by her song.” progress places her on the Mt. Everest of church, New Bethel Baptist, founded by define the American experience. In her The NAACP, the nation’s leading civ- American icons who changed this society her father, the late Rev. C.L. Franklin. voice, we could feel our history, all of it il rights organization issued a statement, for the better.” Aretha Franklin’s funeral will be held and in every shade—our power and our “We remember Aretha for the joy and love The civil rights organization presented Aug. 31, also in her hometown of De- pain, our darkness and our light, our quest she brought into our lives and society via the Vanguard Award to @ArethaFranklin troit. for redemption and our hard-won respect. her powerful voice,” said NAACP Chair- back in 2008 for her role in advancing Franklin left not only a powerful lega- She helped us feel more connected to each man Leon W. Russell. “No one can dis- awareness of racial and social issues. cy for her songs, but also for civil rights. other, more hopeful, more human. And cuss the civil rights movement nor music Franklin sang at Obama’s inauguration Former President and First Lady Barack sometimes she helped us just forget about without paying respect to the Queen of as the first black president and often used and Michelle Obama offered their condo- everything else and dance. Soul. We’ll miss her dearly.” her talent, fortune and platform to inspire lences and remembrances: “Michelle and I send our prayers and The NAACP pointed out how Franklin millions of black Americans and support “Through her compositions and un- warmest sympathies to her family and all not only revolutionized the sound of mu- the fight for racial equality. “She not only provided the soundtrack for the civil rights movement, Aretha’s music transcended race, nationality and Constructing Hope Pre-Apprenticeship Program religion and helped people from all back- grounds to recognize what they had in Free 10 week Training; classroom instruction, hands-on building & common,” said longtime civil rights lead- er the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery. construction experience, certifications and job placement assistance Franklin was a close confidante of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and her com- Apply Now! Call (503) 281-1234 • Next session begins September 4th mitment to civil rights was instilled by her father, who also knew King and preached CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Hardesty Releases Tax Records Portland City Council Candidate Jo Ann Hardesty released her business tax records for the past three years last week in re- sponse to criticism from her election op- 405 NE Church Street, Portland, OR 97211 • www.contructinghope .org ponent Loretta Smith that Hardesty failed to register her consulting business with the The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly city and state. Established 1970 labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads According to a published report, the re- USPS 959 680 become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition cords showed Hardesty paid federal income of such ad. © 2008 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN and self-employment taxes on $33,448 of WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer--Oregon’s CALL 503-288-0033 • FAX 503-288-0015 Oldest Multicultural Publication--is a member of the National Newspaper Association--Founded in income from her consulting business, but 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and did not make enough money to be subject PUBLISHER: Mark Washington, Sr. The West Coast Black Publishers Association. to Portland or Multnomah County business taxes. EDITOR: Michael Leighton Hardesty called Smith’s allegation, which raised questions about whether she ADVERTISING MANAGER: Leonard Latin owned back taxes for her business activ- ities, “slinging mud,” while the Smith PO QR code Office Manager/Classifieds:Lucinda Baldwin campaign on Sunday again called for more [email protected] • [email protected] thorough tax records spanning the entire CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Paul Neufeldt • [email protected] 17 years Hardesty has operated a consult- Postmaster: Send address changes to Portland Observer , ing businesses, as well as any government PUBLIC RELATIONS: Mark Washington Jr. PO Box 3137 , Portland, OR 97208 contracts she acquired in that time. August 22, 2018 Page 3 This page INSIDE Sponsored by: pages 8-10 PHOTO BY DANNY PETERSON/THE PORTLAND OBSERVER ArtsENTERTAINMENT Bus service will improve with more frequent service as part of the largest ever bus expansion ever & coming to TriMet in September. TriMet Rolls Out Expansion A new all-night bus to Portland Highway/ Forest Grove routes, eration on Lines 61, 64, 66 and International Airport for when the buses will run 24 hours a day, the 68 — all of which serve OHSU MAX Red Line is not running, first time any bus route in Portland and Marquam Hill; 20 addition- and new 24-hour service for the has operated continuously in 30 al weekday buses for Line 81- first time on two other bus routes years. Line 4 Division/Fessenden, Kane Rd/257th; extending Line are part of the largest ever bus ex- one of the longest and most popu- 24-Fremont across the Fremont pansion ever coming to TriMet.