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This content was published: October 14, 1999. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.

Black American Affairs Education Group to Meet in Portland Under "Millennium" Theme

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The Council on Black American Affairs, Western Region, will hold their yearly conference in Portland on Nov. 4, 5 and 6 at the Doubletree Inn, Columbia River.

The conference, whose theme is "Turning the Page: Education in the New Millennium," will feature nationally recognized speakers Julianne Malveaux, George E. Curry, Jacqueline Woods and Norman Rice. Educating and serving students, the economics and politics of education, culture, ethnicity issues and classroom strategies will be covered.

In addition to the big-picture issues, a wide range of specific topics will be addressed, including recruitment and retention of students and faculty of color, affirmative action, race and ethnicity, conflict negotiation, leadership, a 12-step program for recovering from racism, defending equity after Prop 209 and I 200, and reading comprehension models.

The conference is locally hosted by the Portland Community College chapter of the Council on Black American Affairs. Cost of the three-day conference is $295, $195 for students.

The National Council on Black American Affairs is under the umbrella of the American Association of Community Colleges, a national group representing approximately 1,200 two-year technical and community colleges in the United States. The council and its members actively support equity in intellectual opportunity, multicultural diversity, the collegial exchange of ideas and professional development.

Featured speaker Julianne Malveaux is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, economist and author considered by many to render the best and most progressive

critiques on contemporary American life. Her book of essays, "Sex, Lies and Stereotypes," has been referred to as a "take-no prisoners" approach to social, economic and educational issues.

George E. Curry, also interested in the future of education and its challenges, is the editor-in-chief of Emerge Magazine and is a regular panelist on "Lead Story," a news analysis program that airs each Sunday on BET (Black Entertainment Television). Curry has served as bureau chief and Washington, D.C. correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, and has also appeared on the "Today Show," "Good Morning America" and the "MacNeil/Lehrer" NewsHour.

Jacqueline Woods serves as the liaison for community colleges at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to Woods’ 1996 appointment, she was vice chancellor for external affairs at the City Colleges of Chicago, and before that, a vice president at Community Colleges of Philadelphia. In addition, she served as vice president for program and public policy for the Association of Government Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB).

Norman Rice, former Seattle mayor and a community college graduate, will also speak.

For more information on registration and the schedule of events, please contact PCC Affirmative Action Director Sylvia E. Welch at 978-5841. Interested individuals can register online at www.wrcbaa.org.

About James Hill

James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »