Colors of Influence Reviews

Urban League volunteers Harvey Rice (at podium) and Lillian Whitlow (right) were honored as volunteers of the year at the annual meeting of the Urban League of Portland. Staff and volunteers at the Urban League of Portland gathered at its annual meeting to celebrate another successful year of serving the community. Highlighting accomplishments in programs that focus on housing, supporting seniors, job training, and mentoring for students, Isaac Dixon, chairman of the board, says the Urban League is planning to strengthen outreach and advocacy activities in the community. The Urban League offers a wide range of programs for seniors, students, families and individuals in the African-American community. Urban League directors and volunteers were on hand to talk about how programs are growing and changing to respond to the needs of the community. “As our population gets older, we have increased the number of seniors served by 35%,” said D’Norgia Price, Senior Services Director. She invited...

In His Own Words: Bernie Foster, Publisher, The Skanner News Group Bernie Foster Drawing on his experience as a freelance photographer and advertising executive, Bernie Foster published the first issue of The Skanner in 1975. More than 30 years later, The Skanner continues to be an integral information source among communities of color. With a readership of 75,000, The Skanner reports news, entertainment, business and sports. Foster, a past two-term president of the West Coast Black Publishers Association and a member of the National Newspapers Publishers Association, launched The Skanner ’s Seattle edition in 1990. Over the years, The Skanner has won many accolades from the West Coast Black Publishers Association and the National Newspapers Publishers Association. The Skanner News Group also won the Small Family Business of the Year Award in Oregon from the Austin Family Business Program at Oregon State University. Also an important part of The Skanner News Group is The Skanner F...

Business Leader, Entrepreneur, Change Agent: Q&A with Clyde Stryker Clyde Stryker “When you come together as a body, as a group, good things happen,” said Clyde Stryker, founder of the Oregon Native American Chamber of Commerce. Stryker has been a leader in small business development since starting his tech firm Spirit Communications. He became the first Native American to win the successful Business of the year award from the Small Business Administration. He also was elected to the White House Conference on small business, where he represented the state of Oregon. His efforts in promoting Native American entrepreneurship also earned the state’s Governor’s Business Excellence Award. Stryker has been an active part of the Oregon Native American Business Network and Spirit Mountain Development Corporation and Casino. In a conversation with Colors of Influence, Stryker reflects on the fruits of partnerships and collaboration in representing the needs of minority-owned small busin...