Civic, community and business leaders participate in conversations with African American teenagers focused on raising achievement, opportunities for training and finding employment.

Find out how you can help teens and strengthen your community

The Trail Blazers, Multnomah County and Oregon Mentors partnered to host a dinner and town hall at the Rose Garden intended to open dialog between African American teenage boys and adult leaders in the community.

Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler, Trail Blazers President Larry Miller, Portland Public Schools Superintendent Carole Smith, and Trail Blazers Head Coach Nate McMillan were joined by other adult leaders in devoting the evening to helping African American teenagers reflect on their past, to see the possibilities in their future, and learn about the options available to them through community connections and support. Business and community leaders, elected officials, and administrators from schools throughout the Portland metropolitan area were in attendance and addressed training, internships, employment, and academic opportunities available for the identified teens. The event also called attention to the critical need for adult mentors, especially men, in helping these boys reach their full potential.

Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler said, “In my life I have known many successful people, from mountain climbers to businessmen. None of them achieved their dreams on their own – they all had someone who supported them and gave them a chance when they were young.”

The evening began with a dinner prepared by Rose Garden Executive Chef Mike Pulscak and staff, along with students of Multnomah County’s culinary and hospitality career training program for teens in the juvenile justice system. The program is designed to give teens that have been in trouble the opportunity to learn skills that can help them succeed and contribute to our community.

The town hall forum, moderated by Trail Blazers broadcaster Antonio Harvey, was inspired by recent statistics showing an increase in Black teen boys involved in the juvenile justice system and declining academic performance. The panel was made up of six adults representing business, community, civil service and education, and six African American teenagers representing student leaders, teens involved in the probation system, and alternative education. The balanced, open and engaging discussion between panelists was focused on accountability, opportunities and the role of the community in transforming the lives of teens.

“These young men are our future. As a business leader, I feel it’s my responsibility to help them see their potential and all the opportunities available to them if they apply themselves,” said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. “As an African American man who has taken advantage of those opportunities, my hope is they understand their success starts with an unwavering personal commitment.”

The evening concluded with an appeal to the adult participants to consider the role they will play in helping the teenagers reach their goals. Statements were made by individuals and local businesses committing to mentoring, internships, entry-level jobs, recruiting employees for mentorship opportunities and providing time-off for employees to mentor. Over the next few months Oregon Mentors will report on the results of the appeal, and participants of the panel discussion will present outcomes and future plans derived from the evening’s dialog to the Multnomah County Commission.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS
The Portland Trail Blazers, members of the National Basketball Association (NBA), were founded in 1970, and purchased by Paul G. Allen in 1988. The team’s rich heritage includes 26 playoff appearances, an NBA championship in 1977 and a commitment to community service. With a corporate mission to “Make It Better,” the Trail Blazers strive to help children and their families throughout Oregon and southwest Washington learn, play, grow, get involved and live healthier lives. The Trail Blazers are the first and only pro sports franchise to receive the prestigious National Points of Light Award for excellence in corporate community service. A long-time partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland led to the establishment of the Blazers Boys & Girls Club, the first team-sponsored club of its kind, and has resulted in contributions of more than $1 million. The Albina Head Start McCormack-Matthews Center, which provides education and health services to preschoolers and their families, was established in 2004 with nearly $1 million in contributions from Allen, the team, and former Trail Blazers star and Portland native, Damon Stoudamire.

About the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice’s Reclaiming Futures Project
Reclaiming Futures brings communities together to improve drug and alcohol treatment, expand and coordinate services, and find jobs and mentors for young people in trouble with the law. Five years ago, Multnomah County was one of only ten national sites selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to pioneer this juvenile justice reform effort, which is now being replicated in Oregon and across the United States. Each year, Multnomah County’s Reclaiming Futures program helps over 350 delinquent teens who need alcohol and drug abuse treatment or mental health services. Last year, Reclaiming Futures partnered with the Trail Blazers, Entercom Radio, Oregon Mentors and other local organizations to sponsor the award-winning When You Were 15 campaign, which recruited mentors for at-risk teens.

ABOUT OREGON MENTORS
Oregon Mentors works to connect every child in Oregon with a mentor by supporting the work of Oregon’s more than 100 unique youth mentoring programs. The organization focuses on increasing the public’s awareness about the benefits to youth who are mentored; connecting new volunteers to quality mentoring programs, providing training resources to program staff and volunteers, and removing barriers to mentoring programs’ growth. To learn more about how youth mentoring or to volunteer to be a mentor in your community contact Oregon Mentors at 866-450-4040 or online at: www.oregonmentors.org.

Find out how you can help teens and strengthen your community.