To my friends who reach farther than the rule book suggests I commend you
You have chosen to laugh off no’s and let your desires grow
Knowledge over everything is the drum beating to your life’s direction
Placing you in a state of perpetual development
Others opinions on your dreams fall short because they’re irrelevant
You my friend have found purpose
Each step you take is intentional
Books you read intentional
Words you speak intentional
Bricks being placed in the castle of your potential
The oppression you face is extra weight meant to build strength and put you in the place to strive when all others crumble
When they say “no” accept it as a challenge
Creativity is your comparative advantage
If you want it bad enough you will find a way
To my friends who’ve been displaced by ridiculous sentences absorb this message it’s different than the rest of them
There is hope
But only if you have faith
Accompanied by courage to take what you already have and become something great
Adversity is our biggest asset
And once you understand that
You have taken back your power.
If you are interested in reading more of Noah's poems, he has written his first book of poetry, Morse Code Kisses, available online.
The Herm Gilliam Memorial Golf Tournament for Kids takes place on August 21st. Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of golf, contests, awards, lunch and dinner at the Riverside Golf & Country Club. Register today!. More than a great afternoon of golf, the Herm Gilliam Memorial Golf Tournament for Kids is about changing lives and building futures for 6,000 youth each year.
A member of the Trail Blazers 1976-77 NBA Championship Team, Herm served on Janus' Board of Directors and chaired our Scholarship Fund. With his passing, the community lost a true friend and one of its greatest treasures.
Don’t miss your chance to stock your wine cellar while doing something good for Janus youth. Enter to win one of two wine lots that are unique collections of highly-rated wines.
Wines of the World
A collection of wines from around the world.
Wines of the Pacific Northwest
This collection features outstanding wines, including pinots from across the region.
All wines have been stored in a temperature-controlled cellar. You can't get your hands on these wines unless you win this drawing.
There is no need to be present to win. There are only 100 tickets per wine lot. Drawing is August 21st. Tickets are $100.00 each per wine lot.
You can purchase tickets through PayPal or by contacting Rosalie Karp at 503-542-4605, rkarp@janusyouth.org.
On July fourth, Multnomah County lost a visionary advocate and Janus’ Insights Teen Parent Program lost one of its founders, Diane Cohen-Alpert—who was an unparalleled leader in the local and national teen parent community for over thirty years. Through her work with other youth organizations in the 1970s, Diane recognized the unique needs and the incredible strength in teen parents. Recognizing the gap in services for teen parents, Diane created Insights Teen Parent Program, which has been in operation uninterrupted since its incorporation under her leadership.
Diane had a passion for families and community. According to Lori Schroeder, supervisor of the Insights SEEDS and Home Safe Programs, “Diane created an atmosphere at work that allowed us bringing our kids to the office. She created a very nourishing atmosphere.” She was instrumental in the creation of the Harry’s Mother program—still Multnomah County’s only 24-hour youth hotline and emergency shelter for runaway youth and one of the first of its kind in the country. Says Dennis Morrow, Janus’ Executive Director, “I worked with Diane in the 1980s as a partner in the Tri-County Youth Services Consortium and there is no doubt in my mind or in the mind of anyone who met her that she was literally born to do the work she did. Children on the streets, families of children on the streets, teen moms and the babies of teen moms—thousands have been impacted forever by the work she did and by the commitment she modeled for us all to never give up trying. Thank you Diane for being you and for sharing with us all.”
