December 14, 2024

Conversation Project: Housing and Belonging

Housing and homelessness is a visible and divisive issue in local media, in politics, and across different communities within our state. Many of us were experiencing housing instability and economic uncertainty even during the “boom” times before the current crisis. This conversation will explore common assumptions and perspectives about the experience of houselessness/homelessness and seek to answer the question, How do we decide who “belongs” in our community?

1:00 p.m., Chetco Community Public Library, Brookings

January 9, 2025

Reflective Conversation Training (virtual)

During our virtual facilitation training, participants will:

• learn about facilitation and reflective conversation
• have an opportunity to practice new skills and techniques
• reflect on and share your own beliefs and assumptions and listen to beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences different than your own
• design and participate in reflective conversations and debriefs that analyze facilitation tools and choices.

This virtual training will take place online via Zoom over the following sessions:

• Day 1: Thursday, January 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Day 2: Friday, January 10, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Day 3: Friday, January 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

To register for this virtual training, click here.

9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Virtual Event, statewide

January 16, 2025

The Detour Live: Poetry and Politics, or not, with Anis Mojgani

Oregon Humanities and the Tomorrow Theater present a live recording of The Detour podcast with poet and visual artist Anis Mojgani. Anis and host Adam Davis will dig into what it means to be an artist, fulfill a Governor-appointed, public role, and be a politically engaged individual, too. We’ll explore the relationship between art, art-making, and politics, maybe especially when one’s art is not overtly political.

Ticket for this event are available at tomorrowtheater.org.

7:00 p.m., Tomorrow Theater, Portland

January 16, 2025

Salem Poetry Project Featuring Ellen Waterston

Each week, the Salem Poetry Project presents a featured reader followed by the Infamous Open Mic: three poems or five minutes, whichever is first. The featured reader begins at 7:00 p.m. and the open mic will follow.

Parking for the Bush Barn and Bush House is located off of High Street.

7:00 p.m., Bush Barn Annex, Salem

January 29, 2025

Consider This: Our Place in the World with Ben Rhodes

A conversation about geopolitics, American power, and public service with Ben Rhodes, a former national security and diplomacy advisor to President Barack Obama and host of the Pod Save the World podcast. How much should the general public know or understand about global affairs and foreign policy? How do the US government’s actions on the world stage respond to public interest? How do people who work on those policies respond when their understanding of the public interest differs from the majority of public opinion? Ben Rhodes is a writer, political commentator, and national security analyst. He is the author of After the Fall: The Rise of Authoritarianism in the World We've Made and The World As It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House. From 2009–17, he served as a speechwriter and Deputy National Security Advisor to President Obama. Rhodes is currently cohost of the podcast Pod Save the World; a contributor for MSNBC; and chair of National Security Action.

7:00 p.m., Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland

February 6, 2025

Reflective Conversation Training (in-person)

During this in-person facilitation training, participants will:

• learn about facilitation and reflective conversation
• have an opportunity to practice new skills and techniques
• reflect on and share your own beliefs and assumptions and listen to beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences different than your own
• design and participate in reflective conversations and debriefs that analyze facilitation tools and choices.

This training will take place in the Oregon Humanities office in Portland (610 SW Alder St., Suite 1111) over the following days:

• Day 1: Thursday, February 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Day 2: Friday, February 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

To register for the February in-person training, click here.

In-person trainings are limited to the first twelve to sixteen people to sign up. Over the course of two days, we’ll spend our time together talking in large and small groups, in small to mid-sized rooms. We’ll provide a light breakfast and lunch on both days.

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Oregon Humanities, Portland

March 18, 2025

Reading with Ellen Waterston

Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston presents her work at Cook Memorial Library.

5:30 p.m., Cook Memorial Library, La Grande

May 3, 2025

Terroir Creative Writing Festival

Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston will participate in the 2025 Terroir Creative Writing Festival. The aim of the festival is to build a stronger literary community by encouraging and spotlighting local writers while also making connections with the writing and publishing community beyond Yamhill County.

9:00 a.m., Stoller Experience Center, Dayton

May 7, 2025

Consider This: Reinventing American Democracy for the 21st Century with Danielle Allen

A conversation about the failings and challenges of democracy in the United States and what we can do about them with Danielle Allen, director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Ash Center. How can we find common purpose to build a stronger democratic society amid today’s complex political climate?

7:00 p.m., Tomorrow Theater, Portland