Events & Opportunities
June 25, 2026
The Pursuit of Happiness
The most famous phrase from the Declaration of Independence is: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Why did the founders include “the pursuit of Happiness” in the Declaration? What did they mean by this phrase? What does it mean to us today?
Register for this free online event.
3:00 p.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide
June 26, 2026
Talking About Values Across Political Divides
“How can I be me without making it difficult for you to be you?” This question gets at the fundamental challenge of being in society together. We live in a contentious political world, and it’s difficult to talk about our deepest values and beliefs in safe, civil, and respectful ways. In 2021, the Pew Research Center found that nearly six in ten Americans felt that political conversations with those you disagree with are generally stressful and frustrating, as opposed to being interesting and informative. If we avoid such conversations, we lose opportunities to form a community with others that reflects our best selves. How can we learn to share our values in ways that bring us together rather than push us further apart?
5:30 p.m., Cook Memorial Library, La Grande
June 27, 2026
What Does It Mean to Be American?
This conversation will explore when and how we define ourselves as an “American.” Does knowing the Constitution make us American? Does living on land controlled by the United States of America make us American? Through conversation and nonverbal exploration, we will share what “American” means to us individually and within the communities we belong to or came from, and what perspectives shaped our understanding of American identity and who is included in “We the People.”
2:00 p.m., Jacksonville Branch Library, Jacksonville
June 27, 2026
Portland Indie Book and Art Fair
An outdoor fair featuring local independent publishers including Oregon Humanities.
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Honey Latte Cafe, Portland
June 29, 2026
Softening Sharp Teeth: Getting Curious about Conflict
Interpersonal conflict and disagreement are part of being in relationship with others, but many of us fear conflict. Motivated by many factors, including cultural norms, concern for social consequences, and personal safety, many of us avoid it. What might we learn and how might we grow by making more room for conflict? What skills do we need to responsibly engage in conflict? How can shifting our relationship to conflict offer us new perspectives about ourselves and the groups we belong to? This community conversation is an opportunity to reflect on our relationships to interpersonal conflict outside of where we might most often encounter it, like the heated context of an argument at the dinner table or online. Facilitator Emily Squires will lead a judgement- and jargon-free discussion of what we mean when we say conflict, considering how interpersonal conflict shapes our lives and tools to use when experiencing it.
Register for this free online event.
10:00 a.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide
June 30, 2026
Can We Get Along?
This conversation will explore when and how we define ourselves as an “American.” Does knowing the Constitution make us American? Does living on land controlled by the United States of America make us American? Through conversation and nonverbal exploration, we will share what “American” means to us individually and within the communities we belong to or came from, and what perspectives shaped our understanding of American identity and who is included in “We the People.”
Register for this free online event.
4:00 p.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide
July 8, 2026
Conversation Project: Are You Doing Community Wrong?
We all belong to many communities—that is, groups of people with common interests—depending on where we live, the work we do, how we spend our leisure time, political and religious beliefs, and so on. In some communities, finding agreement is easy; in others, especially those that represent many different experiences and points of view, members must work harder to find commonality. It may be easier to find a location for your next book-club meeting than to achieve consensus about a road project at your neighborhood association. In such contexts, are we “doing” community wrong? Are we celebrating diverse points of view and our common effort to find solutions together? If not, why not? What stops us from engaging in more diverse communities?
12:30 p.m., Studio GO: pdx, Portland
July 8, 2026
Tough Shit with Oregon Humanities
Tough Shit is an onstage conversation about the most challenging questions Portlanders are facing. We’ll bring together four people with very different experiences of and perspectives on the city to talk through some shit with help from the audience and a moderator. The questions will be tough, and this shit will not be resolved in one night; We expect to leave with more questions than answers, plus some renewed hope for the future. And if not, well….
This event is presented in partnership with the Tomorrow Theater. Tickets are available at tomorrowtheater.org.
7:00 p.m., Tomorrow Theater, Portland
July 10, 2026
Monuments and Memorials: Who, What, Where, When, and Why?
As long as humans have sought to honor the present and remember times past, we have built monuments and memorials. Our traditions around monuments and memorials have changed over time. Today, each monument prompts many questions: What should be remembered, and why? How should it be remembered? Where should a monument or memorial be built, and when? And who gets to decide? Most of us rarely get a say in how people and events are memorialized. What monuments or memorials would you like to see in your personal life, home, or local community? How can communities celebrate the ideas and values that are important to them together?
10:30 am, Corvallis Museum, Corvallis
July 17, 2026
Poetry in Place: Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston
The work of Oregon's eleventh Poet Laureate, Ellen Waterston, is deeply rooted in considerations of place. At this event, Ellen will read some of her work and engage in a discussion of her experiences as Poet Laureate travelling across our state. She will also lead one to two writing workshops prior to the evening reading.
5:00 p.m., Clatskanie Cultural Center, Clatskanie