April 30, 2026

Consider This Watch Party: Labor, Farmworker Organizing, and Histories of Indigenous Communities in Oregon

Join the Office of Civic Engagement at Willamette University for a watch party of our Consider This conversation Labor, Farmworker Organizing, and Histories of Indigenous Communities in Oregon, streamed live from Mt. Angel.

7:00 p.m., Willamette University - Putnam University Center, Salem

May 6, 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.”

Register for this free event.

Facilitator Chisao Hata is a performing artist, educator, and arts integration specialist. She has been called a “community weaver” through facilitation, community engagement and creating artistic collaborations. She has been a protector of imagination and personal discovery and a champion for individual expression. Creating engaged learning is her life’s work. She has had the honor of serving hundreds of Portland’s children, youth, and adults across many communities. Chisao believes we are all inextricably linked, and the power of gathering is a conduit to build and heal our understandings between our communities.

6:00 p.m., Cedar Mill Community Library, Portland

May 8, 2026

Civicus: What Does It Mean to Be a Citizen?

In the United States, most people would say they believe in democracy. But do we all understand the word in the same way? Where does the concept of democracy come from, and what makes “the rule of the people” work? This conversation will dig into the history, philosophy, and practical workings of democracy. We’ll look at the words of important political thinkers from the past, the US Constitution, and research on challenges to democracy in the present day. We’ll leave with a better sense of what we mean when we say democracy and how to participate in the democratic process locally and nationally.

Facilitator Prakash Chenjeri is a professor and chair of the philosophy program at Southern Oregon University. He was educated both in India and the US. His research and teaching focus on understanding the concept of citizenship, the role of scientific literacy in modern democracy, and debates over science and religion. He co-directs the Democracy Project, a comprehensive examination of democracy around the world in the twenty-first century. He has lived in Oregon for more than three decades.

noon, Hillsboro Shute Park Library, Hillsboro

May 12, 2026

Reflective Conversation Training (in-person)

This training will take place at Open Space Event Studios (220 NE Lafayette Ave., Bend) on the following days:

• Day 1: Tuesday, May 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Day 2: Wednesday, May 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Open Space Event Studios, Bend

May 14, 2026

Otherness as a Gateway to Empowerment and Empathy

Otherness is the state of being different from the members of a group. Whether we are talking about us mammals, us Oregonians, or us bird-watchers, anyone who is not part of us is part of the other. How does otherness shape our sense of identity and our perception of others? In this conversation, we will reflect on our personal experiences of belonging to uncover the universality of otherness and examine how we can use empathy to bridge the divides in isolated communities and foster the acceptance of diverse voices. This exploration of otherness aims to cultivate empathy for both ourselves and others, leading to a more inclusive understanding of our identities and those around us as well as exploring otherness as a form of strength and our own uniqueness.

RSVP for this free event. This conversation is part of One Book, One Coast programming related to George Takei's memoir They Called Us Enemy.

6:00 p.m., Happy Valley Library, Happy Valley

May 14, 2026

Are We Created Equal?

This conversation will explore equality. It is a core national value of the United States, even if we have not always lived up to that value. What does it mean to say, as the writers of the Declaration of Independence did, that “all men are created equal” and to declare that this is a self-evident truth? In what ways are or should we be equal? How does this ideal of equality show up in our daily lives, our communities, and our politics? How, finally, has this ideal of equality changed over the past 250 years—and how might it change further over the next 250?

6:00 p.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, Corvallis

May 16, 2026

Science, Religion, and Public Policy

This conversation will look at issues where scientific findings, religious beliefs, and policy decisions meet and sometimes conflict, such as climate change, medical ethics, and public health. In small groups, we will talk about how our beliefs affect the way we think about these issues, sharing our perspectives and listening to one another.

Facilitator Prakash Chenjeri is a professor and chair of the philosophy program at Southern Oregon University. He was educated both in India and the US. His research and teaching focus on understanding the concept of citizenship, the role of scientific literacy in modern democracy, and debates over science and religion. His expertise spans both the classroom and the global stage: he has developed and led courses in science and religion and shared insights on the subject at international and domestic conferences. He co-directs the Democracy Project, a comprehensive examination of democracy around the world in the twenty-first century. He has lived in Oregon for more than three decades.

2:00 pm., Klamath County Library Service District, Klamath Falls

May 16, 2026

Migración: cambios y tansformación—lo que cambia y lo que permanece

Los cambios son parte natural de la vida, pero si además añadimos un estado migratorio, los cambios pueden ser más profundos y complejos y acarrear matices que transformarán de manera más radical la vida del que deja atrás su país, su gente y parte de su historia.

Esta conversación es para inmigrantes que quieran explorar los efectos que la migración ha traído a sus vidas. Queremos ofrecer un espacio en donde podamos compartir nuestras experiencias y reflexionar juntos acerca de los cambios que hemos tenido desde que dejamos nuestro pueblo o ciudad natal, qué nos trajo al lugar que habitamos y cuáles con las transformaciones por las que hemos pasado en el proceso migratorio.

¿Qué sucede con nuestras raíces, costumbres y cultura una vez migramos? Hablemos de ello y compartamos nuestros pensamientos y necesidades.

Cristina nació en Barcelona, España. Sus padres emigraron del sur al noreste de España. Creció hablando dos lenguas y aprendió a amar ambas culturas. Se formó como especialista de Shiatsu y acupuntura y ejerció como instructora de esas disciplinas durante diez años. También formó parte de diferentes bandas de música y actuó en bodas y bares durante doce años. Durante su año sabático en Suramérica conoció a su pareja y poco después se mudó a Estados Unidos. Ha trabajado como enlace para familias Latinas durante tres años, y es cofundadora de PIE, “purpose in expenses”, una nueva manera de aumentar los recursos económicos para el bien de nuestra comunidad global, junto con su esposo. Cristina ha creado BENDitas, un colectivo para promover la cultura en español en su querida comunidad de Bend. Ha tenido que cambiar muchas cosas desde que se mudó a los Estados Unidos en Marzo del 2011 pero su orgullo de sentirse española nunca ha cambiado.

5:00 p.m., Parkdale Library, Parkdale

May 23, 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?

Register for this free event.

3:00 p.m., Oregon City Public Library, Oregon City

May 28, 2026

Investigating the Consent of the Governed

The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence states that governments are instituted among people and that governments “derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” What does any of this mean today? In this conversation, we will explore what it means to grant consent to the government and what it might mean to take it away.

Register for this free online event.

1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Pacific, Virtual Event, statewide