Conversation Project: Understanding Urban/Rural Divides
We live in a time of increasing polarization that often correlates to divides between urban and rural regions in our state. This polarization is so extreme that it often seems like the two sides may have completely different experiences of the world. Join facilitator Nick Nash in a conversation that asks, How does the urban/rural divide affect the ways we relate to each other as Oregonians? What is the urban/rural divide, and how do we understand it? How does this divide affect our day-to-day lives and our experiences of being governed? This conversation is a chance to reflect on the beliefs we have about our urban or rural neighbors with a focus on discovering and abandoning misbeliefs, investigating and learning about the real differences between the urban and the rural, and trying to find things that we all share as Oregonians.
Borrowed Kitchens and Conference Rooms
Diana Marcela Cuartas writes about the challenges of finding cultural space in the Portland metro area's rapidly changing east side.
Channeling the Stories of the Local Watershed
Taking inspiration from an unlikely source, a new production by Sarah Fox spotlights the interconnected narratives of the Columbia River Gorge.
This Is the Moment
Andrew DeVigal on how civic dialogue helps build healthier communities.
The People and the Public: 2024–25 Consider This Series
In 2024 and 2025, join us for a series of onstage conversations about all things public.
Fields Artist Fellowship
The Fields Artist Fellowship is a partnership between Oregon Humanities (OH) and the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), aimed at investing in individual artists, culture bearers, and their communities.
Our Untapped Treasures: Children and Elders are Problem Solvers too
There are many reasons why people fail to invite children and elders to the table when it comes to solving problems: “They’re too young.” “They need to be protected from hearing about serious issues.” “I’m sure they care, but the world is a very different place now.” “They’re just going to talk about how things used to be.” “I wouldn’t want my child to be burdened with this reality.” “I don’t want to have to explain the issues repeatedly.”
The more serious the issue, the less likely it is that a child or elder will be helping to come up with a solution. We were all children once, and sometimes we had great solutions to problems that adults didn’t have. If we’re fortunate, we’ll all become elderly, and we will have a wealth of experience and accumulated wisdom to share. The goal of this conversation is to encourage people to approach problem solving in a more inclusive manner and ask elders or children to share their ideas.
Broken Glass, Broken Trust
A sermon by Robert Leo Heilman first read at the Umpqua Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Roseburg in spring 2022
So Much Together: As Often as the Bold: Fear, Community, Movement, and Change
Fear is central to our human experience, a powerful force that extends beyond our individual lives into political and cultural realms. In an uncertain world, the opportunities for fear to take root and spread are infinite. In this So Much Together workshop, we take a non-judgmental approach to fear, viewing it not as our enemy—but as a catalyst for self-discovery and transformation.
Conversation Project: What Does Democracy Require?
As we begin, however tentatively, to move into a new moment in US political life, calls for unity are often met with skepticism and disdain. But perhaps unity is the wrong measure of democracy anyway. What if we ask instead, Who are our people? Where do we belong? In this moment coming out of the pandemic, let’s think together about expanding the scope of our people and what it means to belong so that we can consider what democracy requires of us and for us in this fraught moment.
Youth Civic Engagement Summit
This Youth Civic Engagement Summit is facilitated by the college and high school students who lead the League of Women Voters of Oregon (LWVOR) Youth Council. The Summit will provide guidance for effectively engaging with their government officials in testimony, partnership and policy change to empower youth supporting democracy through interactive breakout workshops, engaging discussions, and dedicated time to build community connections. This full day summit features interactive breakout workshops, engaging discussion topics, and dedicated time to build community connections.
Our Untapped Treasures: Children and Elders are Problem Solvers too
There are many reasons why people fail to invite children and elders to the table when it comes to solving problems: “They’re too young.” “They need to be protected from hearing about serious issues.” “I’m sure they care, but the world is a very different place now.” “They’re just going to talk about how things used to be.” “I wouldn’t want my child to be burdened with this reality.” “I don’t want to have to explain the issues repeatedly.”
The more serious the issue, the less likely it is that a child or elder will be helping to come up with a solution. We were all children once, and sometimes we had great solutions to problems that adults didn’t have. If we’re fortunate, we’ll all become elderly, and we will have a wealth of experience and accumulated wisdom to share. The goal of this conversation is to encourage people to approach problem solving in a more inclusive manner and ask elders or children to share their ideas.
Portrait of My Mother in Mint Green
She lived most of her life in the United States. Why didn’t she become a citizen?
Civic Love Ride 2
Join Oregon Humanities on a Pedalpalooza ride that celebrates civic love, which has been described as "one’s love for society, expressed through a commitment to the common good. It is a belief in the idea that we’re all better off, when we are all better off." We will hear from people who demonstrate a commitment to civic love and discuss how we can deepen our civic love practice. We will also connect with each other utilizing the National Public Housing Museum's 36 Questions for Civic Love, which were created to help us all rise in civic love. Civic-love-themed prizes and tunes are sure to sweeten the deal.
The Civic Love Ride
Civic love has been described as "one’s love for society, expressed through a commitment to the common good. It is a belief in the idea that we’re all better off, when we are all better off." Join Oregon Humanities on a ride to various places where civic love blossomed, thrived, flailed, and failed. We will hear from people who demonstrate a commitment to civic love, including special guests from Albina Vision Trust, Street Books, Albina Music Trust, and North Star Civic Foundation. Throughout the ride, we'll connect with each other utilizing the National Public Housing Museum's 36 Questions for Civic Love, which were created to help us all rise in civic love. Civic-love-themed prizes and tunes are sure to sweeten the deal. We'll begin at Lovejoy Fountain Park, south of the SW 3rd and Harrison Portland Streetcar stop. The ride will last approximately two hours, including presentations and conversations, with about four miles of mostly flat traveling. We'll end at Dawson Park (1 N. Stanton St.) with an optional post-ride hangout.
Making Pre-K Possible
This comic by Sarah Mirk explores how universal preschool went from an idea to the ballot to law in 2020.
Conversation Project: Can We Get Along?
Rodney King’s iconic question still resonates today. Despite decades of social justice movements, police brutality and divisions persist in the United States. COVID-19 has only added more challenges. How can we connect to each other during these times? What holds us back from connecting with each other? How do our personal experiences contribute to barriers, or and have the potential to break them down? Join facilitator Chisao Hata as she holds space to examine individual questions on race, cultural values, and what brings us together and what separates us.
Consider This: Journalism, Democracy, and the Informed Citizen
Join Josephine Community Library for Consider This: Journalism, Democracy, and the Informed Citizen, facilitated by policy researcher Charles F. Rund, on March 3 at 6:00 p.m. at the Grants Pass branch of Josephine Community Library.
Consider This: Journalism, Democracy, and the Informed Citizen
Join Josephine Community Library for Consider This: Journalism, Democracy, and the Informed Citizen, facilitated by policy researcher Charles F. Rund, on March 10 at 6:00 p.m. at the Grants Pass branch of Josephine Community Library.
Consider This: Journalism, Democracy, and the Informed Citizen
Join Josephine Community Library for Consider This: Journalism, Democracy, and the Informed Citizen, facilitated by policy researcher Charles F. Rund, on March 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the Grants Pass branch of Josephine Community Library.
Conversation Project: Conspiracy Theories
The Flat Earth Society. The Illuminati. QAnon. Sometimes it seems like conspiracy theories have been multiplying exponentially, especially in this time of global pandemic. Why do we gravitate toward conspiracy theories to make sense of the world? What human need do these stories fill? In this program, we’ll explore some conspiracy theories old and new, famous and obscure. What common themes do they share? How do they operate as stories and how do they evolve? What’s the difference between a conspiracy theory and myth, folklore, and “fake news”? We’ll talk about the mechanics of conspiracy theories as we explore how to determine what’s true, what’s false, and whom to trust.
This program will be held in a hybrid format, both live in person and online via Zoom. Click here to join online.
“Let’s Give Oregonians a Chance to Shape the Future of the State”
Hanna Merzbach interviews Kevin Frazier, founder of the website The Oregon Way
Getting to the Roots of Climate Change
Bob Devine on why the market alone can't solve the problems of a warming planet
The Bottom of the Toolbox
Leaders and activists in Eugene hope a bureaucratic negotiation can help the city meet its climate goals.
One-Person Protest
Exploring social movements and enacting protest with the Fall 2020 Humanity in Perspective cohort.
They Belong to Themself
We do not possess the intellect, identity, or sexuality of our children, Chelsea King writes in this essay. We are only witnesses to their journeys.
Putting in the Work
This comic by Jonathan Hill explores how people can stay engaged in politics and advocate for the changes they want to see outside of major election cycles.
Putting in the Work
This comic by Jonathan Hill explores how people can stay engaged in politics and advocate for the changes they want to see outside of major election cycles.
Charter Review
This comic by Beka Feathers and Aki Ruiz explains Portland's charter review process.
Who's Being Left Out?
Lucy Bellwood illustrates the history of voting rights in Oregon and efforts to expand who gets a say in our democracy.
“We Know Who’s Got Our Six Now”
Bruce Poinsette considers the Father's Group, an intergenerational community group in Central Oregon, as an example for the future of Black-led organizing in Oregon.
Stepping Up in Southern Oregon
In Ashland, a network of volunteer organizations provide meals for those who need them. Amy Stewart writes about how that network has adapted to the pandemic.
Mama Will Feed You
A mother’s journey through cultural reclamation, changing food systems, and the new wave of mutual aid
Clicking
After moving back to Portland, Marbla Reed looks for connection in online event organizing, but finds creating community without the context of preexisting relationships more challenging than anticipated.
In These Uncertain Times
During the pandemic, Oregonians have been urged to “stay home, save lives.” But for many, staying home is not an option.
Conspiracy Theories: Truth, Facts, and Tin Foil Hats with Jennifer Roberts
Why do we gravitate toward conspiracy theories to make sense of the world? What human need do these stories fill? In this program, we’ll explore some conspiracy theories old and new, famous and obscure.
Virtual Think & Drink with Senator Ron Wyden and Clive Thompson
Think & Drink goes online for a special conversation with US Senator Ron Wyden and journalist Clive Thompson on democracy and the internet, May 13 at 4:30 p.m.
Mask Makers
Photojournalist Katharine Kimball documents DIY efforts in Hood River to manufacture personal protective equipment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
CANCELED Conversation Project: How Do Our Values Influence Environmental Policy?
Most of us would agree that natural resources and our surrounding environment have value, but what that value is—and how to protect it—are usually up for debate. Given competing interests and visions of the public good, how do we protect our common resources such as land, water, and air? Join philosopher Monica Mueller to explore our environmental values and question how those values are reflected—or not reflected—in current local, national, and global environmental policies.
This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date.CANCELED - Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader (held in Spanish)
*This conversation will be held in Spanish. Popular understandings of leadership tell us that leaders look a certain way: they are in charge. They possess outward strength. They are extroverted and act pragmatically rather than emotionally. Perhaps most important, leaders are people in positions of authority and power. Join facilitator Pepe Moscoso for a conversation that explores an alternative view of leadership and asks, When are we leaders in our communities? How can our unique senses of self contribute to our roles as leaders? What do we have to offer that is needed? Participants will have the chance to ask these questions of themselves and to explore with their friends and neighbors what makes a great leader in their communities. The admission fee for this conversation is $5.
This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled.CANCELED - Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader (held in Spanish)
*This conversation will be held in Spanish. Popular understandings of leadership tell us that leaders look a certain way: they are in charge. They possess outward strength. They are extroverted and act pragmatically rather than emotionally. Perhaps most important, leaders are people in positions of authority and power. Join facilitator Pepe Moscoso for a conversation that explores an alternative view of leadership and asks, When are we leaders in our communities? How can our unique senses of self contribute to our roles as leaders? What do we have to offer that is needed? Participants will have the chance to ask these questions of themselves and to explore with their friends and neighbors what makes a great leader in their communities.
This conversation has been postponed and will be rescheduled.CANCELED - Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society?
This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled.From Saving to Serving to ...? : On Intervening in the Lives of Others
Many of us try to make a positive difference in the world through our work and volunteering, and we often find that this can be difficult. The language of helping reflects this difficulty. Charity sounds admirable to some and offensive to others. Service can be bland, saving can be paternalistic, and social entrepreneurship can feel corporate. Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that will explore why it’s so hard to find the right words for the good work we try to do in the world. How should we think and talk about our efforts to make positive change?
Think & Drink with Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Eddy Morales, and Ana del Rocío
Join former Happy Valley Mayor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Gresham City Councilor Eddy Morales, and Ana del Rocío, executive director of Oregon Futures Lab, for a conversation about running for and holding public office.
It's a Free Country: Exploring the Limitations and Responsibilities of Freedom
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society?
CANCELED - The Meaning of Climate Change
We live in a time of tremendous transformation as the reality of climate change and its effects on our communities become more apparent with every passing year. While there is still much that can and must be done to mitigate the range of impacts climate change might have, we are confronting the certainty of a crisis that will continue to unfold no matter what we do. What is the meaning of this extraordinary moment in human history? The meanings we construct about climate change affect how we think about it, our feelings about it and our willingness to take action. Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action.
This event has been postponed and may be rescheduled.CANCELED - Everyone Can Be a Leader: Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership- English
Popular understandings of leadership tell us that leaders look a certain way: they are in charge. They possess outward strength. They are extroverted and act pragmatically rather than emotionally. Perhaps most important, leaders are people in positions of authority and power. Join facilitator Pepe Moscoso for a conversation that explores an alternative view of leadership and asks, When are we leaders in our communities? How can our unique senses of self contribute to our roles as leaders? What do we have to offer that is needed? Participants will have the chance to ask these questions of themselves and to explore with their friends and neighbors what makes a great leader in their communities.
This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled.Fair Share: What Makes a Good Tax?
People and businesses expect certain public services—education, transportation, protection, to name a few—and “tax” is the word we use to indicate how we pay for these services. But among taxpayers, areas of frequent and vehement disagreement are what constitutes a needed public service, how much we should pay for those services, and who will be taxed (and how) for them. The conversation, led by facilitator Mary Nolan, will explore the effects—both intended and unintended—of different types of taxes and invite participants to examine and understand their own ideas and their neighbors’ ideas about the best and worst characteristics of local, state, and federal taxes.
The Middle Class and Other Stories About Wealth, Status, and Power
Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that explores what we think and how we talk about class in Oregon and the nation. What exactly, for example, is the middle class, who does it include and exclude, and why does it get so much attention? When does talking about class turn into class warfare, or pandering, or simple confusion? To what extent can we talk about class without talking about race, ethnicity, and cultural background? Class is clearly related to wealth and money, but it also involves much more than that, from education to dress to the shows we watch, the words we use, and the clothes we wear. What are the measures and markers that help us recognize class, and to what extent is class useful for seeing our state, our neighbors, and ourselves?
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Many Oregonians have a vision of a future that includes communities built on values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the same time, we live in a society that marginalizes and excludes people of color. Facilitators Traci Price and Anita Yap will lead participants in a conversation that looks at how Oregon’s history of racism influences our present and asks, How can understanding Oregon’s historic and current impacts of racism contribute to our sense of place and vision of the future? How can diversity and inclusion create thriving communities?
Canceled: Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Popular understandings of leadership tell us that leaders look a certain way: they are in charge. They possess outward strength. They are extroverted and act pragmatically rather than emotionally. Perhaps most important, leaders are people in positions of authority and power. Join facilitator Pepe Moscoso for a conversation that explores an alternative view of leadership and asks, When are we leaders in our communities? How can our unique senses of self contribute to our roles as leaders? What do we have to offer that is needed? Participants will have the chance to ask these questions of themselves and to explore with their friends and neighbors what makes a great leader in their communities.
CANCELED - Conversation Project: Fair Share
People and businesses expect certain public services—education, transportation, protection, to name a few—and “tax” is the word we use to indicate how we pay for these services. But among taxpayers, areas of frequent and vehement disagreement are what constitutes a needed public service, how much we should pay for those services, and who will be taxed (and how) for them. The conversation, led by facilitator Mary Nolan, will explore the effects—both intended and unintended—of different types of taxes and invite participants to examine and understand their own ideas and their neighbors’ ideas about the best and worst characteristics of local, state, and federal taxes. The admission fee for this conversation is $5. This event will take place in the grange hall.
This event has been postponed and will be rescheduled.Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
On both national and local levels, Oregonians have seen how the news can both represent and misrepresent the facts at hand. From debate over local opinions on the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to the discourse around “alternative facts,” it can seem difficult to find current and accurate information to use as we make decisions in our communities. This conversation, led by librarian Kelly McElroy, gives Oregonians a chance to consider their own practices and values around news consumption and find new ways to get the information they need.
Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
On both national and local levels, Oregonians have seen how the news can both represent and misrepresent the facts at hand. From debate over local opinions on the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to the discourse around “alternative facts,” it can seem difficult to find current and accurate information to use as we make decisions in our communities. This conversation, led by librarian Kelly McElroy, gives Oregonians a chance to consider their own practices and values around news consumption and find new ways to get the information they need.
Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society? This event will take place in the program room.
Conversation Project: What Does It Mean to Be American?
The United States is a culturally diverse nation with residents who can trace their heritage to countries across the globe, and our diversity is projected to continue to increase over the next several decades. Given the differences of race, ethnicity, place, religion, wealth, language, education, and ideology that exist in the US, what are the things that unite us a nation? How do we understand what it means to be American and what we hold valuable? Join this conversation led by facilitator Ellen Knutson to share your ideas about what it means to be American and hear others’ ideas, to identify differences and points of connection that may lead us toward the ideal stated in our nation’s motto: E pluribus unum, out of many, one.
Cancelled: Conversation Project: Hunger in Our Communities
Hunger and its related problems are steadily increasing in the state of Oregon. At the same time, many Oregonians experience pride from living in an area with such abundant and sustainable food production. How can these truths about our state—both the hunger and the abundance—coexist? To understand the root causes of why hunger exists in our communities, we must also look at how we view hunger. Do we see hunger as an individual problem or a systemic one? How does hunger affect our individual identities as well as our sense of community? Facilitator Surabhi Mahajan will lead participants in a conversation to explore the connections between the constructed story of hunger and the current and possible solutions to end hunger. This event will take place in the Flora room.
Conversation Project: What Does It Mean to Be American?
The United States is a culturally diverse nation with residents who can trace their heritage to countries across the globe, and our diversity is projected to continue to increase over the next several decades. Given the differences of race, ethnicity, place, religion, wealth, language, education, and ideology that exist in the US, what are the things that unite us a nation? How do we understand what it means to be American and what we hold valuable? Join this conversation led by facilitator Ellen Knutson to share your ideas about what it means to be American and hear others’ ideas, to identify differences and points of connection that may lead us toward the ideal stated in our nation’s motto: E pluribus unum, out of many, one. This conversation will take place in the Boxer Pause Room in Washburne Hall in the University Center.
Conversation Project: The Middle Class and Other Stories About Wealth, Status, and Power
Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that explores what we think and how we talk about class in Oregon and the nation. What exactly, for example, is the middle class, who does it include and exclude, and why does it get so much attention? When does talking about class turn into class warfare, or pandering, or simple confusion? To what extent can we talk about class without talking about race, ethnicity, and cultural background? Class is clearly related to wealth and money, but it also involves much more than that, from education to dress to the shows we watch, the words we use, and the clothes we wear. What are the measures and markers that help us recognize class, and to what extent is class useful for seeing our state, our neighbors, and ourselves? This event will take place at PCC Rock Creek Event Center, Section A.
Conversation Project: The Meaning of Climate Change
We live in a time of tremendous transformation as the reality of climate change and its effects on our communities become more apparent with every passing year. While there is still much that can and must be done to mitigate the range of impacts climate change might have, we are confronting the certainty of a crisis that will continue to unfold no matter what we do. What is the meaning of this extraordinary moment in human history? The meanings we construct about climate change affect how we think about it, our feelings about it and our willingness to take action. Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action. This event will take place in the Grange Hall. The admission fee is $5.
Conversation Project: What Does It Mean to Be American?
The United States is a culturally diverse nation with residents who can trace their heritage to countries across the globe, and our diversity is projected to continue to increase over the next several decades. Given the differences of race, ethnicity, place, religion, wealth, language, education, and ideology that exist in the US, what are the things that unite us a nation? How do we understand what it means to be American and what we hold valuable? Join this conversation led by facilitator Ellen Knutson to share your ideas about what it means to be American and hear others’ ideas, to identify differences and points of connection that may lead us toward the ideal stated in our nation’s motto: E pluribus unum, out of many, one. This event will take place in Meeting Room A.
Conversation Project: Faith and Politics in Oregon and Beyond
While faith and politics have long been taboo subjects in polite conversation, it’s no secret that people’s political affiliations and support are often influenced by their faiths. At the same time, faith-based movements, such as the Religious Right of the 1980s, have exhibited great power in political arenas. How do our faith systems influence our political beliefs—and vice versa—today, both in Oregon and nationally? Join writer, educator, and former minister Russ Pierson in a conversation about how our religious ideas and political identities mix and what it means for our common life together. This event will take place in the Event Room.
Conversation Project: Faith and Politics in Oregon and Beyond
While faith and politics have long been taboo subjects in polite conversation, it’s no secret that people’s political affiliations and support are often influenced by their faiths. At the same time, faith-based movements, such as the Religious Right of the 1980s, have exhibited great power in political arenas. How do our faith systems influence our political beliefs—and vice versa—today, both in Oregon and nationally? Join writer, educator, and former minister Russ Pierson in a conversation about how our religious ideas and political identities mix and what it means for our common life together.
Conversation Project: Faith and Politics in Oregon and Beyond
While faith and politics have long been taboo subjects in polite conversation, it’s no secret that people’s political affiliations and support are often influenced by their faiths. At the same time, faith-based movements, such as the Religious Right of the 1980s, have exhibited great power in political arenas. How do our faith systems influence our political beliefs—and vice versa—today, both in Oregon and nationally? Join writer, educator, and former minister Russ Pierson in a conversation about how our religious ideas and political identities mix and what it means for our common life together. This event will take place in the Program Area.
Conversation Project: The Middle Class and Other Stories About Wealth, Status, and Power
Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that explores what we think and how we talk about class in Oregon and the nation. What exactly, for example, is the middle class, who does it include and exclude, and why does it get so much attention? When does talking about class turn into class warfare, or pandering, or simple confusion? To what extent can we talk about class without talking about race, ethnicity, and cultural background? Class is clearly related to wealth and money, but it also involves much more than that, from education to dress to the shows we watch, the words we use, and the clothes we wear. What are the measures and markers that help us recognize class, and to what extent is class useful for seeing our state, our neighbors, and ourselves?
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Many Oregonians have a vision of a future that includes communities built on values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the same time, we live in a society that marginalizes and excludes people of color. Facilitators Traci Price and Anita Yap will lead participants in a conversation that looks at how Oregon’s history of racism influences our present and asks, How can understanding Oregon’s historic and current impacts of racism contribute to our sense of place and vision of the future? How can diversity and inclusion create thriving communities?
Think & Drink with Desmond Meade
The 2019–20 Think & Drink series, Making Democracy, kicks off with the executive director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition.
Think & Drink Portland 2019–20: Making Democracy
Four onstage conversations with activists, writers and civic leaders about how we make decisions together in our communities
Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society? A $5 donation is encouraged, but not required to attend this event.
Conversation Project: Keeping Tabs on America
Recent revelations about government surveillance, including Edward Snowden’s leak of NSA documents, have renewed worldwide attention to questions around privacy. Why is privacy important? What are the uses of surveillance? What are the dangers? Independent scholar and writer Kristian Williams will lead participants in a conversation about the scope and consequences of government surveillance, as well as ethical and legal limits of surveillance practices.
Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society?
Conversation Project: The Middle Class and Other Stories About Wealth, Status, and Power
Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that explores what we think and how we talk about class in Oregon and the nation. What exactly, for example, is the middle class, who does it include and exclude, and why does it get so much attention? When does talking about class turn into class warfare, or pandering, or simple confusion? To what extent can we talk about class without talking about race, ethnicity, and cultural background? Class is clearly related to wealth and money, but it also involves much more than that, from education to dress to the shows we watch, the words we use, and the clothes we wear. What are the measures and markers that help us recognize class, and to what extent is class useful for seeing our state, our neighbors, and ourselves?
Conversation Project: Crime and Punishment in Oregon
From prisons and youth correctional facilities to schools and county jails, we’re surrounded by institutions that punish. But why do we punish? Why is punishment sometimes sanctioned by the state? Critics of the “prison industrial complex” argue that our methods and scale of punishment are informed by profit, while tough-on-crime policymakers believe that punishment must be meaningful enough to prevent recidivism and ensure public safety. Are there other ways to punish—such as restorative justice—that may be more effective, reasonable, or desirable? Philosopher and writer Monica Mueller facilitates a conversation around these questions and others regarding our motivation, purpose, and methods of punishment.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Popular understandings of leadership tell us that leaders look a certain way: they are in charge. They possess outward strength. They are extroverted and act pragmatically rather than emotionally. Perhaps most important, leaders are people in positions of authority and power. Join facilitator Pepe Moscoso for a conversation that explores an alternative view of leadership and asks, When are we leaders in our communities? How can our unique senses of self contribute to our roles as leaders? What do we have to offer that is needed? Participants will have the chance to ask these questions of themselves and to explore with their friends and neighbors what makes a great leader in their communities.
Process and Privilege
Cynthia Carmina Gómez writes about how efforts to rename a Portland street for César Chávez faced intense opposition, despite following a process that other petitions were allowed to circumvent.
Reflections on an Icon
George Estreich writes about finding personal connection in a universal icon.
Conversation Project: The Meaning of Climate Change
We live in a time of tremendous transformation as the reality of climate change and its effects on our communities become more apparent with every passing year. While there is still much that can and must be done to mitigate the range of impacts climate change might have, we are confronting the certainty of a crisis that will continue to unfold no matter what we do. What is the meaning of this extraordinary moment in human history? The meanings we construct about climate change affect how we think about it, our feelings about it and our willingness to take action. Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action. Admission Fee: $5
Conversation Project: What Makes a Good Tax?
People and businesses expect certain public services—education, transportation, protection, to name a few—and “tax” is the word we use to indicate how we pay for these services. But among taxpayers, areas of frequent and vehement disagreement are what constitutes a needed public service, how much we should pay for those services, and who will be taxed (and how) for them. The conversation, led by facilitator Mary Nolan, will explore the effects—both intended and unintended—of different types of taxes and invite participants to examine and understand their own ideas and their neighbors’ ideas about the best and worst characteristics of local, state, and federal taxes.
Conversation Project: The Meaning of Climate Change
We live in a time of tremendous transformation as the reality of climate change and its effects on our communities become more apparent with every passing year. While there is still much that can and must be done to mitigate the range of impacts climate change might have, we are confronting the certainty of a crisis that will continue to unfold no matter what we do. What is the meaning of this extraordinary moment in human history? The meanings we construct about climate change affect how we think about it, our feelings about it and our willingness to take action. Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Popular understandings of leadership tell us that leaders look a certain way: they are in charge. They possess outward strength. They are extroverted and act pragmatically rather than emotionally. Perhaps most important, leaders are people in positions of authority and power. Join facilitator Pepe Moscoso for a conversation that explores an alternative view of leadership and asks, When are we leaders in our communities? How can our unique senses of self contribute to our roles as leaders? What do we have to offer that is needed? Participants will have the chance to ask these questions of themselves and to explore with their friends and neighbors what makes a great leader in their communities.
Conversation Project: The Meaning of Climate Change
We live in a time of tremendous transformation as the reality of climate change and its effects on our communities become more apparent with every passing year. While there is still much that can and must be done to mitigate the range of impacts climate change might have, we are confronting the certainty of a crisis that will continue to unfold no matter what we do. What is the meaning of this extraordinary moment in human history? The meanings we construct about climate change affect how we think about it, our feelings about it and our willingness to take action. Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action.
Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society?
Conversation Project: Hunger in Our Communities
Hunger and its related problems are steadily increasing in the state of Oregon. At the same time, many Oregonians experience pride from living in an area with such abundant and sustainable food production. How can these truths about our state—both the hunger and the abundance—coexist? To understand the root causes of why hunger exists in our communities, we must also look at how we view hunger. Do we see hunger as an individual problem or a systemic one? How does hunger affect our individual identities as well as our sense of community? Facilitator Surabhi Mahajan will lead participants in a conversation to explore the connections between the constructed story of hunger and the current and possible solutions to end hunger.
Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society?
Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
On both national and local levels, Oregonians have seen how the news can both represent and misrepresent the facts at hand. From debate over local opinions on the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to the discourse around “alternative facts,” it can seem difficult to find current and accurate information to use as we make decisions in our communities. This conversation, led by librarian Kelly McElroy, gives Oregonians a chance to consider their own practices and values around news consumption and find new ways to get the information they need.
Conversation Project: Faith and Politics in Oregon and Beyond
While faith and politics have long been taboo subjects in polite conversation, it’s no secret that people’s political affiliations and support are often influenced by their faiths. At the same time, faith-based movements, such as the Religious Right of the 1980s, have exhibited great power in political arenas. How do our faith systems influence our political beliefs—and vice versa—today, both in Oregon and nationally? Join writer, educator, and former minister Russ Pierson in a conversation about how our religious ideas and political identities mix and what it means for our common life together.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership
Returned
Caitlyn May covers the complicated story behind the closure of Douglas County's libraries and their difficult paths to reopening sustainably.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: The Meaning of Climate Change
Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action.
Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
How We Find Accurate Information about the World
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: Hunger in Our Communities
Facilitator Surabhi Mahajan will lead participants in a conversation to explore the connections between the constructed story of hunger and the current and possible solutions to end hunger.
Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
On both national and local levels, Oregonians have seen how the news can both represent and misrepresent the facts at hand. From debate over local opinions on the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to the discourse around “alternative facts,” it can seem difficult to find current and accurate information to use as we make decisions in our communities. This conversation, led by librarian Kelly McElroy, gives Oregonians a chance to consider their own practices and values around news consumption and find new ways to get the information they need.
Conversation Project: The Middle Class and Other Stories About Wealth, Status, and Power
Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that explores what we think and how we talk about class in Oregon and the nation. What exactly, for example, is the middle class, who does it include and exclude, and why does it get so much attention? When does talking about class turn into class warfare, or pandering, or simple confusion? To what extent can we talk about class without talking about race, ethnicity, and cultural background? Class is clearly related to wealth and money, but it also involves much more than that, from education to dress to the shows we watch, the words we use, and the clothes we wear. What are the measures and markers that help us recognize class, and to what extent is class useful for seeing our state, our neighbors, and ourselves?
Listening over Litigation
The High Desert Partnership provides a collaborative vision for Harney County.
Engagement and Environment
OPAL seeks to bring more voices into conversations about environmental justice.
Conversation Project: The Middle Class and Other Stories About Wealth, Status, and Power
Join Oregon Humanities Executive Director Adam Davis for a conversation that explores what we think and how we talk about class in Oregon and the nation. What exactly, for example, is the middle class, who does it include and exclude, and why does it get so much attention? When does talking about class turn into class warfare, or pandering, or simple confusion? To what extent can we talk about class without talking about race, ethnicity, and cultural background? Class is clearly related to wealth and money, but it also involves much more than that, from education to dress to the shows we watch, the words we use, and the clothes we wear. What are the measures and markers that help us recognize class, and to what extent is class useful for seeing our state, our neighbors, and ourselves?
Conversation Project: Hunger in Our Communities
Hunger and its related problems are steadily increasing in the state of Oregon. At the same time, many Oregonians experience pride from living in an area with such abundant and sustainable food production. How can these truths about our state—both the hunger and the abundance—coexist? To understand the root causes of why hunger exists in our communities, we must also look at how we view hunger. Do we see hunger as an individual problem or a systemic one? How does hunger affect our individual identities as well as our sense of community? Facilitator Surabhi Mahajan will lead participants in a conversation to explore the connections between the constructed story of hunger and the current and possible solutions to end hunger.
Conversation Project: What Does It Mean to Be American?
The United States is a culturally diverse nation with residents who can trace their heritage to countries across the globe, and our diversity is projected to continue to increase over the next several decades. Given the differences of race, ethnicity, place, religion, wealth, language, education, and ideology that exist in the US, what are the things that unite us a nation? How do we understand what it means to be American and what we hold valuable? Join this conversation led by facilitator Ellen Knutson to share your ideas about what it means to be American and hear others’ ideas, to identify differences and points of connection that may lead us toward the ideal stated in our nation’s motto: E pluribus unum, out of many, one.
Conversation Project: Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
On both national and local levels, Oregonians have seen how the news can both represent and misrepresent the facts at hand. From debate over local opinions on the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge to the discourse around “alternative facts,” it can seem difficult to find current and accurate information to use as we make decisions in our communities. This conversation, led by librarian Kelly McElroy, gives Oregonians a chance to consider their own practices and values around news consumption and find new ways to get the information they need.
POSTPONED: Conversation Project: Hunger in Our Communities
Hunger and its related problems are steadily increasing in the state of Oregon. At the same time, many Oregonians experience pride from living in an area with such abundant and sustainable food production. How can these truths about our state—both the hunger and the abundance—coexist? To understand the root causes of why hunger exists in our communities, we must also look at how we view hunger. Do we see hunger as an individual problem or a systemic one? How does hunger affect our individual identities as well as our sense of community? Facilitator Surabhi Mahajan will lead participants in a conversation to explore the connections between the constructed story of hunger and the current and possible solutions to end hunger.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership
Conversation Project: The Meaning of Climate Change
Portland State University instructor David Osborn leads a discussion exploring different meanings of climate change and how our understanding of meaning relates to action.
Conversation Project: It's a Free Country
Ever heard the expression "America: land of the brave and free" or "It's a free country! I can do what I want"? Maybe you think or say these things yourself. But what does it mean to "be free"? Join Ann Su for a conversation that explores the impact of culture on how we define, value, and experience freedom personally and in community. Participants will discuss different questions: Does everyone have access to freedom in the same way? What choices come with freedom and what are the responsibilities that accompany those choices? How does the concept of "freedom" play out in a diverse, democratic society?
Educated in Oregon
Kitchen Table Democracy's project Educated in Oregon will explore how storytelling, in the form of short audio stories, creates space for productive conversation about the future of education in Oregon.
Educated in Oregon
Kitchen Table Democracy's project Educated in Oregon will explore how storytelling, in the form of short audio stories, creates space for productive conversation about the future of education in Oregon.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership
Conversation Project: Beyond Fake News
How We Find Accurate Information about the World
Conversation Project: Won't You Be My Neighbor?
How Relationships Affect the Places We Live
Conversation Project: What Does It Mean to Be American?
Join this conversation led by facilitator Ellen Knutson to share your ideas about what it means to be American and hear others’ ideas, to identify differences and points of connection that may lead us toward the ideal stated in our nation’s motto: E pluribus unum, out of many, one.
Conversation Project: How Do Our Values Influence Environmental Policy?
Given competing interests and visions of the public good, how do we protect our common resources such as land, water, and air? Join philosopher Monica Mueller to explore our environmental values and question how those values are reflected—or not reflected—in current local, national, and global environmental policies.
Conversation Project: Everyone Can Be a Leader
Exploring Nontraditional Community Leadership
Think & Drink with Eli Saslow
Join journalist Eli Saslow, author of Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist for a conversation about how white supremacist movements are born and how they gain power.
Conversation Project: Why DIY? Self-sufficiency and American Life
Are we as self-sufficient as we can be? As we should be? What are the pleasures and pitfalls of doing it yourself? This conversation investigates why we strive to be makers and doers in a world that provides more conveniences than ever before.
What Makes a Good Tax?
The conversation, led by facilitator Mary Nolan, will explore the effects—both intended and unintended—of different types of taxes and invite participants to examine and understand their own ideas and their neighbors’ ideas about the best and worst characteristics of local, state, and federal taxes.
Conversation Project: Everyday Leaders
Recognizing Leadership Beyond Power and Authority
Vanport Mosaic Festival 2018
The 2018 Vanport Mosaic Festival offers six days of memory activism opportunities, commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the Vanport Flood and the fiftieth anniversary of the Fair Housing Act through screenings, live performances, tours, exhibits, and community engagement initiatives
Vanport Mosaic Festival 2018
The 2018 Vanport Mosaic Festival offers six days of memory activism opportunities, commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the Vanport Flood and the fiftieth anniversary of the Fair Housing Act through screenings, live performances, tours, exhibits, and community engagement initiatives
Vanport Mosaic Festival 2018
The 2018 Vanport Mosaic Festival offers six days of memory activism opportunities, commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the Vanport Flood and the fiftieth anniversary of the Fair Housing Act through screenings, live performances, tours, exhibits, and community engagement initiatives.
Vanport Mosaic Festival 2018
The 2018 Vanport Mosaic Festival offers six days of memory activism opportunities, commemorating the seventieth anniversary of the Vanport Flood and the fiftieth anniversary of the Fair Housing Act through screenings, live performances, tours, exhibits, and community engagement initiatives.
Exchange and Change
Adam Davis, executive director of Oregon Humanities, on people listening to one another in Lake County, Oregon
Albina Rising
Deonna Anderson writes about how a group in Portland is working to undo the harm of urban renewal and heal the wounds of a community.
Posts
Readers write about Owe
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Facilitators Anita Yap and Traci Price will lead participants in a conversation that looks at how Oregon’s history of racism influences our present and asks, How can understanding historic and current impacts of racism in Oregon contribute to our sense of place and vision of the future?
Conversation Project: Ritual and Ceremony in Modern Life
Holly Pruett leads a conversation about the role of ritual and ceremony in participants’ family and cultural histories, the impact of life events that have passed unobserved, and the new ceremonies that people are creating to mark these milestones.
Conversation Project: Crime and Punishment in Oregon
This conversation explores why and how we punish and asks, are there other ways that are more effective, reasonable, or desireable?
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Conversation Project: Everyday Leaders
Recognizing Leadership Beyond Power and Authority
Bridging Oregon Participant Application Deadline (EXTENDED)
Oregon Humanities is looking for people in Central Oregon to participate in this monthly conversation series.
Conversation Project: Everyday Leaders
Recognizing Leadership Beyond Power and Authority
Conversation Project: After Obama *POSTPONED*
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: Ritual and Ceremony in Modern Life
Holly Pruett, a life-cycle celebrant who works with individuals, families, and communities to commemorate such occasions, leads a conversation about the role of ritual and ceremony in participants’ family and cultural histories and the new ceremonies that people are creating to mark these milestones.
Conversation Project: After Obama *POSTPONED*
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
From the Director: Guns, Tools, and Talk
Adam Davis on the difficulty of talking about guns
Field Work: Bridging Divides over Dinner
In Bend, residents come together to share meals and conversation.
Conversation Project: The World to Come
How Our Fear about the Future Affects Our Actions
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: Ritual and Ceremony in Modern Life
Holly Pruett, a life-cycle celebrant who works with individuals, families, and communities to commemorate such occasions, leads a conversation about the role of ritual and ceremony in participants’ family and cultural histories.
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
On Bearing Bad News
Robert Leo Heilman writes about trying and failing to save library services in Douglas County.
Conversation Project: After Obama
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: The World to Come
How Our Fear about the Future Affects Our Actions
Conversation Project: After Obama
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: After Obama
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: From Saving to Serving
On Intervening in the Lives of Others
Conversation Project: From Saving to Serving
On Intervening in the Lives of Others
Conversation Project: The World to Come
How Our Fear about the Future Affects Our Actions
Growth in Portland: Whose Livability?
Adam Davis, executive director of Oregon Humanities, moderates a panel discussion on the Portland comprehensive plan.
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: After Obama *CANCELLED*
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: The World to Come
How Our Fear about the Future Affects Our Actions
History in the News: Whose Monuments? Whose Memory?
Join Willamette Heritage Center for a panel discussion on historical monuments, memory, and the complex history of colonialism, racism, and white supremacist imagery in American culture. This is an Oregon Humanities grant-funded event.
Conversation Project: Crime and Punishment in Oregon
From prisons and youth correctional facilities to schools and county jails, we’re surrounded by institutions that punish. But why do we punish? Why is punishment sometimes sanctioned by the state? Are there other ways to punish—such as restorative justice—that may be more effective, reasonable, or desirable?
Conversation Project: After Obama
Talking Race in America Today
Conversation Project: Race and Place
Racism and Resilience in Oregon's Past and Future
Conversation Project: Ritual and Ceremony in Modern Life
How do we make meaning out of the big milestones in our personal and community lives?
Conversation Project: From Saving to Serving
On Intervening in the Lives of Others
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Invite in the Stranger
Adam Davis on radical hospitality
You Are Being Watched
The United States’ long history of turning citizens against one another. An excerpt from Joshua Reeves' Citizen Spies: The Long Rise of America’s Surveillance Society, reprinted with permission from New York University Press.
PLAYA Presents
Current PLAYA residents ask, How can the art we make and the technology we devise feed the needs of our own community? This is an Oregon Humanities grant-funded event.
History in the News: Should Historians Be Pundits?
Recent editorials in the New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post have raised questions about whether and how historians ought to opine on current events and political issues. Are historians supposed to be apolitical? How should historians engage in political debate—if at all? This event is funded in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities.
Conversation Project: Homeless in the Land of Plenty
How does homelessness affect the lives of all people within a community? What does it mean for there to be masses of people who are not adequately housed? Join storyteller Ryan Stroud to share your stories and learn about the experiences of others.
The Numbers
As Portland's urban core has gentrified, thousands of residents have been displaced to neighborhoods east of 82nd Avenue, an area that locals call "The Numbers." In this video, young people living in The Numbers talk about their hopes for their community.
Conversation Project: Life after War
Photography and Oral Histories of Coming Home
Conversation Project: Looking for Leadership *CANCELED*
What Do We Want from Leaders? This event has been canceled and will be rescheduled to a later date.
Conversation Project: Life after War
Photography and Oral Histories of Coming Home
Conversation Project: Homeless in the Land of Plenty
How does homelessness affect the lives of all people within a community? What does it mean for there to be masses of people who are not adequately housed? Join storyteller Ryan Stroud to share your stories and learn about the experiences of others.
Conversation Project: From Saving to Serving
On Intervening in the Lives of Others
Conversation Project: Life after War
Photography and Oral Histories of Coming Home
Conversation Project: Are International Trade Agreements Good for Oregon?
Oregonians have been active and vocal participants in global debates over trade since the creation of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Lawyer and researcher Michael Fakhri will lead participants in a conversation about how we assess the value of international trade agreements.
Conversation Project: A World without Secrets
Privacy and Expectations in the US
Conversation Project: Homeless in the Land of Plenty
How does homelessness affect the lives of all people within a community? What does it mean for there to be masses of people who are not adequately housed? Join storyteller Ryan Stroud to share your stories and learn about the experiences of others.
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Conversation Project: In Science We Trust?
The Role of Science in a Democracy
Conversation Project: Homeless in the Land of Plenty
How does homelessness affect the lives of all people within a community? What does it mean for there to be masses of people who are not adequately housed? Join storyteller Ryan Stroud to share your stories and learn about the experiences of others.
Conversation Project: Looking for Leadership
What Do We Want from Leaders?
Conversation Project: The Purpose of Prison
What is Punishment for?
Conversation Project: Life after War
Photography and Oral Histories of Coming Home
Conversation Project: Life after War
Photography and Oral Histories of Coming Home
King Tide
An excerpt from Micah White's book, The End of Protest: A New Playbook for the Revolution
The Longest of Long Shots
A Sanders delegate's brush with national party politics. An essay by Valdez Bravo
Feeling It All
Oregon Humanities magazine editor Kathleen Holt on the complicated and blurry lines between private rights and public good
Stolen Land and Borrowed Dollars
Creative resistance bloomed in the lead up to the Vancouver Olympics. An excerpt from Power Games: A Political History of the Olympics by Jules Boykoff
My North Star
How Mumia Abu-Jamal Led Me to Activism. An essay by Walidah Imarisha
Plague Fears
Eula Biss writes about how a threat becomes a plague in this excerpt from her book On Immunity.
Future: Portland
Civic leaders describe the loss of Portland's strong black communities and the hope of restoring them in the future in a video by Ifanyi Bell.
Posts
Readers Write about Quandary
Origin Stories
The surprising beginnings of six of Oregons claims to fame
Who's Minding Your Business?
A conversation with writer William T. Vollmann on privacy, surveillance, and hope
Into the Welter
Editor Kathleen Holt on cities as more than just places
This Land Planned for You and Me
J. David Santen Jr. on what Oregon's communities look like forty years after the passage of Senate Bill 100
Imaginary Metropolis
What do the cities of science fiction books and films say about the way we perceive the cities we live in? An essay by Dan DeWeese
Design for a Crowded Planet
Cynthia E. Smith, the curator of socially responsible design at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewett design museum, talks about innovative solutions by and for city dwellers.
A Hidden History
Walidah Imarisha on revealing the stories and struggles of Oregon’s African American communities.
One America?
A conversation between Gregory Rodriguez and Tomas Jimenez about American identity, race, immigration, and ideology.
A Century of War
Writer and historian Andrew Bacevich on changing the way Americans think about war
Against Custom
The first peace advocates imagined a new story for the United States. An essay by Margot Minardi
The Good Fight
Can letting our children roughhouse lead to a better democracy? An essay by Sarah Gilbert
Water Wars
Journalist J. David Santen Jr. on how battles, compromises, and resolutions abound in a state flush with water.
Firing a Friend
It's hard to be a good citizen during an election year. An essay by Jennifer Ruth
That Public Thing
What jazz can teach us about being a community. An essay by Tim DuRoche
Love Thy Neighbor (Sometimes)
A close-knit neighborhood can make us happy, but it can also add to the busy-ness of daily life. An essay by Jamie Passaro
The Working Class
Bette Lynch Husted argues that hard times are good times to rethink our attitudes about the fungibility of workers.