{"id":284,"date":"2025-07-08T20:57:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T20:57:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/?page_id=284"},"modified":"2026-02-23T18:24:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T18:24:06","slug":"growing-and-belonging","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/growing-and-belonging\/","title":{"rendered":"Growing and Belonging"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>OSU&#8217;s growing and belonging are essential to the success of the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener\u2122 Program. We subscribe to a philosophy of personal and communal growth\u2014in our gardens and ourselves. We offer programs and services that welcome and serve Oregonians interested in gardening, regardless of their income or education level, physical or cognitive ability, age, race\/ethnicity, or any other protected aspect of their identities.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/mgcoordinators\/2024\/08\/19\/gb-learning-levels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Our approach to growing and belonging is detailed on our program news blog.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the Growing &amp; Belonging requirements for trainees?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every Master Gardener volunteer must complete the short course\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.oregonstate.edu\/course\/inclusive-excellence-in-extension\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">An Introduction to Inclusive Excellence in Extension<\/a>. You can register for this course <a href=\"https:\/\/oregonstate.app.box.com\/s\/ku78eykihpk6lg8k1mdc4p6k3naj1bpf\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/oregonstate.app.box.com\/s\/ku78eykihpk6lg8k1mdc4p6k3naj1bpf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This course of four brief modules introduces OSU Extension volunteers to key principles and practices within Extension. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>some of OSU Extension&#8217;s complex history, including the land grab that originally funded the state&#8217;s Extension Service<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>why it&#8217;s important to not only consider multiple and diverse perspectives, but also to reflect on your own experiences and think critically about your own perspectives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>how OSU Extension defines and approaches equity and inclusion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>why OSU Extension programs must design their offerings to achieve demographic parity\u2014meaning that the\u202fdemographics of program participants approximately match the demographics of the population of the county where the program takes place<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>specific strategies that support equity and inclusion in our work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This excellent short course also provides examples and scenarios that are highly relevant to our work in the Master Gardener volunteer program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is this reported?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Answer the quiz questions at the end of the Growing &amp; Belonging online module. They will also upload their certificate of completion from the Introduction to Inclusive Excellence in Extension. There are step-by-step instructions in the module for how to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the Growing &amp; Belonging requirements for returning volunteers?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every returning Master Gardener volunteer must pursue annually at least one hour of continuing education focused on Growing &amp; Belonging. If they have not taken the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/workspace.oregonstate.edu\/course\/inclusive-excellence-in-extension\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Introduction to Inclusive Excellence mini course<\/a>, they should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In recent years, volunteers used Ideal-Logic to sign up for the Master Gardener Volunteer training course, so most volunteers should be familiar with it. If, however, volunteers need technical assistance in registering for the Inclusive Excellence course, they can view&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/oregonstate.box.com\/s\/ku78eykihpk6lg8k1mdc4p6k3naj1bpf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">these registration instructions<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is this reported?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This should be entered in VRS (in a new category that should be created for Growing and Belongingin the near future) within the continuing education page. It will be a dropdown menu. Volunteers will provide a 50-75-word summary of their selected training in the \u201cdescription\u201d field of VRS of how the CE opportunity aligns with being a Master Gardener volunteer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When is this to be completed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Returning volunteers should be encouraged to complete this training towards the beginning of their volunteer year, so that they may benefit from it during their year of volunteering. It must be completed by the end of year VRS submission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Possible assignments for returning volunteers<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/cultureofgardening\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Culture of Gardening<\/a>:\u202fThis blog is a storytelling initiative of the OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer program. Here, we share and amplify the voices of gardeners growing plants to connect with their heritage, culture, and identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/mgcoordinators\/2020\/06\/26\/racial-and-social-justice-in-oregons-master-gardener-program-how-to-respond-to-critical-comments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Racial and Social Justice in Oregon\u2019s Master Gardener Program: How to Respond to Critical Comments<\/a>: This blog post provides answers to some of the most common questions and criticisms that we have heard, when embracing diversity, equity, and inclusivity work within the OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/mgcoordinators\/2020\/06\/04\/racial-justice-master-gardeners-biodiversity-in-the-garden-means-the-people-too\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Racial Justice + Master Gardeners: Biodiversity in the garden means the people too<\/a>: The first blog post about the importance of embracing racial and social justice within Extension Master Gardener programs. Note additional reading options in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hcn.org\/issues\/52.4\/indigenous-affairs-education-land-grab-universities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Land-grab University: Expropriated Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university system<\/a>: This investigative news article, published in High Country News, details the expropriation of indigenous land, siphoned through the Morrill Act, to found the Land Grant University system in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/media.oregonstate.edu\/media\/t\/1_m0rvoa26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Resilience&nbsp;<\/a>&#8211; with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg: This zoom recording is a presentation given to Metro area Master Gardener volunteers in November, 2024. Dr. Eisenberg is Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Director of Tribal Initiatives in Natural Resources at OSU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oregon.gov\/ode\/students-and-family\/equity\/NativeAmericanEducation\/Pages\/Senate-Bill-13-Tribal-HistoryShared-History.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tribal History\/Shared History<\/a>: In 2017, the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill (SB) 13, now known as Tribal History\/Shared History. This law directs the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to create K-12 Native American Curriculum for inclusion in Oregon public schools and provide professional development to educators. This website has extensive resources and links to Oregon Department of Education\u2019s lesson plans, videos, educator tool kits, and a map, relating to the history, knowledge, and practices of Oregon&#8217;s indigenous people and tribes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cultivatingplace.com\/post\/a-view-from-here-june-2020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A View From Here<\/a>: An essay by Jennifer Jewell, about systemic racism in horticulture, and what gardeners can do to support gardeners of color and others who have been historically marginalized in the gardening world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vogue.com\/article\/why-every-environmentalist-should-be-anti-racist?fbclid=IwAR2r_gIhNZHsfziRfDuTUavdYQrFc2RKf2njfpuCxtN1_Vr-EkpwsllsxUA%C2%A0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Why Every Environmentalist Should be Anti-Racist<\/a>: An essay in Vogue, detailing how environmental and health crises disproportionately affect communities of color.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/pace.oregonstate.edu\/content\/cic\/module2\/index.html#\/?_k=la1r86\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A History of Oregon, its Communities, and OSU<\/a>:\u202fThis module was produced by OSU&#8217;s Office of Institutional Diversity. It provides important context for working with and in Oregon&#8217;s many communities, as well as OSU&#8217;s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusivity.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/kP1xkF498RI?t=163\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How Does Racial and Social Justice Relate to the Master Gardener ProgramLinks to an external site.<\/a>: A presentation given to the National Extension Master Gardener Coordinators group by Gail Langellotto (OSU Professor of Horticulture and Extension Community and Urban Horticulture Extension Specialist) and LeAnn Locher (OSU Extension Master Gardener Program Outreach Coordinator).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cdnapisec.kaltura.com\/html5\/html5lib\/v2.90\/mwEmbedFrame.php\/p\/391241\/uiconf_id\/22119142\/entry_id\/1_5oy8zpm6?wid=_391241&amp;iframeembed=true&amp;playerId=kaltura_player&amp;entry_id=1_5oy8zpm6&amp;flashvars%5blocalizationCode%5d=en&amp;flashvars%5bleadWithHTML5%5d=true&amp;flashvars%5bsideBarContainer.plugin%5d=true&amp;flashvars%5bsideBarContainer.position%5d=left&amp;flashvars%5bsideBarContainer.clickToClose%5d=true&amp;flashvars%5bchapters.plugin%5d=true&amp;flashvars%5bchapters.layout%5d=vertical&amp;flashvars%5bchapters.thumbnailRotator%5d=false&amp;flashvars%5bstreamSelector.plugin%5d=true&amp;flashvars%5bEmbedPlayer.SpinnerTarget%5d=videoHolder&amp;flashvars%5bdualScreen.plugin%5d=true&amp;flashvars%5bhotspots.plugin%5d=1&amp;flashvars%5bKaltura.addCrossoriginToIframe%5d=true&amp;&amp;wid=1_dxbruxlj\">Presentation by Abra Lee: &#8220;The Work is in Our Hands&#8221;<\/a>:\u202f\u202fAbra Lee was the inaugural keynote speaker in our Culture of Gardening series. Her 2020 presentation highlighted the accomplishments of black gardeners and garden clubs, during the Civil Rights era in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/u3KWIrEP9AI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Where are Portland&#8217;s Heat Islands<\/a>:\u202fthis short video details the work of PSU Professor Vivek Shandas, who showed how tree canopy cover and greenspace in urban landscapes is directly related to urban heat islands, and heat-related illness. Dr. Shandas and his team were able to show why and how some areas of the city were more prone to development (and urban heat islands), while others retained greenspace and landscaping that provide protection from urban heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/events.zoom.us\/ev\/AjlZvl0Wg6r8L8C0WvTIPML2uHSf-qFPiPbz1wUZDE2LMO65I_kk~AtfUcJx5E0GZkqIAxqiGxsnPdDS-xbKbbsuYSE0IZxqG3Tt-WrGjGxBdkMIflhb3VOkLhPuLkdVzPrgMOKlAj0uMnA\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/events.zoom.us\/ev\/AjlZvl0Wg6r8L8C0WvTIPML2uHSf-qFPiPbz1wUZDE2LMO65I_kk~AtfUcJx5E0GZkqIAxqiGxsnPdDS-xbKbbsuYSE0IZxqG3Tt-WrGjGxBdkMIflhb3VOkLhPuLkdVzPrgMOKlAj0uMnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reimagining Conservation: Belonging, Justice &amp; the Future of the Land Ethic<\/a>: In this Land Ethic Live recorded conversation, Carolyn Finney invites us to reconsider conservation at a pivotal moment\u2014asking not only how we protect land, but <em>who conservation has been for, and who it must become for in the future<\/em>. In this conversation, they will explore belonging, power, and historical memory as essential elements of an ethical relationship with land. This program challenges us to imagine a land ethic rooted in justice, inclusion, and shared responsibility for the world we inherit and shape together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Resources to Explore<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/diversity.oregonstate.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OSU&#8217;s Office of Institutional Diversity<\/a>: The Office of Institutional Diversity&#8217;s mission is to plan, lead, and implement, in collaboration with university partners, institutional change actions and initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion throughout all facets of Oregon State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/employee.extension.oregonstate.edu\/dei\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OSU Extension Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit<\/a>: Extension and Engagement&#8217;s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) unit supports the development of safe, welcoming, and effective Extension programs, and environments. Their website details the services that they offer, including\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/employee.extension.oregonstate.edu\/dei\/language-access\">language access programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/outdoorschool.oregonstate.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OSU Outdoor School<\/a>: OSU&#8217;s Outdoor School is an Extension program that guides and supports equitable, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary outdoor school programs for Oregon&#8217;s youth. They have an excellent\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/outdoorschool.oregonstate.edu\/equity-diversity-accessibility-and-inclusion\/edai-resource-library\/\">resource library<\/a>\u202fto support diversity, equity, and inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ds.oregonstate.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">OSU&#8217;s Disability Access Services<\/a>: This office is primarily set up to serve OSU students and instructors. However, Extension professionals and volunteers often seek guidance from OSU DAS when planning events to ensure that the events are accessible to everyone. Extension faculty\/staff can request\u202f<a href=\"https:\/\/ds.oregonstate.edu\/sign-language-interpreters\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">American Sign Language interpreters<\/a>\u202fthrough this office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OSU&#8217;s growing and belonging are essential to the success of the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener\u2122 Program. We subscribe to a philosophy of personal and communal growth\u2014in our gardens and ourselves. We offer programs and services that welcome and serve Oregonians interested in gardening, regardless of their income or education level, physical or cognitive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14773,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-284","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","missing-thumbnail"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14773"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/284\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":534,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/284\/revisions\/534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/currycountymg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}