Tag Archives: colegio

“The Living Legacy of Colegio César Chávez” A Documentary by OPB

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“The Living Legacy of Colegio César Chávez” OPB Documentary Artwork

The Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) documentary “The Living Legacy of Colegio César Chávez” (17 minutes) is now available online to the public!

Documentary producer Alicia Avila interviewed Colegio César Chávez co-founders Sonny Montes and José Romero, Anthony Veliz of PODER: Oregon’s Latino Leadership Network, and Colegio César Chávez: The Legacy Lives On / El legado sigue vivo exhibition curator Natalia Fernández, just to name a few of those included as part of the film. Additionally, the documentary features materials from the Oregon Multicultural Archives related to the Colegio César Chávez. Note: while the documentary is in English, there is a Spanish language accompanying article “El histórico colegio Chicano de Oregon continúa a inspirar a la comunidad Latine a luchar contra la borradura de su cultura”.

OPB has some additional plans in the works for 2025 including an English and a Spanish episode of a podcast about the history and making of the documentary, as well as screenings of the documentary, especially for K-12 students. One such screening is already planned for January 22nd in Portland, OR!

“The Living Legacy of Colegio César Chávez” Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion

Join us for a screening of OPB’s new Oregon Experience documentary The Living Legacy of Colegio César Chávez. The event will include a panel discussion led by documentary producer Alicia Avila, Colegio César Chávez co-founders Sonny Montes and José Romero, and Colegio César Chávez: The Legacy Lives On / El legado sigue vivo exhibition curator Natalia Fernández, which will be on view at the Oregon Historical Society in 2025. They will share a behind-the-scenes discussion about the film, the significance of Colegio’s legacy today, and open the conversation to the audience for questions.

Our Town, Mt. Angel Publishing, a 3-part series

A local reporter in Mt. Angel, Melissa Wagoner, published a 3-part print series about Colegio!

BONUS! A few behind-the-scenes photos filming the documentary in the SCARC reading room in summer of 2024. Alicia Avila and her team interviewed Sonny Montes, José Romero, and Anthony Veliz.

Summer 2024 OPB Documentary Filming
Summer 2024 OPB Documentary Filming
Summer 2024 OPB Documentary Filming

Thank you to OPB for this amazing opportunity!

Colegio César Chávez Exhibit ~ Latinx Heritage Month 2024

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PODER’s Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast & Summit: Higher Education Summit

The Colegio César Chávez exhibit and a panel presentation about the university’s history and legacy were featured at the September 13th, 2024 Higher Education Summit at the Salem Convention Center.

Colegio Documentary (forthcoming!)

In the morning, Oregon Public Broadcasting Documentary Producer Alicia Avila spoke about her forthcoming short documentary about the legacy of the Colegio César Chávez. The documentary is planned to be available online in mid-October.

Alicia Avila speaking about her OPB Colegio documentary

Panel Presentation

As part of the summit, the afternoon panel provided the historical significance of the Colegio César Chávez from 1970 to 1983, focusing on issues and personal successes during Colegio’s most difficult period. Discussion around Colegio’s historical impact and catalyst for equal educational opportunities for Chicano and other minority students also took place. In addition, the panelists shared some personal stories about César E. Chávez and the lessons they learned from their involvement with the Colegio.

The Colegio panel was a part of the Higher Education Track for the Summit:

Moderator: Natalia Fernández, Curator of the OSU’s Oregon Multicultural Archives & OSU Queer Archives.

Panelists: José Romero, Co-founder of the Colegio César Chávez and Colegio’s Director of Academic Affairs & Sonny Montes, Co-founder of the Colegio César Chávez and Colegio’s Director of Administrative Affairs. José is a retired educator, administrator, and community activist for social justice and equality, and he is a life-long advocate for the well-being of the Chicano/Latino community. José taught Chicano Studies at Lane Community College and at Colegio Cesar Chavez. Along with José, Sonny co-founded the Cesar E. Chavez Student Leadership Conference in 1990. Sonny was also a member of the Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard Committee in Portland, Oregon that was successful in renaming 39th Avenue in honor of Cesar Chavez. In 2010, he received the Distinguished Latino Educator Award from the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators.

The Exhibit

Colegio on Tour

The exhibit is on view to the public from mid-September to mid-October at the Newberg Public Library (503 E Hancock St, Newberg, OR 97132). If you are in the area, be sure to visit!

Bonus

A muralist spoke about his art and included a photo of a mural he worked on for OSU!

Colegio César Chávez, 50th Anniversary

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Colegio December 12, 2023 Event Promotion

On December 12, 2023, PODER: Oregon’s Latino Leadership Network hosted an event to commemorate the official 50th Anniversary of the Colegio César Chávez. It was on this date in 1973 when Colegio community members decided on the name in honor of the activist. The event began with a presentation by Colegio co-founders Sonny Montes and José Romero followed by a community conversation, which was recorded and is available online. The evening continued with an introduction from PODER Board Chair Anthony Veliz; a welcome by Chemeketa Community College Woodburn campus Dean Elias Villegas; a reading of the Governor’s Colegio César Chávez Proclamation by Javier Cervantes, Office of the Governor – Racial Justice Advisor; and concluding remarks from Montes and Romero. And, the Colegio exhibit was featured as part of the event!

Check out all of the blog posts related to Colegio César Chávez and see below for event photos!

Oregonian newspaper clipping re: Colegio’s new name
Colegio 50th Event Group Photo of Event Attendees
Colegio 50th – December 12, 2023 – Community Conversation
Colegio 50th – December 12, 2023 – Evening Event Agenda
Colegio 50th – Exhibit
Colegio 50th – Exhibit and Evening Event Space
Colegio 50th – Evening Event Table
Colegio 50th – Evening Event Program
A presentation by Colegio co-founders Sonny Montes and José Romero
The Governor’s Colegio César Chávez Proclamation presented to Anthony Veliz by Javier Cervantes
Closing remarks by Colegio co-founders Sonny Montes and José Romero
Colegio 50th Photo Collage
Colegio 50th Photo Collage

Colegio César Chávez Exhibit ~ Chemeketa Community College Tour

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Jennifer Cox, Dean of Library and Learning Resources, Chemeketa Community College, cutting the ribbon at the November 20, 2023, Salem Campus exhibit opening

After attending the Colegio César Chávez 50th Celebration and Commemoration event in August, Chemeketa Community College requested a copy of the Colegio César Chávez exhibit to tour across its various campus locations, and we are delighted to announce the exhibit is now on tour!

Colegio César Chávez Exhibit ~ Chemeketa Community College Tour Dates and Locations:

  • November 20th-December 28th ~ Salem Campus
  • January 3rd-February 9th ~ Woodburn Center
  • February 12th-March 22nd ~ Yamhill Valley Campus
  • March 22nd-April 1st ~ Salem Campus – César Chávez Day Celebration
  • April 2nd-May 17th ~ Polk Center
  • May 17th-June 30th ~ CCRLS (Chemeketa Community Regional Library Service) Partner Library-Newberg Public Library

Additionally, there has been interest from Blue Mountain Community College in displaying the exhibit in the summer or fall of next year.

On Monday, November 20th, the Salem Campus held an informal exhibit opening; about a dozen people attended and received a tour and Q&A of the exhibit. The exhibit begins in the library (building 9) of the Chemeketa Community College ~ Salem Campus with the history exhibit panels located throughout the second floor’s skybridge. The calendar and timeline panels are grouped on the main floor by the stairs leading up to the library.

Salem Campus Exhibit Photos

The calendar and timeline panels are grouped on the main floor by the stairs leading up to the library (building 9)

About a dozen people attended the opening and received a tour and Q&A of the exhibit

The history exhibit panels are located throughout the second floor’s skybridge…

Colegio César Chávez Exhibit

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Colegio Exhibit: 50th-anniversary artwork, bookmarks, and pins

The SCARC 2023-2024 exhibit is Colegio César Chávez: The Legacy Lives On / El legado sigue vivo!

The OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center’s Oregon Multicultural Archives (OMA) served as a project partner and event planning committee member for the Colegio César Chávez 50th Anniversary Celebration which took place on August 26, 2023.

For more information about the event, see the blog post: Colegio César Chávez 50th Anniversary Celebration

The exhibition curated for the event is now available to the public!

  • When: The 2023-2024 academic year (September 2023 – summer 2024)
  • Where: The Valley Library 5th Floor SCARC Exhibit Cases (open during SCARC’s open hours: 10am-4pm M-F) and the SCARC 5th Floor Alcove Exhibit Space, across the hallway from the reading room (open whenever the library is open)
  • What: The exhibit in the cases showcases the Colegio’s history and the exhibit in the alcove showcases a Chicano history timeline and artwork from a 1979 Colegio calendar

Digital Copies of the Exhibit Panels are Available via Oregon Digital

Photos of the Exhibit!

Colegio History Exhibit, Part 1 in the 5th Floor Exhibit Cases
Colegio History Exhibit, Part 2 in the 5th Floor Exhibit Cases
Colegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit Alcove
Colegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit Alcove
Colegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit Alcove: Intro and Calendar Dates Panels
Colegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit Alcove: January-June Artwork and January-March Timeline

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PODER’s Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast & Latino Leadership Summit

On Friday, September 15, 2023, the Colegio exhibit was featured as part of the Latino Leadership Summit in Salem, OR. Members of the Colegio were recognized and honored as part of the morning program. Dozens of the attendees had the opportunity to view the exhibit and learn about this important part of Oregon’s history!

Program for PODER’s Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast & Latino Leadership Summit
Members of the Colegio were recognized and honored as part of the morning program.
Colegio bookmarks and pins (all gone by the end of the event!)
The Colegio exhibit in the Salem Convention Center
The Colegio exhibit in the Salem Convention Center
The Colegio exhibit in the Salem Convention Center

Colegio César Chávez 50th Anniversary Celebration

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COLEGIO CESAR CHAVEZ 50TH ANNIVERSARY: CELEBRATING A COLLEGE WITHOUT WALLS

On August 26, 2023, PODER: Oregon’s Latino Leadership Network, hosted an incredible commemorative and celebratory event to honor the history and legacy of the Colegio César Chávez at the Father Bernard Youth & Retreat Center in Mt. Angel, Oregon, the original site of the Colegio. Hundreds of community members, including many who were a part of Colegio’s history, participated in the event!

In addition, the event and Colegio’s history were featured in an article by OPB: “Nation’s first four-year, independent Chicano university celebrates 50 years since founding in Oregon” by Meerah Powell and Emily Hamilton, as well as an article in The Oregonian “50 years later, a pioneering Chicano college in Oregon continues to inspire the fight for educational equity” by Sami Edge.

The OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center’s Oregon Multicultural Archives (OMA) was honored to serve as a project partner and event planning committee member.

The OMA curated an exhibit to showcase the Colegio’s history and legacy, and also organized an archives tabling activity featuring the resources from the OMA’s Latino/a collections as well as from the Oregon Historical Society and the University of Oregon’s Special Collections and University Archives. And, the U of O’s Latino Roots exhibit was also displayed.

The Colegio exhibit will be available for viewing in the 5th floor of the OSU Valley Library mid-September 2023 – Summer 2024 and the panels are available as PDFs online; for more information about a potential loan of the panels contact natalia.fernandez[at]oregonstate.edu

Below are photos of the exhibit and tabling activity!

The full day of activities was amazing!

Below are photos from the morning program:

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gustavo Balderas
Celedonio (Sonny) Montes Jr. reflecting on Colegio’s legacy

More about the event!

The day began with a morning program followed by an afternoon of family-friendly activities, viewing the exhibit, and workshops led by members of Colegio’s administration, staff, and students.

Below is information and photos shared by PODER via their newsletter:

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