SCARC’s 2024-2025 exhibit “Anti-Racist Description Activities in OSU’s Special Collections and Archives Research Center” is now on view! The exhibit showcases the context, behind-the-scenes processes, and various projects reflecting SCARC’s anti-racist description activities over the past several years.
When: The 2024-2025 academic year (Fall 2024 – Summer 2025)
The mission of the committee is to “encourage an inclusive environment that promotes freedom of speech in conjunction with strong policies that protect patrons and library staff of all gender, national origin, ethnicity, religion, race, sexual orientation, disability, income level, age and all other personal, social, cultural and economic perspectives.” The host the podcast Overdue: Weeding Out Oppression in Libraries featuring EDIA work in libraries from across Oregon.
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!
The Necessary Friction zine, produced by the Corvallis Lesbian Avengers, features art and writing in a variety of formats that relate to the experiences of queer people, and especially lesbian women, as well as the activities of the Lesbian Avengers. This material was written by members of the Lesbian Avengers, as well as solicited from the broader Corvallis community.
Wired was published by the OSU Hattie Redmond Women & Gender Center. The Center’s mission is informed by feminist theories and lessons, we are committed to creating spaces of community, supporting advocacy, and developing student leaders who actively contribute to building feminist futures.
Issues of Wired are available online via ScholarsArchive@OSU: Wired Issues
The Benton County Quaranzine was compiled by the staff of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library and consists of submissions from area residents collected from June 1 to November 2, 2020, focusing on life during the pandemic and the era’s political unrest. The resulting print publication includes drawings, cartoons, collages, photographs and other artistic renderings, as well as essays and poems.
Contributors to the project were: Quinn Andreas, Ellen Beier, Jack Compere, Molly Curry, Tru Denton, Sarah Finkle, David Grube, Mari Beth Hackett, Forrest Johnson, Charlie Kelso, Colleen Kitchen, Erin MacAdams, Nancy Chestnut Matsumoto, Orion Olson, John Otto, Vic Russell, Linda Varsell Smith, Karen Stephenson, Kim Thackray, Marvel Vigil and Marion J. Whitney.
On May 23rd SCARC was delighted to host the archivists of the Albina Community Archive for an amazing musical experience! Earlier this year Dr. Kelly Bosworth, Horning Assistant Professor, Public History & Ethnomusicology, proposed the idea and SCARC worked with her to organize the event — we set up a record player in the reading room, projectors in the exhibit space, and a welcome + merchandise table in the lobby area.
About the Albina Music Trust:
“Albina Music Trust is the only full-service community archive in the United States, dedicated to the restoration of a Black community’s historic musical culture. Our programs amplify the legacy of Albina’s musician community through archival media preservation, events and exhibitions, a record label, a radio program, oral history publications, and a sound walk. In collaboration with community members, we are the stewards of a digital repository documenting Albina’s arts and culture legacy, the Albina Community Archive.”
About the Event:
We hosted a pre-public event for Dr. Bosworth’s music history students to engage in a conversation with the Albina Community Archive archivists and then hosted an open house for the public to join in the fun! Participants selected records to play on the record player, explored the online archive via large projectors, and as a connection to SCARC materials, attendees also had the opportunity to view content from the Urban League of Portland Records, specifically the Albina neighborhood materials, as well as materials from the Obo Addy Legacy Project.
Event Photos:
Albina Music Trust Welcome TableAlbina Music Trust MaterialsA Conversation with the Albina Music Trust Archivists The SCARC Reading Room ~ it was filled with records and the music sounded great!The SCARC Exhibit Gallery ~ there were two projectors for attendees to browse the online archiveAttendees Checking Out the SCARC MaterialsDr. Kelly Bosworth Swapping Records ~ The record player and records were donated to the OSU LBH Black Cultural Center
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!
A presentation by Colegio co-founders Sonny Montes and José RomeroThe Governor’s Colegio César Chávez Proclamation presented to Anthony Veliz by Javier Cervantes Closing remarks by Colegio co-founders Sonny Montes and José RomeroColegio 50th Photo CollageColegio 50th Photo Collage
Jennifer Cox, Dean of Library and Learning Resources, Chemeketa Community College, cutting the ribbon at the November 20, 2023, Salem Campus exhibit opening
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
Urban League of Portland EOD Dinner, Oregon Convention Center, September 28, 2023
The OMA attended the 2023 Urban League of Portland Equal Opportunity Day dinner and celebration! This was the first in-person dinner since 2019; this year, as we have done in past years, we brought a display to showcase the history of the Urban League of Portland and share information about the archival collection. In the pre-dinner cocktail hour, we spoke with about two dozen people to share that the collection is open and accessible to the public.
At the dinner, the Urban League of Portland’s President, Nkenge Harmon Johnson, engaged in a conversation with Rukaiyah Adams, CEO of the 1803 Fund, which seeks to grow shared prosperity, through investments in community-based organizations and through smart financial investments. They spoke about the importance of Black wealth, which includes financial wealth, and importantly, cultural and community wealth. Harmon Johnson and Adams grew up together and both benefitted from the work of the Urban League in their youth; Adams shared that if anyone wants to see the fruition of the investment of the Urban League of Portland in Black youth, to look at her.
Nkenge Harmon Johnson and Rukaiyah Adams
Urban League of Portland EOD Dinner Program
Urban League of Portland EOD Dinner Program
More photos of the display are below!
Urban League of Portland EOD Dinner Display
Urban League of Portland EOD Dinner DisplayUrban League of Portland EOD Dinner DisplayUrban League of Portland EOD Dinner Display
We look forward to the 2024 Equal Opportunity Day!
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.
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
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 AlcoveColegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit AlcoveColegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit Alcove: Intro and Calendar Dates PanelsColegio Calendar Timeline Exhibit, in the 5th Floor Exhibit Alcove: January-June Artwork and January-March Timeline
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 CenterThe Colegio exhibit in the Salem Convention CenterThe Colegio exhibit in the Salem Convention Center
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!
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.
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 BalderasCeledonio (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:
