Events & Opportunities

October 22, 2025

Facilitation Training for Libraries

Oregon Humanities will present three trainings in 2025 for staff, board members, volunteers, and program partners of Oregon libraries of all types (public, academic, school, and tribal). These trainings will help people involved with libraries strengthen their skills in leading conversations about vital issues and ideas across differences, beliefs, and backgrounds. With the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence as a jumping off point, participants will learn about facilitation and reflective conversation, practice new skills and techniques, and learn to design and facilitate conversations that allow people and groups to learn more about themselves and each other.

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, Corvallis

October 27, 2025

Consider This with Akhil Reed Amar: Salem Live-screening

Join Willamette College of Law for a live screening of our Consider This conversation with Akhil Reed Amar, one of the nation's leading thinkers on constitutional law and history.

7:00 p.m., Willamette College of Law: John C. Paulus Lecture Hall (201), Salem

October 27, 2025

Consider This with Akhil Reed Amar

Join us for a conversation with one of the country’s leading thinkers on constitutional law. We’ll explore how equality has been a core part of our laws, history, and self-understanding, and consider how we strive toward this ideal today. We’ll also dig into the arguments and assumptions that informed the US Constitution, how it has evolved over the past 238 years, and what the future may hold for our nation’s most basic laws.

7:00 p.m., Alberta Rose Theatre, Portland

October 27, 2025

Consider This with Akhil Reed Amar: Clatskanie live stream

Join Clatskanie Library District for a live screening of our Consider This conversation with Akhil Reed Amar, one of the nation's leading thinkers on constitutional law and history.

Consider This with Akhil Reed Amar: La Grande live stream

Join Oregon Humanities staff for a live screening of our Consider This conversation with Akhil Reed Amar, one of the nation's leading thinkers on constitutional law and history.

7:00 p.m., HQ, La Grande

November 6, 2025

Reflective Conversation Training (virtual)

During our virtual facilitation training, participants will:

learn about facilitation and reflective conversation
have an opportunity to practice new skills and techniques
reflect on and share your own beliefs and assumptions and listen to beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences different than your own
design and participate in reflective conversations and debriefs that analyze facilitation tools and choices.

This virtual training will take place online via Zoom over the following sessions:

Day 1: Thursday, November 6, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PST)
Day 2: Friday, November 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (PST)

To register for this virtual training, click here.

Virtual trainings are limited to the first twelve people to sign up. Please note that these trainings will take place on Zoom, and we’ll ask participants to turn their video on and keep it on as much as possible during the training. There will be plenty of screen breaks during the two training days, and a lunch break off screen for at least an hour on both days.

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Pacific), Virtual Event, statewide

January 14, 2026

Milwaukie Poetry Series: Ellen Waterston

Ellen Waterston, Oregon's Poet Laureate, will read from her own work. Her reading is sponsored by the Milwaukie Poetry Series will be livestreamed on the Ledding Library YouTube channel and available for viewing after the reading.

6:00 p.m., Ledding Library of Milwaukie, Milwaukie

February 12, 2026

Reflective Conversation Training (in-person)

During this in-person facilitation training, participants will:

learn about facilitation and reflective conversation
have an opportunity to practice new skills and techniques
reflect on and share your own beliefs and assumptions and listen to beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences different than your own
design and participate in reflective conversations and debriefs that analyze facilitation tools and choices.

This training will take place in the Oregon Humanities office in Portland (610 SW Alder St., Suite 1111) over the following days:

Day 1: Thursday, February 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Day 2: Friday, February 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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

In-person trainings are limited to the first twelve to sixteen people to sign up. Over the course of two days, we’ll spend our time together talking in large and small groups, in small to mid-sized rooms. We’ll provide coffee and tea and a light lunch on both days.

7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Oregon Humanities, Portland

October 8, 2026

Reflective Conversation Training (in-person)

During this in-person facilitation training, participants will:

learn about facilitation and reflective conversation
have an opportunity to practice new skills and techniques
reflect on and share your own beliefs and assumptions and listen to beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences different than your own
design and participate in reflective conversations and debriefs that analyze facilitation tools and choices.

This training will take place in the Oregon Humanities office in Portland (610 SW Alder St., Suite 1111) over the following days:

Day 1: Thursday, October 8, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Day 2: Friday, October 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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

In-person trainings are limited to the first twelve to sixteen people to sign up. Over the course of two days, we’ll spend our time together talking in large and small groups, in small to mid-sized rooms. We’ll provide coffee and tea and a light lunch on both days.

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Oregon Humanities, Portland

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