Come, Let's Eat
Denise Chin writes about using food to connect with her Malaysian heritage.
Migration: Changes and Transformation—What Changes and What Stays
Change is a natural part of life, but changes brought about by migration are particularly deep and complex. People who leave behind their country, their people, and part of their history have their lives radically transformed. This conversation is for immigrants. We want to offer a space where we can share our experiences and reflect together about the changes we have made since we left our native homes, what brought us to the place we live now, and the transformation we went through over this process. We will reflect on what happens to our roots, customs, and culture once we migrate and share our thoughts and needs.
Cristina was born in Barcelona, Spain. Her parents migrated from the south to the northeast of the country. She grew up speaking two languages and learned how to love both cultures. She became an acupuncturist and Shiatsu specialist and taught Shiatsu and Chinese Medicine for ten years. She also joined many musical groups and performed in weddings and bars for twelve years. She met her husband during a sabbatical year in South America and moved to the US soon after. She worked as a Latino Family Liaison for three years, and she and her husband co-founded PIE (Purpose in Expenses), a new way to give back to our global community. Cristina founded BENDitas, a collective that promotes culture in Spanish in her beloved Bend community. She has had to change many things since she moved to the United States in 2011, but her pride in being Spanish has never changed.
Screening: El Camino de los Pueblos Maya a Oregon / The Journey of Mayan Communities in Oregon
Join filmmakers Caty Lucas and filmmakers Elizabeth Lucas-Lucas for a screening of their new documentary "El Camino de los Pueblos Maya a Oregon," followed by a Q&A.
Over the past fifty years, hundreds of thousands of people of Maya descent have come to the United States, driven by genocide and economic deprivation. Some of them now live in Oregon. The size of the Maya population is hard to estimate, because it is so diverse: the Maya peoples comprise communities across Guatemala, Belize, and parts of Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras, who speak dozens of distinct languages. In this video, by Oregon Humanities Community Storytelling Fellow Caty Lucas, several Mayan Oregonians share their stories and why they came to the US.
Opening Night
A comic by Eleanor Klock about the gifts her mother sends to family in the Philippines
Putting Down Roots
Denise Chin writes about nurturing cultural heritage in the garden.
Landlocked
Andrea Camacho writes about home, migration, and places of refuge.
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.
Pantoum for an Uncertain Future
Poem by Alyssa Ogi
Portrait of My Mother in Mint Green
She lived most of her life in the United States. Why didn’t she become a citizen?
Entrevista: Rafael Romero Vejar habla de la vida del campo y sus sueños por su familia
Rafael Romero habla con su padre, Rafael Romero Vejar, Subre su vida de trabajo en el campo, su experiencia de migración, y lo que quiere para su familia.
Interview: Rafael Romero Vejar on Field Work and Family
Rafael Romero speaks with his father, Rafael Romero Vejar, about his experiences working in agriculture and the dreams he has for his family.
Interview: Carlos on Migration, Danger, and His American Dream
Rafael Romero talks with Carlos, an immigrant from Guatemala living in Hermiston, about why he came to the United States, the difficulties he experience in his journey, and what he'd ask of others here.
Entrevista: Carlos habla de migración, peligro, y su sueño americano
Rafael Romero habla con Carlos, un migrante de Guatemala residente de Hermiston, sobre sus razones por emigrar a los estados unidos, los retos que encontró en su trayecto, y que pidiera de los residentes y el gobierno de este país.