This article previously appeared in the November 2024 edition of The Commuter.
LBCC hosted an event in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday, Oct. 9, with a presentation by the University of Oregon’s Lynn Stephen, a professor of arts and sciences as well as anthropology. An audience of about 30 people gathered for just over an hour in Forum 220, LBCC’s Office of Institutional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
“Students and staff learned much about the historical presence and contributions of Latinos in Oregon going back centuries,” said Angel Dorantes, Latino outreach and retention manager at the IEDI. “Oftentimes, in the immediacy of the present, this rich history and the individual and collective stories of Latinos are not widely recognized. The ‘Latino Roots in Oregon’ panels and the talk by Dr. Lynn Stephen … reminded us about these important stories.”
The presentation covered broad strokes of the history of immigration into Oregon of Hispanic culture and individuals. Oregon once was a border state and the land along the border was indigenous land belonging to the Kalapuya. The first non-indigenous language spoken in the area was Spanish.
Stephen talked about the influence immigration and Hispanic heritage have had on Oregon from 1848 to today, as well as the current studies taking place at the University of Oregon to better understand that cultural history and influence.
After the bulk of the lecture, a handful of student documentaries were shown. The stories of the current and past students of the university were translated into first-hand and second-hand documentaries of what it means to embrace and explore the Hispanic heritage in our communities here in Oregon.
The presentation included a call to action for students at LBCC to consider their roots and where they may go in the future to connect to the past. Looking to the future, students were encouraged to consider programs available at the University of Oregon if the presentation inspired them to pursue further exploration of cultural studies.
