Oregon Humanities

Mission

Oregon Humanities connects people and communities through conversation, storytelling, and participatory programs to inspire understanding and collaborative change. We have a vision for an Oregon that invites diverse perspectives, explores challenging questions, and strives for just communities.

Bottom Line for Portland

A connection with a stranger. An old idea made new. A feeling of belonging.

These are essential elements of thriving communities. But right now, this country doesn't feel like a place where everyone can flourish. At Oregon Humanities, we create the conditions for people to understand each other and be understood—through conversations in small rooms and large auditoriums; matching letter-writers across zip codes; sharing stories in our publications and podcasts; and offering resources through fellowships, grants, and trainings.

Conversation by conversation, story by story, Oregon Humanities makes space for difficult topics and challenging questions to surface without debate. We strengthen relationships and build trust—so that all our neighbors feel welcome, heard, seen, and valued.

Quote

“I love Oregon Humanities magazine, which uses personal storytelling to illustrate the lives and concerns of people from around the state. The features are great, but what I most love is the director's letter, which asks important questions that, crucially, he doesn't know the answer to. That willingness to search for answers, rather than pretend you know what the answers are, is what Oregon Humanities does best.” —Valarie Smith, subscriber and donor 

“There’s a lot of division. There’s a lot of fear and anger. But there is also an innate hunger to connect with each other because we are all neighbors.”—Paul Susi, Conversation Project leader and contributor 

“I do think that one first major step towards solutions in any community is engaging and deciding that you want to think about it, be proactive about it, be a part of investing yourself in helping people, and in bettering the place where you live.”  —Eli Saslow, Consider This guest

Incentives

Announcing a new match from Modernist Financial: All gifts made to Oregon Humanities through Give!Guide will be matched up to $2,500!

Donate $20 and receive a 20% off coupon to Broadway Books

Donate $50 and get a voucher for a glass of wine for $1 with the purchase of another glass from Ora et Labora

Donate $75 or more and be entered to win the Consider This Prize Pack that includes:

• ✔️Four books by guests in our on-stage conversation series (generously donated by our friends at Broadway Books)

  Justice by Means of Democracy by Danielle Allen

  Cherished Belonging by Gregory Boyle

  Wolfish by Erica Berry

  Twist by Colum McCann

• ✔️Two tickets to Consider This: The Stories We Tell About Our Nations with Colum McCann on February 3, 2026 at Alberta Rose Theatre in NE Portland
• ✔️A limited-edition Oregon Humanities tote bag
•  ⭐️Plus, donors under 35 get two chances ⭐️

Congrats to Tom B. for being our lucky winner of the Giving Tuesday special - a $100 gift certificate to Campana Restaurant, Portland's best pasta restaurant! 🍝

We are grateful to everyone who helped us meet our first match of $5,000 generously provided by Priscilla Bernard Wieden in loving memory of Dan Wieden.

Partner(s)

Ora et Labora is a welcoming space where people can come explore the expansive world of wine through conversation, tasting, and wine education classes. The owners carefully curate their shelves with wines from around the world, highlighting value at all price points, from daily quaffable drinkers to age-worthy bottles. 

Broadway Books is a locally owned, independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon. They sell new books and non-book items in their NE Portland store and online, happily supplying books and more to readers in our community since 1992.

Modernist Financial helps people structure their wealth around their progressive values, through its wealth management firm and social impact programs. Their giving is guided by a Generosity Plan that commits to donating 3% of gross revenue to organizations working to reduce racial wealth inequality in America.

We are also honored to partner with fellow Give!Guide nonprofits including:

📰Local news and storytelling organizations Street Roots, The Immigrant Story, Underscore Native News, Oregon ArtsWatch, Oregon Journalism Project, XRAY, Friends of Willamette Week, and The Lund Report

⬆️Civic engagement organizations Civics Learning Project and City Club of Portland

📖Literary friends at The Library Foundation

Please consider supporting them and the amazing work they do!