Friday May 14^th, 2010


Noon: JIM STRASSMAIER is a native Oregonian from Eugene. Among other things, he studied in Germany as a Fulbright Scholar, wrote his dissertation on 1840s German and French Socialism, earned his Ph.D. from Loyola University, and was Oral Historian at the Oregon Historical Society for 15 years. He is presently Oregon director for the labor oral history program of the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association. Jim will be sharing his insights about life as an oral historian, and giving a brief introduction to the marvelous oral histories collection at the Oregon Historical Society.


12:30: STEPHANIE SANDMEYER has a passion for honoring the present, preserving the past, and recording personal narratives, which led her to working as a Transformative Language Arts facilitator. She received her BA in Literature from Marylhurst University in 2000, and her MA in Transformative Language Arts from Goddard College in 2008. This presentation will address and demonstrate how arts-based methods can document and preserve individual and family narratives as alternatives to using the visual image. While preservation is the ostensible goal of each method, Stephanie has developed various strategies that also instigate self-reflection with the added goal of encouraging the emotional growth and transformation of individuals and families. 


Presentations will occur in Roosevelt Square (SW Park between Jefferson & Madison) at the base of the Teddy Roosevelt Statue. Bring your lunch, questions, curiosity, observations, ideas, and friends!


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