Learning & Tech❯Talks & Lectures❯History Talks

Join us for an evening where learn how to break cycles that police normalcy and control information in society. From the creator of the Bedlam Book Club podcast comes a workshop about how to identify and disrupt the ableist social dynamics that often cloud discussions of truth and power.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about how definitions of madness have been used to direct power throughout history, and how to avoid replicating these cycles in our personal lives.

The first half will focus on the basics of mad studies and the history of madness in the West. After a break, the workshop will detail how these ideas show up in daily life, how to interrupt them, and healthier ways of building knowledge and trust together.

Workshop will be very hands-on and will contain lots of opportunities for discussion and questions. Zines, reading lists, and other resources will be available.

RSVP required! Sliding scale suggested donation $5-$25 (No one turned away for lack of funds!)

Friday, November 6, 2026
6:00-8:30pm
with Elsy

Why Do Haitians Eat Pumpkin Soup (Soup Joumou)?

Soup Joumou is much more than a delicious Haitian pumpkin soup. It is a powerful symbol of freedom.

During the colonial era in Saint-Domingue, now Haiti, enslaved Haitians prepared elaborate foods for their French colonizers while living under a brutal system of slavery that denied them freedom and dignity. Soup Joumou was one of the dishes the slaves were not permitted to enjoy.

After Haitians defeated the French and declared their independence in 1804, this pumpkin soup (Soup Joumou) became a symbol of their newly won freedom. Today, Haitians around the world continue the tradition of eating Soup Joumou on January 1st to celebrate Haiti’s Independence Day and honor the courage, resilience, and freedom of their ancestors.

In this hands-on class, we’ll explore the history and cultural significance of Soup Joumou while learning different ways to prepare this delicious Haitian soup.

We’ll also make French baguette and Haitian bread from scratch to enjoy alongside our Soup Joumou.

• Students may choose to use beef in their Soup Joumou or keep it vegan.

• Registration for this class will close on Wednesday, November 4 at 6pm, so we have time to shop for ingredients and prep class materials.

Please view our FAQs before registering.

Creo's signature Build-a-Bar experience is the perfect outing for a family, date night, or activity for tourists or visiting guests. Guests don hairnets and aprons and get a peek behind the scenes at how Portland's most award-winning chocolatiers craft their chocolates. Guided by one of the owners, guests will learn the history of chocolate and how Creo sources all their cacao from one family farm in Ecuador. Guests sample different types of chocolates throughout the approximately 90-minute experience, which culminates with guests making a custom chocolate bar of their own to take home.

Dates and times vary.

This workshop has reached capacity. Please email [email protected] if you would like to be added to the waitlist.

Join OHS Reference Librarian James Scott for a workshop on doing a formal house history. When was your home built? Who constructed and/or designed it? How, if at all, has it changed over time? Who’s lived there? These are just a few of the many questions to be explored during this free class. From Sanborn maps to newspapers to photographs (both ground and aerial), Scott will speak to the many tools that OHS and the web can provide in building a full dossier of your home.

Workshop capacity is 25 so make sure to RSVP to [email protected]. The event will be held in the Reading Room in OHS’s research library; please check in with a visitor experience associate at the admissions desk to be directed to the library, located on the fourth floor. The workshop will begin promptly at 1pm, so please arrive early to ensure a good seat and the benefit of a full workshop.

Compartiremos nuestras recetas favoritas y hablaremos sobre la historia del maíz en las culturas indígenas de América, así como los beneficios para la salud del método tradicional de procesamiento del maíz, la nixtimalización. Este evento es de cupo limitado y requiere inscripción previa. La inscripción se abre el 10/24 a las 10:00 am.

Not another post Thanksgiving turkey sandwich! Learn to transform your holiday leftovers into flavor-packed tamales. We'll talk about the history and culture of the tamale and get hands-on experience preparing and cooking them.

Learn swing dance through beginner and intermediate classes that follow alternating monthly rotations. Beginner lessons cover Lindy Hop basics, partnered Charleston, swing-outs, and the Shim-Sham line dance. Intermediate topics include connection, turns, speed, momentum, differences between six-count and eight-count patterns, swing-outs, and fancy footwork. The material covered may vary depending on the group’s level, and requests and feedback are welcome. Classes are followed by a social dance. Lessons and social dancing are free for members.

Weekly Swing Dance featuring East Coast style and Lindy Hop.

Join us for an afternoon with Grammy Award-winning soprano and PSU alum Audrey Luna! Audrey will give a masterclass with L&C and PSU students and present a lecture titled "The Business of Singing."

Learn more about the School of Music & Theater Voice Area.

Emily Wright

$25 – the practice + all creative supplies

$55 – the practice, all creative supplies + a bottle of fine, natural scent, 5 ml roll-on. This special scent crafted by artist Catherine Haley Epstein blends natural, high-quality extracts of cedar, violet and apricot for a light, peace-inspiring aroma. A lovely add on to any restorative or creative practice.

The practice of Yoga Nidra is thousands of years old yet immensely relevant to our time. A systematic process of deliberate relaxation that combines breath, body-scan and imagery-based techniques to serve as a powerful antidote to overstimulation, burnout and exhaustion.

Yoga Nidra is an accessible go-to practice in any wellness toolkit for sharpening cognition, bolstering creativity and promoting a healthy response to stress. Through a 20-minute practice, studies have shown that it improves neuroplasticity, resets dopamine levels and supports healthy central nervous system regulation.

Additionally, its ancient wisdom undeniably invites in a deeper knowing of the soul. This more spiritual angle empowers a release of fear and unwanted habits and enables new alignment to authenticity, freedom and heart.

Join the Harvest Celebration, a one-of-a-kind evening where the worlds of art and wine come together in the heart of Portland. Presented by the Portland Art Museum and the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, this immersive tasting experience celebrates the creativity, craftsmanship, and intersection between artists and winemakers. Enjoy wines from 50 Willamette Valley wineries alongside engaging artistic experiences, seasonal culinary offerings, and opportunities for discovery throughout the evening.

Each artist will be paired with a collection of participating wineries, creating unique intersections between visual art and winemaking. Meet the artists, learn about their creative process, and discover how artistic expression and winegrowing share a common foundation.

The evening will also feature a live artist creating work in real time, offering guests a firsthand look at the creative process. Interactive experiences invite attendees to become creators themselves, including opportunities to design a custom wine label and blend a personalized spice mix to take home. Guests can further extend their experience by exploring works available through the Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery, offering an opportunity to bring a piece of local art home and continue the experience long after the event concludes.