Portland State University

Portland State University is honored to host the Oregon Tribal Language Speaker Series. Our tribal partners will present their language program’s history, revitalization efforts, and future projects.

Justine Flynn is a dedicated citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and currently serves as the School Administrator for the Shawash-iliʔi Skul. Justine has been an active member of the community of Grand Ronde her entire life and grew up participating in tribal activities and program since preschool. As a strong advocate for place-based learning and immersive language education, Justine is passionate about supporting and advocating for tribal students. She works hard to support the staff within her program to create an education environment that responds to families and students while also centering language and culture as the first priority. Justine holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Oregon in Race and Ethnic Studies, a Master’s Degree in Elementary Teaching, and a graduate certificate in Indigenous Educational Leadership from Kansas State University.

🌍 The Enduring Color Line in South Africa

Join us for a Black Bag Lecture with Dr. Trevor Makhetha, who will share his research on race relations in post-apartheid South Africa, expanding upon W. E. B. Du Bois’ theory of the color line.

⏰ 12:40–1:30 PM
📍 Pan-African Commons | Smith Memorial Student Union, Room 236
💻 Join online: https://pdx.zoom.us/j/87668392970

Free and open to the public! Refreshments will be served. Masks suggested.

Presented by the Center for Black Studies, PSU Pan-African Commons, and the Black Studies Department.

Portland State University is honored to host the Oregon Tribal Language Speaker Series. Our tribal partners will present their language program’s history, revitalization efforts, and future projects.

Maiya Osife is the Language Program Manager for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and an enrolled member of the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. She attended Portland State University from 2014 to 2018, where she studied Social Science with a minor in Indigenous Nations Studies. With over a decade of experience supporting Indigenous communities and more than six years leading Tribal language revitalization initiatives, her work today focuses on community-centered language planning, curriculum development, digital accessibility, youth and family engagement, and sustainable approaches to Indigenous language transmission. Maiya has led language revitalization programs in both Southern Paiute and Cowlitz Coast Salish communities, emphasizing practical strategies that strengthen language use in everyday life.

Esther Smithlin is the Language Technician with the Cowlitz Language Program and is an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. She has been working for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s language program for one year and previously served the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe as a carver and graphic designer. Combining her background in graphic design, Salish carving, and Indigenous language learning, she supports language revitalization through educational resource development, language documentation, community instruction, and cultural engagement. Esther contributes to archival restoration projects, curriculum development, and the creation of language-learning materials that help increase community access to Cowlitz language and culture.

Hosted by the Center for Japanese Studies

The Japanese imperial system has been facing a declining number of imperial family members. Under the current system, only male members of imperial family are eligible for succession. However, at present, there is only one male member under the age of 50. While there are 5 female members under 50 years old, since current legislation stipulates that female members leave the imperial family upon their marriage, there are concerns about the shrinking number of imperial family members.

Regarding this situation, the Japanese Diet and government are considering countermeasures. While there is strong public support for allowing a female emperor, the Diet and government continue to insist on succession through the male-line. As of June 2026, the government is drafting amendments for Imperial House Law to deal with the situation, but the policy of maintaining male-line succession remains unchanged.

In this lecture, Prof. Naruse will examine why the Japanese Diet and government continue to adhere to male-line succession and what lies behind this policy. Beginning with the history of the emperor system and the rules governing imperial succession, he will discuss the current challenges facing the imperial system and the measures proposed to address them, how and why the Japanese Diet and government insist on male-line so strongly.

12:45 PM, Thursday, November 12, 2026
Fariborz Maseeh Hall Room 333
Free and Open to the Public
Please use the Broadway Entrance
For more information on the Center for Japanese Studies and our upcoming events, please visit: https://www.pdx.edu/japanese-studies

The theme for this year's fall concert is kaeru. In Japanese, kaeru has multiple meanings: to return home, to transform and also…frog. The performance will include pieces inspired by the Pacific Northwest, the city of Portland and the idea of home. Our fall concert is also when we bring out THE BIG DRUMS.

Saturday, November 14 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, November 15 at 2:00 pm

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit portlandtaiko.org.

The theme for this year's fall concert is kaeru. In Japanese, kaeru has multiple meanings: to return home, to transform and also…frog. The performance will include pieces inspired by the Pacific Northwest, the city of Portland and the idea of home. Our fall concert is also when we bring out THE BIG DRUMS.

Saturday, November 14 at 7:00 pm
Sunday, November 15 at 2:00 pm

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit portlandtaiko.org.

Join PSU professor and violinist Tomás Cotik and pianist Shinmyung Rho for an evening celebrating some of the most captivating works in the French violin repertoire. The program features the elegance and imagination of Claude Debussy’s Violin Sonata, the lyrical charm of Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne and Cortège, the expressive intensity of Francis Poulenc’s Violin Sonata, and two beloved works by Maurice Ravel: the Violin Sonata No. 2 and the dazzling virtuoso showpiece Tzigane. Spanning the late Romantic and early modern eras, these works reveal the remarkable palette of colors, textures, and emotions that characterizes French music, showcasing its refinement, imagination, and brilliance.

Learn more about Portland State University School of Music & Theater's Strings area.

Rome: Exploring the City Through Water
What can water teach us about Rome’s past and present?

Join us for a nine-day, non-credit-bearing program exploring how water has shaped Rome, Italy, over the past 3,000 years. Discover how ancient aqueducts, baths, and fountains tell the story of the city’s development while exploring water’s role in contemporary Roman life.

Through site visits, walking lectures by archaeologists, and a visit to Rome’s contemporary beach scene, you’ll explore connections among water, history, art, and culture. Potential site visits include the Forum Boarium, Isola Tiberina, Baths of Caracalla, Villa d’Este, Castel Gandolfo, and Santa Severa.

Open to learners of all ages, this program is designed for senior auditors, PSU faculty and staff, and community members. It is especially suited for those interested in history, art, art practice, cultural studies, and the humanities.

Program Dates: September 6–14, 2027
Program Leaders: Sarah Newlands and Meredith Michaud, University Studies

Drawing on nearly two decades of collective learning with Tribal communities across Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, and Meghalaya, Dr. Harshit Sosan Lakra shares experiences of housing, cultural landscapes, community aspirations, and environmental stewardship. Through stories of co-designing homes, reimagining community spaces, sustaining cultural memories, and connecting communities with classrooms, the talk engages how communities, researchers, students, and planners learn and act together. These collective experiences highlight relationships of respect, care, and reciprocity, offering insights into community engagement, collaborative planning, and culturally grounded approaches to shaping our shared futures.