From the author: This document is connected to the OSU Multiracial Beavers Oral History Project - a project that intended to capture the origin stories of the Oregon State University Multiracial Beavers initiative and share the experiences of Multiracial individuals at OSU. To access the interviews, see OSU Multiracial Beavers Oral History Project, 2016-2017 http://wpmu.library.oregonstate.edu/oregon-multicultural-archives/2017/08/04/multiracial-beavers/
Durden, Earnel, February 18, 2014. Durden discusses his high school years in Los Angeles as an African American and rising football player; recruitment and experiences as a student, African American, and athlete at Oregon State University; his relationship with Tommy Prothro as a player and assistant coach; his various coaching experiences at Compton Junior College, Long Beach State University, UCLA, and for the Rams; and a brief description of his children's sports careers. [Interview conducted by Dwaine Plaza in connection with an event focusing on the desegregation of OSU football. Interview Audio: http://media.oregonstate.edu/media/Earnel+Durden+Oral+History+Interview/0_5cvqw5cu Related Materials: OSU Football Desegregation Event: http://wpmu.library.oregonstate.edu/oregon-multicultural-archives/2014/02/20/osu-football-desegregation-event/
Trujillo, Juan, October 29, 2014. This interview begins with Juan Trujillo’s background, including where he was raised and the background of his parents. Trujillo then discusses his education from high school to college at BYU and then in Texas. He also mentions several of his past mentors before stating his reasons for choosing to apply for a job at Oregon State University. After this, he details the past job duties he has held and his current position as assistant professor in the School of Language, Culture, and Society. The classes he teaches and has taught range from Spanish linguistics, to English linguistics, to the Spanish Learning Community class, to DPD courses. Staying with the theme of OSU, Trujillo notes several people of importance from the university. To focus on diversity at OSU, Trujillo chronicles the changes in diversity at the university, the failures of the current OSU administrative bureaucracy to effect change, the cultural centers, his role in supporting faculty of color, and his recommendations for a more diverse campus. Trujillo highlights the lack of access to resources that people of color face at OSU and in Corvallis due to its limitations as a small community. Then, speaking on a national level, Trujillo talks of the racism and wage disparity that many minorities face. The interview transitions into a more personal tone when Trujillo relays his decision to obtain a PhD, his recognition of his ethnic background, his production of a short film documentary regarding gay Mormon experiences, and his expressions through writing. To end the interview, Trujillo highlights his challenges at the university in regards to receiving tenure as well as noting his accomplishments. [Interview conducted by Buddy Terry, Reilly Quinn, and William Rowley as part of the Fall 2014 U-Engage ALS 199 “Untold Stories: Histories of People of Color in Oregon” OSU Faculty/Staff Oral History Project compiled to create the digital book Untold Stories: Oral Histories of Faculty & Staff of Color at Oregon State University. Video available online.
Torres, Antonio, October 30, 2014. Antonio Torres begins by discussing his cultural background, being raised in Chile, and his education from elementary school to his undergraduate degree in Chile, to his masters and PhD at MIT in the United States. Torres then talks about his first mentor, his decision to come to Oregon State University, and his first impressions thereof. After this, he discusses his love of travel before delving into his jobs duties at Oregon State, including his role as a researcher and as an instructor. Because of the community at OSU, Torres notes several people he sees as people of importance to him from EOP and his graduate students. Also included in this is the importance of the creative architecture of some of OSU’s buildings. The interview switches to discuss diversity when Torres details personal experiences he had when first arriving in Corvallis. He has seen an increase in diversity over the years, and he highlights this when discusses the cultural centers. Building on this, Torres articulates Oregon State’s role in supporting faculty and students of color and his recommendations to improve that role. He then expresses frustration over the campus’ overutilization of its buildings before highlighting the differences between teaching in the United States and teaching overseas. He then details his scholarship program and the student successes therein. To end the interview, Torres reveals some of his greatest accomplishments: his students and his kids. [Interview conducted by Jacob Dimm, Nick Hawkins, and Jacob Novotny as part of the Fall 2014 U-Engage ALS 199 “Untold Stories: Histories of People of Color in Oregon” OSU Faculty/Staff Oral History Project compiled to create the digital book Untold Stories: Oral Histories of Faculty & Staff of Color at Oregon State University. Video available online.
Nishihara, Janet, November 18, 2014. Janet Nishihara discusses her transition from high school to college as an exciting opportunity while acknowledging several of her mentors at OSU. After highlighting various positions she has held at OSU, Nishihara relays her current position's job duties as interim associate provost for academic success and engagement and director of advising on campus. Regarding diversity, she discusses the changes she has seen at the university, which has improved in terms of student recruitment and retention. She brings attention to several important initiatives such as the Difference, Power, and Discrimination program and the cultural centers. Furthering this, Nishihara states what she believes to be OSU’s role in supporting staff and faculty of color within the Corvallis community. On a more personal level, Nishihara describes her role in supporting diversity as interacting with students and maintaining the momentum of change on campus. When discussing the numbers regarding diversity, Nishihara sees an increase in the university’s efforts to support students of color. This increase is, in part, due to the walk-out of black students in the 1960s that she chronicles as leading to the establishment of the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP). Immigrant acculturation is an issue she discusses before talking about the Asian Pacific Cultural Center, its start, its role, and its new location. Relating back to her career, Nishihara then talks about the role of EOP and TRIO. Before closing, Nishihara recounts some of her greatest challenges including adjusting to a bigger city and being a woman of color on campus as well as some of her accomplishments including the DPD and student successes. [Interview conducted by Karly Rodgers, Hayley Pearson, and San Poil Whitehead as part of the Fall 2014 U-Engage ALS 199 “Untold Stories: Histories of People of Color in Oregon” OSU Faculty/Staff Oral History Project compiled to create the digital book Untold Stories: OralHistories of Faculty & Staff of Color at Oregon State University. Video available online.
Stewart, Marilyn, November 3, 2014. Marilyn Stewart discusses her transition from high school to college and several experiences therein. She highlights some of her mentors while noting several courses in which she enrolled while in the military. Moving to Oregon State University, her initial impression was of the campus’ visual beauty. She has held many positions at OSU including: executive assistant, office coordinator, operations manager, advisor, academic counselor, and her current position as acting co-director for EOP. Highlighting the ways in which her poor experience with her high school counselor helped place her on a path of providing assistance to others, Stewart notes several people who have been important to her regarding her work at OSU. In terms of diversity, she feels that it has declined over time, but the Intercultural Student Services has helped this to change. Therefore, recruiting, preparing, and retaining students and faculty of color is the role of OSU as it pertains to fostering diversity. She gives some recommendations on how to accomplish this while highlighting the financial issues that people of color face. Following this, Stewart recounts her hiring process, how she came to the Corvallis community, the role of her programing in providing academic support to students, the challenges of her job, and the overall goal of helping students. In closing, Stewart touches upon her accomplishments, such as her family, joining the military, her college degrees, and student successes. [Interview conducted by Jordan Rodgers, Jenny Vorvik, and Viktor Rodriquez as part of the Fall 2014 U-Engage ALS 199 “Untold Stories: Histories of People of Color in Oregon” OSU Faculty/Staff Oral History Project compiled to create the digital book Untold Stories: Oral Histories of Faculty & Staff of Color at Oregon State University. Video available online.
Mali, Urmila, November 14, 2014. Urmila Mali details her transition from high school in Tillamook to college in Corvallis as a positive experience due to the diversity of international students present at OSU. Some of her mentors include her sisters, EOP coworkers, and others. Mali then talks about her decision to attend OSU, her impressions of campus, her transition towards receiving a master’s degree, and her current position as acting co-director for Education Opportunities Program. Her usual position is as an academic counselor within EOP, and she relays the duties embedded within that position. Mali expresses gratitude for the diversity of the staff working in her department while detailing the increase of opportunities available to students of color. Within that, she mentions International Student Services as an important program for giving a voice to people of color. Following this acknowledgement, Mali recognizes the role of OSU in supporting students and staff of color as not only recruitment, but also retention. Moving away from OSU, Mali discusses her relationship with the Nepalese Association of Oregon, including her family’s initial involvement, its growth, and its events. She then mentions the documentary entitled Color of Fear as a tool for recognizing the racism that exists locally. This is followed by challenges Mali has faced in her career along with her accomplishments. In closing, Mali reiterates the importance of providing support services to students and staff in order to retain the diversity at OSU. [Interview conducted by Emilee Boyd, Jessica Tafoya, and Lauren Kimura as part of the Fall 2014 U-Engage ALS 199 “Untold Stories: Histories of People of Color in Oregon” OSU Faculty/Staff Oral History Project compiled to create the digital book Untold Stories: OralHistories of Faculty & Staff of Color at Oregon State University. Video available online.
Deiz discusses the Southeast Portland neighborhood he grew up in, the activities he was involved in as a kid, especially being a boy scout. He explains the personalities and lives of his parents. Deiz discussed his feelings about the Tuskegee program, how is brother was involved in the Tuskegee Airmen, the training process, how popular culture has portrayed the Tuskegee Airmen. He shares his memories on the Vanport Flood and what he lost in the flood. He explains how he met his wife, how she became a judge, what challenges if any she faced, and how he felt about her becoming a judge. Deiz concludes the interview by discussing his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement in Portland and the place St. Philip the Deacon Episcopal Church has had in his life. Audio File via MediaSpace: http://media.oregonstate.edu/index.php/show/?id=0_55c2a3jm
Boozer discusses her family, especially how her mother and father met and her oldest brother, who was the first African American Pharmacist at OSU. She details her time at Portland State University, obtaining her Bachelors in Education and Graduate Certificate in Counseling, working at Grant High School as a teacher, counselor and vice principal, and leaving for Seminary at Church Divinity School of the Pacific. She explains her husband's occupation and her two sons, Bentley and Clark. She shares her thoughts on the Church and her faith, how she came to the conclusion to become a Deacon, influential figures in her life. She concludes with her hobbies of activism, hiking and gardening. Audio File via MediaSpace: http://media.oregonstate.edu/index.php/show/?id=0_f4h03tw0
Deiz discusses his parents and their journey to Portland, working on the railroad as a waiter, being drafted and sent to Montgomery, Alabama in 1942. He explains his brother and his role in the Tuskegee Airmen, being discharged and attending University of Portland on the G.I. Bill. He concludes the interview by sharing information regarding his meeting and marrying his wife, Judge Mercedes Deiz, their three children, and his photography hobby as well as being a part of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Audio File via MediaSpace: http://media.oregonstate.edu/index.php/show/?id=0_s0uv6yqh
