During winter term 2016, two OSU student activists Mai Xee Yang and Nicthé Verdugo worked with Charlene Martinez, Associate Director of Integrated Learning for Social Change within Diversity & Cultural Engagement, on a project entitled Voices Without Borders for their Arts and Social Justice Practicum course. For more information, see the OMA blog: http://wpmu.library.oregonstate.edu/oregon-multicultural-archives/2016/03/19/voiceswithoutborders/, Interview Summary: Part 1 of the interview begins with project participant introductions and with Verdugo explaining the interview purpose and structure. The purpose is to bring together the Hmong and Latino/Chicano communities to speak about the stories behind their families coming to the United States. The interview structure is for each person to have four minutes to share their story, followed by an opportunity for artistic expression, and closing with a reconvening to reflect on the stories shared and artwork created. The participants Alejandra Mendoza, Lorena Ambriz, Guadalupe Garcia, Warren Wang, Gina Chang, and Nitché Verdugo then share their parents’ immigration stories, their connections to their race/ethnicity, and reflections upon their own identities. In Part 2 Mai Xee Yang and Natalia Fernández share their family immigration stories and how they have shaped their lives. Audio file available via MediaSpace: https://media.oregonstate.edu/media/t/0_8rt11i4v, Project Participant Bios: Alejandra Mendoza was born in Fresno, CA and raised in Boardman, OR, and is majoring in Mathematics; Lorena Ambriz was born in Mexico, raised in Eastern Oregon, and is majoring in Sociology; Guadalupe “Lupe” Garcia is from Salem, OR, and is majoring in Human Development and Family Sciences; Warren Wang is from Portland, OR, and is majoring in Biochemistry/Biophysics; Gina Chang is from Portland, OR, and is majoring in Psychology; Nitché Verdugo is from Southern California and Mexico and is majoring in Ethnic Studies with a focus on Chicanx/Latinx Studies; Mai Xee Yang is from Portland, OR, and is earning a Bachelors in Fine Arts. Natalia Fernández is from Tucson, AZ, and is an archivist. Mendoza, Ambriz, Garcia, Verdugo, and Yang are members of M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán). Wang and Chang are members of the OSU Hmong Club.
The Fred Milton family interview begins with Loretta Milton, Fred Milton’s widow, sharing her experiences while attending Oregon State University during the 1969 Black Student Union (BSU) Walkout, her relationship with Fred Milton, including their struggles as an interracial marriage, and their lives in Utah, Montreal, Canada, and eventually Portland, Oregon. Loretta describes Fred’s dissatisfaction with the Canadian football team and his subsequent jobs in Portland as a community liaison for the police, his employment at IBM, and his work for the city government. Zalika Gardner, Loretta and Fred’s first child, then shares some recollections of her father including: his wisdom, sensitivity, and sense of humor; his love to share stories; his talent as an athlete; his very humble personality; and his values. Gardner then describes her grandfather, a sharecropper who worked in Arkansas and then moved with his family to the West and worked on the railroad; his personality and influence on Fred’s life. The conversation then returns to Loretta who describes in more detail the circumstances and events of the BSU Walkout at OSU in 1969, the students who led the Walkout, and the campus reaction. Isaiah Adams, Loretta and Fred’s grandson and Zalika Gardner’s son, shares his perspective on his relationship with his grandfather, his admiration for his grandparents, and the values that he learned from Milton. The interview turns back to Loretta who describes some of the personal aspects of her marriage with Fred including his talent for letter writing, the evolution of their relationship with her parents, and his integrity. Loretta then shares her knowledge regarding the relationship between Fred Milton and football coach Dee Andros including their time while Fred attended OSU and their reconciliation during Fred’s candidacy for Portland County Commissioner. Both Loretta and Zalika describe Fred’s intellect and love of learning and the environment in addition to his athletic abilities, and Isaiah shares how those characteristics within his grandfather affected him. The family recollects on Milton’s many talents as an athlete and his passion for coaching. They conclude the interview by reflecting upon the positive impact that Milton had on the OSU campus and the significance of his story and legacy.Audio File via MediaSpace:https://media.oregonstate.edu/media/t/0_5uih38tw, Milton Family: Loretta Milton grew up in Roseburg, Oregon, and attended OSU in the late 1960s. She met her husband, Fred Milton, at OSU. They married in 1969 and moved to Utah where she worked as a teacher’s aide at the Edith Bowen Lab School while Fred completed his degree at Utah State University. For a short time, while Fred Milton played for the Montreal Alouettes, a Canadian football team, Loretta worked as a waitress. Loretta and Fred moved to Portland, Oregon, in the early 1970s, had several children, and were married until his death in 2011. Zalika Gardner, born 1973 in Portland, Oregon, is daughter to Fred and Loretta Milton. Isaiah Adams is Zalika Gardner’s son and Fred and Loretta Milton’s grandson.
Harold E. Kerr began working for the Extension Service in Crook County as a County Extension Agent in 1960, working primarily with the 4-H program. While stationed in Crook County, Kerr was responsible for the weed control program, a Saturday radio talk show, and oversaw preparations for different 4-H events. He held this position until 1967, when he took a sabbatical to further his education. After returning from graduate school in 1969, Kerr worked in Morrow County as the Wheat Agent, Agronomist, and Staff Chair. In 1980 he was transferred to Wasco County in 1980, and in 1982, he relocated to the OSU main campus in Corvallis, Oregon, to assume the position of Associate Director for Extension Services. In 1990, Kerr retired and was given an Emeritus appointment. Tom Zinn / Thomas G. Zinn began his career with the Extension Service in 1962 as a County Extension Agent for Columbia County. In 1965, he was transferred to Gilliam County. From 1970 to 1975, Zinn took a leave of absence in order to serve as a Wheat Specialist in Ankara, Turkey, as a part of a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) team that was assisting with the improvement of Turkish wheat crop yields. Continuing his leave after returning to America, Zinn earned a Master's degree in Cereal Production. Upon returning to the Extension Service, Zinn was relocated to Wasco County and served as the Extension Agent focusing on livestock and crops. In 1980, Zinn moved to Corvallis, Oregon to become a Supervisor within the Extension Service. During a reorganization of the Extension Service in 1982, Zinn was made an Associate Director. In 1993, Zinn retired from the Extension Service with an Emeritus appointment.
Walter G. Schroeder began working for the Extension service in 1949 as an Agriculture Agent in Coos County, after receiving his B. S. from Oregon State College. After being drafted into the armed services at the beginning of the Korean War, Schroeder spent two years stationed in Germany. After being discharged, Schroeder returned to his position at Coos County. In 1956 he returned to school to seek a graduate degree, and received an M.S. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1957. After receiving his masters degree, Schroeder returned to the Extension Service, working at the Lane County Extension office in Florence until the office closed in 1962. He was then transferred to the Extension headquarters at OSU and became an Extension Agent-at-Large, where he helped develop 4-H camps and the training of future extension agents. During this period, Schroeder was invited to Washington D.C. to advise the U. S. Department of Agricultural Extension Service concerning outdoor recreation. In 1965, Schroeder was transferred to Washington County and in 1967 to Curry County. Schroeder frequently worked with the 4-H club and on the development of community resources in agriculture, forestry, and marine science. In 1977, Schroeder became the Curry County staff chair. Schroeder retired and was granted Emeritus status in 1983.
Roberta C. Frasier was appointed Family Life Specialist with the Oregon State University Extension Service in 1959, a position she held until her retirement in 1974. She trained Extension and 4-H educators and project leaders on a variety of topics pertaining to families, child development, aging, and communications within families; developed curriculum; and wrote guides and publications. A guide to a collection of Anderson's papers at the Oregon State University Special Collections & Archives Research Center is available at http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/andersonr
Alberta B. Johnston joined the Oregon Extension Service as a Home Management Specialist in 1963. Johnston's primary focus was Home Economics and became involved in different areas of the home, including consumption and finances. She was also involved with the Mini College program for home makers. Johnston later served as the Extension Area Supervisor for Northwestern Oregon (1975), Assistant Director for County Programs (1979), Associate Director (1982), and Deputy Director of the Extension Service (1987). She retired in 1990 with an Emeritus appointment.
Leonard J. Calvert was first appointed as the Information Specialist for the Extension Service in 1961. Among his duties was writing news releases on a variety of Extension Service programs. In 1965, Calvert went to the University of Oregon to work for its Economic Opportunity Program, whose aim was fighting poverty. In 1969, he returned to the Oregon State University Extension Service.
Robert W. Jacobson began his career with the Oregon State University Extension Service in 1967 as a Marine Extension Agent. In 1968, when the Marine Science Extension Center opened in Newport, Oregon, Jacobson was relocated to the new center. Jacobson remained a constant in Newport as his department expanded with the establishment of the Oregon Sea Grant program. In 1995, Jacobson retired after 28 years of service with an Emeritus appointment.
Duane P. Johnson began his career as the Extension Agent for Multnomah County in 1959. While stationed in Multnomah County, he was primarily responsible for the 4-H activities and did some work with livestock and agriculture. Johnson worked with a variety of programs that reached the diverse interests of Multnomah County to draw in the youth participation in 4-H. After returning from graduate school in 1970, Johnson came to work at OSU's Corvallis campus as a Specialist with the Animal Science and Horticulture programs. As the 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Johnson had a strong focus on educational materials, ensuring that that the activities he worked with were the best for the program. In 1980, Johnson accepted the position of Assistant Director for the State 4-H program, where he assisted in the administration of many programs, such as the 4-H Community Pride/Community Service project and the 4-H Ambassador Program. He was promoted to Acting Program Leader in 1982 and to the State 4-H Leader in 1983. Johnson remained at this position until 1990, when he returned to working as a Specialist. Johnson retired in 2000 with 41 years of experience in the Oregon Extension Service and an Emeritus appointment.
Owen D. Osborne began his career as an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oregon State University in 1971. While his primary responsibility was instruction for both graduates and undergraduates, Osborne became involved in a number of research programs. During this time, Osborne began working for Office of Energy Research and Development to combat the oil crisis of the mid-1970s. Osborne's work with the federal and state legislatures helped start the Energy Extension program in Oregon. In 1977, Osborne started working on the newly established Energy Extension program part-time as an Information Coordinator, and was full-time by 1978. He also worked on a variety of other projects throughout the state with a number of agencies during this period, including the Eugene Water and Electric Board. Osborne left Oregon State University in 1982 to take a job as the Director of the Engineering Extension Service at Iowa State University, which was a unique branch of the Extension Service. He returned to Oregon State University in 1990 to take the job of Associate Director of Programs. Osborne began a phased-retirement in 1998, which he completed shortly thereafter with an emeritus appointment.