Celebrating the Power of Difference

More than 300 OHSU staff, faculty and students at OHSU and community partners gathered for the first Diversity and Inclusion Awards recognition event, held May 31 at the Portland Art Museum. The event celebrated exceptional and exemplary work of members of the OHSU community in advancing the values of diversity, inclusion and equity across the university, and among the greater community.  

Samuel Betances, Ph.D. a nationally recognized expert in transforming organizational cultures, delivered the keynote speech. With his compelling personal story of overcoming social, economic and cultural obstacles, he stressed the importance of being aware of one's own limitations before taking strategic steps to overcome barriers. Dr. Betances emphasized the importance of mentorship, and how it benefits both the mentor and mentee. He touted the benefits of imparting wisdom to up-and-coming professionals and developing a genuine concern for someone else's success.   

The evening culminated with the awards ceremony led by Leslie Garcia, M.P.A., Assistant Chief Diversity Officer and Director, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and Michael Tom, J.D., Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity. View more event photos and the list of winners of the 2013 Diversity & Inclusion Awards.

Congratulations, OHSU Grads!

Congratulations and best wishes to newly minted health care professionals and biomedical scientists who received their degrees from OHSU and are moving forward with their health care careers. In total, 1,198 degrees were awarded to students in various health care and bioscience programs at OHSU. The School of Medicine conferred degrees to 530 degrees this year, including 118 new M.D.s. The OHSU School of Dentistry recognized 92 graduates, while the School of Nursing awarded 492 degrees, the largest graduating cohort of nursing students in OHSU history. read more

June 16: Portland Pride Festival and Parade

Join OHSU Pride to represent OHSU in the Portland Pride Parade on Sunday, June 16. If you're not already on the OHSU Pride email list, email OHSU Pride to be added. Information will be sent prior to the parade with details on where to meet. All members of the OHSU community are welcome to walk with OHSU in the parade, including family and friends. Children and dogs welcome. All participants will receive a free t-shirt while supplies last. The OHSU contingent will walk behind a large OHSU Pride banner and be followed by an OHSU-branded vehicle.

June 18: Diabetes and Heart Disease

Did you know that more than 65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart disease and stroke? Yet, only 1 in 4 Latinos with diabetes know they are at risk. OHSU Heart Research Center will lead a conversation about how hospitals, clinics, health and community organizations can work together to reverse the trend toward heart disease. Keynote by Dr. Kent Thornburg, director of the OHSU Heart Research Center. Invited speakers include Marie Dahlstrom, executive director of Familias en Accíon; Leslie Garcia, Director, OHSU Center for Diversity & Inclusion; and Natasha Holstein, Manager, Estrella TV Portland. The event will be held from 5:30-7:30pm on Tuesday, June 18 at the 9th floor Tram lobby of the Peter O. Kohler Pavilion. Appetizers and wine will be served. Space is limited, and pre-registration is encouraged. RSVP to Lisa Rhuman at 503-494-2382.     

June 24: Empowering Latinos in Oregon

Latinos Unidos Organization (LUO), OHSU's employee resource group for Latinos and their allies, invites the community to a talk by Gale Castillo, founder and president of the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber, which seeks to work with all members of the community to increase the economic advancement of Latinos in the region. With more than 800 members, the Hispanic Chamber is the largest of its kind in the Northwest. Its primary mission is to work with all members of the community to increase the economic advancement of Latinos in Oregon and southwest Washington. Ms. Castillo will speak at the LUO-sponsored event, to be held from 12-1pm at the OHSU Auditorium (8th floor). Snacks will be available. Feel free to bring your brown bag lunch. learn more

June 29: Volunteers Needed for Multicultural Festival

OHSU is participating in the annual "Good in the 'Hoodâ€, Multicultural Music & Food Festival. Now in its 21st year, the event will move to a larger site at Lillis-Albina Park located on N. Flint and Russell Streets. The multicultural fair, a Rose Festival-sanctioned event, will run from Friday through Sunday, June 27-29. Volunteers are needed to staff the OHSU booth during festival hours. OHSU staff are welcome to bring their friends and family to join the OHSU contingent at the Saturday morning parade through northeast Portland neighborhoods. First 80 volunteers will get a t-shirt. To sign up for the parade or to help staff the OHSU booth, open this Doodle Poll to indicate your availability.

Asian Pacific Islanders: A Community of Contrasts

Over 100 Asian Pacific Islander (API) languages are spoken in Oregon, and the state's API community has more than 200,000 members. The fast-growing community is incredibly diverse: the Portland metro area alone is home to dozens of distinct ethnic groups. In a talk to commemorate Asian Pacific American heritage month, Joseph Santos-Lyons, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO), discussed API contributions to Oregon and challenges faced by socially and economically disadvantaged cultural communities.

While API communities are doing well in some areas, they also suffer disparities in others, said Mr. Santos-Lyons. Some 55% of API students in Portland schools are English language learners (ELL). Less than 1/3 of ELL students graduate on time. Despite being the mostly highly educated labor force by race, Asian Americans face the highest rate of long-term unemployment. View the video recording of Mr. Santos-Lyons' presentation.

What's Your Reason to Live?

Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender have a higher rate of suicide attempts than straight youth. Suicides and attempts also are high among Asian Pacific Islander and Native American women. Access to mental health services is attached to particular cultural stigmas that serve as barriers to getting help. OHSU's Joseph B. Trainer Health & Wellness Center is looking for volunteers to participate in the making of a suicide prevention video titled "100 Reasons To Live.â€,  The project will include screenshots of 100 different students and OHSU faculty and staff holding up a piece of paper with a word or phrase stating a meaningful reason for choosing to live.  Often these reasons are simple and moving, such as "seeing flowers blossomâ€, or "giving someone a hug.â€,  The video will then be made available to the students and employees of OHSU. To join the movement, email Sarah Lemley or call (503) 494-8665.

Learn Spanish at OHSU

Looking to brush up your Español skills this summer? Spanish language classes, open to everyone interested in learning Spanish, will be offered from June 24 through August 29. Classes are held once a week, and cost is $87. View the Spanish class schedule.

The R. Bradley Sack International Scholarship Fund was created for senior OHSU medical students through a generous donation from Dr. Sack, Professor of International Health in the Division of Disease Control at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health. Scholarships are available to third- and fourth-year OHSU medical students. Application opens in September. learn more

Diversity Digest is distributed every month by OHSU's Center for Diversity & Inclusion. Email us with story ideas and resource submissions, and invite your friends to subscribe.

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