Event Recap: Modernist x Oregon Humanities Consider This with Naomi Shihab Nye

Thank you to Human Centric Media for the wonderful recap video!

Our 11th birthday was filled with light and laughter. On a warm June evening, we gathered friends and partners for a celebration ahead of a night of conversation and poetry. We enjoyed drinks and tapas at Urdaneta before heading over to the Alberta Rose Theatre to hear poet Naomi Shihab Nye in conversation with Adam Davis as part of Oregon Humanities’ Consider This series. The 2025-2026 series theme Beyond 250 brings great minds together to acknowledge the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and what it could mean for the next 250 years.

We were thrilled to have an opportunity uplift Oregon Humanities and their critical work across the state. Georgia proudly serves on the board, and we see supporting arts & culture orgs like OH as a responsibility, not a moment of generosity or marketing opportunity. Said Georgia in her remarks:

“If Oregon Humanities succeeds, then organizations and communities Modernist will never directly touch also succeed: rural libraries, emerging thinkers, civic conversations happening far outside Portland. When we support OH, we support the ecosystem that supports democracy and so our businesses can flourish.”

This year, we've been reading Naomi's poem “Famous” to clients as a way to set the tone for our conversations, and were thrilled to hear more of her insightful thoughts on place, community, and hope that evening. She opened the conversation by noting a sign she’d seen outside the theater that read “Hope is as old and as useful as time. Find hope.” In the spirit of hope, we invite you to read more of Naomi’s work and make a donation to Oregon Humanities or another organization doing the critical work of sustaining hope.