This content was published: January 2, 2017. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
And, the Golden Poppies go to … Panther shows off what videos we liked in 2016
Photos and story by Becky Olson
Videos dominated PCC’s social media channels this year, sparking conversations and connections that resonated with students, staff and community members. From Poppie the Panther prowling on a treadmill to the launch of the new “Mini Max” recycling initiative, multimedia moments connect us as a community and keep us inspired and informed all year long.
Following are the most popular videos published to social media this year. Are we missing a good one? Post your favorite and tag us!
White vs. Whiteness
This April, “Whiteness History Month” engaged students, staff and community members in a month-long exploration of the origins and impacts of whiteness and white privilege in our society. A grassroots team of organizers created this event series, and also produced a series of educational videos to foster conversation and online engagement around this issue.
Celebrating Native Culture
The 2016 Winter Pow Wow, presented by the Sylvania Campus Multicultural Center, featured drum groups and dancers from across the region and attracted more than 1,000 community members. The signature event has become a cornerstone of the local Native community and supports the PCC Native American Scholarship Fund and Native American businesses. The 2017 powwow is just around the corner.
Supporting Orlando Shooting Victims
After the tragic mass shooting in an Orlando night club this summer, college community members gathered to support one another and process their emotions and grief. Pride flags were raised on all four PCC campuses for the first time ever in a public show of support and solidarity with the LGBTQI community.
Welcome New Students!
Starting your college career at a new school can be daunting and confusing at first. That’s why PCC faculty and staff created a special video welcoming new students to its campuses at the start of the academic year back in September.
Special Message from the President
New college president Mark Mitsui made a great first impression when he joined the college as its seventh president last September. He introduced himself to students via video through his @prezmitsui Twitter handle.
A Polished Diamond
PCC alum Brenda Mallory received the college’s highest honor for alumni in celebration of her career as a professional visual artist. She was one of five distinguished alumni to receive this honor. And, nominations for the 2017 Diamond Alumni are now open. If you know of a great alum, go forth and nominate!
CultureSEast Entertains
The second annual CultureSEast celebration brought a week of culture, stories and conversations to PCC’s newest campus – Southeast. It was a time for students and the community to come together and honor the amazing diversity of Southeast Portland.
#GivingTuesday Pays Off
To mark the beginning of the holiday season and #GivingTuesday, PCC student leaders received a special delivery of $5,000 worth of healthy food from Whole Foods Market.
Appreciating Our Employees
This year marked the creation of a new award series to honor the contributions and dedication of PCC’s classified workers. One of this year’s winners, Malou Ensign, has been a custodian on the Sylvania Campus for more than 20 years. Here’s her touching story.
That girl’s shirt says “WALL” on it. I’m triggered.
I can’t even see the videos!
Mostly great picks I must say. Though I’m shocked that ignorant whiteness video made the list. As if it’s not obvious to most of the country how racist that whole whiteness history month event was last year, especially if you attended one of the presentations.
The fact that the “white privilege” video made it onto this list is honestly disgusting. These people love to act holier-than-thou and preach “social justice.” But then what do they turn around and do?
Demonize an entire ethnic group based on nothing but their skin color, and hide their hypocrisy behind fabricated “social constructs”. I may not have agreed with many of his policies, but Mr. Obama, a man of ethnic minority, has held our nation’s highest office for the past eight years. Do I have a problem with this? Absolutely not!
This notion that we do not acknowledge minorities as equal human beings is, quite honestly, ridiculous. The duty of society is to provide equal rights and opportunity, not equal things. The rest is up to us. So please, let’s all come together as human beings, move past this self-destructive discriminatory rhetoric, and look to a brighter future on the 20th of January.
And yes, I did put my real name on here, because I am not afraid to speak my mind even without the mask of online anonymity. Before you delete or report my comment, please review the section on this page titled “Add to the discussion”. I have not violated any of the terms described there.
I’m not sure I understand what you’re upset about, there, Lucas. Who are “these people”? Do you understand that by placing “those people” into a group and then assuming actions and motives based on their membership in a group that you are participating in the same basic activity that causes the demonizations you are railing against? The very fact that we are having conversations as individuals around race is proof that racism is far from dead.
Be careful not acknowledging the oppression that has persisted in our nation. Our duties as a National structure do not always translate into individual actions. Your beliefs and attitudes may support equality, but as a country composed of free-willed individuals not all will share those beliefs.
Also, this is not really the place to make political stands. If you want to have a discussion about it, attend one of the meetings! Hold a talk of your own, let words be exchanged, and see where the conversation leads. Maybe you’ll change some minds, maybe yours will change, who knows?
That is a fair point, Jason: I actually was making a grouped accusation. Thank you for pointing that out; I appreciate it.
Jason, who are you to tell others not to make political stands here? The fact that the Whiteness History Video is on here invites the risk of political comments. Stop trying to silence those who disagree with you…their voices will only get louder…. :)
Timmy, I don’t necessarily think he was trying to silence me, though I do agree with you about the invitation of political discussion. People like Jason are not the enemy here; political correctness is, as are those who do fervently support the off-the-deep-end far left (key word: far).
I will not deny racism’s prevalence in our country’s past: the eras of slavery and Jim Crow are some of the darkest parts of American history. What I do have a problem with, though, is being fabricated into a comparable neo-Nazi solely because of my skin color. Racism against whites is rising in this country, and it’s not “reverse racism” or whatever other Buzzword SJWs want to come up with; it’s just racism.
Feel-good safe spaces and identity politics are superseding rational thinking, open debate, and ideological acceptance in colleges across the country. This is damaging and dangerous, and must change as soon as possible.
While we conservatives and Trump supporters may not agree with this victimhood-obsessed neo-Comunist offshoot of liberalism, we still respect it and the people who subscribe to it. So why are conservatives not afforded the same courtesy?
Also TImmy, high-five on that first comment about that girl’s shirt. TRIGGERING INTENSIFIES!
i can’t even see the videos or pictures wtf.?
“joey”, try using Google Chrome. I am, and everything is popping up just fine for me.
Great videos! Happy to see the “Whiteness History” video make the list! It is good to see people get educated on reality. Sorry so many people miss the point, but hopefully the continued focus on education will make a difference in time.
Mickey, if that was bait, then you’ve just caught a shark. Let’s go.
You’re happy the “Whiteness History” (read: politically-driven group shaming) video made the list? Okay, that’s fine: your right to express your opinion is inalienable… or is it? Tell me, do you support “safe spaces”? I do not, because ample psychological evidence shows this kind of coddling makes trauma victims worse off; it is much more difficult for them to come to terms with their experience and move past it when they are never exposed to it.
However, safe spaces have become a political tool used to systematically eliminate opposing views, strong-arm rational discussion of politics into the floor. Power has been abused numerous times over the past few years to achieve both of the above goals. Calling out exactly “who” and “how” would result in this post’s immediate deletion, so I will trust the reader to know what I mean.
Continuing on, we have this statement: “It is good to see people get educated on reality.” Excuse me, what gives you the right to claim your political *OPINION* is fully congruent with reality? I do not make the same claim of my own views: I acknowledge I am only one voice out of billions. I encourage those who listen to or read my material to offer their eyes and ears to my political opposition, compare the gathered information and form their own views out of the larger pool. You, however, failed to reinforce your statement with any sort of evidence, empirical or otherwise.
Let’s close this out with a response to your last sentence: “Sorry so many people miss the point, but hopefully the continued focus on education will make a difference in time.” What “point” are you speaking of, exactly? Discussions are always easier to undertake when no assumptions are made regarding the audience’s telepathic abilities. Please state said point so I may address it. And, “the continued focus on education”? By that, I assume you mean continued hypocritical suppression of political and social adversaries, and simultaneous preaching of tolerance?
Nazi Germany tried that, and it didn’t work. Fascist Italy tried that, and it didn’t work. The USSR tried that, and it didn’t work. Imperial Japan tried that, and it didn’t work. The Roman Empire tried that, and it didn’t work. European monarchs tried that, and it didn’t work. The Ottoman Empire tried that, and it didn’t work. The British Empire tried that, and it didn’t work.
Does a little date called “April 19, 1775” ring a bell for you? It’s okay, you can open a new tab and pop it into Google. While you’re doing that, remember: no matter how loudly you shout, rationale is always superior in volume.
I used to speak softly and carry a big stick. I will speak softly no more.
That is quite a novel you wrote there…should I call you “Doctor Lawson” for you seem to have a lofty opinion over trauma victims I doubt you carry qualification for?
Not bait, for I seek no argument, though based on the fact you have left multiple comments on this new and short thread already, I saw the shark in the water, yet chose to swim. I gave my opinion. It differs from yours, so *you* had something to say. Your opinion was already known. You made it clear before I shared mine. I won’t be discouraged from sharing and neither should anyone else.
Continuing on, my statement about Whiteness History was not a political one. I’ll wait while you read it again. It was my opinion and you are correct, my political views would be one of (sticking to actual voters in this country alone) millions. The materials shared in Whiteness History educate on the things conveniently left out of history books or, or only quickly skimmed over. Much of it can be found in newspapers and other writings. They are facts, so your statement is just another search for an argument that isn’t there.
To close this out I will state that it seems you may have missed the point many others tend to. Not just in my statement, but in Whiteness History, but perhaps you could take the course? This link to PCC’s own site will describe a little more about it: https://www.pcc.edu/about/diversity/cascade/whiteness-history-month/about.html. No where does it indicate this has any political intention other than changing our campus climate for a better and more integrated experience. Perhaps you don’t think that *is* better? Perhaps neither of us should jump to conclusions? If your inviting a discussion, you can do so without an attack on anyone, no matter how eloquent. ;-)
I appreciate the time and effort that PCC faculty and staff put into “Whitness Month.” I believe that there are people on here that have missed the point. And I see the passion that Lucus has around making sure people feel dismissed, and uncomfortable. I’m sorry he feels the way his does and that he missed the point that was being taught. GREAT JOB TO EVERYONE THAT HELPED OUT WITH THE VIDEO!!!!!
Upon review, I realized my point about safe spaces was not properly conveyed. Allow me to rectify that.
Though it is true that I have not personally had any… significant traumatic events, I am no stranger to them. My family has a proud long-standing tradition of military service dating back to WWII (that we know of); because of this, I have experience dealing with PTSD and am aware of how psychologically damaging the events that cause it can be.
Now, my original statement still stands: moving past a traumatic event (“healing,” if you will) is much more difficult in a “safe space” environment. HOWEVER, I did NOT mean to imply we should just shove them (trauma victims) out into the wild with zero aid resources whatsoever. I believe the miscommunication lied here, and apologize for not stating my beliefs more clearly.
Resources are in place to aid victims in coping with their experiences (be they sexual assault, combat wounds, or anything else), FOR GOOD REASON. Many individuals need time to properly heal after the initial shock wears off. That time is well-deserved and should be respected. However, there comes a time where one must face his or her fears in order to truly move past that chapter of their life. This is where my issue with safe spaces comes in.
Safe spaces in their current form and practice on college campuses are political tools. They are weapons wielded by administrative staff and a number of students to enforce the idea of their way being the only way. Safe spaces have, in effect, been taken over by children. Those individuals abuse safe spaces to create ideological echo chambers, and then proceed to abuse their power as well to snuff out political opposition.
And that, my friends, is the problem: safe spaces have been largely perverted into political weapons, and now barely resemble their intended purpose. Sorry for this second “novel” Mickey, but it appears my arguments have to be this drawn out in order for people to not oversimplify them. To add to that, I never once discouraged you from sharing your opinion.
Donelda, thank you for sharing. I’m glad to have another voice join the discussion. Only, next time you launch a two-sentence ad hominem attack at me, could you at least get my name right? Thanks. :)
Quick note on myself, two posts up: when I said “safe spaces have been taken over by children,” I had meant to further that sentence. My fault for not doing a proper editing sweep. By “children,” I meant spoiled brats whom have never been told no. They are by no means the sole populace of safe spaces, but the do seem to be the most vocal. And no, I am not calling out anyone here as a member of said populace.
Great job speaking up Lucas. This is the place for politics when discussions surrounding this topic are censored in class, people are afraid of being labeled a sexist, racist, or homophobe for not wanting fascist style indoctrination and holding different viewpoints. Social justice is not justice.
@Jman Amen, brother. When I come of age, I’ll buy you a drink.
Your name was unimportant to me. I’m sorry Lucus.. :(
It’s spelled with an A, not a U. Either way, I appreciate your honesty.