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The top of Pioneer Hall through vibrant fall leaves on the trees.

LAB Events

LAB PROGRAMS for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027

One of the overarching themes for LAB for 2026 - 27 is "Change Agents: Universities and Community Engagements.” In other words, how do universities and communities engage with each other as think tanks and agents of change in opening spaces for dialogue, action, resistance, civic engagement, etc.

Portrait of Adam Davis.Oct 14, 2026 - Are We Created Equal?

A Conversation led and facilitated by Adam Davis, Oregon Humanities.

4:30 - 6 p.m.

Fred Meyer Lounge

 

This conversation will explore equality. It is a core national value of the United States, even if we have not always lived up to that value. What does it mean to say, as the writers of the Declaration of Independence did, that “all men are created equal” and to declare that this is a self-evident truth? In what ways are or should we be equal? How does this ideal of equality show up in our daily lives, our communities, and our politics? How, finally, has this ideal of equality changed over the past 250 years—and how might it change further over the next 250?

Facilitator Adam Davis has been the executive director of Oregon Humanities since 2013. Prior to joining Oregon Humanities, Davis directed the Center for Civic Reflection and edited Taking Action, Hearing the Call across Traditions, and The Civically Engaged Reader. Davis has led hundreds of community conversations and trained thousands of discussion leaders across the country in partnership with social service, educational, nonprofit, and medical organizations. He has taught philosophy and literature for many years in the Clemente Course in the Humanities, a college program for adults living on low incomes. He earned his PhD from the University of Chicago and used to lead wilderness trail crews in the Pacific Northwest.

All ÃÛѨÊÓÆµ students, faculty and staff are welcome. The event is open to the public.

Light refreshments will be served.