OHSU Pride T-shirt, circa 2019

The OHSU Pride Employee Resource Group records house the organizational records of the OHSU Pride Employee Resource Group (ERG), formerly known as the Coalition for Health and Affirmation for Sexual Minorities (CHASM). This collection, which dates from 2006 to 2021, consists of foundational and organizational records, research and development records, meeting minutes, invoices and financial records, event programming, newsletters, ephemera, and photographs, evidencing the group’s existence from pre-charter, affinity group-level research to present-day activities as an official employee resource group on campus. Topics of interest addressed by this collection include the logistics of forming an affinity group (and later, an employee resource group) at OHSU, evidence of their successes as a group through the proliferation of ephemera and organization of campus-wide events, and instances of past research on how to better support LGBTQ+ employees. This collection offers insight on initiatives taken by past OHSU staff and faculty to create a more inclusive campus environment for LGBTQ+-identifying colleagues.

This collection is unique in that it evidences the activities of the group over the course of its existence, ranging from preliminary discussions and developmental research on the group’s purpose and functions to recent newsletters about ongoing programs and activities. While this collection is primarily composed of general organizational records and internal correspondence, there are also digital photographs and event-specific ephemera which illustrate the group’s growth and involvement with the broader OHSU community since its inception. Additionally, the records in this collection generally highlight the incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into OHSU Employee Resource Group policies and best practices, which has helped to foster a more inclusive working environment for OHSU faculty and staff in recent decades. Researchers interested in the general development of employee resource groups at OHSU, research pertaining to the creation of LGBTQ+-specific employee resource groups, and visual representative sampling of OHSU Pride’s programming and initiatives throughout its existence will find this collection an insightful resource.