OSHU Pride Employee Resource Group records

Collection

Identifier: 2019-036

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

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.

Dates

2006-2021

Creator

OHSU Pride Employee Resource Group (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access. This collection is open to the public.

Conditions Governing Use

OHSU Historical Collections & Archives (HC&A) is the owner of the original materials and digitized images in our collections, however, the collection may contain materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials. Consult with HC&A to determine if we can provide permission for use.

Historical Note

As early as 2006, some members of the OHSU faculty began research on how to better provide support, mentorship, and resources for the health and wellbeing of their LGBTQ+ colleagues, who comprise an underrepresented and underserved community within general medicine, healthcare practice, and healthcare leadership.

In the fall of 2007, students, faculty, and staff from the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, and Dentistry began meeting in an effort to create an organization to represent the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, questioning, and queer individuals who make up the OHSU community. The goals were to build a sense of community at OHSU for “sexual minorities,” as well as to act as a source of visibility and advocacy for all sexual minorities who interact with OHSU. Out of this effort emerged the Coalition for Health and Advocacy for Sexual Minorities (CHASM).

Shortly after the group’s inception, CHASM began to increase its visibility and membership through the coordination of several notable events. These include the coordination of an annual food drive, the 2011 CHASM retreat, and the 2009 CHASM film festival (featuring screenings of Scout’s Honor, Transgender Life & Health, and Lavender Limelight). The group also played an instrumental role in organizing OHSU‘s first march in the Portland Pride Parade in 2010 alongside the Center for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (CeDMA, now known as the Center for Diversity and Inclusion). The research on LGBTQ+ employee resource groups carried out prior to CHASM’s formation was one of several resources that helped inform the evaluation and revision of practices and policies across the university, and in 2011, OHSU was named a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign in the Healthcare Equality Index.

CHASM’s preliminary research on supporting LGBTQ+-identifying colleagues, their campus-wide outreach efforts, and the identification of major strategic goals for the group culminated in the submission of the OHSU Pride founding project charter on December 17, 2010, leading to the formal creation of the OHSU Pride Employee Resource Group. With a mission “to foster an inclusive environment that promotes LGBTQ wellness, education, research and advocacy within and across OHSU and the community,” this group continues working to make OHSU a safer and more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+-identifying employees in the present day.

Extent

1.40 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The OHSU Pride Employee Resource Group, formerly known as the Coalition for Health and Affirmation for Sexual Minorities (CHASM), began as an affinity group for LGBTQ+-identifying students and faculty in 2007 and has since grown to become an official employee resource group for all OHSU employees. Through their efforts in conducting preliminary research on supporting LGBTQ+-identifying colleagues, organizing campus-wide outreach and events, and the identification of major goals for the group, OHSU Pride remains an integral part of OHSU’s mission to foster diversity and inclusion in the workplace today.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title. Records within each folder are arranged chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Some records were transferred by group chair and co-founder Patrick Holmes in early 2019 during Steve Duckworth's research for the then-upcoming LGBTQ+ exhibit; no transfer documentation was completed though as Patrick left the organization before completing it. Additional records were added later as a result of an accrual, which included digital images from events and newsletters sent via email.