Adaptation: Resilience in Environment

Date: June 23, 2026

Time: 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture

Building upon the theme of "Adaptation," Zachary Stocks will be presenting on over two centuries of Black Americans emigration to the Pacific Northwest, and the ways in which they have had to adapt to their new environments, industries, and communities. This discussion will be presented through the lens of a few notable examples of this migration and adaptation: York (1800s), Letitia Carson (1840s), and Beatrice Cannady (1920s).

The Center for Resilient Agriculture & Food Systems (CRAFS) combines innovative research, collaborative partnerships, community-driven initiatives, and diverse perspectives to transform agriculture and food systems into a force for positive change. Dr. Lauren Gwin will use this presentation to illustrate how this big-picture mission works in practice with stories from CRAFS programs and people; reflect on adaptation as an operating principle and in its relationship to resilience and transformation; and ask how CRAFS could meaningfully engage art and artists in our mission.

For ages 16 and older. Those under age 16 may attend accompanied by an adult.

About the Speakers:

Dr. Lauren Gwin - Corvallis, OR

Dr. Lauren Gwin is the director of the Center for Resilient Agriculture & Food Systems in the College of Agricultural Sciences, and the Extension statewide specialist in Community Food Systems. She leads a statewide team of OSU faculty and external partners focused on agriculture and food systems that support ecological health, social well-being, vibrant communities, and regional vitality. She is co-founder of nationally respected organizations, including the Oregon Community Food Systems Network, Oregon Food Hub Network, Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network, and the Letitia Carson Legacy Project. Lauren has a BA in English & American Literature and Languages from Harvard University and a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, from the University of California at Berkeley. She has lived in Oregon since 2008.

Zachary Stocks - Astoria, OR

Zachary Stocks is a public historian, interpreter, and the Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers. Zachary previously served as Program Director of Historical Seaport and Visitor Services Manager of Northwest African American Museum. He is a former intern of Colonial Williamsburg and Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, and a former seasonal Park Ranger at Lewis & Clark National Historical Park. He holds a BA in History from the College of William & Mary with a certificate in Public History from the National Institute for American History and Democracy, and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. Zachary is a 2025 graduate of the prestigious History Leadership Institute, sponsored by the American Association of State and Local History. Zachary lives in Astoria, Oregon.

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