Award: Bronze

Institution: Clark College

Title of Entry: Time Will Tell

About this Entry: “Time Will Tell” is a story about a Clark College alumnus who helped shape the Pacific Northwest LGBTQIA+ movement. George Oberg Jr.’s 50 years of activism began with the fundamentals he learned at Clark College. Oberg is a pioneer and to many a hero who helped bring about significant social and cultural change to the region. In the wake of the 1969 New York City Stonewall riots, Oberg and a close-knit group of people knew they needed to shake up the perception about LGBTQIA+ and take a stand. Oberg accomplished a number of firsts when it came to what are referred to today as LGBTQIA+ rights. He served as the founding president of a nonprofit known as The Second Foundation, which established Portland’s first official gay support organization and community center. In 1971, the Oregon Department of Education asked Oberg to talk to a group of teachers and counselors about gay and lesbian students—another first. Also in the early 1970s, Portland staged its first public gay gathering in the South Park blocks, and soon Portland itself became something of a vanguard of gay activism, garnering attention from larger communities—some as far away as the East Coast. This year, Oberg was again recognized for his activism when he received Clark College’s most prestigious alumni honor in 2020, the Outstanding Alumni Award.