Ripples occur when the surface of water is disturbed. This rippling spreads to include an ever widening and intersecting circle, connecting both past, present, and future. Mention Fairview Training Center and you will get a wide range of reactions. By invoking the visual metaphor of the ripple, we see clearly that the histories of Fairview are always open and unfolding, inviting new interpretations, intersections, voices, and perspectives.

Our Fairview… is a multi-media project dedicated to the past and present experiences of residents, caregivers, administrators, family, and any of us who wish to further consider and contribute to the collective histories of the Fairview Training Center 1908- 2000. 

Fairview Training Center, once a state-run institution for individuals with neurological differences, has a complex legacy. Using a diverse array of visual, narrative, poetic and performative methods, this project will amplify, preserve, and share an archive of Our Fairview through events, exhibitions, audio recordings, writing and publications.

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In 2010, Senator Sara Gelser Blouin advocated that, "as the visible reminders of Fairview disappear, we must ensure that its history is not forgotten or sanitized." (Erasing Fairview's Horrors, The Oregonian Opinion, Jan. 30, 2010)  Our Fairview… will gather stories through a series of workshops and events using traditional interviews, artistic means for sharing memories, and open conversations.