JANUARY 23RD, 2026

9:00AM – 11:00AM

RACHEL SMOLKIN

LAURA ANDERSON

$35

We’re excited to welcome back BAGELS NOT BOURBON – where Portland comes to think out loud. Hosted by The Idea Factory in the Library, this Friday morning series brings together creative thinkers, civic leaders, and cultural changemakers for honest conversations over coffee and bagels. No slides, no scripts—just bold ideas and the people building what’s next for Portland. Next in the 2025 line up:

Laura Smolkin, CEO Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), and 

Laura Anderson, Local Ocean Seafoods

Listening, Storytelling & Oregon’s Shared Identity

From the Coast to the High Desert: How Conversations Travel Across Oregon

Join Kimiko Matsuda in conversation with Rachel Smolkin and Laura Anderson as we explore what it means to listen deeply to a state as diverse as Oregon—and how storytelling and food can serve as connective tissue across geography, culture, and history.

Laura played a pivotal role in helping Rachel design her first listening session in rural Oregon—an experience that launched Rachel’s ongoing effort to meet with community leaders across the state. Together, they’ll reflect on how those early conversations shaped a broader journey of listening, learning, and relationship-building beyond Portland’s urban core.

Drawing from Rachel’s statewide travels and Laura’s deep roots in the Newport community, this conversation will highlight the powerful connection points that consistently emerge—innovation, food, arts and culture, and shared histories that shape how Oregonians see themselves and one another. We’ll consider how public media and local food systems can act as both mirror and bridge, elevating rural voices and strengthening a sense of belonging across Oregon.

Expect reflections on leadership through listening, the responsibility of amplifying regional perspectives, and why Oregon’s future depends on seeing—and hearing—the whole state in the story.

We hope you will join us.

Tickets include admission to the event as well as a spread of fresh fruit, bagels & accompaniments, coffee, tea and juice.