Amanda Waldroupe

Amanda Waldroupe is a freelance journalist and writer based in Portland, Oregon. Her work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Guardian, Bklyner, The Brooklyn Rail, InvestigateWest, The Oregonian, the Portland Tribune, Oregon Humanities, and many others. She has been a fellow and writer-in-residence at the Logan Nonfiction Program, the Banff Centre’s Literary Journalism program, Alderworks Alaska, and the Sou’wester Artist Residency Program.

Astoria Public Library’s renovation looks to the future while preserving building’s history

March 27, 2025Amanda Waldroupe

The full-scale refurbishment doubles the library’s size, adds windows, and celebrates Astoria’s history, culture, and architectural heritage.

Elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services would be felt all over Oregon

March 25, 2025Amanda Waldroupe

The Trump Administration's proposed shutdown of the IMLS would be felt across the nation, including the Northwest: A quarter of the State Library of Oregon’s budget comes from the embattled federal agency.

IFCC, looking to renew, makes its Grant and Artist Residency program permanent

January 27, 2025Amanda Waldroupe

The short-term program has helped chart the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center’s future as a thriving home for Portland Black arts and culture.

Does a book challenge constitute discrimination? A bill in the Oregon Legislature offers an answer

December 24, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

Most challenged books in Oregon have LGBTQ themes or authors; proposed legislation would make it illegal to censor books about protected classes.

Oregon libraries see record challenges to books — and record checkouts

December 23, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

Libraries have ordered more copies to keep up with the sudden demand to read books that some would ban.

Efforts to ban books in Oregon libraries are on the rise; library patrons and supporters are pushing back

December 22, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The most common reasons for book challenges include unsuited to age group; LGBTQ content; depicts sex, nudity, abuse; or contains profanity, according to the State Library of Oregon's 2024 report.

Portland Book Festival: Environmental concerns loom large in appearances by Richard Powers, Cara Giaimo, Julie Beeler, and an owl named Hans

November 4, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

Hope and wonder for the world were shared themes in conversations with a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, an “Atlas Obscura” editor, and an expert on mushrooms.

Portland Book Festival: Atlas Obscura’s Cara Giaimo on wonder and awe for the world’s species

November 1, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The editor of "Atlas Obscura: Wild Life," discusses the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, biodiversity, and a bug that lives on the open ocean.

Jordan Schnitzer turns his attention to K-12 arts education

October 19, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The developer, philanthropist, and art collector, already an investor in the arts at Northwest public universities, discusses the need to support arts education in Oregon’s primary and secondary public schools.

Candidates for Portland Mayor and City Council voice strong support for the arts in survey

October 13, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

As the critical November election approaches, City Hall candidates weigh in on how they would approach vital arts issues and policies.

It’s very full circle: Looking back on the career of retired Pacific University choral director Scott Tuomi

August 5, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

Tuomi’s impact as a singer, conductor, educator, and advocate has been felt by generations of students from all over the world.

Remaking the campus: PSU selects Walker Macy to advance its ‘Place Matters’ initiative

July 15, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The design team proposes a new welcome center, colorful paint jobs, bold signage, and justice-oriented collaboration to transform the university campus and help revitalize downtown.

Can art save your life? Author Emma Copley Eisenberg’s road-tripping queer heroes seek an answer in ‘Housemates’

July 8, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The author will appear July 10 at Powell’s Books in Portland to read from and discuss her first novel.

A sense of place: Through a design competition, Portland State University plans to transform its campus, as well as downtown

June 1, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The urban university intends to create a stronger sense of campus identity — and become a leader in revitalizing downtown Portland.

Poetry and pie: Raymond Carver Festival in Clatskanie will feature poet Kim Stafford as keynote speaker

May 14, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

Admission is free to the May 17 and 18 event, which honors one of America’s most influential short-story writers in his hometown.

Violent, aggressive, and personal attacks — language used to challenge books has changed dramatically, research presented at Oregon Library Association conference shows

April 30, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

In Oregon last year, “inappropriateness for children” maintained its top spot in book challenges. For the first time, it tied with another concern: that the book’s content was LGBTQ.

‘Girls in Trouble’: Portland musician Alicia Jo Rabins’ interpretation of Jewish women in the Bible comes to television

April 25, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The YouTube series examines the stories of minor – but consequential – characters through a progressive and feminist lens.

‘I Lived to Tell the World’: Journalist Elizabeth Mehren on finding hope, resilience, and survival in stories of war and genocide

March 27, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The Portland author’s new book about 16 Oregonians who survived atrocities ranging from the Holocaust to Rwandan genocide launches March 29 with an event at Mekong Bistro.

Josephine Community Library receives financial support for new building, even as it faces controversy

February 23, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

The 65-year-old Grants Pass library has not kept pace with the city's growth; funds from the Cow Creek Band and a bill before the Legislature would help pay to replace it.

Oregon’s rural libraries: Crossroads of community

January 3, 2024Amanda Waldroupe

In small towns, libraries are often the only places that host art and cultural events. Librarians say grants, such as one open this month from Oregon Humanities, are crucial to making that happen.

Portland Book Festival: Viet Thanh Nguyen and Tommy Orange and the politics of unity and solidarity

November 6, 2023Amanda Waldroupe

The two award-winning authors talked about memory, racism, and finding common ground among marginalized groups.

Portland Book Festival: Tim O’Brien on extremism, late-night talk radio, and finding meaning in ‘America Fantastica’

November 2, 2023Amanda Waldroupe

The novelist and National Book Award winner says, "There’s a certain brokenhearted feel to our country.... We’re going through a convulsive national division where civility itself has collapsed.”