Justin McDaniels Oral History Interview

McDaniels begins his interview by sharing stories from his childhood growing up in Canby, Oregon, specifically his high school and early college experiences. McDaniels also shares his coming out story, as well as his experiences as a queer biracial cis-gendered man. He discusses, in-depth, his participation and leadership in the “I, Too, Am OSU” campaign and the Solidarity March in 2014 – he discusses the campus climate, the impetus for the campaign and march, the administrative response, the behind the scenes planning, and the impact of his activism, as well as his support group and mentors. As a student who took an academic break and returned four years later, he has the unique perspective of learning that despite how powerful these movements felt in the moment, the same racist undertones exist on the campus. He expresses his thoughts regarding racist complacency, the concept of diversity within a university setting, and the lack of meaningful actions taken by university administrators.

With a continued focus on social justice, at the time of the interview, McDaniels was a political science major with a focus on international relations. He was also one of the Oregon State University students that mobilized the “I, Too, Am OSU” campaign and the Solidarity March in 2014.