Elaine Velazquez |
Portland filmmaker Elaine Velazquez passed away on August 11, 2025. Velazquez moved to Portland in the early 1970s and worked for more than 50 years to illuminate important social justice issues here in Oregon through the power of personal stories. Her works covered topics such as gay rights, food politics, and immigrant stories, including, in part, “Moving Mountains,” “Gay Lives Culture Wars,” and “Gaining Ground.” OHS hosted a screening of Velazquez’s film, “Some of These Days” (1980), in March 2025 to an overflowing crowd excited to celebrate her and her work. In the film, she examined the experiences of aging from the perspective of four Oregon women, ages 60 to 82. OHS will work with Velazquez’s partner, Barbara Bernstein, to host a screening and celebration of her life and will share details about that event at a later date.
Image: Filmmaker Elaine Velazquez holds a video camera. Photo courtesy of Barbara Bernstein
