Local Cross-Cultural Events
* Upcoming Events *
Wednesday, November 11
| 1:00 PM | San Diego Asian Film Festival The San Diego Asian Film Festival brings ten days of cinema to select theaters across San Diego County, showcasing films that center Asian and Asian American stories and perspectives. Now in its 27th year, the festival is presented by Pacific Arts Movement and has grown into a significant cultural event for the region. You will find screenings spread throughout the county from November 5–14, 2026.
Link to Schedule Here
Multiple Locations |
| 4:30 PM | Film: Soul Patrol Soul Patrol uncovers a hidden chapter of American military history by focusing on the Vietnam War’s first Black special ops team, an elite unit operating deep behind enemy lines. With unprecedented access to this once-secretive group of African-American veterans, director J.M. Harper reconstructs their journey with an immediacy rarely seen in Vietnam War storytelling, using raw Super 8 footage, photographs, and audio recordings from their personal archives. Opening on the war’s 50th anniversary, the surviving members reunite in a hotel that becomes a surreal liminal space, where memory, brotherhood, and unresolved trauma collide. As the men reflect on their experiences, the film interrogates the contradictions of fighting for freedom abroad while facing inequality at home. Winner of the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, Soul Patrol is not just a war story, but a reckoning – an intimate portrait of survival, memory, and the enduring cost of war on those asked to fight it.
Digital Gym Cinema |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
Thursday, November 12
| 11:00 AM | San Diego Asian Film Festival The San Diego Asian Film Festival brings ten days of cinema to select theaters across San Diego County, showcasing films that center Asian and Asian American stories and perspectives. Now in its 27th year, the festival is presented by Pacific Arts Movement and has grown into a significant cultural event for the region. You will find screenings spread throughout the county from November 5–14, 2026.
Link to Schedule Here
Multiple Locations |
| 4:30 PM | Exhibit: Bridging Barrios Inspired by Hometown Heroes, an exhibition of photography by Barrio Logan artists MJ Pimentel, Oscar Cruz, and Chata, Bridging Barrios brings organizations together to share stories of tenacity, rebuilding, and belonging. Bridging Barrios is an arts and community initiative that harnesses the healing and connecting power of art to elevate the voices, stories, and creativity of people affected by homelessness. The show is presented by MCASD, Humble Design, Monarch School Project, and the Latatorre Foundation.
MCASD |
| 5:00 PM | Food: Trip Down the Danube Join Chefs Tim Kolanko, Wesley Remington, and Tony Coito for a multi-course meal inspired by a Trip Down the Danube for our November ARTIFACT at Night.
Mingei International Museum |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
| Music: VALÉ VALÉ is a coming-of-age in motion. Hailing from Barranquilla, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is pulling her Colombian roots forward and pushing her sound sideways — anchored by her knockout vocals, earworm melodies, and pummeling dance rhythms. Writing largely on her own and moving freely between languages, VALÉ’s songs navigate the expectations and pressures of love and family — evolving into something more left-of-center, more fearless, and more Spanish.
Soda Bar |
| Book Talk: Requiem for Gaza Join KNSJ 89.1 FM and Activist San Diego for a special evening with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Chris Hedges, who will discuss his new book, "Requiem for Gaza," created in collaboration with acclaimed journalist and cartoonist Joe Sacco. Through powerful investigative journalism and illustrations, "Requiem for Gaza" brings forward the firsthand testimony of displaced Palestinians who have lived through the devastation in Gaza. Hedges will share insights from this work and the stories of people whose experiences deserve to be heard.
First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego |
| 7:30 PM | Music: Alwani Middle Eastern Orchestra The Alwani Middle Eastern Orchestra will be playing a selection of Middle Eastern music from Lebanon, Tunisia, Turkiye, and more. In a world where Western media often portrays the Middle East as broken and troubled, our orchestra has made it a mission to counter these narratives by showcasing the true beauty, warmth, unity, and cultural richness of the region through the transformative power of music.
Cuyamaca College |
Friday, November 13
| 10:00 AM | Talk: Ethan Banegas In honor of National Native American Heritage Month, our November Sweet Talk features Ethan Banegas, Project Director of the Kumeyaay Visual Storytelling Project! Come learn, connect, and celebrate with us over great conversation and sweet treats!
University of San Diego |
| 11:00 AM | San Diego Asian Film Festival The San Diego Asian Film Festival brings ten days of cinema to select theaters across San Diego County, showcasing films that center Asian and Asian American stories and perspectives. Now in its 27th year, the festival is presented by Pacific Arts Movement and has grown into a significant cultural event for the region. You will find screenings spread throughout the county from November 5–14, 2026.
Link to Schedule Here
Multiple Locations |
| 1:00 PM | Talk: Kumeyaay Cosmology Curious about the Kumeyaay Cosmos? Join us for a free brief lecture introducing how one of San Diego’s original peoples looked to the skies for navigation, guidance, and to understand the origins of the universe. This cosmological knowledge remains central to Kumeyaay traditions and beliefs, which were almost lost to time through colonization. These talks are held in honor of Native American Heritage Month to help preserve this cultural knowledge for future generations. Space is limited. Please register in advance to secure your spot.
San Diego Archaeological Center |
| 3:00 PM | San Diego Anime Con From Silk Road Productions, the creators and producers of Fangaea Con, Scream Diego, AniPop, and AnimeLand invite you to experience the third annual San Diego Anime Con, where you can unleash your inner anime and “Bring the Fury!” San Diego Anime Con will be taking place on Friday, November 13, Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley!
DoubleTree Mission Valley |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
| Stage: Khayali Doctor Meet Rasiklal Mehta — a man who has never met a symptom he didn't like. Convinced he's one sneeze away from the grave, obsessed with his pulse, his pills, and his own imagined mortality, Rasiklal has a plan for his daughter's future — one that has everything to do with keeping a doctor in the family, and nothing to do with love. She has other ideas. Behind the pill bottles and the daily doctor's visits, this house is running on secrets — some worn right on the sleeve, some buried a lot deeper. Everyone in this family thinks they know exactly who everyone else is. They don't. And by the time the truth comes out, at least one of them will wish they'd never gone looking for it. Khayali Doctor takes a Molière classic and reimagines it as a full-blooded, full-color Desi comedy — mistaken identities, Bollywood parody numbers, and a family about to get a lot more honest than it ever intended to be. Expect a full house of scheming, lovesick, and thoroughly overdramatic characters, a soundtrack of parody songs and dance, and comic chaos from the first scene to the last. Come find out who's really sick in this house, and who's just been pretending.
The Grand | Ritz Theater |
| AAWA Anniversary Celebration For 45 years, AAWA has supported, nurtured, and promoted creative and artistic voices through creative development, advocacy, programs, and special events. This anniversary gathering welcomes writers, artists, and community members to celebrate AAWA’s work and its mission to empower and celebrate African American writers and artists, amplify their voices and stories, and foster a vibrant community through education, advocacy, and artistic expression. The evening features art, poetry, vendors, and more, with longtime AAWA members Tony Ackee, Leah Goodwin, Kasimu Harley, Bobby Hearns, Kimberly King, Starla Lewis, Calvin Manson, Johnnierenee Nia Nelson, Judy Sandayo, Alyce Smith Cooper, and others. Art and books will be on display for purchase, and light bites will be provided.
Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans |
| 7:30 PM | Music: Las Migas Following a sold-out ArtPower appearance, Latin Grammy-winning ensemble Las Migas returns with the expressive vocals and distinctive style that have made them one of Spain’s most celebrated groups. For more than two decades, the all-women ensemble has captivated audiences around the world while expanding the possibilities of flamenco. Featuring music from their latest album, Flamencas, Las Migas pays tribute to the essence of flamenco through rich harmonies and expressive guitar work. Their return promises an evening of passionate vocals, expressive musicianship, and songs that speak to the heart of flamenco.
UCSD Epstein Family Amphitheater |
Saturday, November 14
| 10:00 AM | Talk: Story of WANGO WENG Join us for this month's The Chinese American Experience & Beyond lecture titled "Story of WANGO WENG" The lecture is free and held on Zoom!
Online |
| Talk: FDR, the Native New Deal, WWII Native Contributions and Code Talkers Explore the often-overlooked contributions of Native Americans during the New Deal and World War II. Explore the often-overlooked contributions of Native Americans during the New Deal and World War II. This special presentation highlights Native experiences, wartime service, and the important role of Native Code Talkers, offering a deeper look at their lasting contributions to American history.
Heritage of the Americas Museum |
| San Diego Anime Con From Silk Road Productions, the creators and producers of Fangaea Con, Scream Diego, AniPop, and AnimeLand invite you to experience the third annual San Diego Anime Con, where you can unleash your inner anime and “Bring the Fury!” San Diego Anime Con will be taking place on Friday, November 13, Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley!
DoubleTree Mission Valley |
| Talk: Next in Sports What happens when sports puts a country at the center of the global conversation? From the FIFA World Cup to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, global sporting events are about far more than competition. They are powerful stages for storytelling, national identity, cultural exchange, economic opportunity, and diplomacy. Next in Sports explores what countries and cities can do with that moment. Major sporting events increasingly shape global perceptions, drive policy decisions, attract investment, build community, and create a legacy that extends far beyond the field of play. Drawing lessons from the 2026 FIFA World Cup and other major global sporting moments, the conversation will ask: What does successful sports diplomacy look like? How can host cities turn global attention into meaningful and sustainable impact? And as the spotlight shifts from World Cup 2026 toward the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, what lessons can Southern California carry forward?
UCSD Division of Extended Studies |
| 11:00 AM | Oak Park Native American Heritage Month Bring the whole family for an event filled with history, language, and education. Together let’s keep our heritage and community libraries open for all!
Oak Park Library |
| Talk: Uncovering the Stories of the Aliso Adobe From 2023 to 2025, the Palomar College archaeology excavation class uncovered a long-forgotten nineteenth-century adobe in San Diego County’s Elfin Forest/Harmony Grove area. These excavations provide the first comprehensive archaeological documentation of this historic adobe, revealing new insights into its residence, the community, and its place in the region’s past. Conducted in cooperation with property owner Greg White and regional historian Alexa Clausen, the project investigated the adobe’s architecture, history, and changing use. Across four field seasons and 47 excavation units, students and researchers documented distinctive stone foundations, interior walls, a collapsed brick chimney, and other architectural features that offer new insights into historic building practices and domestic life. Drawing on archaeological evidence, archival research, and comparisons with the nearby Robert Israel Adobe, this presentation explores the intertwined Californio and Anglo-American histories of the Aliso District. Despite extensive disturbance from erosion, salvage, recreational use, and other post-abandonment processes, the excavations revealed important details about the adobe’s construction and history, contributing to a deeper understanding of San Diego County’s historic adobe architecture and regional past.
San Diego Archaeological Center |
| San Diego Asian Film Festival The San Diego Asian Film Festival brings ten days of cinema to select theaters across San Diego County, showcasing films that center Asian and Asian American stories and perspectives. Now in its 27th year, the festival is presented by Pacific Arts Movement and has grown into a significant cultural event for the region. You will find screenings spread throughout the county from November 5–14, 2026.
Link to Schedule Here
Multiple Locations |
| 1:00 PM | Native American Heritage Festival Enjoy a day dedicated to honoring Indigenous creativity and culture. Local Indigenous artists will host pop‑up art tables where you can learn traditional crafts and connect with their artistic traditions. Relax and take in live music and performances that highlight the rich heritage and storytelling of our Indigenous communities.
Carlsbad City Library Learning Center |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
| Talk: Sessue and Tsuru Sessue Hayakawa (1886–1973) is perhaps best-known today for his Oscar-nominated turn as a Japanese military officer in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). But during the period of silent cinema, he was an internationally renowned movie star, as recognizable as Charlie Chaplin or Douglas Fairbanks. Tsuru Aoki (1892-1961), his wife, was in fact a Hollywood star preceding Sessue. In this lecture, Professor Daisuke Miyao revives the Japanese actors' remarkable careers, from Tsuru's pioneering work and Sessue's meteoric rise to fame as the star of Cecil B. DeMille’s The Cheat (1915).
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| Performance: Sining Samahan We are excited to invite you to our upcoming concert featuring traditional Filipino folk dances and rituals that bring together people from all walks of life across various villages and regions of the Philippines. This two-hour program showcases SAMAHAN’s vibrant collection of popular folk dances and tribal rituals, brought to life by our talented, youthful, and energetic dancers. Enjoy the colorful, authentic Filipino traditional and ethnic attire, paired with choreography created especially for the stage. From ancient rituals and courtship to festive celebrations, the dances and songs truly capture the heart, richness, and diversity of the Philippines. The production reflects a deep, complex history woven from Indian, Chinese, Indochinese, Indonesian, and Malay roots, alongside prominent Spanish and American influences. Accompanied by the live percussion of the Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble, three suites will highlight indigenous traditions, sharing the cultural dances and rituals of the Maranao of Mindanao, the Sama and Tausug of the Sulu Archipelago, and the Kalingas of the Cordilleras in Northern Luzon. Audience members will also be treated to European- and Western-influenced traditions, like the elegant Maria Clara dances and lively rural countryside numbers brought to life by the SAMAHAN Rondalla String Ensemble.
Joan B. Kroc Theatre |
| 4:00 PM | Book Talk: I promessi sposi Professor Stephanie Jed and the Italian Cultural Center of San Diego present "I promessi sposi: Then and Now." Join us on Saturday, November 14th at 4pm to investigate the layered meaning in Manzoni's seminal work of Italian literature.
Italian Cultural Center |
| 6:00 PM | Performance: Sining Samahan We are excited to invite you to our upcoming concert featuring traditional Filipino folk dances and rituals that bring together people from all walks of life across various villages and regions of the Philippines. This two-hour program showcases SAMAHAN’s vibrant collection of popular folk dances and tribal rituals, brought to life by our talented, youthful, and energetic dancers. Enjoy the colorful, authentic Filipino traditional and ethnic attire, paired with choreography created especially for the stage. From ancient rituals and courtship to festive celebrations, the dances and songs truly capture the heart, richness, and diversity of the Philippines. The production reflects a deep, complex history woven from Indian, Chinese, Indochinese, Indonesian, and Malay roots, alongside prominent Spanish and American influences. Accompanied by the live percussion of the Pakaraguian Kulintang Ensemble, three suites will highlight indigenous traditions, sharing the cultural dances and rituals of the Maranao of Mindanao, the Sama and Tausug of the Sulu Archipelago, and the Kalingas of the Cordilleras in Northern Luzon. Audience members will also be treated to European- and Western-influenced traditions, like the elegant Maria Clara dances and lively rural countryside numbers brought to life by the SAMAHAN Rondalla String Ensemble.
Joan B. Kroc Theatre |
| 6:30 PM | Music: Sina Bathaie Sina Bathaie is an Iranian–Canadian musician and film scorer, noted for his style of blending Persian traditional music and electronic music, especially by mixing santur and electronica.
Quartyard |
| 7:00 PM | Music: A Night of Persian Jazz with ZHENIIA Persian Cultural Center Presents A Night of Persian Jazz with ZHENIIA
Iranian American Center |
| 8:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
| Music: Los Tigres del Norte Los Tigres Del Norte, formed in 1968 in San Jose, California, are widely recognized as the world’s most influential norteño band. With a career spanning more than 50 years, the group has sold over 32 million albums worldwide and earned countless accolades, including multiple GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Awards. Known for their socially conscious corridos and powerful storytelling, Los Tigres Del Norte have become cultural ambassadors, addressing themes of immigration, love, and social justice through their music.
Pechenga Arena |
Sunday, November 15
| 10:00 AM | San Diego Anime Con From Silk Road Productions, the creators and producers of Fangaea Con, Scream Diego, AniPop, and AnimeLand invite you to experience the third annual San Diego Anime Con, where you can unleash your inner anime and “Bring the Fury!” San Diego Anime Con will be taking place on Friday, November 13, Saturday, November 14, and Sunday, November 15, 2026 at the DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley!
DoubleTree Mission Valley |
| 11:00 AM | House of Syria Lawn Program Join us for the House of Syria’s Second Liberation Lawn Program! Spend Sunday, November 15 with Syrian food, music, dabke, choir performances, and talented local vendors at Balboa Park. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
International Cottages |
| 1:30 PM | Food: Temari Zushi Cooking Demonstration Fhe San Diego Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) presents a Temari Zushi cooking demonstration by Keiko Jinno. Temari zushi are colorful, ball-shaped sushi made to resemble traditional Japanese temari balls and are traditionally served for special occasions. Space is limited to 15 participants. RSVP to .
Buddhist Temple of SD |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
Monday, November 16
| 6:00 PM | Talk: Pasifika in Entertainment The release of Disney’s live-action "Moana" film involved local expertise and talent from CSUSM and our surrounding area in San Diego and greater Southern California. Audiences will learn about the making of the film through the perspectives of the Oceanic Cultural Trust, a group created by the film company to serve as cultural consultants on Oceanic language and performing arts. CSUSM faculty Dr. Grant Muagututi’a served as the lead cultural consultant for the film. His work focuses on the need for Oceanic language conservation efforts through mainstream popular media, independent documentary film, community partnership programming, and in higher education institutions both locally and abroad. He, along with others involved in the film, will offer reflections on their specific roles in making the live-action film. Members of the Oceanic Cultural Trust and actors from the film will engage audiences with behind-the-scenes stories and live-action musical and dance performances exclusively for CSUSM to inspire everyone to reimagine how grassroots cultural arts education can shape more inclusive experiences of higher education and impact popular media representations.
CSU San Marcos |
Tuesday, November 17
| 4:00 PM | Film: Slash/Back During native American Heritage Month, we are showing movies featuring indigenous filmmakers. Slash/Back (2022) : In a remote Arctic community, a group of Inuit girls fight off an alien invasion, all while trying to make it to the coolest party in town. Starring: Kristian Bruun, Shaun Benson, Tasiana Shirley, Nalajoss Ellsworth, Natar Ungalaaq
Pacific Beach/Taylor Library |
| 5:00 PM | Book Talk: Memory Rehearsal In 1901, Eva Palmer abandoned her life as a privileged New York socialite, moving to Paris with her lover, the writer and salonist, Natalie Barney. The two Americans became the center of a wild tangle of lesbian love affairs and backyard performances based on intentional reimaginings of Sappho’s work and life. A chance encounter led Eva to Greece, where she married Angelos Sikelianos, a visionary poet who would become a Greek national hero. Celebrated American poet Eleni Sikelianos grew up knowing little of these illustrious ancestors, her great grandparents, who, in the early 20th century staged a revival of the ancient Delphic festivals, convinced that it would open a path to world peace. It was not until the age of 20, on her first trip to Greece, that she encountered the breadth of their legacy. In her new book, Memory Rehearsal, Sikelianos unearths the story of her search for these pioneering ancestors, in a text that shifts between prose, poetry, imaginary performance texts, fiction, and nonfiction, with archival and family photographs. Eleni will read from and discuss Memory Rehearsal, which Kirkus calls a “moving family memoir and a triumph of cultural archaeology.”
UC San Diego |
| 6:00 PM | Film: Boil that Cabbage Down More Than Rhythm: A Black Music Series is an engaging public library film series exploring the sweeping history and evolution of African diasporic music. It traces the journey of rhythm and sound from the West African roots of the banjo to the electronic beats of modern house and funk music. Each film screening will be hosted by a special guest to guide us through this history, with an audience Q & A to follow. This film uncovers the hidden past of the banjo. As a novice banjoist, the filmmaker investigates the instrument's complex history, including its origins on plantations and ties to blackface minstrelsy, embarking on a transformative journey to uncover the forgotten Black roots of the banjo. Through lessons, history and struggle, she learns to embrace the instrument’s complex legacy.
Central Library |
| Film: Let the City Speak Join us for a screening of Let the City Speak, a documentary following Quetzal, the GRAMMY-winning Chicano rock band that emerged from East Los Angeles’ vibrant music and arts scene in the mid-1990s. Led by Quetzal Flores and Martha Gonzalez, the band found inspiration in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico, embracing a philosophy that would shape their music, community organizing, and grassroots activism for decades. Directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Akira Boch, who has documented the band for nearly 30 years, the film explores the enduring connections between music, cultural identity, social justice, and community. It celebrates the Zapatista spirit that continues to guide the band’s artistic and activist work. Following the screening, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with Quetzal Flores, GRAMMY-winning producer, composer, musician, and cultural organizer, and Akira Boch, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and former director of the Watase Media Arts Center at the Japanese American National Museum. Through music, activism, and storytelling, Let the City Speak invites audiences to consider how artists can define success on their own terms and use their creative work to inspire meaningful change.
UC San Diego |
| Talk: Capturing Complexity Join us for a staged-reading presentation of “Pride: Mortal BEINGS part 1,” a one-person play written and performed by Terrell Donnell Sledge, a San Diego actor, writer, director, advocate, empowerment coach and CSUSM theatre arts lecturer. The story is an alternative telling of the fall of Lucifer – from Lucifer’s perspective – hinging on the questions of free will, love, loyalty, suffering, suicide, forgiveness and redemption. After the performance, Sledge will be joined by Stephanie Sledge – an artist, associate clinical social worker and CSUSM alumna – for a conversation about narrative representation and creative expression for self-exploration and healing. Stephanie will interview Terrell about the process of writing the play as a form of self-preservation when he was navigating academic environments prone to stereotyping and erasure of Black male identity. Guests will depart with the building blocks for harnessing their own creativity as a therapeutic tool.
CSU San Marcos |
Wednesday, November 18
| 1:45 PM | Book Talk: When Rebels Win Why do victorious rebel groups govern so differently once they take power? Join us on Wednesday, November 18 from 1:45-3:00pm at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy for a conversation with Kai M. Thaler who will discuss the key insights found in his new book from Cornell University Press, When Rebels Win. Drawing on evidence from Africa, Latin America, and Asia, Thaler shows how wartime ideology can shape statebuilding, public institutions, and postwar governance.
UC San Diego |
| 5:00 PM | Book Talk: Eleni Sikelianos and Kazim Ali Born into a family of bohemians, poets, tree workers, ne’er-do-wells, visionaries, and smalltime sort-of hustlers, Eleni Sikelianos is a poet, writer, collaborator, and “master of mixing genres” (according to TimeOut). Kirkus has called her most recent book, Memory Rehearsal (City Lights, 2026; the third book in her trilogy of ancestral encounters) “a moving family memoir and a triumph of cultural archaeology.” Deeply engaged with ecopoetics, her work takes up urgent concerns of environmental precarity and ancestral lineages. Her tenth book of poetry, Your Kingdom came out in 2023. Her work has been translated into a dozen languages, and she has in turn translated works by Jacques Roubaud, Sabine Macher, and, most recently, Mohamed Leftah. She grew up in earshot of the ocean, in small coastal towns near Goleta, and has since lived in San Francisco, New York, Paris, Athens (Greece), Boulder (Colorado), and Providence. More info at: https://www.elenisikelianos.com. Insta: @elenisikelianos
Kazim Ali is the author of over twenty books in multiple genres, including poetry, fiction, memoir, and literary studies. His research and teaching interests include Creative Writing and Literary Arts, Indigenous Studies, Global Anglophone Literature, Palestine and Palestinian Diaspora Studies, as well as Translation and Translation Studies. His book Northern Light: Power, Land, and the Memory of Water won the Banff Mountain Environmental Book Award in 2021. From 2021-2024, he served as Chair of the Literature Department. He is the founder of the small press Nightboat Books.
UC San Diego |
| 7:00 PM | Book Talk: Leyla K. King Leyla K. King is a Palestinian American Episcopal priest and writer. She is a founding member of Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies and The Small Churches Big Impact Collective. Currently, she serves as the Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. Leyla K. King has been a keeper of family stories since long before she sat down across from her grandmother with a tiny cassette tape recorder. And in this beautifully crafted memoir, she braids matriarchal memory into a vivid saga of love and survival as her ancestors flee war and poverty. From Haifa to Ramallah, Damascus, Beirut, and finally Texas, Leyla makes global politics deeply personal as family squabbles, ambition, mental illness, romance, and religion shape their immigrant journey. Narrated in immersive, lyrical vignettes, "Daughters of Palestine" is both an urgent testimony from Palestinian Christians and a timeless story of resilience.
Point Loma Nazarene University |
| 8:00 PM | Music: Quitapenas Southern California ensemble Quitapenas draws inspiration from Afro-Latin rhythms and the rich musical traditions of Latin America. Formed by first-generation sons of Guatemalan and Mexican immigrants, the group blends influences from Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Angola, and beyond into a sound shaped by movement, celebration, and joy.
“QUITAPENAS, one word – all caps, four syllables – all claps,” gives you a taste of the band’s rhythmic contagion. Named for the Spanish phrase meaning “to remove worries,” QUITAPENAS invites audiences to dance, connect, and leave their worries behind.
The Loft |
Thursday, November 19
| 4:00 PM | Talk: Small Banks, Big Politics Conventional wisdom holds that banking markets flourish where property rights are secure, the rule of law is strong, and the state keeps its hands off. China has none of these. Yet over the past three decades, the number of Chinese banks grew exponentially, and competition became fierce. Why? Adam Y. Liu argues that China’s banking sector is a market of the state, by the state, and for the state, and that its banking market grew not despite authoritarian rule but because of it.
Liu is the author of “In Authoritarian Markets: The Politics of China’s Banking Explosion” (2026). Drawing on a decade of fieldwork and extensive original data, he uncovers the political logic behind the development of banking markets in China and other authoritarian states —and explores what it means for the future of China’s economy.
UC San Diego |
| Talk: Haunted by History In this talk, Dr. Brooks will explore the concept of critical memory—the collective process of preserving and connecting meaningful moments from the past to the realities of the present. He applies this framework to the history of Black sociopolitical leadership, examining how the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. has shaped understandings of Black leadership while also highlighting the important grassroots work of figures such as Prathia Hall. Dr. Brooks will challenge simplified narratives of the Civil Rights Movement and subsequent Black freedom struggles by examining the broader networks, communities, and collective efforts that contributed to social change. The talk invites us to reconsider how we remember the past and recognize the complex histories that continue to shape sociopolitical life today.
Univeristy of San Diego |
| 5:00 PM | Talk: Holocaust Memory and its Discontents In this lecture, Rothberg will trace the rise of what became known as the “German model” of addressing a nation’s own crimes. While a few years ago it seemed obvious that countries like the United States could “learn from the Germans” to confront their troubled pasts (in Susan Neiman’s terms), today the situation seems more complicated. Focusing especially on the Federal Republic of Germany, Rothberg will survey state-level engagements with National Socialism and the Holocaust as well as grassroots efforts at commemoration that began in the 1980s. He will show how the model of Vergangenheitsbewältigung (“coming to terms with” or “mastering” the past) was consolidated after German unification and then started to fray in the twenty-first century. He will conclude by emphasizing how migration, colonialism, and the October 7/Gaza moment intersect with — and have come to unsettle — German Holocaust memory.
UC San Diego |
| 7:00 PM | Film: Elena’s War In the heart of Rome’s Jewish ghetto during WWII, one woman’s defiance became an act of heroism that history nearly forgot. This powerful historical drama tells the true story of Elena Di Porto—a fiercely independent Roman Jewish woman who defied fascism and risked everything to save lives. Branded “Elena the Crazy” for her scandalous rejection of social norms, Elena became a relentless thorn in the side of the fascist regime that threatened her community’s very existence.
La Paloma Theatre |
| Comedy: Fumi Abe Fumi Abe is a Japanese-American stand-up comedian/writer based in Los Angeles who was named Vulture’s Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2023 and was part of the 2023 Just For Laughs New Faces. He has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Dropout’s Smarty Pants, and has written for The Late Late Show with James Corden, NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!”, the ESPYs, and was most recently a Story Editor on Seth MacFarlane’s animated TV series “Ted”. Fumi has opened for national headliners such as Ronny Chieng, Ilana Glazer, Iliza Shlesinger, Tom Papa, and Hannah Berner.
Mic Drop Comedy |
Friday, November 20
| 1:00 PM | Film: Smoke Signals Smoke Signals (1998) : Award-winning drama of the spiritual journey of two Native Americans who learn some important life lessons as they travel to recover the remains of a man who was the neglectful father of one and enigmatic rescuer of the other. Starring: Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard, Gary Farmer, Tantoo Cardinal
Pacific Beach/Taylor Library |
| Talk: Kumeyaay Cosmology Curious about the Kumeyaay Cosmos? Join us for a free brief lecture introducing how one of San Diego’s original peoples looked to the skies for navigation, guidance, and to understand the origins of the universe. This cosmological knowledge remains central to Kumeyaay traditions and beliefs, which were almost lost to time through colonization. These talks are held in honor of Native American Heritage Month to help preserve this cultural knowledge for future generations. Space is limited. Please register in advance to secure your spot.
San Diego Archaeological Center |
| 7:00 PM | Music: Arpan Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego presents “Arpan | Gratitude” An evening of Khyal vocal music offered in the spirit of Thanksgiving, as gratitude to the tradition, to the gurus of the parampara, and to the audience.
Seaside Center for Spiritual Living |
| 7:30 PM | Music: Nakatani Gong Orchestra Japanese percussionist and composer Tatsuya Nakatani returns to San Diego with the Nakatani Gong Orchestra (NGO), a one-of-a-kind project that brings together local community members to create an immersive orchestra of gongs. Following an intensive workshop in Nakatani's unique performance techniques, participants—many with no formal musical training—perform an original work using Chinese wind gongs played with the artist's custom-built bows. Guided by Nakatani's live conducting, the ensemble fills the space with shimmering metallic overtones, cascading resonances, and layered waves of sound, transforming the gallery into a living sonic sculpture. Each performance is unique, shaped by the participants, the space, and the moment.
Bread & Salt Gallery |
Saturday, November 21
| 10:00 AM | Tezukuri-ichi Holiday Market Join JFGM for this annual Tezukuri-ichi Holiday market celebrating and supporting small businesses by showcasing talented local crafters and artists. It’s the perfect opportunity to find unique holiday gifts while supporting local makers and the community.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| Talk: The International Criminal Court, Global Justice & the States' Role What does international justice look like from inside the International Criminal Court? Join the San Diego World Affairs Council for a special virtual conversation with Judge Péter Kovács, who served as a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague from 2015 to 2025. Drawing on a decade at the ICC and a career spanning international law, diplomacy, human rights, and constitutional law, Judge Kovács will offer an insider’s perspective on the role of the Court and the complex realities of pursuing international criminal justice. The conversation will explore the ICC’s role in the international system, the opportunities and limitations of international criminal justice, questions of national sovereignty and international accountability, and the complicated relationship between the Court and the non state parties.
Online |
| NOON | Dance: DanzArts Anniversary Dance Recital DanzArts Non-Profit Dance Organization proudly invites you to our 20th Anniversary Showcase & Fiesta. Experience a vibrant celebration of community, passion, and tradition through the art of dance.
La Mesa Community Center |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
| Taikopalooza 2026 Taikopalooza is back again! Join us for our biennial concert showcasing the Taiko Community of San Diego at Taikopalooza 2026! Taikopalooza 2026 is a full length concert featuring the amazing talent of the Taiko Community of San Diego! Join us at the WorldBeat Cultural Center for an afternoon filled with heartfelt performances, delicious food, and history of our community.
WorldBeat Center |
| 4:00 PM | Dance: DanzArts Anniversary Dance Recital DanzArts Non-Profit Dance Organization proudly invites you to our 20th Anniversary Showcase & Fiesta. Experience a vibrant celebration of community, passion, and tradition through the art of dance.
La Mesa Community Center |
| 8:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
Sunday, November 22
| 11:00 AM | Survival Japanese Class For those yearning to visit Japan, but unsure of how to start learning Japanese, JFGM's new program – Survival Japanese, is perfect for you! Survival Japanese is a monthly course that will lead you through real-life scenarios and useful phrases to make the most of your trip. Instructor Mami Yamashita will advance your Japanese language skills to enhance your experience and travels in Japan. November: Restaurant & rules for chopsticks (and how to tell what you can't eat)
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| Dance: De Colores “De Colores Youth Dance Production,” presented by Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts showcases the history of Mexico through dance. Presented are various regions such as Hidalgo, Veracruz, Estado de Mexico, Sinaloa, a creative piece on Mayan civilization, Afro-Mexico, Son Jarocho and more. Also, under our LuMaya Music program, LuMaya “the little girl with the BIG voice,” will challange herself with one of her newer covers. Besides enjoying the performance, you can see the work Tierra Caliente Academy does in developing young dancers. The youth students will showcase what they have been working on this 2nd half of the year and demonstrate their progress. Support our youth dancers and support the cultural arts. See you at the show!!
California Center for the Arts |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: The Cottage A hilarious web of revelations unravels in this wickedly funny farce where matters of the heart are never simple. Set in the English countryside in 1923, THE COTTAGE is a side-splitting romp where passion collides with propriety and scandal erupts behind closed doors. When secrets can no longer stay hidden, love, marriage, loyalty, and desire are called into question. A screwball comedy where betrayal has never been this much fun.
North Coast Repertory Theatre |
| Kokeshi Doll Painting At first glance you may think Kokeshi dolls to be cute souvenirs resembling Japanese traditional wear, but there is more to meets the eye with these dolls! Join us in both learning about the craftsmanship of Kokeshi dolls that is nearly 200 years old, as well as testing out your art skills and getting to paint your own Kokeshi doll. No prior paint experience is needed, just bring your creativity!
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 3:00 PM | Music: The Naghash Ensemble Arrive curious, leave amazed. The ensemble’s ethereal sound will captivate vocal, global, and early music lovers alike. Swaying rhythms and infectious beats bring a contemporary pulse to original music composed for traditional instruments rooted in ancient Middle Eastern and Persian traditions. Paired with lyrics from medieval Armenia, the result is an unforgettable musical journey that feels both ancient and strikingly modern.
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center |
| Dance: De Colores “De Colores Youth Dance Production,” presented by Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts showcases the history of Mexico through dance. Presented are various regions such as Hidalgo, Veracruz, Estado de Mexico, Sinaloa, a creative piece on Mayan civilization, Afro-Mexico, Son Jarocho and more. Also, under our LuMaya Music program, LuMaya “the little girl with the BIG voice,” will challange herself with one of her newer covers. Besides enjoying the performance, you can see the work Tierra Caliente Academy does in developing young dancers. The youth students will showcase what they have been working on this 2nd half of the year and demonstrate their progress. Support our youth dancers and support the cultural arts. See you at the show!!
California Center for the Arts |
Tuesday, November 24
| 7:00 PM | Film: Cinema Paradiso Cinema Paradiso is the beautiful, enchanting story of a young boy’s lifelong love affair with the movies. Set in an Italian village, Salvatore finds himself enchanted by the flickering images at the Cinema Paradiso, yearning for the secret of the cinema’s magic. When the projectionist, Alfredo, agrees to reveal the mysteries of moviemaking, a deep friendship is born. The day comes for Salvatore to leave the village and pursue his dream of making movies of his own. Thirty years later he receives a message that beckons him back home to a secret and beautiful discovery that awaits him.
Digital Gym Cinema |
| 8:00 PM | Music: Kabaka Pyramid Join us for a special night of roots reggae, conscious music, and gratitude as Kabaka Pyramid returns to the WorldBeat Cultural Center. As we enter a season of giving thanks, we gather through reggae music to celebrate community, culture, and the blessings that carry us forward. Kabaka Pyramid is a Grammy Award-winning Jamaican reggae artist known for blending roots reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop with thoughtful lyrics centered on African consciousness, spirituality, social justice, and upliftment. His acclaimed album The Kalling, produced by Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, earned the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. Come give thanks, feel the vibrations, and experience Kabaka Pyramid live in San Diego.
WorldBeat Center |
Friday, November 27
| 8:00 PM | Music: Cristian Castro Cristian Sáinz Castro is a Mexican pop singer. He is the son of actors Verónica Castro and Manuel "El Loco" Valdés, and nephew of actors Ramón Valdés and Germán "Tin-Tan" Valdés. Castro has sold over 12 million records, making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all-time.
Pechenga Arena |
Saturday, November 28
| 9:30 AM | Kintsugi Workshop Kintsugi is the ancient Japanese technique of repairing ceramics with gold. In Japanese Zen aesthetics, broken bowls and dishes should continue to attract our respect and attention. The broken pieces should be reassembled and glued back together with a lacquer that is inflected with gold powder. There should be no attempt to hide or disguise the breaks but rather to make something artful out of them. Kintsugi is a wonderful metaphor for life. We all experience difficulties and traumatic events in our lives. Applying Kintsugi to our lives means being bold, rather than hiding the so-called cracks and imperfections in ourselves. In this workshop you will learn a little about the history and philosophy of kintsugi while repairing two ceramic pieces to take home. Learn to embellish your pieces using both gold mica powders and gold leaf colors. Students will also receive complete instructions and a supply list, as well as receiving a sample of your choice of three gold mica powder colors.
San Diego Craft Collective |
| 11:00 AM | House of Somalia Lawn Program The House of Somalia is our first African house at the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages here in Balboa Park. Join us for food and entertainment!
House of Pacific Relations |
Sunday, November 29
| 10:00 AM | Hello Japan! Class: Japanese Celebrations, Shrines, Temples & Adjectives A perfect starting point for new learners who want both language skills and cultural understanding. Students will learn simple grammar, paired with cultural lessons about food, festivals, manners, and modern life in Japan. By the end of the course, students will feel confident using basic Japanese and more connected to the heart of Japanese culture.Theme: Japanese Celebrations, Shrines, Temples & Adjectives In this lesson students will learn about two important Japanese life celebrations: • Shichi-Go-San (七五三) — a traditional celebration for children’s growth at ages 3, 5, and 7 • Seijin-shiki (成人式) — Coming-of-Age Ceremony celebrating young adults becoming 20 years old Students will learn about Japanese cultural places and the differences between: • Jinja (神社) — Shinto shrine • Otera (お寺) — Buddhist temple Students will also learn how to describe people, places, and things using Japanese adjectives.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 11:15 AM | Hello Japan! Class: Shichi-Go-San & Seijin-shiki Building on the basics, this course takes students deeper into Japanese grammar and sentence structure while developing real conversational fluency. Through dialogue, role-play, and cultural context, learners will move beyond textbook phrases to express ideas and navigate everyday situations with confidence. By the end, students will hold conversations more naturally and connect with Japanese culture on a more meaningful level. Explore two important milestones in Japanese culture: Shichi-Go-San, the traditional celebration of children\'s growth, and Seijin-shiki, Japan\'s Coming-of-Age Ceremony. Students will also learn about the differences between Shinto shrines (神社) and Buddhist temples (お寺) while discussing Japanese customs and family traditions.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
Tuesday, December 1
| 6:30 PM | Talk: The Filipino Ethnic Enclave in the Gaslamp Quarter The Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation, in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library, is proud to present a special presentation by award-winning journalist-author, Marivi Soliven in conversation with Southwestern professor Dr. Joseph Allen Ruanto-Ramirez about the history of the community of Filipino migrant workers who lived and struggled in downtown San Diego during the 1930s. What were the living conditions faced by the community while racial discrimination and anti-miscegenation law brought intense societal pressure and physical hostility against Filipinos in San Diego? Marivi’s exciting new novel Taxi Dancer is based on a true story set in the historic downtown Stingaree District.
Central Library |
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Book of the Month
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
