Celebrate Shichi-Go-San, where children will have the opportunity to be dressed in traditional kimonos and photographed in the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum! Traditionally in Japan, girls (ages three and seven) and boys (age five) are dressed in traditional kimonos and brought to the nearby shrines in order to pray for good health.
Bonsai has been part of the artist’s life for many years, both in his artistic work and as a practitioner of the craft. He has studied the art of bonsai with teachers in Southern California and in Japan, learning not only how trees are shaped, but how time, patience, observation, and thoughtful intervention become part of their character. Those same ideas have increasingly found their way into his artwork. The works in this exhibition represent his exploration of bonsai over the past two years through oil painting, mixed media, woodblock printing, and monoprint. Some works begin with a particular tree and remain closely connected to its individual character. Others move further from direct representation, using color, pattern, texture, and layered processes to explore the presence and energy he experiences when looking at bonsai.
San Diego Craft Collective, Songbirds Music, and Apt4Music present a family celebration of the Mexican Día de los Muertos tradition. Activities include decorating calavera cookies, music-making, handmade memorial shrines, art activities, and a procession through the Dorothea Laub Music & Arts Center. Participants can learn about the traditions of remembrance associated with the holiday.
Join California-born, Havana-based percussionist Miguelito León, director of Cuba’s Rumba All-Stars and endorsed artist of LP Latin Percussion, Vic Firth, and SABIAN, for a special Afro-Cuban drum and song workshop honoring the life and legacy of legendary rumba master Maximino Duquesne Martínez. This free, donation-based workshop aims to raise funds for a permanent resting place for Maximino at Havana’s historic Cementerio de Colón, where many of Cuba’s greatest cultural and musical icons are buried. Currently resting in a temporary communal grave, Maximino deserves a lasting memorial where future generations can honor his extraordinary contributions to Cuban music and culture. Come learn, celebrate, and help preserve the legacy of a true rumba legend!
Old Town San Diego transforms into a vibrant tribute to Día de los Muertos, with fanciful and visually striking décor filling the Fiesta de Reyes courtyard from September through early November. The main fiesta weekend brings free music, food, and cultural celebrations across two days at the end of October. Families can wander through this immersive experience together, taking in the playful and artful displays that honor the tradition.
The Old Globe Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead Celebration) in San Diego, California, invites the community to honor loved ones through a lively blend of music, dance, and traditional altars. Hosted at the iconic Old Globe, this event features performances, art workshops, and opportunities to learn about the rich cultural significance of Día de los Muertos. Families and visitors of all ages can participate in hands-on activities and enjoy colorful displays that celebrate life and remembrance. This annual gathering fosters connection and cultural appreciation in a welcoming, festive atmosphere.
A community Día de los Muertos celebration featuring live performances, art activities, and an ofrenda designed by Mexican artist Betsabeé Romero in collaboration with San Diego students. The event explores remembrance and the traditions surrounding the Mexican Day of the Dead.
A living-history festival exploring San Diego's past through demonstrations and family activities. Cultural programming includes Kumeyaay bird songs and dances, a Kumeyaay drum circle, and demonstrations of Native California tools, along with blacksmithing and other historical activities.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Experience the spirit of Día de los Muertos as Downtown Chula Vista, San Diego, transforms with colorful cempasúchil flowers, lively music, and community altars. This free, family-friendly celebration features an Ofrenda Competition, Catrín and Catrina Ensemble contests, live performances across multiple stages, a car show, and hands-on kids' crafts. Stroll through Mercado by Las Jefas Market to discover artisan vendors and enjoy delicious food and themed photo opportunities throughout the neighborhood. Guests are encouraged to bring a photo to contribute to the Community Ofrenda at Davidson, honoring loved ones in a meaningful, shared tribute.
Celebrate culture, art, and community at the 31st Annual Día de Muertos Festival! This beloved community celebration brings traditional and contemporary expressions of Día de Muertos together through art, music, dance, food, and remembrance.
A Día de Muertos celebration bringing together Mexican culinary traditions, chefs from both sides of the border, cultural elements of the holiday, and a fundraiser benefiting Fundación Tijuana Sin Hambre.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
For this special Día de los Muertos performance, Bulbancha YaYa (Antonio Econom) explores the musical and cultural space between New Orleans and Mexico, focusing on the two traditions deeply shaped by ancestry, ritual, celebration, and remembrance. Expect an evening that moves between the earthy and the ethereal, pairing Mexican folkloric music with the groove, soul, and mysticism of the Crescent City. From the Bayou to the Beyond: A Día de los Muertos Night is a celebration of those who came before us and the music, stories, and traditions that keep them with us. Legal Venue Login
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at the library! Stop by for free calavera face painting and visit our Día de los Muertos ofrenda. Face painting is available while supplies last.
What happens inside families when immigration policy changes the marriage market? This webinar examines South Korea’s 2008-10 reforms, which unexpectedly reduced foreign-bride inflows and tightened local marriage markets. Using administrative records, household surveys and divorce registries, Wookun Kim will present on the effects on marriage formation, women’s bargaining power and employment, children’s education spending, divorce, and spouses’ well-being. The discussion will highlight how immigration policy can have far-reaching consequences beyond migration and labor markets. Professor Hyelim Son of the University of Seoul will provide insightful feedback as our discussant.
Southwestern College's Mariachi Garibaldi, directed by Jeffrey Nevin, performs with the Classics 4 Kids Philharmonic Orchestra under Dana Zimbric. The concert celebrates Mexican musical traditions and commemorates the centennials of composers Rubén Fuentes, José Alfredo Jiménez, and Tomás Méndez. The performance is presented in recognition of Día de Muertos.
From Oscar®-nominated and Emmy® Award-winning filmmaker Poh Si Teng, American Doctor follows three American physicians— Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian—united by a single oath to save lives. After volunteering in besieged hospitals in Gaza, they return home determined to fight for the patients and colleagues they left behind, taking their battle from the front lines of war to the halls of Congress.
Join us for an intimate evening with Yaryna Chornohuz, an award-winning Ukrainian poet and senior corporal in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in conversation with Amelia Glaser, UCSD professor and English translator of Yaryna’s poetry. A combat medic and reconnaissance soldier serving with Ukraine’s 140th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion since 2019, Chornohuz writes from the front lines — literally. Her 2023 collection, "[dasein: defence of presence]," won Ukraine’s highest literary honor, the Taras Shevchenko National Prize, in 2024. She has been profiled by the New Yorker and the New York Times, named one of Ukraine’s 100 most influential women by Focus magazine, and has testified before the US Congress on the need to support Ukraine’s defense. Amelia Glaser will moderate the discussion and speak to the process and challenges of translating Yaryna’s work. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase Yaryna’s poetry collections in English translation and have their copies signed.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Marcello Mastroianni, as a lonely city transplant, and Maria Schell, as a sheltered girl haunted by a lover’s promise, meet by chance on a canal bridge and begin a tentative romance that quickly entangles them in a web of longing and self-delusion. Luchino Visconti’s WHITE NIGHTS is an exquisite adaptation of Dostoevsky’s legendary novella, transforming this romantic, shattering tale of two restless souls into a ravishing black-and-white dream.
Born and raised in Tokyo, Yuki Chiba is a Japanese rapper that has helped redefine the rap scene in his country and beyond. Yuki had a childhood marked by adversity, but music helped him and his brother get through many dark times. He began writing and producing at 18, and his career really took off in 2014 when he – known at the time as KOHH – his brother, Lil KOHH, released the viral hit “Young Forever.” With his debut album “MONOCHROME”, he broke out of Japan’s underground hip-hop scene and began reaching global audiences who were drawn to his raw, distinctive style.
Enjoy a free concert of music from Bulgaria and other Balkan countries performed by the musicians of Tzidia at the Vista Library. A San Diego-based ensemble, Tzidia performs ethnic dance music from the Balkans and surrounding areas, plus Scandinavia. Expect to see traditional instruments of the region and to hear exciting and unusual rhythms! The group features Marie Hayes (vocals), Paul Johnson (violin), Mary Marshall (percussion), Mary Ann Downs Tanaka (vocals and tambura), Matt Wardynski (clarinet and bass) and Dan Ziagos (accordion).
Yaryna Chornohuz Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, Yaryna Chornohuz is a writer, a poet, and a sergeant in the Ukrainian Marine Corps. She first volunteered for Ukraine's defense effort in 2019 as a combat medic. She later joined the Marines and retrained as a drone pilot. As a service member, she has been awarded the medals For Saving a Life, For Military Service to Ukraine, and the Badge of Honor of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. Chornohuz is the author of three poetry collections – How the War Circle Bends (2020), [dasein: defense of presence] (2023), and Nobody’s Saffron (2025). Her first nonfiction book, documenting six years of her experience as a female combatant in Russia's war against Ukraine, is forthcoming in Ukrainian. She was awarded Ukraine's highest literary distinction, the Taras Shevchenko National Prize (2024), for [dasein: defense of presence], as well as the UN Women in Arts Award (2024). Her poetry has been translated into English, French, German, Polish, and other languages. She is a member of PEN Ukraine.
Amelia Glaser is a Professor of Literature at UCSD, and a translator from Ukrainian, Yiddish, and Russian. She is the author of Jews and Ukrainians in Russia’s Literary Borderlands (2012) and Songs in Dark Times: Yiddish Poetry of Struggle from Scottsboro to Palestine (2020). Her translations and co-translations from Ukrainian include books by Halyna Kruk, Iya Kiva, and Yaryna Chornohuz. Her translations of Chornohuz's [dasein] and Nobody’s Saffron have appeared, respectively, with Jantar (2025) and Arrowsmith (2026).
Just across the blue bridge from downtown San Diego lies Coronado—a storied island where Marilyn Monroe filmed Some Like It Hot, Charlie Chaplin strolled the streets, and Tom Cruise took flight. From Hollywood icons to dignitaries and dreamers, Coronado has long been a stage for history and imagination. Building on that legacy, the Coronado Island Film Festival was founded ten years ago as a creative crossroads—where filmmakers, screenwriters, emerging artists, and industry leaders come together to connect, inspire, and celebrate the power of storytelling. With premieres, panels, workshops, and the celebrated Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Gala, CIFF is where the art and impact of cinema shine brightest.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Join us for a magical evening celebrating the timeless beauty of Iraqi music, brought to life by a talented group of Iraqi women. Guests can expect an atmosphere of joy, nostalgia, and cultural connection—a chance to sing along to familiar melodies, reconnect with our Iraqi roots, and share the magic of our musical heritage with friends and fellow music lovers.
Just across the blue bridge from downtown San Diego lies Coronado—a storied island where Marilyn Monroe filmed Some Like It Hot, Charlie Chaplin strolled the streets, and Tom Cruise took flight. From Hollywood icons to dignitaries and dreamers, Coronado has long been a stage for history and imagination. Building on that legacy, the Coronado Island Film Festival was founded ten years ago as a creative crossroads—where filmmakers, screenwriters, emerging artists, and industry leaders come together to connect, inspire, and celebrate the power of storytelling. With premieres, panels, workshops, and the celebrated Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Gala, CIFF is where the art and impact of cinema shine brightest.
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
Japan is undergoing a little-noticed demographic shift: a growing influx of Chinese entrepreneurs, intellectuals and education-focused families relocating for stability. Drawing on years of reporting from Tokyo, GPS alumnus and journalist Takehiro Masutomo examines the rise of this "Run Ri" movement and what it means for a country long defined by its relative homogeneity. From surging property purchases and competition for elite schools to Chinese-language bookstores and exiled intellectuals, Tokyo is emerging as a new hub for the Chinese diaspora – leading some to call it the “next Hong Kong.” But this growing presence has also fueled unease and anti-foreigner rhetoric. Masutomo's reporting brought this overlooked population into public view and helped to ignite a national debate in Japan that has contributed to tighter visa policies. He explores the tension between economic necessity and cultural anxiety shaping Japan's immigration debate.
University of San Diego historian Molly McClain examines the spinning wheel as a symbol of political resistance and women's labor across different historical and cultural settings. Her presentation considers women's spinning protests during the American Revolution, Gandhi's use of the charkha during India's independence movement, and the labor of enslaved women whose cotton production sustained the textile industry.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Join us for a FREE special one-night-only performance celebrating the exceptional talent of mariachi students from high schools and universities across San Diego County. This capstone performance brings together some of the region’s top young mariachi musicians for an evening of music, tradition, and community. Experience four distinct performances featuring Mariachi Juvenil de San Diego, La Jolla Music Society’s premier youth ensemble led by Serafin Paredes; the High School Mariachi Honor Band; the College Mariachi Honor Band; and Latin GRAMMY®-nominated musician Javier Rodríguez with special guests. The program features beloved favorites from the Jalisco region alongside original arrangements by Javier Rodríguez and Sergio Caratachea Álvarez, showcasing the artistry and dedication of these emerging musicians.
Magda is a binational artist who really really wants to be a mom despite what that might mean for her mental health and her marriage to Jazmin. Jaz prefers to preserve the life they have built and pursue the career she’s always dreamt of. Together they confront family ties, competing ambitions, and the demands of their marriage. Can a marriage survive when one person desperately wants a child and the other does not?
The show goes on! WorldBeat Cultural Center is excited to announce that we have successfully renegotiated and decided to move forward with our November 5 concert, featuring Alborosie LIVE on SoundSystem! After 12 years since his last performance at WorldBeat Center, Alborosie returns to San Diego for a special night of roots reggae, conscious lyrics, and powerful vibrations. This concert is also part of WorldBeat Cultural Center’s End-of-Year Fundraising Campaign, helping us continue our mission of preserving and sharing music, arts, and culture with the community.
Just across the blue bridge from downtown San Diego lies Coronado—a storied island where Marilyn Monroe filmed Some Like It Hot, Charlie Chaplin strolled the streets, and Tom Cruise took flight. From Hollywood icons to dignitaries and dreamers, Coronado has long been a stage for history and imagination. Building on that legacy, the Coronado Island Film Festival was founded ten years ago as a creative crossroads—where filmmakers, screenwriters, emerging artists, and industry leaders come together to connect, inspire, and celebrate the power of storytelling. With premieres, panels, workshops, and the celebrated Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Gala, CIFF is where the art and impact of cinema shine brightest.
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
Join us in person for a free workshop celebrating the vibrant cultural arts of the T'boli people. SAMAHAN Arts welcomes T’boli master artist Yebong Lyn Amfan Buti for a one-hour session exploring T’boli cultural arts, including traditional dance techniques, music, attire, and other indigenous traditions. Affectionately called “Yebong” (a respectful T’boli term for “big aunt”), she is a highly regarded a T'boli culture bearer. A ritual specialist, artist, performer, and chef featured on GMA 7 and ABS-CBN, she has dedicated her life to preserving and teaching T’boli traditions, sharing her culture internationally in places like San Francisco, New York and at Moda de Filipinas 2026 in London. Yebong Lyn's people. the T'boli are an indigenous Lumad group living mainly in the highlands of South Cotabato, especially around Lake Sebu and the nearby mountain slopes. South Cotabato is in Mindanao, Southern Phlippines. The T'boli are celebrated for their colorful traditional clothing, detailed beadwork, and brass ornaments, but most famously for the sacred T’nalak cloth—carefully handwoven from abacá fibers and adorned with ancestral patterns that embody stories, beliefs, and identity passed down through generations.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
El Alebrije is a creative youth ballet performance. This is a reimagining of the traditional Nutcracker featuring 160 youth performers from ages 8 – 18 and their parents.
Just across the blue bridge from downtown San Diego lies Coronado—a storied island where Marilyn Monroe filmed Some Like It Hot, Charlie Chaplin strolled the streets, and Tom Cruise took flight. From Hollywood icons to dignitaries and dreamers, Coronado has long been a stage for history and imagination. Building on that legacy, the Coronado Island Film Festival was founded ten years ago as a creative crossroads—where filmmakers, screenwriters, emerging artists, and industry leaders come together to connect, inspire, and celebrate the power of storytelling. With premieres, panels, workshops, and the celebrated Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Gala, CIFF is where the art and impact of cinema shine brightest.
All ages are invited to get crafty and celebrate Diwali by learning how to make a rangoli suncatcher. This beautiful decoration is fun for kids to make and can be attached to a window to let the sun shine through the festive colors!
Diana Duro, president of the Kupa Song and Dance Group, leads a hands-on workshop in making acorn necklaces in recognition of Native American Heritage Month. The activity introduces participants to a traditional material associated with Indigenous communities of Southern California.
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
Celebrate the official book release of Along the Way with artist and author Louis De Guzman, presented by The Shop. "I’ve always lived by the saying, “The journey is the best part,” and after more than 15 years of moving through life, creating, experiencing, and reflecting, I can wholeheartedly say that I believe it. What began as simply capturing moments along the way has, almost unknowingly, evolved into something much more personal—a collection of memories, emotions, lessons, and experiences brought together in the form of a book. Rather than simply documenting imagery or celebrating milestones, Along The Way invites me into a more vulnerable space: one where I can revisit these moments, sit with the emotions they carried, and reflect on the person I was then and the person I’ve become. In many ways, this work feels like a compiled journal—an intimate record of the places, people, challenges, and beautiful in-between moments that the Team and I have been fortunate enough to experience together. The process of revisiting it all has been deeply cathartic, reminding me that the meaning we find in our lives is often not in where we arrive, but in everything that shapes us along the way." Louis De Guzman (b. 1989) is a Filipino-American award-winning visual artist and designer who creates artwork that merges his past with his present. Over the last decade De Guzman has proved himself as a true multidisciplinary artist by blending both traditional and experimental techniques in his work. His signature geometric abstraction style often blends together images and stories that represent his family's immigrant journey, as well as his own experience as a second generation Filipino American. De Guzman's career has led him to create well-received original bodies of work as well as interpretations of licensed intellectual property.
Artists Einar and Jamex de la Torre present work informed by their immigrant experiences, bicultural identities, and lives on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Their mixed-media work combines blown glass and installation with influences ranging from Mexican vernacular and pre-Columbian art to religious iconography and German Expressionism.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Join us in the woodshop for this 3-hour kumiko skill-building workshop! Kumiko is an ancient Japanese woodworking technique of assembling individual pieces of wood, without the use of nails, into geometric patterns. Kumiko has been used in constructing shoji screens, latticework, and other decorative elements in traditional Japanese architecture. In this workshop, Instructor Michael Olin guides students as they learn the basics of kumiko, including the use of hand tools to cut the pieces and assemble the frame. Each student will work on a small project to finish and take home.
Join us for two uplifting concerts celebrating racial justice! The weekend starts with a breathtaking performance by Tonality, a two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning choral ensemble based in Los Angeles. Their performance is followed by our Sankofa Celebration Concert, featuring FUMCSD’s Masterwork Chorale and Chancel Choir and conducted by Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake. All proceeds from the concert support FUMCSD’s Racial Justice Ministry, as we pursue repentance, justice, and reconciliation and commit to a new way of being. Proceeds will help commission a special piece of sacred art for our Sanctuary celebrating the Imago Dei—the image of God—in the beautiful diversity of humanity.
Corazon de Vida Foundation returns with the annual Noche de Gala, presented by title sponsors TCWGlobal and Boujiemana. An unforgettable evening celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) while raising critical funds for children in alternative care in Baja, Mexico. With presenting sponsor Global Partners. Themed attire is encouraged. Join us for a magical night of giving, where generosity paves the road to a bright future.
El Alebrije is a creative youth ballet performance. This is a reimagining of the traditional Nutcracker featuring 160 youth performers from ages 8 – 18 and their parents.
Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego presents “Thanthri Sangamam” In partnership with SaMaa Arts LLC Featuring: Sangita Kalanidhi R.K. Shriramkumar and V.V.S. Murari (Violin Duet) N. Manoj Siva (Mridangam) V. Anirudh Athreya (Kanjira) Spotlight Series at 4:30 PM: Bharathanatyam by Esha Anand Disciple of Guru Smt. Aler Krishnan Abhinaya Arts Academy
San Diego, this one's for you. Desi Comedy Fest, the biggest South Asian comedy festival in America, brings its SoCal Tour to the Gaslamp for one night only. Our mission is simple: showcase the funniest comedians of South Asian heritage from around the globe and create a live comedy experience unlike anything else. Six to eight comedians share one stage, back to back, for two hours of nonstop laughs. The lineup celebrates the full diversity of the diaspora: Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Nepali and beyond. From Bollywood to brown parents to growing up between two cultures, this is comedy that hits different when the whole room gets the joke. And everybody's invited, no translation needed. Featured on NBC, CBS, Just For Laughs and SF Sketchfest, the Fest has sold out rooms across America for over a decade, with comedians who have been part of Netflix Is A Joke, launched specials on Amazon and HBO, and appeared on late night from Letterman to Conan.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Pedro Sampaio is a Brazilian musician and music producer best known for his collaborations with Lexa on the songs "Sentado," "Bota Pra Tremer," and "Chama Ela." He began to realize his knack for percussion at the age of 13 by playing with a bucket.
Just across the blue bridge from downtown San Diego lies Coronado—a storied island where Marilyn Monroe filmed Some Like It Hot, Charlie Chaplin strolled the streets, and Tom Cruise took flight. From Hollywood icons to dignitaries and dreamers, Coronado has long been a stage for history and imagination. Building on that legacy, the Coronado Island Film Festival was founded ten years ago as a creative crossroads—where filmmakers, screenwriters, emerging artists, and industry leaders come together to connect, inspire, and celebrate the power of storytelling. With premieres, panels, workshops, and the celebrated Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Gala, CIFF is where the art and impact of cinema shine brightest.
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
The closing celebration of the San Diego Food + Wine Festival focuses on the culinary and cultural connections linking San Diego, Mexico, and Latin America. The event features chefs from San Diego and Baja California, Mexican wines and spirits, Taco TKO, live Latin music, art, cultural discussions, and demonstrations of traditional foods and spirits.
The Classics Philharmonic Orchestra performs with Southwestern College's Mariachi Garibaldi and folklórico dancers in a family concert combining mariachi, orchestral music, dance, and selections inspired by the San Diego Museum of Art's Art of the Americas collection.
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
Join us for two uplifting concerts celebrating racial justice! The weekend starts with a breathtaking performance by Tonality, a two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning choral ensemble based in Los Angeles. Their performance is followed by our Sankofa Celebration Concert, featuring FUMCSD’s Masterwork Chorale and Chancel Choir and conducted by Dr. Alexander Lloyd Blake. All proceeds from the concert support FUMCSD’s Racial Justice Ministry, as we pursue repentance, justice, and reconciliation and commit to a new way of being. Proceeds will help commission a special piece of sacred art for our Sanctuary celebrating the Imago Dei—the image of God—in the beautiful diversity of humanity.
Indian Fine Arts Academy of San Diego presents “Deepa Jyothi” In partnership with KMR School of Mridangam Featuring: Vignesh Ishwar (Vocal) H.N. Bhaskar (Violin) Praveen Sparsh (Mridangam) Chandrasekara Sharma (Ghatam)
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.
The streets of Verona are dangerous due to the ancient strife between the Capulets and the Montagues. From this enmity grows an innocent, pure love between two young people that can solve the rift between the two households. Shakespeare’s great play is a story of love, friendship, detestation, family, and what happens when we don’t listen to our youth and hold onto our differences.
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
Judith A. Peraino is Professor of Music and Sound Studies at Cornell University. Her publications include articles on medieval music, Blondie, David Bowie, PJ Harvey, Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, and Pussy Riot; and the books Listening to the Sirens: Musical Technologies of Queer Identity from Homer to Hedwig, and Giving Voice to Love: Song and Self-Expression from the Troubadours to Guillaume de Machaut. She is co-author (with Tom McEnaney) of We’re Having Much More Fun: Punk Archives for the Present from CBGB to Gilman and Beyond.
Tom Enaney (Associate Professor of Comparative Literature and Spanish & Portuguese, UC Berkeley) writes about sonic media, music, and literature from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the United States. He is the author of Acoustic Properties: Radio, Narrative, and the New Neighborhood of the Americas (2017), and many articles in venues like diacritics, the Journal of Musicology, PMLA, Representations, and Revista de estudios hispánicos. He is an Associate Professor in the departments of Comparative Literature and Spanish & Portuguese, and craiglist Distinguished Chair in New Media at UC Berkeley, as well as co-director of the UC-Cuba Academic Initiative.
Anna Joy Springer (she, they) is a lifelong Californian whose artistic work uses fantastical, speculative, and other figurative modes to explore the nature of interbeing and to register lesser cultural currents through writing and pictures. She is author of The Birdwisher, The Vicious Red Relic, Love, and The Forests of the Vicious Red Relic, Love: A Companion to the Memoir, along with other publications across genres. Frontwoman of former punk bands Blatz, The Gr’ups, and Cypher in the Snow, Anna Joy’s hardcore full-throated feminism inflects a wildly responsive performance style that’s saturated in femme camp, intellectual reflexivity, and political outrage.
Adventures by the Book presents international bestselling author Heather Morris discusses her historical novel The Piano Teacher of Montparnasse, inspired by real people and events during the Holocaust. The discussion explores the historical background of the novel, the role of music, and experiences of courage and survival. A live piano performance precedes the author's presentation.
United Women of East Africa Support Team is a cultural hub providing services and advocacy to cultivate resilience, self-sufficiency, and well-being in San Diego’s East African community. A cultural impact celebration honoring East African heritage, its language, dance, food, and art, while bringing together our community partners, supporters, and donors in shared appreciation and connection.
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
Join the Kroc School of Peace Studies for an evening with musician and peacebuilder Daryl Davis. For over 40 years, Davis has pursued one of the most unusual paths to reconciliation in modern memory, engaging leaders of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups in sustained, patient conversation. His work has always emphasized the belief that dialogue, not division, is what ultimately breaks the cycle of fear, hatred, and violence.
Join us and instructor Miss Claudia for drawing and painting Aboriginal Dot Paintings with Art Smarts using different mediums as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month! A fun, exciting one hour art class for ages 5 - 17. *Seats are limited to 20 and registration is required for each participant:
Author Stephen Graham Jones discusses his historical horror novel The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, the 2026 One Book, One San Diego adult selection. The novel explores Blackfeet history, colonial violence, and the 1870 Marias Massacre through a supernatural story of revenge. The program includes a moderated conversation, audience questions, and a book signing.
The Worldview Project is a proud community supporter for One Book - One San San Diego!
Rodrigo y Gabriela is a Mexican acoustic guitar combo influenced by a variety of genres such as nuevo flamenco, rock, and heavy metal. Instrumental flamenco guitar duets make up the majority of the duo’s recordings. They have five studio albums, three live albums, and one EP to their credit.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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 .
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.
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.
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
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
