Learn to dance cumbia with In Lak'ech Dance Academy and experience a night of live music, community, and movement. The evening kicks off with a conversation with local musicians and DJs about the Bay Area’s growing queer cumbia scene and how they’ve built a community through rhythm born from Afro-Indigenous resilience.
Then we’ll bring the energy up with a gender-inclusive, all-levels dance lesson from In Lak’ech Dance Academy, an LGBTQ+ studio in Oakland, just in time to hit the floor to high-energy live music from psychedelic cumbia band Ritmos Tropicosmos and the dynamic, genre-bending ensemble Bululú. DJ sets from Mare.E.Fresh (Chulita Vinyl Club, Velvet Cloud Radio) and Sizzle Fantastic (Cumbiatón) will keep the dance floor hot ’til late.
Tiles and Tales: Mahjong, Dumplings and Family Traditions
Tuesday, June 17 In Person: $24.38 | Livestream: Free
Join host Cecilia Lei, Nicole Wong author of Mahjong: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora, Kyle Casey Chu “Panda Dulce” author of The Queen Bees of Tybee County and Comedian K. Cheung for a memorable evening filled with storytelling and all the fun of Mahjong!
Whether you’re a Mahjong pro or a curious newbie, you’ll have a chance to dive into the game with a guided session and some hands-on practice.
Treat yourself to some tasty dumplings provided by Dumpling Time! Come for the stories and snacks, then stay for the game!
For Frameline49’s official Juneteeth screening, acclaimed filmmakers Daniel Junge (Challenger: The Final Flight) and Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI) put the spotlight back on Carl Bean, whose journey of liberation surprises at every turn.
From a childhood filled with hardship, through music industry triumph, Bean’s ultimate legacy was in founding the Minority AIDS Project — the first to advocate for the care and education of Black and brown people with AIDS. For his final act, Bean returned to his gospel roots and established the Unity Fellowship Church, preaching acceptance and healing to his community. This star-studded documentary features Gaga, Dionne Warwick, and Rep. Maxine Waters singing Bean’s praises, but it’s performer extraordinaire Billy Porter who pays the ultimate tribute when he rescues the title song’s long-lost B-side from the archives.
Did you know there is an observatory just outside San Jose?
The Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton has been at the forefront of astronomy since its founding in 1888. It was debuted as the world’s first year-round accessible mountain-top observatory.
Join Bay Curious, the KQED podcast that answers listeners’ questions about curiosities in the Bay, to explore this historic observatory way on top of a mountain. This is a small, private tour, so space will be limited.
Between the Edges of Space: SF Story Fest KQED Showcase
Tuesday, July 8 In Person: $24.38
Back Pocket Media, the award-winning collective of producers, artists, and journalists, debuts its acclaimed storytelling festival in San Francisco. In this special evening of breakout programming, Back Pocket Media joins forces with KQED journalists and Back Pocket storytellers to share powerful, personal narratives about migration—journeys that span borders, generations, and identities. You’ll hear everything from stories of resilience to personal reflections on home and identity, all showing the real, human side of migration.
Taste how Hog Island oysters and Golden State Pickle Works innovate with the challenges that come with climate change. Both vendors from the Ferry Building will be in conversation with climate journalist Laura Klivans and food journalist Cecilia Phillips about how their cultivation practices are shifting. Featuring yummy oysters, hot sauce, and pickles, we’ll deep dive into how foodies are pursuing good stewardship practices of the earth.
Climate Book Club: Climate Stewardship: Taking Collective Action to Protect California
Thursday, July 17 In Person: $18.67
Climate action starts with talking about it, and the KQED Climate Book Club, led by journalist Danielle Venton, gives us something to talk about. You can read the book and join the conversation online in advance. This summer, we’ll be reading Adina Merenlender and Brendan Buhler's Climate Stewardship: Taking Collective Action to Protect California. Grab your copy now! Bring some books you’re ready to give away at our book exchange, and grab one or two new ones to keep the conversation going! Refreshments included.
