Past Events

UC Santa Cruz Merrill Cultural Center  The Institute for Social Transformation is excited to host an end-of-year celebration and student flash talk event to honor the work that has been …

We are celebrating the strength of the immigrant community of Santa Cruz, and the expressive work and civic commentary of our participants who stepped forward despite extreme barriers during the …

Celebrate immigrant families in Santa Cruz County and learn about the findings of a 3-year project called We Belong. The event will conclude with a FREE outdoor film screening of Fruits of Labor, which was filmed in Watsonville.

This system-wide conference on global health showcases the outstanding research, training and outreach taking place across the University of California.

Join us on Friday, May 6, 2022 at 4 p.m. as we celebrate the official dedication of John R. Lewis College. The event will take place in person, at the Quarry Amphitheater on campus and will include a lineup of powerful speakers and performers.

This workshop is for those who want to dive into the deeper thinking that goes on behind the scenes of the most successful movements. We will offer an introduction to the conceptual underpinnings of strategic nonviolent action and how they are applied in movements.

The Center for Racial Justice presents:Transforming Structures of Whiteness in University Leadership Day 3:Recognizing Invisible Labor in the University: Ways Forward Recent research and social movements have highlighted ways that racism …

Join Jamila Raqib for a conversation focused on the major trends in the field today, the importance of strategic nonviolent action in democracies, and her insights from twenty years of working with activists on every continent.

Telling a true story about COVID-19 inequities is harder than you might think. Professor Riley will share examples from her research to demonstrate how different data leads to different stories …

This Imagining America Teaching & Learning Circle Study Group is an intimate space for IA members to learn from leaders and peers in the IA network taking on the challenging …

Dozens of researchers, nonprofits, businesses, and public agencies will set up booths so that you can learn what environmental work is happening right here in our community and how you can get involved. Enjoy food, music, and games alongside science and climate action.

The UCSC climate coalition (a student and faculty climate group on campus) are organizing one of the biggest days of action for the climate that our campus has seen. On …

UC Santa Cruz scientists and community leaders in conservation, climate resilience, and sustainability will explore the local and global challenges brought on by a warming world, discuss ways we all can adapt and mitigate the impacts of a changing climate, and respond to questions from the audience.

Attend an evening panel with early to later career alumni working in diverse natural history-related fields. Come find out what a job in the Natural History world really looks like.

We hope you will join us on to honor Ricky Bluthenthal as this year's Social Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. He will be joined in conversation by Assistant Professor of Sociology Naya Jones and Assistant Professor of Sociology Alicia Riley.

Celebrating Alumni Voices with both virtual and in-person events—a mixtape of our favorite hits we've made just for you!

An in-person event featuring Dr. Jesica Siham Fernández, Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at Santa Clara University, on her new book Growing Up Latinx: Coming of Age in a Time of Contested Citizenship (New York University Press).

Every generation leaves behind a legacy. What that legacy will be is determined by the people of that generation. What legacy do you want to leave behind?”― John Lewis, from Across …

Come celebrate the launch of the Watsonville is in the Heart Digital Archive. The new archive features oral history recordings, original documents, and family artifacts that capture the rich history of Filipino life and labor in California’s Pajaro Valley.

Bookshop Santa Cruz hosts author Reyna Grande, discussing her novel "A Ballad of Love and Glory."

These young people are saying we all have a right to know what is in the air we breathe, in the water we drink, and the food we eat. It is our responsibility to leave this planet cleaner and greener. That must be our legacy.” ― John Lewis

Signs of the climate crisis are everywhere–from record wildfires, drought scorching the west, intensified hurricanes lashing the south, and rising oceans threatening coastal communities around the globe.

Centering the voices and lived experiences of faculty of color (FOC) is critical for exposing and transforming problematic structures of university leadership. From a brief research talk, audiences will learn …

International vaccine scientist and tropical disease and coronavirus expert Dr. Hotez argues that vaccine diplomacy is critical for addressing global health inequalities.

A democracy cannot thrive where power remains unchecked and justice is reserved for a select few. Ignoring these cries and failing to respond to this movement is simply not an …

Panelists from academia, industry, and non-profits discuss the external threats facing digital investigators from under-represented communities and ways to counter those challenges, addressing the issue of digital security within the field of human rights investigations.

This free conference is designed to inspire students in grades 6 through college to achieve their dreams for college and career.  Presentations center the experiences of Latino professionals, students, parents and community leaders who share the barriers they have overcome and strategies to persevere. 

The annual Diversity in Tech Symposium will highlight the experiences of experts working to advance innovation in clean energy, water conservation, food systems, disaster prediction, sustainable manufacturing and many other areas within their organizations. 

Please join us for the 2022 Sidhartha Maitra Memorial Lecture featuring Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen.

Come spend time with your peers, local alumni, and community members for an afternoon of Natural History exploration in the Arboretum. Featuring a keynote speech by Environmental Studies Assistant Professor Dr. Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela.

On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded its neighbor Ukraine, a former republic of the USSR and today an independent, democratic country. Join a panel of UC Santa Cruz faculty, PhD …

We are one people, one family, the human family, and what affects one of us affects us all.”― John Lewis This event is part of the 2022 event series "Necessary Trouble: …

Media and Society is a series of lectures and public conversations on the role of media, journalism, popular culture narrative, and media representation, in the deployment of power in contemporary society. Kresge …

PAC is a student-led conference that aims to further local and global change in our community by representing diverse perspectives on a variety of social justice issues, and provides hands on tools to make practical change.

Dr. Viviana MacManus, the author of Disruptive Archives: Feminist Memories of Resistance in Latin America’s Dirty Wars (University of Illinois Press, 2020), will discuss the history of gender and state violence during …

The Extractivism and Society Research Cluster is organizing a four-part series entitled “Conversations on Extractivism in a Post-Pandemic World.” This is the third conversation in the series. Convening Questions 1. How have territorially-based …

The annual convocation celebrates the life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by presenting speakers who discuss the civil rights issues of equality, freedom, justice, and opportunity. This year's speaker is Professor Ruha Benjamin.

Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom …

At this first virtual event, we have invited author and wildlife biologist Dr. J. Drew Lanham to speak to the UC Santa Cruz natural history community about the convergence of the environmental and social justice movements. In many ways, we at UC Santa Cruz are a developing example of the convergence of what these two movements look like at the university level.

The Extractivism and Society Research Cluster is organizing a four-part series entitled “Conversations on Extractivism in a Post-Pandemic World.” The second of these conversations will take place on January 27. The series will …

Pollinators are essential to our environment, but habitat loss, pesticide use, and introduced diseases are causing issues for these creatures all over the world. During this talk, Stacy Philpott will …

Dr. Rosina Lozano, Associate Professor of History at Princeton University, work shows us that Latina/o/x history exists all over the United States if someone looks for it. Drawing on examples from her …

Many educators and policymakers believe recess is simply fun and games, and easily dispensable to make room for more serious educational goals. The reality is that recess serves an important …

Legal studies student Aissata Ba was among the students who participated a conversation last year with Michelle Obama. Ba filmed a wealth of material from the trip to Maryland, both …

Join us for a conversation with leading scholars on how we can take urgent, responsible, and just actions to tackle the climate crisis.

Join us as we celebrate this year's published authors and editors from the UCSC Division of Social Sciences. The event will be held in-person at the Namaste Lounge. All are …

Join us for a conversation with leading scholars on how we can take urgent, responsible, and just actions to tackle the climate crisis.

Join us, in person or on Zoom,  for Everett’s 3rd Annual Student Showcase to witness the impact our students and partners are making locally and globally towards a more equitable and thriving world.

Join one of the USA's most impactful environmental lawyers Robert Bilott for a conversation about his latest work followed by an intergenerational World-Cafe style dialogue aimed at inspiring hope and action.

Professional websites can boost your reputation and promote your research. UCSC provides free access to WordPress for faculty (with several design templates). This workshop will walk you through best practices …

The first 21 years of the 21st century have been a continuous period of major social, cultural, demographic, economic and political changes. From the September 11 terrorist attacks, to the Great …

The Bioneers conference will feature a keynote and a panel on Solidarity Economics.

Join us for a special evening to celebrate the extraordinary work of alumna Dr. Barbara Ferrer (Rachel Carson ‘78–Community Studies) who leads the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. …

Join us for a book launch event with UC Santa Cruz co-editors (Catherine S. Ramírez, Sylvanna M. Falcón, Juan Poblete, Steven C. McKay, Felicity Amaya Schaeffer) of Precarity and Belonging: Labor, …

As drivers of climate action enter the fourth decade of what has become a multi-stage race, Net Zero has emerged as the dominant organizing principle. Hundreds of corporations and investors …

Join us for an event with prominent national policy advocates and social movement leaders in conversation with Chris Benner and Manuel Pastor on their forthcoming book Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality …

Please join our Zoom conference, Civic Education in Polarized Times, October 29-30, 2021, to be held by the American Society for Political and Legal Philosophy! The Institute for Social Transformation is …

The Extractivism and Society Research Cluster is organizing a four-part series entitled "Conversations on Extractivism in a Post-Pandemic World." The first of these conversations will take place on October 28, …

The concept of black ecologies underscores the undue impact of climate and environmental injustice on Black diaspora communities while lifting up “insurgent” Black ecological knowledge (Roane & Hosbey 2019). Join …

The Public Interest Technology Chat (PITCh) is a monthly series of remote conversations between established and early career scholars to support the work of practitioners and academics interested in public …

Join us for this lively analysis by UC Santa Cruz Professor of Politics Daniel Wirls of the U.S. Senate, its relation to our other institutions of government and the constitutional …

The Center for Social Innovation at UC Riverside, along with the Institute for Social Transformation at UC Santa Cruz and Alianza Coachella Valley, will be hosting Building Back Better: Tools and …

Salon.com founder and former editor-in-chief David Talbot and his sister Margaret, a longtime staff writer at the New Yorker, together explore the potential landscape of the 1960s and 1970s. Based …

This talk will outline a simple and robust methodology for portfolio managers to align their portfolios with the carbon neutrality goals (Net Zero Targets) set out following the Paris Agreement …

The keynote Plenary of the Media and Society Lecture Series at Kresge College is here! This event features San Francisco Poet Laureate Tongo Eisen-Martin, in conversation with Kresge faculty, including novelist-poet Daniel …

The 21st century has seen an explosion of new language and new understandings of gender and sexuality, with LGBTQ+ adolescents often depicted as harbingers of social change in gender and …

The severity of this summer's extreme weather events is creating a new sense of urgency for action to achieve a net-zero global economy by mid-century to avoid the most severe …

From the deadly "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville in 2017, to the role of white nationalists in the January 6 U.S. Capitol insurgency, recent events have spotlighted white supremacist …

Due to unforeseen circumstances this event has been postponed until a later date this Fall (TBD). Event updates will be posted on the www.DataShareSCC.org website. This panel, co-hosted by DataShare …

The UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) and Bookshop Santa Cruz present a book talk and signing event with CheFarmer Matthew Raiford, farmer, chef, and …

Business leaders, politicians, celebrities, and non-profit organizations are calling for the planting of millions, billions, or even trillions of trees to slow climate change. Is that really feasible? Professor Karen …

In this class, participants will work on cultivating observational skills and artistic talent with inspiration from the Alan Chadwick Garden. Starting with a short presentation about a variety of approaches to …

Come learn about how to make the most of your major and create your own career path with your Social Sciences degree! Brought to you by LALS and Career Success. …

People are considered food insecure if they have limited or uncertain access to nutritious, safe food. Common indicators include fear of running out of food, skipping meals, hunger, and cutting …

The campus commemoration of Juneteenth is set for Friday, June 25, and this year’s event is especially meaningful, as it follows the news that federal leaders are making Juneteenth a …

The Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden present an afternoon of poetry in the beautiful (virtual) setting of the Alan Chadwick Garden at UC Santa Cruz. Poetry by Nikia Chaney, Kim Scheilblauer, …

Please join us on June 4th from 2:30 until 4:00 pm for a showcase of UCSC’s Tech For Social Good teams from both the 2019 and 2020 funding periods. Teams from …

"My Journey from Jamaica to Google: From Majority to Minority." Diverse Voices is a professional speakers series spotlighting industry leaders and Baskin Engineering Students.

The Institute for Social Transformation is excited to host an online end-of-year celebration and student flash talk event to honor the work that has been accomplished in the Building Belonging …

Please join in celebrating this year’s GCH Wellbeing Fellows as they present their research projects! Jonathan Chavez, Mentoring Latino Youth During the Covid-19 Pandemic Abby Cunniff, Working Conditions of Incarcerated …

Please join us for a screening of "Plastic Warriors" and a critical conversation with Kristal ‘Ocean’ Ambrose, recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Award, on the importance of youth-led, Caribbean …

Music for Abolition, directed and curated by Terri Lyne Carrington, is a project bringing together musicians across a variety of genres to create a soundtrack—and provide a heartbeat—to our shared …

Bestselling author Julia Alvarez (In the Time of the Butterflies, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) will be in conversation with Sylvanna Falcón about Alvarez's most recent novel, Afterlife, now available in …

The Research Center for the Americas is proud to host “Memory Studies in the Americas,” a thematic series exploring how markers or symbols of memory are imagined and disputed. Listen …

"Retaining Women in Tech: The Skills Needed by Women to Help Face the Challenges of Staying and Thriving in the Tech Industry." Diverse Voices is a professional speakers series spotlighting …

w/ Sora Han, adrienne maree brown and Savannah Shange “I believe that all organizing is science fiction - that we are shaping the future we long for and have not yet …

Seizing the Pandemic Portal: Transforming Universities for Community Engaged Scholarship. As Arundhati Roy so powerfully articulated early on in the crisis, pandemics provide us an opportunity to imagine the world …

This book talk is presented by the Politics Department, the Centre for the Middle East and North African, and the Legal Studies Program. Speaker: Professor Mark Fathi Massoud, Politics and …

On May 4th, 2021, we celebrate the launch of Counterpoints: A San Francisco Bay Area Atlas of Displacement and Resistance (PM Press) by Erin McElroy, UC Santa Cruz Feminist Studies alum …

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences is pleased to present ‘Documenting Justice,’ a screening of short films curated by Dee Hibbert-Jones, professor, art, UCSC, and filmmaker Nomi Talisman, followed …

Join leading Nigerian environmental and human rights activist Nnimmo Bassey in Conversation. The interactive event is part of the Right Livelihood Community Conversations series aimed at connecting students and faculty from UC …

Hillary Angelo, Author of How Green Became Good, is joined in conversation with Robin Wagner-Pacifici, Neil Brenner, and Claudio Benzecry. Join us on Friday, April 30th at 12:00 PST as …

Wednesday & Thursday, April 28-29, 2021 from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. Confronting Climate Change is an annual public lecture series that brings together luminaries and the community to discuss the latest in …

Gabe Zimmerman (Stevenson '02, sociology) was U.S. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords's community outreach director. He organized the "Congress on Your Corner" event on January 8, 2011, in Tucson, Ariz., where he …

New technologies in our agro-food system hold both tremendous benefits and potential harms. This era will require inter-disciplinary expertise and cross-disciplinary dialogue to maximize benefits and minimize harms from technological …

In this gathering, we share evidence-based insights into community-supported learning by children and students during and beyond the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. New Gen Learning is an interdisciplinary consortium …

There are many UCSC events happening on April 22nd, as well as the entire week around Earth Day and the month of April.

"Living on the Edge of Your Comfort Zone: Women in Executive Leadership." Diverse Voices is a professional speakers series spotlighting industry leaders and Baskin Engineering Students.

Celebrating Alumni Week in true 2021 style April 19-25th. Have fun, remember your roots, reignite your passions, and connect like never before as our first virtual Alumni Week zooms you …

In 2020, California established the nation’s first state task force to study and make recommendations on reparations for the institution of slavery, the atrocities that followed the end of slavery, …

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences is pleased to partner with the Legal Studies Program at UC Santa Cruz for the next Visualizing Abolition event: 'Abolition from the Inside …

In launching the new book, Sweetness in the Blood: Race, Risk, and Type 2 Diabetes, James Doucet-Battle, a medical anthropologist and Assistant Professor of Sociology at the UC Santa Cruz, takes …

"Spring Board: A UCSC Founder's Path on Driving Change in Heavy Industry." Diverse Voices is a professional speakers series spotlighting industry leaders and Baskin Engineering Students.

w/ Sadie Barnette, J. Kēhaulani Kauanui, Zoé Samudzi, and Eric Stanley. What role can the arts take in the movement to abolish prisons in addition to abolishing the society that upholds them? How can …

You’re invited to join the Homeless Garden Project (HGP) in a transformative 21-day challenge to learn, reflect and discuss how we can build a thriving and inclusive community, workforce, and …

Jasmine Alinder, "Representing Japanese American Incarceration." Katharyne Mitchell, "Sanctuary Space and Insurgent Memory." Leonardo Art & Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER) is an international program bringing together artists, scientists, and scholars …

Join us for a series of conversations on March 1, 3, and 10 designed to inform and inspire us as we fight to change our culture’s attitudes towards crime and …

University Forum featuring SJRC Founding Director and Professor of Sociology Jenny Reardon with introductions and Q&A moderation by Assistant Professor of Sociology James Doucet-Battle. Metaphors of war and battle in fighting COVID-19, now …

Visualizing Abolition is pleased to present Popular Culture and the Radical Imaginary, a discussion with Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network and artist and activist Maxwell Addae. …

March Slugs and Steins talk with Professor Rebecca London. As elementary schools reopen after prolonged physical closure due to COVID-19, attention to healing the school community will be essential. Although …

Visualizing Abolition presents artist Ashley Hunt in conversation with MJ Hart, Joshua Solis, Alberto Lule, Ryan Flaco Rising, and Rodrigo Vazquez of the Underground Scholars Initiative. The Underground Scholars Initiative …

Inspiring Students to Achieve their Dreams for College & Career. Latino Role Models is a FREE conference for Santa Cruz County students from grade 6 to college and their families. …

Speaker: Les Guliasi, researcher in the UC Santa Cruz Sociology Department. California utilities have chosen to shut off electricity delivery to consumers by employing a “Public Safety Power Shutoff” (PSPS) …

Beth Richie, University of Illinois, Chicago, Erica Meiners, Northeastern Illinois University, and Soyna Clark, Amherst College, Western Massachusetts, join us for a conversation on feminist―queer, anti-capitalist, grassroots, and women of color— …

Please join us for the 37th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation featuring activist and organizer Mariame Kaba in conversation with Gina Dent, associate professor of feminist studies. Mariame …

What are the most effective current approaches to helping people experiencing homelessness? What technological innovations are having an impact? Join us and gain a deeper understanding of this pervasive challenge …

A Conversation with Rhiana Gunn-Wright Please join us on February 10th as we discuss meaningful climate policy and environmental justice reform. In this conversation, Rhiana Gunn-Wright, Director of Climate Policy …

Sanford Biggers is a Harlem-based artist whose work speaks to current social, political and economic happenings. For this Visualizing Abolition event, Biggers will be joined by visual culture theorist Leigh Raiford …

As we approach 12 months of living with a global pandemic, the stress, anxiety, and for some, the isolation is taking its toll. Join Psychology Professor Craig Haney and UC …

Join us for the next conversation for Visualizing Abolition focusing on technology, surveillance, and contemporary art with American Artist, Ruha Benjamin, and Simone Browne. American Artist is a contemporary artist working …

Exiting the Great Recession and entering the Pandemic Recession, we study the high-frequency real-activity signals provided by a leading nowcast, the ADS Index of Business Conditions produced and released in …

FREE virtual screening and panel discussion of the award winning documentary film Coded Bias, which explores how machine-learning algorithms can perpetuate society’s existing class-, race-, and gender-based inequities. While working …

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences and The Humanities Institute are pleased to present a poetry reading and conversation with award-winning American poet Reginald Dwayne Betts and renowned social psychologist Craig …

A global conversation with young activists from Bolivia, Senegal, Togo, and the United States about intergenerational collaboration and how adults can most effectively support youth activism.  Bridging diverse contexts and …

Ecosystem services, such as pollination, pest control, climate regulation, and food production are essential for human well-being, especially in urban areas where ~ 60% of the world’s population will live …

For the next Visualizing Abolition event, Joanne Barker, Maria Gaspar, and Kelly Lytle Hernández join us to discuss the histories and present struggles that disappear within the labyrinthian network of …

Speaker: Lisa Cook, Professor of Economics and International Relations, Michigan State University. Recent studies have examined the effect of political conflict and domestic terrorism on economic and political outcomes. This …

Join Academy-Award Nominated Filmmaker Jennifer Brea and anthropologist and writer Megan Moodie for an evening of conversation and reflection on chronic illness, the global crisis of care, and Covid-19. As …

The UC Santa Cruz University Forum presents The Implications of COVID-19 for Teachers’ Work and K-12 Schooling with Professor Lora Bartlett and the Suddenly Distant Research Project Team. The COVID …

Please join us for the 2nd annual Better World Book Party. We will honor authors from the division of Social Sciences who published in 2020:

Deportation is far more than a policy term; it is a threat and an act with explosive impact on families and communities. Four in five face persecution – including torture, …

As Brazil faces the deepest political crisis of its recent history, marked by the election of a neo-fascist president and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed over 150,000 …

Join us for the live-stream of the 2020 Right Livelihood Award Ceremony followed by a brief conversation amongst RLC Santa Cruz students and faculty, and friends of the RLC. The …

Abolition Then & Now features Robin Kelley and Isaac Julien in conversation about the anti-slavery movements of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and current abolitionist uprisings against racist police brutality …

The prevalence and social impacts of Covid-19 are taking different and more difficult forms in Watsonville compared to Santa Cruz, the two largest cities in Santa Cruz County. County and …

CAFIN and UC Investments Speaker Series Financial Risks, Innovation and Inclusion in a Post-COVID World with Leora Klapper, Lead Economist, Finance and Private Sector Research Team, Development Research Group, World …

Dr. Pascha Bueno-Hansen will provide a lunch time webinar lecture on the modalities of resistance of people of non-normative genders and sexualities to armed conflict, political repression, and authoritarian regimes …

You probably know about rideshare and food delivery apps as a service, but do you know about their workers? App-based deliveries and ride-hailing have become a ubiquitous part of daily …

The third event in the Visualizing Abolition series brings together visual and cultural theorists Nicole Fleetwood, Herman Gray and Nicholas Mirzoeff to consider the roles of visual culture in normalizing …

For decades, Vandana Shiva and Bill McKibben have used their moral imaginations to envision a better world, articulate a global agenda for sustainable societies, advocate for policy advancements, and support …

Everything changed in March. UC Santa Cruz transitioned to remote teaching and learning seven months ago. Today we reflect on the lessons we have learned as teachers and learners. What has …

Understanding technology and its implications is essential to creating a more just and equitable future. How do we ensure the public is better served by the design and implementation of …

As Brazil faces the deepest political crisis of its recent history, marked by the election of a neo-fascist president and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed over 150,000 …

PIT-UN Speaker Series with Brandie Nonnecke, Founding Director of the CITRIS Policy Lab. Join us to learn about the CITRIS Policy Lab’s recent research, how it draws upon this research to support …

Graduate students who are part of the New Generation Learning collaborative will present one-minute flash talks about their research findings. Moderators:- Su-hua Wang, Professor of Psychology and Director- Barbara Rogoff, …