A weekly guide to what’s happening.
ARTS AND MUSIC
BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL VIRTUAL FESTIVAL This year, bring the adventure home! Fluff up your couch cushions, grab a snack of choice, and make sure you have a good internet connection, because the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is going virtual! For the first time ever, travel to breathtaking destinations, embark on daring expeditions, and celebrate some of the most remarkable outdoor achievements, all from the comforts of your living room. The Covid-19 pandemic has created extraordinary circumstances around the world, and many of our live World Tour screenings have been postponed or canceled. While we can’t replicate the experience of seeing the Banff films on the big screen of your local theatre, surrounded by friends and your community, these curated programs of amazing outdoor films will inspire you to live life to the fullest, however that looks these days! Please visit riotheatre.com for more information about the online programs and how you can support your local screening.
SALSA SUELTA FREE ZOOM SESSION Keep in shape! Weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. May include Mambo, ChaChaCha, Afro-Cuban Rumba, Orisha, Son Montuno. No partner required, ages 14+. Contact to get the link. salsagente.com. Thursday, Jan. 7, 7pm.
COMMUNITY
BE THE SOLUTION: A WORKSHOP ON HOW YOU CAN HELP TO END HOMELESSNESS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY Homelessness is a huge issue that needs solving, but where do we begin? Join community activist and former Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane, and Housing Matters Community Engagement Manager Andrea Feltz, in an interactive workshop to discover how you can be a part of the solutions to homelessness. We will walk through a simple five-step process, with big and small group discussions, to uncover what you can do today to join us at Housing Matters in solving homelessness in our community. Bring your questions, a notebook and a pen and get ready to make your personal plan to help join the forces in your county and beyond! Learn more at bethesolutionssc.eventbrite.com. Friday, Jan. 8, 11am-noon.
SAVING SCROOGE: HOLIDAY ONLINE ESCAPE ROOM EXPERIENCE! Come play this live online, virtual escape room meets choose-your-own-adventure experience! Inspired from “A Christmas Carol,” Scrooge has turned away the Spirits of Christmas Past and Present, and now you—the Spirits of Christmas Future—are the last hope to change Scrooge’s heart and fill his soul with giving before Christmas morning. Your creative choices are limitless, and you can play alongside friends and family anywhere in the world. All experiences are led through Zoom by a live Game Facilitator. More info at fantasyescapegames.com. Wednesday, Jan. 6 – Sunday, Jan. 10.
GROUPS
VIRTUAL YOUNG ADULT (18-30) TRANSGENDER SUPPORT GROUP A weekly peer support group for young adults aged 18-25 who identify as transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, agender, or any other non-cisgender identity. This is a social group where we meet and chat among ourselves, sharing our experiences and thoughts in a warm, welcoming setting. Our meetings will be held on Discord during the shelter-in-place order. For more info, contact Ezra Bowen at tr***@di*************.org.
LGBTQNBI+ SUPPORT GROUP FOR CORONAVIRUS STRESS This weekly LGBTQNBI+ support group is being offered to help us all deal with stress during the shelter-in-place situation that we are experiencing from the coronavirus. Feel free to bring your lunch and chat together to get support. This group is offered at no cost and will be facilitated by licensed therapists Shane Hill, Ph.D., and Melissa Bernstein, LMFT #52524. Learn how to join the Zoom support group at diversitycenter.org/community-calendar.
ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Entre Nosotras support group for Spanish speaking women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets twice monthly. Registration required by contacting Entre Nosotras at 831-761-3973. Friday, Jan. 8, 6pm.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS All our OA meetings have switched to being online. Please call 831-429-7906 for meeting information. Do you have a problem with food? Drop into a free, friendly Overeaters Anonymous 12-Step meeting. All are welcome! Sunday, Jan. 10, 9:05-10:15am.
WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday at 12:30pm via Zoom. All services are free. Registration required, contact WomenCARE at 831-457-2273 or online at womencaresantacruz.org.
WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group for women newly diagnosed and through their treatment. Meets every Tuesday at 12:30pm. via Zoom. Registration required by contacting 831-457-2273.
WOMENCARE: LAUGHTER YOGA Laughter yoga for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every Wednesday at 3:30 via Zoom. Registration required by contacting 457-2273.
OUTDOOR
COMMUNITY PERMACULTURE CALLS WINTER 2021 Practice permaculture each week at our ‘village campfire’ of ongoing interactive group calls. Hosted by experienced permaculture mentors including Santa Cruz Permaculture founder David Shaw, Lydia Neilsen of Rehydrate the Earth, and John Valenzuela of Cornucopia Food Forests. The goal of this program is to create thriving and resilient individuals and communities by supporting people to connect with nature, community, and themselves more deeply through permaculture. Each call includes a keynote talk on a relevant and seasonal topic. This is followed by a small group conversation for reflection, and a whole group conversation and Q&A. We close the calls with invitations for how you can apply what you’ve learned in your home and community. The next call begins with a check-in about how you applied what you learned. Learn more about and register for the 10-week call series at santacruzpermaculture.com/communitypermaculture. $25 per call/$250 for the series. Series begins Tuesday, Jan. 5 and runs for 10 weeks.
