3rd Friday: Beyond Borders

Break through borders of all kinds alongside inspiring local organizations fighting for political, cultural and artistic justice.

Engage with community activism through hands-on workshops, demonstrations and performances. Come together with your community to discover that the ties that connect us are much stronger than the lines that keep us apart.

LIVE PERFORMANCES

6:15-6:35pm: Orchestra Music Participatory Performance with El Sistema: Enjoy a performance then participate in a workshop and communal performance led by El Sistema artists. El Sistema music programs are designed to improve the life trajectory of youth as a paradigm for social change.

6:45 – 7:05pm: Concierto del Consulado General de México en San José

7:10-7:40pm: ?Centeotl Danza y Baile and Ensamble Musical? with Senderos: Senderos’ dance group, Centeotl Danza y Baile, will perform traditional folkloric dances from regions in Mexico, and their youth band, Ensamble Musical will perform traditional Banda de Viento music Senderos is a multi-service nonprofit creating pathways to success with the Latino community by sharing cultural arts and by fostering education opportunities.

8:05-9:00pm: Dance Participatory Performance with Creative Young Artists: Creative Young Artists is a collective based in Watsonville, CA where access to safe spaces and creative outlets is a challenge, but one they are more than ready to take on. Their first initiative, “Heal for Real” is a mobile visual and performing arts studio! Their converted bus will be used to activate creativity throughout the community and serve as a hub for creative youth in Watsonville for generations to come.

Tamales and Drinks by Senderos. Senderos will be selling Tamales (chicken and vegetarian), Tejate (a traditional Oaxacan beverage), sodas, and water in the Front Street entrance front patio.

PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS

Participate in exciting activities with the Japanese Cultural Fair Santa Cruz such as Tanzuko, where you can write your wishes hung on bamboo in preparation for Tanabata, calligraphy with Emiko Case, origami, and Japanese folk tales with storyteller Megumi.

Engage in the Whisper Wall, a communal art project, to deconstruct mental health stigma with MAH’s teen activist group Subject to Change (S2C). S2C will also be collecting supplies to distribute to homeless youth. Please bring your toiletries, period care products, contraceptives, pillows, blankets, warm hats, and non-perishable food to donate!

Share your work experience in Santa Cruz County with the Economic Justice Alliance (EJA). EJA works to raise awareness of and enforcing existing worker rights, engaging and empowering low-wage workers, increasing the minimum wage, strengthening worker and work-family rights and building cross-sector community alliances.

Reel Work Film Festival Shorts with The Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival. The Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival takes place in California’s central coast each year during the week of May First. Reel Work presents cultural events, bringing together award-winning documentary film producers, workers, activists, students, and the public with the goal of increasing community awareness of the central role of work in our lives, and economic and global justice.

Screening and discussion with director of Documentary Libertad and exciting new projects. Libertad is a documentary featuring the incredible Alejandra Santiago, an indigenous transwoman from Oaxaca who currently lives in Santa Cruz, but whose life journey transcends multiple borders.

Engage in insightful dialogue about immigration with the Santa Cruz Public Libraries.

Contribute your dreams and visions of social justice with student leaders from El Centro: Chicano Latino Resource Center through storytelling.

Share your message of how the sciences are a part of your life and put it on a sign with March for Science Santa Cruz.

Produce your image and word that capture who you are and how you live in Portraits and Pathways to Common Ground with Meg Sandow and Mary Beth Curley. Participants will have the opportunity to identify connections with others and share their perspectives about others’ ideas.

Learn about the ancient history of Tibetan tradition and create your own prayer flag with the Kunsang Gar Center.

Hear and learn how to share personal narratives of identity and growth as a person of color in the USA with members of the Puente Project at Cabrillo College.