WEspeak is our annual presentation of OC students telling their own stories in their own words – live on stage! Discover what it means to meet life’s challenges, embrace who you are, and find your path forward.
Author: Community Contributor
Through April 20 — Livingston Memorial presenting Teen Grief Support Group Session
Many teens have experienced the death of a loved one. This is a difficult time for anyone grieving a loss. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program is providing a free support group for teens through April 20th on Thursdays 6 – 7 pm. For reservations contact 805-389-6870 or online at lmvna.org/grief. Space is limited.
April 20 — OC LIVE Celebrates Earth Day Vital River: The Virtually Unknown Santa Clara River
April 21 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents So Percussion with Caroline Shaw at Campbell Hall
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents S? Percussion with Caroline Shaw on Friday, April 21 at 8 p.m. at Campbell Hall. Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw joins S? Percussion as vocalist for ten songs she co-composed with the quartet members. Let the Soil Play Its Simple Part explores soil cultivation as a metaphor for creativity and collaboration. Shaw’s remarkable ear for melody and harmony and S?’s playful sense of rhythmic invention come together in this strikingly original music. Taking inspiration from James Joyce, ABBA, American roots music, plainchant, Christian hymns and stories from the Old Testament, S? Percussion and Caroline Shaw dissolve the boundaries between classical and pop. In the first half of the program, S? Percussion will perform works in its repertoire from a trio of young composers including ensemble member Eric Cha-Beach, Angélica Negrón and Nathalie Joachim.
April 22 — UCSB Arts & Lectures to present Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
Lady Gaga. Wagner. Talking Heads. No repertoire is safe from the artistry and insanity of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. With punk rock sensibilities and restrained British humor, this eight-piece band of expert strummers and singers has charmed audiences the world over. Devilishly irreverent and shockingly eclectic, the orchestra is a bona fide U.K. national treasure, inspiring an international love affair with its humble four-string namesake.
April 22 — Bilingual report — This Earth Day, RESCUECON puts at-risk animals front and center at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center
OXNARD — For the first time since the start of the pandemic, the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC) welcomes back RESCUECON, a one day event bringing creativity and community together to celebrate and facilitate animal rescue and adoption. The event is free and open to the public and will be held on Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day) from 10 am to 3 pm at the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center. More information can be found at: theopac.org/rescuecon
RESCUECON is a convention like no other, where the human-animal bond takes center stage. Through animal adoptions and the arts, hands-on workshops, a kid’s area, talks by really amazing people, an artisan marketplace, and so much more, attendees will learn, play, explore, and, above all, refresh their relationship with animals… and each other.
April 22 — Studio Channel Islands presents Gypsy Interlude — Concert in the Gallery
Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART) Presents long-time friends Armen Guzelimian and Gilles Apap are performing together for the first time ever at Studio Channel Islands.
Armen Guzelimian is celebrated for his versatility as a top-notch collaborative artist, a brilliant soloist and first-rate chamber musician not only in Southern California, but all over the world. He has received national and international critical acclaim for his appearances in many of the major concert halls in the U.S.A and Europe.
As a chamber musician, Mr. Guzelimian’s has appeared with the Rossetti String Quartet, the Los Angeles String Quartet, Camerata Pacifica, the Dilijan Chamber Music Series, Chamber Music in Historic Sites, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and the Aspen Festival. He made his Disney Hall debut in March of 2014 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Chamber Music Society and returned to the delight of audiences in November 2016.
April 22 — People’s Self-Help Housing announces 2023 Builder Games – Get your tickets early and save!
This Spring, support People’s Self-Help Housing at their signature fundraiser – The Builder Games!
Cheer on teams building playhouses, as they race against the clock and face fun challenges. See who becomes this year’s ‘Builder Games Champion’, while enjoying gourmet food, fine wine, craft beer, and live music.
April 22, 23 — CSUCI University Chorus and four high school choirs will sing in Choral Spectacular 2023
Five choruses totaling more than 100 singers will perform together April 22 and 23 in CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s Choral Spectacular 2023.
The CSU Channel Islands University Chorus will be joined by the Pleasant Valley School District Chorus, Santa Paula High School Cardinal Concert Choir, Ventura High School Chorale and Rancho Campana High School Concert Choir as they sing a variety of musical pieces in several languages. The performance will also feature the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra (CHICO).
April 22 — SEEAG To Host Earth Day Plantopia U Pick Transplant Fundraiser At Farm Lab in Saticoy
Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) will host its first annual Plantopia U Pick Transplant Fundraiser to celebrate Earth Day. The event, held on Earth Day, April 22, will raise funds to support SEEAG’s agricultural education programs where students learn about the farm origins of their food, water resources, soil health, entomology and locally grown fruits and vegetables.
April 23 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents ARTEMIS at Campbell Hall
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents ARTEMIS on Sunday, April 23 at 7 p.m. at Campbell Hall. ARTEMIS is an international ensemble of modern jazz masters named for the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt. Founded in 2017 under the banner of International Women’s Day, it made a memorable splash at the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival, followed by a debut recording on Blue Note in 2020. Each member is a composer and bandleader in their own right, and the collective’s repertoire draws from new compositions written expressly for them, to classics by Lee Morgan, Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter.
April 23 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Artemis at UCSB Campbell Hall
ARTEMIS is an international ensemble of modern jazz masters named for the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt. Founded in 2017 under the banner of International Women’s Day, it made a memorable splash at the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival, followed by a debut recording on Blue Note in 2020. Each member is a composer and bandleader in their own right, and the collective’s repertoire draws from new compositions written expressly for them, to classics by Lee Morgan, Thelonious Monk and Wayne Shorter.
April 25 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents 24th U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón at Campbell Hall
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents Ada Limón on Tuesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Hall. For Ada Limón, poetry is elemental, necessary and deeply human. Known for “clear storytelling, vivid visuals, and a final turn that snaps you like a twig” (Guernica Magazine), Limón is the author of six books of poetry. The Carrying won the National Book Critics Circle Award. Bright Dead Thingswas nominated for the National Book Award. Her newest book of poetry, The Hurting Kind, was named one of The New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2022. The first woman of Mexican ancestry to be named U.S. poet laureate, Limón views identity – and poetry – as an avenue to greater possibilities.
April 26 — Free LightGabler Webinar: ‘What Have You Done for Me Lately?–Evaluating Employee Performance’
Employment law firm LightGabler is presenting a free employment law webinar, “What Have You Done for Me Lately?–Evaluating Employee Performance.” The webinar is Wednesday, April 26 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
Preparing employee performance evaluations is a task often dreaded by managers and human resource professionals alike. And yet, documenting performance is critical for employee productivity, workplace morale, effective supervisor-subordinate communication and legal protection. Like all employment documentation, poorly-prepared evaluations can be more dangerous than no evaluations at all.
April 27 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) to present free Social Media In-Person Workshop
Economic Development Collaborative (EDC), City of Santa Paula and Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to bring you a NO-COST in-person workshop on social media planning, unique marketing strategies and boosting sales through advertising. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn valuable business skills!
April 27 @ 6:30 PM
Address: Glenn Tavern Inn,134 N Mill St, Santa Paula, CA 93060
April 27 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Isabella Rossellini in Conversation with Pico Iyer at The New Vic
A storied model and movie star, Isabella Rossellini represents a startling example of self reinvention. Born into European film royalty as the daughter of director Roberto Rossellini and actor Ingrid Bergman, her own performances are some of the definitive images in film. After a successful career in acting and modeling, she earned a master’s degree in animal behavior and now creates unique and humorous works of performance art based on her research. Known for her philanthropic efforts in animal conservation among other areas, Rossellini runs an organic farm in Bellport, New York. As former muse and partner to artists like David Lynch, Martin Scorsese and Gary Oldman, Rossellini has stories to share and ideas of her own about the trials and tribulations of a life lived almost entirely in the public eye.
April 28 — West Ventura County Business Alliance to present address by CSU Channel Islands President Richard Yao
The West Ventura County Business Alliance, the chamber of commerce serving Camarillo and Oxnard, will host the State of the University address by President Richard Yao, Ph.D., of California State University Channel Islands on Friday, April 28.
Each year the president addresses the business community at the CSUCI Connection Luncheon with updates from the University, one of the major economic engines in the region. Yao will discuss highlights from the University’s 20th Anniversary last year as well as major plans, projects and initiatives for the next decade.
April 28, 29, 30 — Ventura College to present ‘These Shining Lives’ by Melanie Marnich at the Ventura College Theatre
It’s the roaring 20s and gender norms have started to shift. Four young women celebrate their new-found freedoms as employees of the Radium Dial Company, decorating watches and clockfaces with a new invention, glow-in-the-dark paint. As decades pass and a toxic truth begins to emerge, the women struggle to hold the company accountable for stealing their health by valuing profit over safety. Based on the true story of the Radium Girls, Melanie Marnich’s “These Shining Lives” illuminates the spirits of these ordinary women whose courageous battle for social justice continues to resonate in the laws that protect today’s worker.
April 29 — Santa Barbara Maritime Museum & Anchor Rose Restaurant to present book signing with author Will Sofrin
The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum and the Anchor Rose Restauran will present a book signing with author Will Sofrin of the memoir “All Hands on Deck: A Modern-Day High Seas Adventure to the Far Side of the World” from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28 at 113 Harbor Way, Santa Barbara.
The event will include an outdoor screening of the feature film Master and Commander.
April 29 — Bilingual report — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) presenting free workshop ‘Working for a Better Future: The Power of Family Child Care Providers’
April 29 — Southeast Ventura County YMCA Hosts Free Healthy Kids’ Day
April 29-30 — Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival Back in Full Force – Highlights Announced
The Community Environmental Council and its long-time festival partner, CarpEvents, are thrilled to bring the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival back to Alameda Park on Saturday, April 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, April 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tens of thousands of community members are anticipated to attend to connect with climate-forward businesses and organizations, engage in climate-focused educational activities, hear from dozens of speakers on a variety of environmental topics, savor locally sourced, climate-friendly food and beverage, and enjoy live music.
April 29 — Oxnard Performing Arts Center to celebrate 55 Years with Casino Night Fundraiser
The Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center celebrates its 55th anniversary this Spring! The Center’s nonprofit arm, the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation (OPAC), is kickstarting the festivities with a Casino Night on Saturday, April 29 to raise funds for its community programs which provide 5,000 low-income students with free access to art and music education.
Through April 30 — Channel Islands Maritime Museum to Present Annual Oxnard Union High School District Student Art Show
The Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) will be presenting its latest exhibition, The Oxnard Union High School District Student Art Show, in its Brenda and Gary Farr Gallery through April 30.
Art is a strong, unifying element within the community and students will be showcasing their talents in a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional mediums.
“We are proud to host a show where students can share their creative expressions and lived experiences,” said CIMM’s Collections and Exhibitions Manager Olivia Williamson. “We invite you to come and witness the next generation of great artists.”
April 30 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present acclaimed poet and art critic John Yau in conversation with artist Joan Tanner
Artist Joan Tanner joins acclaimed poet and art critic, John Yau, Professor of Critical Studies at Rutgers University, for a conversation. Tanner is currently the subject of a solo SBMA exhibition, Out of Joint: Joan Tanner (through May 14). Yau has edited the Brooklyn Rail and Hyperallergic Weekend, and has authored some 50 books of poetry.
May 2 — Pacific Coast Futures Retreat brings together forward thinkers to navigate AI, Climate and Aging population
Artificial intelligence. Aging populations. The climate crisis. The world is changing more rapidly than any other moment in history, opening the door to both unprecedented volatility and unmatched innovation. The time to prepare for tomorrow’s challenges is now — and an immersive Santa Barbara conference is equipping future-forward thinkers to lead the charge.
Hosted by Global Futurist and Innovation Keynote Speaker Robert. B Tucker, the Pacific Coast Futures Retreat will bring the nation’s leading minds to Santa Barbara for an immersive one-day exploration in innovation. Registration is now open for the May 2 retreat, which is limited to 60 future-minded attendees.
Through May 2 — Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, Ventura County Elderly Fall Prevention Coalition announces new set of fall prevention classes
Through May 2 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) to present In-person NO-COST QuickBooks Workshop
The Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) and the Fillmore Association of Business (FAB) are partnering to offer a no-cost 4-week QuickBooks Online workshop led by Juliana Ramírez, a financial advisor from EDC’s Small Business Development Center. Juliana is an experienced accountant, entrepreneur, business advisor and Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor who has helped numerous small businesses, including her own, ranging from restaurants to retail stores, car dealerships to dental offices and non-profit organizations.
May 2 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) business alert — World Trade Week Southern California
World Trade Week Southern California, presented by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, has been promoting global trade and supporting our region’s economic growth for almost a century. The annual Kickoff Conference and more than 30 events held throughout May create a platform for innovation, collaboration and exploring new growth opportunities. As a driving force for our region’s success, World Trade Week highlights the critical role of international trade in sustaining our global economy.
May 3 — UCSB Arts & Letters to present Laura Dern & Diane Ladd in ‘Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life and Love’
During the global pandemic, acclaimed actor Laura Dern (Big Little Lies, Twin Peaks, Jurassic Park) and legendary talent Diane Ladd (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Chinatown) began taking long walks together. The mother and daughter had appeared alongside one another in Rambling Rose and David Lynch’s Wild at Heart, and their relationship deepened as they were able to break down the traditional barriers between parent and child, speaking honestly about moments that profoundly impacted them.
May 3 — Cal Lutheran to present New Venture Fair (NVF)
Cal Lutheran’s New Venture Fair (NVF) is back in person! The NVF 2023 showcases over 70 student-led startup projects, including those from Cal Lutheran’s undergraduate, graduate, and Executive MBA in Europe programs, in addition to high school teams from Bakersfield Christian High School, Newbury Park High School, Oaks Christian School, Thousand Oaks High School, and a middle school team from OCS.
The NVF is an expo-style event where each team furnishes its booth and demos its product. The community is invited to circulate the room, meet the teams, learn about their startup ideas, and vote for their favorites. Awards will be presented at the end of the evening.
May 4 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present the Art Matters Lecture ‘Men in Pink: Eighteenth-Century French Portraiture’
May 4 — Founder of Safe Passage Youth Foundation Tim Hagel To Keynote Southeast Ventura County YMCA National Day of Prayer Breakfast
Founder of Safe Passage Youth Foundation Tim Hagel is the keynote speaker at the Southeast Ventura County YMCA’s National Day of Prayer Breakfast, Thursday, May 4 at California Lutheran University’s Gilbert Sports Center in Thousand Oaks.
“Tim’s roots are deep in the Conejo Valley and he’s been an inspiration to the community for years,” says Ronnie Stone, Southeast Ventura County YMCA President/CEO. Hagel is the former Police Chief Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and is on the board of many community non-profits.
May 6 — Social Justice Fund for Ventura County announces event promoting health equity in Nyeland Acres
The Social Justice Fund invites you to join us on May 6th to learn more about the work of one of our Fellows, Brenda Heredia, and the movement for promoting health equity in Nyeland Acres!
Please click here to find more details and RSVP. We look forward to seeing you there!
As our SJFVC Fellows progress through their projects, the SJFVC wants to highlight the thoughtful and compassionate leadership displayed by these wonderful individuals. They demonstrate a form of leadership that prioritizes the voices and needs of the communities they work alongside. Thanks to supporters like you, our Fellows have the ability to address particular forms of inequity and deepen their support of their communities.
May 6 — First Santa Barbara Black Grad event to celebrate local Black graduates from TK-SBCC
Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), in partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SB Unified), announces a special, invitation-only ceremony honoring and celebrating the promotion, culmination, graduation and transfer of Black students in south Santa Barbara county, from transitional kindergarten through City College.
The ceremony, hosted by the SBCC Umoja Community, is scheduled for Saturday, May 6, 1-3 p.m. at the Fe’ Bland Forum on SBCC’s West Campus. Graduating Black scholars in the Santa Barbara community will be honored by VIP guests including family members, administrators from local elementary, junior high and high schools, as well as administrators from the Santa Barbara and Goleta Union School Districts. SBCC Board members and selected local officials are also invited.
May 6 — Studio Channel Islands Art Center (SCIART) presents a night of magic with Shawn McMaster
May 6 — Free Mental Health Fair at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
After a three-year pause, the Cottage Mental Health Fair is back in person. The purpose of the fair is to provide information about mental illness, substance use disorders and services in the community.
This year’s fair will be held at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital on Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The event will feature 15-20 community nonprofit agencies covering topics ranging from mental health and wellness, substance use disorders, community resources, wellness and recovery.
May 6 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Mark Morris Dance Group at The Granada Theatre
Mark Morris Dance Group’s evening-length work, The Look of Love, is the newest collaboration from choreographer Mark Morris and arranger Ethan Iverson. An homage to the chart-topping songs of Burt Bacharach – including popular compositions for Dionne Warwick such as “Walk on By” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” – the piece features original choreography, a live musical ensemble and lush new arrangements of more than a dozen legendary hits by the multi-award-winning composer.
May 7 — Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice announces ‘Garden Tour 2023’
May 7 — Oxnard College to Host Second Annual Family Festival
Oxnard College will host its second annual Family Festival on Sunday, May 7, 2023 from 12-4 p.m. This family-friendly event is free and open to the community; it will take place in front of the college’s Performing Arts Building and in tandem with the Oxnard College Foundation’s weekly Community Market.
“We’re proud to continue growing this tradition here in Oxnard,” shared Dr. Oscar Cobian, interim president of Oxnard College. “Our annual festival invites friends of Oxnard College to visit our beautiful campus for a day of fun and to learn about our award-winning programs. We hope young children attending the event will also begin thinking about their dreams and goals for attending college.”
May 9 — Join Sugar Lab Bake Shop In Ventura Harbor Village for Two Cookie Decorating Classes Just In Time For Mother’s Day
Sugar Lab Bake Shop In Ventura Harbor Village has converted one of their storage rooms upstairs to be able to offer in person cookie classes.
The Beginner Cookie Decorating Course is a 4 hour introductory course to cookie decorating. I’ll go over my recipes, icing consistencies, and various piping techniques to decorate beautiful cookies. This course is definitely for those that want to get into cookie decorating as a hobby, or even turn it into a side hustle as a few of my former students have. You’ll decorate two sets of cookies to learn even more techniques. This class is on Monday May 8, 5:30-9:30 pm.
May 9 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Woman. Life. Freedom at UCSB’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum
May 9 — Channel Islands Maritime Museum Presents New Exhibition, PORT/TRAIT
Beginning May 9, 2023, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) will be presenting its latest exhibition, PORT/TRAIT, in its Brenda and Gary Farr Gallery.
From the inception of photography in the early 1840s, cameras captured the international migrations of sailors around the world. The invention of photography can be credited to Louis Daguerre, a French inventor and artist who first introduced the concept to the French Academy of Sciences in 1839. That same year, the American inventor Robert Cornelius produced what’s considered the first photographic self-portrait. Their creation of portrait photography generated a multitude of encounters between sailors and photographers, capturing their lives at sea for global audiences.
May 10 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Charles Montgomery ‘Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design’ at UCSB’s Campbell Hall
The city you live in has a powerful effect on how you behave. How, then, do we design happy cities? Urban design consultant, award-winning journalist and author of Happy City, Charles Montgomery looks for answers in psychology, neuroscience, behavioral economics and cityscapes from Disneyland to Dubai.
May 11 — Housing Trust Fund Ventura County to host another guest immersion experience
Housing Trust Fund Ventura County (Housing Trust Fund VC) will host their fourth annual Compassion Campaign on May 11, 2023, from 5PM-9PM, in-person at the Museum of Ventura County. Sponsored in part by Ventura County Credit Union, this year promises to be another memorable evening as guests of COMPASSION CAMPAIGN – HOME MADE: FUND IT + BUILD IT + LIVE IT are invited to stroll through three powerful exhibits showcasing how safe, equitable, and affordable homes are funded, built, and lived in within Ventura County. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.housingtrustfundvc.org/2023cc-tickets
May 11 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Víkingur Ólafsson at Hahn Hall
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents Víkingur Ólafsson on Thursday, May 11 at 7 p.m at Hahn Hall. Icelandic virtuoso Víkingur Ólafsson combines out-of-this-world musicianship with an unusual gift for programming. His concerts are carefully calibrated compositions; each segment comments on those that come before and after. At Hahn Hall, Ólafsson will perform a Mozart & Contemporaries program that sheds light on lesser-known figures such as Domenico Cimarosa and Baldassare Galuppi and illuminates obscure, daring works by Mozart and Haydn. This intimate recital offers a rare opportunity to explore unheard depths and connections among music’s greatest composers.
Through May 12 — SBCC announces the 2023 Annual Student Exhibition
May 12 — Ventura College to present Ventura Chamber Music’s ‘Music for a May Night’ with director Ashley Walters
On Friday, May 12, Ventura College Chamber Music (Ashley Walters, Director) presents its talented chamber music students in organically-formed ensembles collaborating to perform highly varied repertoire spanning the classical era to present day. The program for this concert features music by composers including Clara Schumann, Henri Duparc and Francis Poulenc. One performance only!
May 13 — Ventura College Jazz Band to present ‘A Jazz Tribute to Wayne Shorter’
May 13 — Dreams Bloom at Family Service Agency Fundraiser
Join Family Service Agency (FSA) of Santa Barbara County, as it turns compassion into action at its spring fundraiser, Dreams in Bloom. The event takes place on May 13, from 5-8 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Woman’s Club at Rockwood. Proceeds benefit the children, families, and seniors served by FSA—which includes Santa Maria Valley Youth & Family Center and Guadalupe’s Little House by the Park.
Dreams in Bloom celebrates the resilience and growth of the 28,000 people served by the nonprofit each year. The event features a cocktail hour, music, dinner, auction, and flowers galore! Last year, FSA’s spring fundraiser raised over $150,000 to support the agency’s provision of basic needs assistance, family support, and mental health counseling programs countywide.