Feb. 11 — Bilingual report — United Parents will present the fundraising event AMOR Y ALEGRÍA FOLKLÓRICA ‘De la mano con nuestras familias’ in Oxnard

OXNARD — United Parents will present the fundraising event AMOR Y ALEGRÍA FOLKLÓRICA “De la mano con nuestras familias” (hand in hand with our families) from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard.

The free event will feature live music, dance, food and drink vendors, children activities, silent auction and a raffle.

Feb. 12 — Ventura County Office of Education to present Community Event to Fight Addiction

CAMARILLO — Preventing substance use in kids is the focus of a community event being held on Monday, February 12, 2024, in Camarillo. The Addiction Inoculation, featuring bestselling author Jessica Lahey, will highlight risk factors and offer concrete takeaways for parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors to kids from pre-K through college.

Feb. 12 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents therapist and educator Resmaa Menakem at Campbell Hall

Resilience can ripple outward, changing the lives of people, families and communities. A cultural trauma navigator, Resmaa Menakem connects individual and familial experiences to societal processes, helping people find paths forward from intergenerational racial and historical trauma. Known best for his New York Times bestseller My Grandmother’s Hands and his Guerrilla Muse podcast, Menakem helps us apply critical, empathetic and embodied thought to controversial topics. His work sets a course for critical understanding, healing and transformation of our ailing societies.

Feb. 17 — Museum of Ventura County to present ‘6 Generations 200 Years Later – Screening and Q & A’

Join us for a screening of “Six Generations,” followed by an insightful Q & A session with Chumash elder Ernestine Ygnacio-De Soto and Professor Kristina Foss. The documentary is a profound exploration of Chumash heritage with “6 Generations.” Narrated by Ernestine De Soto, a unique link to the past through her female ancestors, the documentary delves into the impact of the Spanish arrival in Santa Barbara.

Feb. 21 — Temple Grandin to Speak on the Value of Alternative Thinking at CLU

THOUSAND OAKS — Temple Grandin, Ph.D., a multi-hyphenate, celebrated advocate for autistic communities, will present “Great Minds Are Not All The Same” as part of the California Lutheran University Dean’s Lecture Series. The event is at 7 p.m. on Feb. 21 in Samuelson Chapel on the Cal Lutheran campus and brings awareness to the start of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March. 

Feb. 21 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Abraham Verghese in conversation with Pico Iyer at the Arlington Theatre

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Abraham Verghese in conversation with Pico Iyer on Wednesday, February 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre. Dr. Abraham Verghese’s instant New York Timesbestseller, The Covenant of Water, was released in May to widespread critical acclaim and was named an Oprah’s Book Club pick. One of the most masterful literary novels published in recent years, the book is the long-awaited follow-up to Verghese’s previous novel, Cutting for Stone, which topped the New York Times bestseller list for more than two years, is being adapted for film and was named one of Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime. A distinguished Stanford professor and a prominent voice in medicine, Verghese received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama. Following the conversation and Q&A, both Abraham Verghese and Pico Iyer will be available to sign their most recent books. 

Feb. 22 — CLU School of Management to present ‘Separating Myths From Realities Challenges Undocumented Immigrants Face and Their Economic Impact on California’

Thursday, February 22  |   8:00 AM (PT)   |   Lundring Events Center

Join, explore, and participate in discussions on the social and economic challenges faced by undocumented families in California and their irreplaceable value for the entire state, organized by the Center for Economics of Social Issues. Register now!

Feb. 22 — Moorpark College and The Colleges of Law Present How to Save Democracy with David Pepper

MOORPARK — Moorpark College and The Colleges of Law welcome the community to attend “How to Save Democracy with David Pepper” on Feb. 22. This special event will feature a lecture by esteemed author David Pepper on election law and voting rights. Following the lecture, Dr. Jackie Gardina, Dean and Chief Academic Officer of The Colleges of Law, will engage in a conversation and Q&A session with Pepper.

Feb. 22 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Blues legend Taj Mahal Quintet with Gambia’s griot kora sensation Sona Jobarteh at Campbell Hall

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Taj Mahal Quintet and Sona Jobarteh on Thursday, February 22 at 8 p.m. at Campbell Hall. Celebrated blues legend Taj Mahal brings his glorious voice and virtuosic multi-instrumentalism to this uniquely powerful evening of new world music. A musical innovator, cultural ambassador and winner of the 2023 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album, Taj Mahal’s long career touches on every imaginable strand in the fabric of roots music.

Feb. 23 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents renowned climate expert Michael E. Mann

SANTA BARBARA —  UCSB Arts & Lectures presents climatologist and geophysicist Michael E. Mann on Friday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m. at UCSB Campbell Hall. With more than two decades on the front lines of climate science and policy, Michael E. Mann has become one of our best known and most valuable science communicators. Through six books, including his latest, Our Fragile Moment, Mann explains what the research means, how we should live and what we should demand of our leaders. Using Earth’s deep climate history to reframe the problems that we face today, Mann combines urgency with agency, encouraging people to appreciate the gravity of the unfolding climate crisis while emboldening them to act before it truly does become too late.

Feb. 24 — Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center to present ‘The Healing Power of Meditation’

THOUSAND OAKS — Tushita Kadampa Buddhist Center to present “The Healing Power of Meditation” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Fred Kavli Theater 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

“Meditation and mindfulness are scientifically proven methods that are now widely accepted as mainstream practices which lead to genuine, long-lasting well-being. Discover for yourself how to practice meditation and positive thinking techniques to cultivate a reliable source of happiness that comes from within your own mind.

Feb. 24 — Festival Mozaic Music Director hosts masterclass at Allan Hancock College

SANTA MARIA — Acclaimed violinist and Festival Mozaic Music Director Scott Yoo is hosting a free masterclass for a select group of Allan Hancock College music students, and the public is invited to watch. 

Yoo will conduct this free, public masterclass on Feb. 24 from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. at the Boyd Concert Hall (bldg. F) on the college’s Santa Maria campus.

Feb. 24 — Ventura County Community Development Corp. — Free Workshops, Free Financial Coaching and Credit Report

VIRTUAL & IN-PERSON
Homebuyer Workshop
Saturday, February 3, online
Saturday, February 24, in-person @ Harvest at Limoneira in Santa Paula

If homeownership is one of your goals this year (or anytime in the future), our Homebuyer Education Workshop is the place to be! Learn all about homebuying – from credit to down payment assistance and everything in between! There is no cost for you to attend and you’ll enjoy hearing from a variety of expert speakers who will give you the latest and greatest on credit, money management, real estate, mortgage loans, insurance and more! Plus get your HUD certificate which can be used to access down payment assistance programs like the upcoming California Dream for All. Register for FREE today!

Feb. 24 — Ventura Downtown Lions presents ‘Bowl to Strikeout Cancer’

VENTURA — The Ventura Downtown Lions presents “Bowl to Strikeout Cancer” from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 at Buena Lanes, 1788 S. Mesa Verde Road, Ventura.

For just a $30 donation per person, you’ll enjoy an action-packed afternoon filled with excitement. Lace up your bowling shoes and show off your skills with three thrilling games of bowling. But that’s not all! Indulge in a mouthwatering BBQ lunch complete with all the fixin’s to keep your energy levels high.

Feb. 25 — CSUCI President to speak at Super Sunday event in Oxnard

CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) President Richard Yao will speak at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center as part of the 19th annual CSU Super Sunday on Feb. 25.

The CSU’s annual Super Sunday event is an opportunity for California State University (CSU) system leaders, campus presidents, administrators, and students to visit predominantly African American churches throughout the state to share personal stories and important college-related information to advance access, opportunity and success for Black and African American students. Since its launch in 2005, more than a million people have participated in this signature awareness event for CSU’s African American communities.

Feb. 25 — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Leila Josefowicz, violin at Campbell Hall

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Leila Josefowicz, violin on Sunday, February 25 at 4 p.m. at Campbell Hall. An invaluable advocate for living composers, Leila Josefowicz has premiered dozens of new works for violin including concertos written expressly for her by John Adams, Esa Pekka-Salonen and many others. Josefowicz’ program illuminates the path to contemporary music that travels through expressionism. Works by Debussy and Szymanowski transport us to a lush, harmonic fantasy world, while those by Tüür and Stravinsky continue our journey into a more visceral realm that delights us with unexpected humor, excitement and passion.

Feb. 25 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present ‘A Morning with Janna Ireland’

Janna Ireland lives in Los Angeles, where she is an assistant professor in the Department of Art and Art History at Occidental College. A broad selection of Ireland’s work was included in the exhibition Family Album: Dannielle Bowman, Janna Ireland and Contemporary Works from LACMA at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Charles White Elementary School Gallery. Ireland’s photographs are held in the permanent collections of institutions including LACMA, the Nevada Museum of Art, the California African American Museum, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago.

Feb. 26 — Oxnard Film Society presents ‘The Teacher’s Lounge’

The screening has been rescheduled to Feb. 26, 2023 at 3:30pm and 6:30pm

THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE

2023 Germany 1hr 34minutes

Drama Not Rated

In German with English subtitles

Germany’s Submission to the Academy Awards for Best International Film.

NYTImes Critic’s Pick Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher, starts her first job at a high school. She stands out among the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, she decides to get to the bottom of the matter on her own. Carla tries to mediate between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and aggressive students, but is relentlessly confronted with the structures of the school system. The more desperately she tries to do everything right, the more the young teacher threatens to break.

Feb. 27 — Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present the King Quartet

SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Museum of Art to present the Ying Quartet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara.

The Ying Quartet occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today’s world.

Feb. 27 — Free LightGabler LLP Employment Law Seminar: Retooling Your Employee Handbook For 2024

CAMARILLO — Employment law firm LightGabler LLP is presenting a free employment law webinar for employers, “Handbook Time: Retooling Your Employee Handbook for 2024.” The webinar is Tuesday, February 27 from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

A critical “to-do” for every California employer in 2024 is retooling their employee handbook to create a legally compliant and strategically written document. A retooled handbook is one of the greatest sources of protection against employee lawsuits. It is a fountain of information for supervisors on how to properly interact with subordinate employees, and helps meet the employer’s obligations to provide notices and information to employees

Feb. 27 — ’50 Years Beyond Vietnam’ at the Veterans Museum in San Luis Obispo

If you have not yet attended our “50 Years Beyond Vietnam” exhibit talk, our next presentation will be take place on TUESDAY, February 27, 2024 at 2:00 pm, hosted by the Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum at 801 Grand Avenue, Suite 102, San Luis Obispo.

This history presentation is FREE to attend. Please register to ensure seating is available for all.

Feb. 28 — Bilingual report — People’s Self-Help Housing (PSHHC) — You’re Invited to Cleaver & Clark Commons Groundbreaking in Grover Beach

Cleaver & Clark Commons is an affordable housing community that will serve families, farmworkers, and those at risk of homelessness. Comprised of two buildings, this new development will bring 53 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units to the City of Grover Beach. Features of the site include an interior courtyard, drought-tolerant landscaping, and two community rooms for resident gatherings. Residents will also have access to onsite property management, and service-enriched support.

Feb. 28 — Ventura County Economic Forecast to be held in Thousand Oaks

THOUSAND OAKS — Ventura County’s economy is contracting, according to recently released GDP data. Because economic growth creates rising standards of living and greater economic mobility, it is critical to make the case for economic growth in the region. In response, “The Case For Growth” was chosen as the theme for the 2024 Ventura County Economic Forecast event on Feb. 28, presented by California Lutheran University’s Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (CERF).

Feb. 28 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) to present ‘Demystifying the FDA MoCRA 2022 Cosmetics Rules: What Beauty Brands Need to Know’

Join Economic Development Collaborative Go Global Trade Program (EDC GGTP) and the Women in International Trade Orange County (WITOC) as we partner with Krieger Worldwide for an informative webinar explaining the key provisions of the forthcoming MoCRA Act and how it establishes new requirements for the importation of cosmetics.

Feb. 28 — Economic Development Collaborative (EDC) — Join Us for a NO-COST Webinar Series on AI

Join EDC, Women’s Economic Ventures and SCORE for a NO-COST webinar on how you can use AI to leverage your business! Spanish interpretation will be available.

AI for Small Business Marketing: Supercharge your Social Media Content Creation with the Power of AI 

February 28 @ 12:00 pm

Explore the real-world applications of AI. Don’t miss out on unlocking the potential of AI for your business success.