Event highlights for the week of March 28, 2018.
Green Fix
Cesar Chavez Day of Service
March 31 is national Cesar Chavez Day, honoring the legacy of the civil rights and labor movement activist. And is there a better way to commemorate Chavez’s legacy and continued relevance than volunteering on a farm? The Homeless Garden Project is hosting lunch and a lecture by long time Watsonville farmer Antonio Rocha and his daughter, Adriana, who was this year’s recipient of the City of Watsonville Cesar Chavez Award for Community Service. All ages are welcome; for safety, organizers ask that children are accompanied by an adult and everyone wear close-toed shoes.
INFO: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 31. Homeless Garden Project, 30 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. 426-3609. homelessgardenproject.org. Free.
Art Seen
‘We Feed You’
California produces and distributes nearly half of all fruits, nuts and vegetables in the country. The exported $5.16 billion worth of almonds and $5.58 billion of grapes last year speaks for itself, but who is doing the work to feed the nation? Tending to and harvesting millions of pounds of crops is backbreaking work for laborers who have few to no rights. After working with individuals from the United Farm Workers (UFW), Victor Cartagena compiled a few of the stories of laborers behind our food. “Behind every salad is a story” is the motto of the Museum of Art and History’s latest exhibit, and these stories are often of injustice and struggle against bureaucracy.
INFO: Show opens Friday, April 6 and runs through Sunday, July 22. Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. 429-1964. santacruzmah.org. $10 general admission, $8 students, free on First Fridays. Photo: “Labor Tea” by Victor Cartagena, Commissioned by the San Jose Museum of Art Courtesy of the artist.
Saturday 3/31
‘In Her Shoes’: Listening, Witnessing and Honoring the Lives of Women of Color
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, join the Resource Center for Nonviolence and Sisters in Solidarity for an evening of music, storytelling and spoken word to celebrate the lives and legacies of women of color everywhere. Local talent includes renowned musician Gina Rene, three-time Grand Slam poetry champion Queen Jasmeen, 15-year-old activist Carmen Azmita and many more.
INFO: 6 p.m. Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. brownpapertickets.com. General admission: $15/$20. Senior/student: $10/$15. Photo: Gina Marie.
Saturday 3/31
First Annual Santa Cruz Seed Exchange
You’ve heard of stamp collecting, but chances are you haven’t heard of seed collecting. Seed collecting yields a much more fruitful outcome, pun intended, and insures a more biodiverse crop. Don’t worry if you don’t have any seeds, there will be free ones on site for everyone to get started. If that’s not enough, Master Chef Rick Cook will also be serving up samples of artisan barbecue. If you are bringing seeds, the event organizers ask that your plant be healthy and you label your seeds—no one wants sick, unidentified plants or a “feed me Seymour” moment.
INFO: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tres Pueblos/Veterans of Foreign Wars. 2259 7th Ave. Santa Cruz. Free.
Saturday 3/31
Free Swim Lessons
Learning to swim is a critical part of every child’s life. Drowning is one of the main causes of accidental death—an average of 10 children drown every day according to the Center for Disease Control. But many parents don’t put their kids in swimming lessons because they are often time-consuming and expensive. In light of this, Seahorse Swim School is offering free swimming lessons for anyone and everyone this spring. The lessons happen rain or shine and if you can’t make it to this one, there will also be more free lessons on April 28, May 5 and June 2.
INFO: 1-3 p.m. Seascape Sports Club, 1505 Seascape Blvd. Aptos. 476-7946. seahorseswimschool.com. Free.
