Cultural Education

Love gumbo? Join Dontaye Ball, chef and owner of Gumbo Social, and local food content creator Kahja Elliott at North Branch for a cooking demonstration on Tuesday, February 6th at 6 pm!

Black History Month is an amazing time to learn about the global influence of the Black diaspora on some of our favorite foods. Plus, who doesn't love a hot bowl of delicious gumbo??

Now that everyone has a smartphone, and millions of (mostly forgettable) images are posted daily, can photography still challenge, engage, delight, and unsettle us? How have visual artists used photography to participate in the postmodern redefinition of art as social engagement and cultural critique? Learn about three contemporary photographers—Vik Muniz, Wolfgang Tillmans, and Zanele Muholi—whose work involves new materials, new processes, and new subjects.

Join us at the Berkeley Public Library’s Central Library 5th Floor for All Your Favorite Music is (Probably) Black, a humorous, highly immersive, and historically accurate talk that uncovers the African-American roots of popular music genres that appear to be free of African-Americans. Utilizing a rich audiovisual presentation, Mark Montgomery French reveals the sonic secrets behind African-Americans’ cultural invisibility within the musical categories they helped define.

Transition Berkeley will begin hosting a monthly Skill & Idea Share event on every second Tuesday of the month from 6pm to 7:30pm.

Come join your neighbors in connecting, learning and resource sharing! Bring some extra garden harvest/clothes/books/tools you no longer need, a dish or beverage to share, or just your interest in building a resilient community. All are welcome!

We're hosting our Lunar New Year Celebration at Central!

Tentative Schedule:

Mystery room:
2:00pm Bilingual Mandarin Storytime w/ Tianxin (Aries) Wang & Kato
2:30pm Cal Fei Tian Dancers
3:00pm Cal VSA Lion Dancers
3:30pm Leung’s White Crane Lion Dancers
4:00pm SF Guzheng Music Society

Historic lobby next to mystery room:

2-3:30pm Paper lantern and dragon crafts

4:00pm Polymer Clay Food craft w/ Eugenia Yoh

Join author Sacha Lamb as they discuss their book, When the Angels Left the Old Country, winner of the Stonewall Award and the Sydney Taylor Award.

About When the Angels Left the Old Country

“Steeped in Ashkenazi lore, custom, and faith, this beautifully written story deftly tackles questions of identity, good and evil, obligation, and the many forms love can take.” Kirkus (starred review)

“Richly imagined and plotted, this inspired book has the timeless feeling of Jewish folklore.” Booklist (starred review)

An Afternoon with Cafe Ohlone

Join Cafe Ohlone co-founders Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino to hear about Ohlone culture past and present and to learn how to play their favorite Ohlone game! Tea and brownies will be served. Recommended for ages 6-12.

About Cafe Ohlone:

Come Play Ukulele!

Let's get together and strum and sing some songs at THP South Branch!
Bring your own ukulele, or use one of ours!