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Comedian W. Kamau Bell speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about his decision to perform at the Kennedy Center after President Trump assumed the organization's chairmanship.

Kickoff LGBTQ+ Pride season on Friday, June 28 with our monthly Songwriter Sanctuary concert series featuring San Diego's finest songwriters. This month, we'll invite three local LGBTQ+ acts to perform in a Nashville-style round, sharing the stories and inspirations behind their beautiful songs. Hosted by the legendary Jeff Berkley. Songwriter Sanctuary LGBTQ+ Pride Edition Featured Artists: Ben Parks is a San Diego based indie pop singer-songwriter. Originally a pastor’s kid from the south, he developed his roots in Gospel music, honing in a mastery of intimate piano melodies and hauntingly passionate vocals. Over the past few years, Ben has wandered new territory and established an attractive alt. pop/rock sound bordering the likes of Phil Collins, MUNA, The 1975, and Maggie Rogers. His latest single “Why Does Everybody Leave?”, simultaneously invokes reflection and release for its listeners, adding Ben’s name to a list of “Sad Gay Pop” artists that know how to make you feel. Virr also found his musical beginnings in a church setting, singing in choirs across his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida. Initially influenced by artists like Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, and Coldplay, Virr went onto join the Navy in 2009, where he was exposed to an even broader range of music from around the world. Since 2014, Virr has been based in San Diego and has performed his music across the country. Virr utilizes his LGBTQ+ identity as a tool for connection, expressing himself with honesty and rizz (charisma). RhythMx is an act of ever-evolving magic, featuring live and electronic elements with songs that explore themes of transformation. This is an amazing series in a beautiful and affirming space, not to mention a wonderful opportunity to see these local LGBTQ+ artists perform their original works in an intimate setting. Come show some love-is-love, and help us celebrate! Event Details: Location: Normal Heights United Church, 4650 Mansfield St, San Diego, CA 92116 Time: Doors at 6:30 p.m., Show at 7 p.m. Suggested Donation: $10 (All ages welcome). Donations are graciously accepted to support the artists directly. While we encourage generous donations within your capacity to support our artists, no one is turned away for lack of funds. Food and Drink: Enjoy snacks and beverages available for purchase thanks to Duck Foot Brewing Company and Flying Embers. Guests are also welcome to bring their own food to enjoy during the show. Accessibility: For any accessibility requests, please contact Molly Lorden at molly(at)nhunited(dot)org. We invite the community and music lovers to join us for this special evening that celebrates the rich tapestry of local music.

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by Julie Bee of Marfa Public Radio to talk through the best albums released on May 2.

Pet owners have to consider how to both shield and cool down furry family members as intense heat waves become more common.

It's looking like 2024 will be the hottest year since record-keeping began, unseating 2023 for the top spot. Climate change is playing a role, and scientists say it was even hotter than expected.

DePrince, born in Sierra Leone, lost both her parents during the country's civil war. She became the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and later joined the Boston Ballet.

Their love story didn’t start with a kiss — it started with a collision. But sometimes, fate works in funny ways.

McDonald's says it is changing some of its inclusion standards, becoming the latest large company to announce it is rolling back some of its diversity practices.

Join one of our many habitat restoration projects. Your help is needed to restore precious habitats within San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve and the surrounding areas. From removing invasive plants to helping grow native plants indigenous to the area, you help nature thrive, which benefits wildlife and our communities. Nature Collective is a local conservation and science education nonprofit organization. They work to restore habitats, provide healthier waters, and increase wildlife diversity. They are dedicated to conserving the land and providing experiences for people to fall in love with nature. Family Friendly, Ages 6+ (minors with guardians); Accessible Trail; Location to be shared before the event. Registration Required RSVP: https://naturecollective.org/event/volunteer-restoration-event-2025-02-15/ Nature Collective on Instagram and Facebook

Students Gear Up for Second Year of Aspen Challenge: San Diego The Aspen Challenge returns to San Diego in February, empowering 15 student-led teams from public high schools to drive change in their communities and beyond. The Aspen Challenge, a program of the Aspen Institute and founded with the Bezos Family Foundation, is thrilled to announce the return of Aspen Challenge: San Diego for its second year. Partnering with San Diego Unified School District, the program empowers students from high schools across the city to address critical community issues through youth-led initiatives. On Tuesday, February 4 at Building 177, 15 student-led teams and educators will hear from “Expert Challengers,” leaders and innovators presenting challenges on key topics such as providing resources for the unhoused community of San Diego, combatting discrimination against LGBTQ+ population, ocean pollution, the way overuse of technology can negatively affect mental health and substance abuse. "We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the Aspen Challenge, an incredible opportunity to elevate student voice, foster leadership, and inspire civic mindedness among our young people,” said Dr. Fabi Bagula, Interim Superintendent for the San Diego Unified School District. “This initiative empowers our students to tackle real-world challenges with creativity and innovation, reminding us all that the future lies in their capable hands. Together, we are building a generation of leaders ready to shape a better world. May the youth lead the way!" After the February forum, teams will have nine weeks to create and implement innovative solutions within their communities. They will reconvene on April 15 to present their projects at the Aspen Challenge Solution Showcase. A panel of judges will then select the Grand Prize winning team, who will travel to Aspen, Colorado in June to present their work at the Aspen Ideas Festival. “It’s wonderful to be back to San Diego for the Aspen Challenge,” said Katie Fitzgerald, Managing Director of the Aspen Challenge. "I hope the country watches as the youth of San Diego once again solve some real issues we see in all communities across the country. There will be 15 mini revolutions led by teams of high school students in San Diego that will transform their community and we can't wait to witness it." Expert Challengers and speakers include Jerry Troyer, Urban Street Angels; Aaron Ngan, The San Diego LGBT Community Center; Alex Ferron, Surfrider Foundation; Eisha Buch, Common Sense Media; Courtney Esparza, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Participating Schools: Canyon Hills High School Clairemont High School Crawford High School Patrick Henry High School Logan Memorial Educational Campus Mira Mesa High School Mission Bay High School Mt. Everest Academy Point Loma High School San Diego High School San Diego Metropolitan Regional and Technical High School San Diego SOAR Academy- Youth Transition Campus Scripps Ranch High School University City High School The inaugural Aspen Challenge launched in collaboration with Los Angeles Unified School District in 2013. Since its inception, the Challenge has expanded to include partnerships with school districts in Denver, Washington D.C., Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Louisville, Miami, New Orleans, Brooklyn, and Boston. For more information on Aspen Challenge: San Diego or to attend as a covering member of the media, please contact: ben.berliner@aspeninstitute.org. The Aspen Challenge provides inspiration, tools, and a platform for young people to design solutions to some of the most critical problems humanity faces. For more information on Aspen Challenge, please visit www.aspenchallenge.org. The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org. San Diego Unified School District is the second largest school district in California, with 175 schools, 95,011 students UTK-12, and over 17,000 employees. While the school district is largely influenced by its close proximity to the US-Mexico border, over 75 languages are spoken in schools situated in diverse suburban and urban communities. The district has a core focus on equity and belonging so all students and staff in San Diego Unified may thrive in school and beyond. The Bezos Family Foundation envisions a world in which all young people reach their full potential and meaningfully contribute to society. The Foundation pursues that vision by making grants and by operating their own programs, with the aim of fueling the science of learning and enabling its application in a variety of settings. The Foundation’s mission is to invest in the science of learning and the experiences that youth need from birth to high school to pursue their own path for success. For more information, visit www.bezosfamilyfoundation.org.