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The San Diego Tap & Jazz Dance Festival is a vibrant 5-day community event dedicated to celebrating and preserving American Vernacular Dance and its African roots. Organized by Claudia Gomez, owner of Tap Into Yoga & Reiki and Summer Briggs, owner of Rap A Tap Center for the Arts, the festival will be held from Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, to Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Keiller Leadership Academy. This festival will feature a diverse range of activities, including tap dance, swing dance, jazz dance, African dance, and breaking classes, along with a music theory class, historical panel discussions, a faculty concert, a student showcase, social dances, and jam sessions. Daily classes will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with special events scheduled for the evenings. Renowned dance educators and musicians from San Diego and beyond will participate as faculty members and performers. The opening faculty concert, featuring a special African Drum and Dance company from San Diego, and a live jazz band, will kick off the festival on Saturday, November 23, at 7 p.m. Additional highlights include an open jam session at Panama 66 in Balboa Park on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, and the student showcase on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. Visit: https://sandiegotapandjazz.com/collections/all San Diego Tap and Jazz Festival on Instagram and Facebook

The 8th Annual North County Veterans Stand Down (NCVSD) starts at 8 a.m. Thursday Oct 17 and goes through Noon Sunday Oct 20, 2024 at Green Oak Ranch in Vista. The North County Veterans Stand Down is an annual four-day event where ALL veterans and their families, especially those homeless or struggling, can receive much needed services in a safe, friendly, drug and alcohol-free, and secure environment. During their stay at the NCVSD, Veterans and their families will receive many services such as: meals, lodging, clothing, medical, dental, vision, veterinary care for their pets, plus many more services to help them both physically and mentally, all FREE of charge. NEW THIS YEAR, the VA is bringing in a doctor on Thursday and Friday to perform evaluations for Compensation & Pension claims, greatly speeding up the disability claims process! Veterans may stay overnight in cabins or visit during the day, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 9 a.m. - Noon Sunday, when services are offered. Not all services are available every day, so we recommend attending Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Register to attend, volunteer, or donate to our cause at www.ncvsd.org NCVSD is an all-volunteer, nonprofit group of veterans and family members who care enough about our veterans to work long, hard hours to make this happen. We are grateful to all our community partners, including Supervisor Desmond and the County of San Diego, Healing California, North County Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, American Legion Riders Ch. 365, Vista Elks, Los Rancheros Kiwanis Club, Helen Woodward Animal Center, and many more! North County Veterans Stand Down on Facebook / Instagram

Author Andrea L. Rogers and artist Rebecca Lee Kunz met by chance at the Cherokee National Holiday. Then they won the 2025 Caldecott Medal for their story about a helpful little boy named Chooch.

Anna Wintour is leaving her post as American Vogue's editor-in-chief after 37 years — but she's not retiring. She will remain a global force at Condé Nast as a new era begins for the magazine.

Ecuador will choose its next president in a April runoff election after conservative incumbent Daniel Noboa and leftist lawyer Luisa González garnered enough votes Sunday to beat 14 other candidates.

When we wear traditional clothing, we carry the weight of centuries of tradition on our shoulders. Every thread weaves a form of art, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail. - anonymous In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May 2024, the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center (BMCC) will showcase traditional attire representing more than a dozen countries and ethnic communities of Asia and the Pacific Islands. Through the exhibition, visitors will explore AAPI culture, customs, and traditions through historical and contemporary fashion and family stories. The exhibit connects and celebrates our cultural communities through performances, fashion, food and events during May. An opening reception on Saturday, May 4 from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. will highlight savory and sweet tastings made by local chefs who specialize in Asian Pacific cuisine. Featured dishes include Korean gimbap, Thai spring rolls from Takhrai Thai Restaurant, as well as a refreshing Filipino pandan young coconut dessert. A Chinese Dragon dance as well as Thai and Philippine dance performances highlight the opening of this original exhibition featuring local South Bay San Diego residents. Reservations for the opening reception can be made through the weblink. Student fashion designers are invited to attend a special appearance by former Project Runway contestant and renowned designer Kenneth Barlis on Thursday, May 9, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. During this intimate meeting, Barlis will share his journey as a creative force in the fashion industry and provide insights to his inspiration through a fashion show featuring a sampling of his designs. The event is free for Fashion Design students, members of the museum and general public. RSVP is required. Opening Reception: Sat. May 4, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. with host Vanessa Paz, ABC Channel 10 Are you interested in learning to play Mahjong? learn how to play Mahjong in the museum on Sunday, May 26. RSVP to the museum at 619 267- 5141. The Bonita Museum & Cultural Center is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information, find the website: bonitahistoricalsociety.org Stay Connected on Facebook and Instagram

Extracting truths from family archives to inform present day stories is the subject of “Threads of Time,” an exhibit by Robin North that will open at on February 8 and run through Black History Month, ending on March 1. North, whose forebears worked as slaves in the cotton fields of Texas, has used photographs and old documents to show how his family’s personal history is interwoven with the larger history of cotton, a commodity that spelled wealth for some and bondage for others. “Two bodies of work within ‘Threads of Time’ explore the family histories of Americans of African descent, addressing forced migration, labor, land ownership, and modernity in rural, deep southern Texas,” says North, who had been working as a corporate information specialist when he decided to pursue fine art photography. Through conversations with family members and by studying old photographs and documents, he began to decode messages from the past and realized that there was more to those photos than met the eye. “Decolonized Aesthetics” presents portraits of black subjects using historical photographic processes and stresses the intercultural connections resulting from cotton commerce. Some subjects pose with a bale of cotton. “Part of what I want to do is take this fusion of culture and this cotton bale and bring them together, because the reason this even happened is because of cotton,” North says. “That’s how this body of work came to fruition.” In "A Way of Looking," North visits places in the rural South that are connected with his family’s past and links them to the present. “A lot of my work focuses on looking backwards,” North says, and consequently we see his back as he faces away from the camera and looks toward an old church, toward cemetery headstones, and toward an old school building that appears to be losing a battle with a devouring landscape. The church, the school, the cemetery are all part of North’s family history, which is part of the larger history of cotton’s role in a nation’s history. The Photographer’s Eye Gallery will exhibit “Threads of Time” from February 8 through March 1. North will conduct a walk-through of his art on opening day at 4 p.m., and the gallery will host a reception for the artist at 5 p.m. The gallery will also host an artist’s talk on February 9 at 10 a.m. The talk is free, but a reservation is required and can be made by going online to the website to reserve a space. The nonprofit gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and by appointment by calling 760-522-2170. Free parking is available behind the gallery, and on the street. The Photographer’s Eye Collective on Facebook / Instagram

The rebels continued advances in eastern Congo despite their own announcement of a cease-fire. The U.N. secretary-general called for them to lay down their guns and agree to mediation.

Beginning Saturday, March 1, join us in Encinitas for even more ways to interact with contemporary art! Weekly Wellness Saturdays at ICA North expands on our 2025-2026 exhibition season theme, "On Healing." The exhibitions are part of a year-long exploration of the ways artists address the various socio-cultural wounds revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, the associated programs and events seek to explore how art can serve as a vital tool for mental, physical, emotional, and community wellbeing. Weekly Wellness Saturdays will take place most Saturdays throughout the year during ICA San Diego’s open hours (Noon – 5 p.m.), and includes: 1–2 PM: A rotating healing activity hosted by a local facilitator, including breathwork, yoga, and meditation 2:15–3:15 PM: A complimentary tour of the current exhibition in its Lower and Upper Pavilions, the outdoor garden, and sculpture trail 12–5 PM: An all ages art-making activity related to this year’s On Healing season 12–5 PM: Coffee and snacks for purchase 12–5 PM: Complimentary admission to ICA exhibitions Admission to Weekly Wellness Saturdays at ICA North is free, and a donation will be suggested for healing activities, and made directly to the facilitator. The current healing activity schedule is as follows: 1st Saturdays (March 1, April 5, May 3): Embodied Dance with Claire Halter About Embodied Dance: Get out of your head and into your body! This experience includes guided facilitation alongside free and intuitive movement and dance. Participants do not need any experience and are encouraged to move in their own authentic way in a safe, supported space. About Claire: Claire is a certified ecstatic dance facilitator and DJ, and she is also a certified Fluentbody (somatic-based movement practice) instructor. She has organized and facilitated gatherings for women and loves creating spaces for women to connect on a deeper level with themselves and others. In the spaces she holds, she hopes that women feel they can be their most authentic selves, as she has found, on her own journey, that her authenticity and vulnerability are her greatest gifts. 2nd Saturdays (March 8, April 12, May 10): Breathwork with Shawna Rogers About Breathwork: Experience the transformative power of transcendent breathwork, a modern, three-part breathing practice paired with evocative music to guide you into a state of deep healing and bliss. This gentle yet powerful technique helps release trapped emotions, harmonize your nervous system, and naturally boost your “happy hormones”. Through proper breathing, you can detoxify your body, reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance your overall well-being. Your session concludes with healing reiki, leaving you lighter, clearer, and more energized. Embrace the opportunity to heal in community and unlock your full potential. About Shawna: Shawna is a breathwork facilitator, reiki master-teacher and yoga instructor, teaching empowerment through embodiment practices. She is known for creating a safe space for others to journey deep beneath their layers. As a transformation guide to individuals ready for change, Shawna uses her innovative healing methods to help people get out of their head and into their body — so they can tap into their deepest desires, find clarity, and start living the life they truly want. 3rd Saturdays (March 15, April 19): Sound Healing and Art Making: Sound healing and meditation, followed by creating with paints, collage, clay or mixed media, with Karen Cadiero-Kaplan About Sound Healing: Sound healing and art in the garden: Enter a sound healing among plants and the sounds of crystal singing bowls and harp, then move into intuitive painting expressing your inner wisdom. Please bring a yoga mat or seat cushion and eye covering. All art materials will be supplied. About Karen: Dr. Karen Cadiero-Kaplan brings her 30 years of expertise as a teacher and artist to her sound healing practice. She creates a safe and sacred space that brings all who enter greater peace that opens participants to their inner wisdom and creative voice. 4th Saturdays (March 22, April 26, May 24): Yoga and Meditation with Diana Bamford About Yoga and Meditation: Experience an hour of gentle, mindful yoga and deep meditation, designed to nourish your body, calm your mind, and restore your spirit. This soothing practice for all levels invites you to move with ease, breathe deeply, and embrace stillness in a warm and supportive space. About Diana: Di is a certified yoga instructor specializing in Prenatal, Postnatal, and Trauma Informed Yoga, who brings her personal journey as a mother of three and PMADs survivor to create transformative experiences for her students. Since beginning her teaching journey in 2017, she has dedicated herself to providing a safe, inclusive space where practitioners of all levels can explore the mind-body-spirit connection. As a Reiki Master, Intuitive Energy Mentor, and certified Peer Support Specialist, Di combines her expertise in yoga with energy work to help high achievers break through barriers and find balance. Her commitment to Maternal Mental Health is reflected in her active involvement with Thrive Wellness Collective and the Postpartum Health Alliance in San Diego, where she volunteers to support other mothers. Whether leading a yoga class or providing energy mentoring, Di honors each individual’s unique journey while fostering an environment of growth, healing, and empowerment. 5th Saturdays (March 29, May 31): Breathwork with Shawna Rogers These Saturday offerings at ICA North are an evolution of ICA San Diego’s popular C You Saturday! series, a monthly community event where guests enjoy the galleries, participate in art-making, listen in on an artist talk, and more. This year, C You Saturdays! will take place on exhibition opening dates only, including: February 15, afra eisma: hush at ICA Central (Balboa Park) August 16, Las Hermanas Iglesias at ICA North (Encinitas) September 20, Ruben Ulisses Rodriguez Montoya at ICA Central (Balboa Park) ICA San Diego’s locations in Encinitas and Balboa Park are open Thursday – Sunday, Noon – 5 p.m. Weekly Wellness Saturdays at ICA North run from Noon – 5 p.m. (last entry into the galleries is 4:30 p.m.). C You Saturdays! at ICA Central and North run from 4-7 p.m. RSVP to a Weekly Wellness Saturday!

Featuring First Church of San Diego’s Chancel Choir and the Masterwork Chorale! Saturday, December 14 at 4 p.m. in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church of San Diego in Mission Valley It's time to get in the Christmas spirit! Come enjoy a collection of Christmas carol favorites including Conrad Susa's Carols and Lullabies, Britten's Ceremony of Carols, and a medley by Mack Wilberg. The concert includes an audience sing-along. It's perfect for all ages! As an extra bonus, this concert will be available in person and livestream. About The Cultural Events Music Series: First United Methodist Church of San Diego’s cultural event music series brings a mix of classic and folk music to the Mission Valley neighborhood of San Diego. These free concerts take place throughout the year and are made possible through the support of generous donors. Visit: https://www.fumcsd.org/event/23721701-2024-12-14-2024-25-music-series-advent-choral-concert/ First Church San Diego on Instagram and Facebook