Rules Are Not Neutral: Play As Sense-Making, Acts Of Resistance, And Imagining Otherwise
2026-05-07 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-08 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-09 12:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery, 11 Cowell Service Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
This exhibition brings together a range of analog games – including board, card, role-playing, and other participatory works – that engage social and political realities in different ways. The works span widely circulated commercial games to independently produced projects, one-of-a-kind artworks by artists, faculty, alumni, and students, and materials drawn from UC Santa Cruz Special Collections and Archives.
In part, the exhibition challenges the persistent assumption that games and play are detached from social and political life. On the contrary, game designers and artists across diverse perspectives and positions have long used play to engage questions of social systems, lived experience, and how power operates. This exhibition does not attempt to represent that full spectrum. Instead, it brings together a particular set of works that foreground how games can make systems visible, intervene in them, and imagine alternatives.
All games embody values, whether intentional or not.
– Mary Flanagan, game designer and scholar
Across all of these works, games are not only forms of entertainment, though they may be that as well. They are encountered in multiple ways: as objects, as systems, as artworks, and as experiences that unfold unpredictably through interaction. In each case, rules and constraints shape what participants can do. In these different forms, the works stage systems – such as housing and land ownership, capitalism, race and identity, civil rights and protest, fascism, and colonialism – in ways that are simplified and easy to see, opening space to recognize similar structures beyond the game. In this sense, the works suggest that rules are not neutral – they organize experience, distribute power, and produce meaning.
Games are the art of agency.
– C. Thi Nguyen, philosopher
The exhibition is intentionally dense. This abundance reflects the breadth of ways games operate across contexts, from activism and education to art and everyday life. While it celebrates creativity and difference, it also asks how these works engage critically with the structures that shape our lives.
Some works use rules to model systems, helping players understand how those systems operate. Others use play to rehearse action, asking players to practice navigating or challenging those systems. Still others turn toward speculation, inviting players to imagine alternative futures, worlds, and the systems that might shape them.
The imagination is an instrument of change.
– Ursula K. Le Guin, author
The focus on analog games reflects how they foreground materiality and shared physical presence. Played face-to-face, handled, read aloud, and experienced together, these works show how rules operate not in abstraction, but through lived, embodied experience.
Ultimately, the exhibition asks us to consider not only how games represent the world, but how they shape our engagement with it – and how through play, the social and political systems they model might be understood, challenged, and reimagined.
Games are not apolitical.
– Kishonna L. Gray, media scholar

Gallery Reception
May 15 from 1 to 4pm at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery

Art Friday
Hands-on art activities drawing from the current exhibition.
ALL ARE WELCOME regardless of skill level. Art supplies and free snacks are provided!

Black on the Block
2026-05-07 13:00 - 14:00 | Crown Provost House, 660 Crown Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join the African American Resource & Cultural Center every Thursday from 1–2 p.m., at the front of the Ethnic Resource Center for Black on the Block, a weekly tabling and engagement space.
Stop by to learn about campus resources, upcoming programs, and ways to get involved. It’s a casual, welcoming space to ask questions, make connections, and build community. All are welcome.
You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

Let's Talk
2026-05-07 13:00 - 14:00 | Cantu Queer Center, Crown Lane, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Need to talk? We’re here to listen! Drop in for a confidential chat with a professional counselor who can provide support, advice and information.
Where: UCSC Cantú Queer Center, 633 Crown Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Facilitator: Dean Khambatta, LMFT (831) 459-5346
You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

Chancellor's Innovation Impact Awards
2026-05-07 16:00 - 20:30 | University Center, University Center, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join us for the Innovation Impact Awards program celebration, a festive event honoring some of UC Santa Cruz’s most innovative and creative individuals and communities.
Thursday, May 7, 2026
4 p.m.
UC Santa Cruz National Academy of Inventors Chapter From Campus to Commerce panel featuring a group of dynamic campus innovators and external commercialization partners bringing innovations to market
5:30 p.m.
Hor d’oeuvre reception followed by the awards presentation and celebration
UC Santa Cruz University Center
College Nine Rd, Santa Cruz, CA
REQUEST REGISTRATION

The awards recognize faculty, researchers, staff, students, and community partners for their valuable contributions to innovations and creative scholarship that have sparked transformative change and societal impact.
This year we will be recognizing and celebrating the following inspiring awardees:
Innovator of the Year
Mike Beck, director of the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience, is advancing innovative nature-based solutions that protect coastlines and communities from climate-driven storms and flooding.
Translation of the Year
NeuroSWARM3, a groundbreaking neurophotonic technology developed in the Yanik Lab enables wireless, minimally invasive monitoring of brain activity at unprecedented scale and resolution.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Richard E. Green, professor of biomolecular engineering, has built a career defined by groundbreaking innovations in genomics and computational biology, and translating fundamental science into lasting societal impact.
Community Changemaker
Bud Colligan has used venture capital, philanthropy, and community partnerships to strengthen the economic vitality, health, and opportunity of the Monterey Bay and Central Coast regions.
The event will also bring together a dynamic and diverse group of people who contribute to an ecosystem and environment that spurs innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship at the university and within the community.
We hope to see you there!

Event supported by:
Carter, DeLuca & Farrell LLP
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP
Santa Cruz Ventures

Social Movements Across Generations: A Film Screening and Platica with Carmen Perez Jordan
2026-05-07 17:00 - 19:30 | Cultural Center – Merrill College, 641 Merrill Rd, Santa Cruz, 95064, United States
When: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Where: Cultural Center at Merrill, UC Santa Cruz, 641 Merrill Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
Time: 5:00-7:30pm, doors open at 4:30pm

Join us for an evening of reflection, storytelling, and dialogue rooted in the legacy and future of social movements. The program will feature a screening of Following Harry, a powerful documentary that offers an intimate look into the life, mentorship, and enduring influence of Harry Belafonte. Through personal stories and behind-the-scenes moments, the film captures how Belafonte shaped generations of organizers, artists, and leaders committed to justice, highlighting the deep connections between culture, movement building, and moral courage.
The film also features Carmen Perez-Jordan, a former UC Santa Cruz student, whose journey reflects the impact of Belafonte’s mentorship and the power of intergenerational leadership. Her story offers a personal lens into how movements are sustained, carried forward, and reimagined by new generations.
Following the screening, we will hold a plática with Carmen Perez-Jordan and Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez, two leaders whose work reflects the very legacy explored in the film. Together, they will engage in a conversation on movement-building across generations, the importance of mentorship, and what it means to lead with purpose in today’s social justice landscape.
This evening is an invitation to connect the past with the present, honor the shoulders we stand on, and imagine the future we are called to build together.

For questions or accommodations, please email elcentro@ucsc.edu.

Parking and Check-in: Parking is available via ParkMobile at Parking Lot 119. ADA parking is available at Parking Lot 119 with an ADA placard. Free parking is available at the East Remote lot starting at 5:00 PM. Please let us know if you need any accommodations and/or ADA parking in the form below.

Sponsored by: Chancellor’s Office, Dolores Huerta Research Center for the Americas, Latin American and Latino Studies, Stevenson College, College 9, John R Lewis College, Alumni Engagement, Lionel Cantu Queer Center, and Office of Leadership and Involvement.

Support El Centro: El Centro’s programs are made possible through a combination of student fees, supplemental grants, and the generous support of alumni, allies, and community members. Make a donation today using our secure online platform.

Rasanblaj as Spirit Turn: Gina Athena Ulysse in Conversation with Jennifer González
2026-05-07 18:00 - 19:30 | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
Please join us for a conversation between Gina Athena Ulysse and Jennifer González, discussing Ulysse’s solo exhibition Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements.
The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view at the IAS as an inaugural Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the concept developed by the artist of “rasanblaj”, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas.
The artist will be joined in conversation by noted art theorist and scholar Jennifer González, professor of history of art and visual culture.

Let's Talk
2026-05-08 11:00 - 12:00 | https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/8704358865?pwd=[REDACTED]
Need to talk? We’re here to listen! Drop in for a confidential chat with a professional counselor who can provide support, advice and information.
Zoom Meeting Link
Meeting ID: 635 182 8273
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Facilitator: Mitchell Rees, PhD (831) 459-2628

You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

Spring Exhibitions at the Institute of the Arts and Sciences
2026-05-08 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-09 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-10 12:00 - 17:00 | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right, the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj, a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies, a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art.
The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public.
Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right
Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons.
Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements
The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas.
Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies
Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in times of violence.

Stanford Donor Center Blood Drive
2026-05-08 12:00 - 17:00 | Porter Hitchcock Lounge, 411 Porter-Kresge Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060-4902, United States
For all of the advances in modern medicine, there is still no substitute for Whole Blood donations.
One single donation can save three lives.

Whole blood needed planned or emergency surgeries (including childbirth).
Red blood cells to help a patient suffering from chronic anemia or iron deficiency.
Platelets to help in the recovery of chemo-therapy patients
Plasma transfusions for patients with liver failure, severe infections, and serious burns

Schedule an appointment:

Schedule your appointment online
Phone: 888-723-7831
Walk-in’s gladly accepted (pending appointments scheduled)

All donors are entered to win four (4) Global Game tickets, will receive two (2) Free Earthquakes Tickets and a $20.00 eCard!
Sponsored by Porter College. Contact Porter_Activities@ucsc.edu for more information.
With support from the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC)

You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

Goal Setting
2026-05-08 13:00 - 13:45 | Academic Resources Center (ARC), 408 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
In this workshop, you will: Set SMART goals to help you get organized & on track for success.
The Successful Slug Workshop series, hosted by Learning Support Services Peer Coaches, are open to all UCSC undergraduate students and focus on academic skills and tools to support your success as a student. At each workshop, you will be introduced to a topic, engage in active learning, be given resources to begin implementing the same day, and have an opportunity to learn more if you are interested.
You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

BME80G Seminar - Aubrey Streit Krug, "Living Roots: Perennial Grain Agriculture and Ethics of Care & Repair"
2026-05-08 13:20 - 14:25 | Jack Baskin Auditorium, 191 Baskin Cir, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Aubrey Streit Krug; Director of the Perennial Cultures Lab at The Land Institute

About the speaker: Aubrey Streit Krug is a writer and researcher who investigates relationships among humans, plants, and places. She is the Director of the Perennial Cultures Lab at The Land Institute. She leads a team devoted to collaboratively advancing social and cultural research and educational efforts like civic science that feature transdisciplinary learning with communities to help realize more just, diverse, and perennial agricultures. Aubrey loves rocky prairie hillsides and holds a PhD in English & Great Plains Studies. Her most recent project, co-edited with Liz Carlisle, is the collection Living Roots: The Promise of Perennial Foods.

Hosted by: Professor Karen Miga, BME Department

The Annual Maya K. Peterson Memorial Lecture
2026-05-08 14:30 - 16:00 | University Center, University Center, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
“Colonizing Water: Empire, Commodification, and Appropriation in Africa”
Matthew Bender, Professor of History, The College of New Jersey
Friday, May 8, 2:30-4:00pm; Alumni Room @ UCSC’s University Center
In early 2018, the city of Cape Town nearly ran out of water. South Africa’s “Mother City,” renowned for its cosmopolitan population and natural beauty, faced the prospect of a “Day Zero,” when it would be forced to close its taps and force millions to queue for water rations. Across much of the continent, though, water scarcity is an everyday reality, with nearly 1 in 3 people lacking access to sufficient drinking water. How did this become the case? This talk explores the history of water on the African continent, using a historical lens to understand the present-day water crisis. It shows how these resources came to be “colonized” through the mechanisms of imperialism in Africa. European colonial actors in the 19th and 20th centuries attempted to transform the ownership, management, and meaning of water with the aim of harnessing its powers to advance their objectives. In doing so, they created deep seeded inequities and underdevelopment that has persisted in the decades since African colonies gained their independence. This historical analysis shows that many of the present-day obstacles to providing clean, safe water stem from legacies of colonial rule. Yet it also shows the many ways in which everyday Africans proved resilient, finding ways to thrive despite the odds.
Matthew Bender is Professor of History at The College of New Jersey. His research focuses on modern African social and cultural history, with interest in the environment, natural resources, and agriculture. A leading scholar in water history, he has authored numerous articles, essays, and chapters as well as a book entitled Water Brings No Harm: Management Knowledge and the Struggle for the Waters of Kilimanjaro (Ohio University Press, 2019).
This event is made possible by the generous support of the Maya K. Peterson Memorial Endowment.

Music on the Meadow—April in Santa Cruz
2026-05-08 16:00 - 18:00 | Music Center Recital Hall, 400 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Music On The Meadow (MOTM) presents “Episode 0: Music with the Meadow.” MOTM showcases engagement from students, artists, scientists, scholars, and culture bearers, who engage in “listening with the meadow” through genre-defying works. MOTM is a site for low-key (but not low-quality or low-impact) celebration, gathering, mourning, remembering, rethinking, unlearning.
More program and accessibilty information on the MOTM website here.
This event is presented as part of the April in Santa Cruz Festival of Creative Music.
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ADMISSION
– Free and open to the public
– Attend in-person at Kretschmer Plaza, the outdoor courtyard adjacent to the Music Center Recital Hall at UC Santa Cruz
– Open admission (no ticket or registration required)
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PARKING
– Arts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event
– Parking by permit or ParkMobile
– For this event, there will be a ParkMobile flex code posted on signage in Lot 126 allowing attendees to purchase hourly parking and use any non-reserved space in the lot.
– Visitors with DMV placards or plates may park for free in DMV spaces, Medical spaces, or ParkMobile spaces without additional payment, or in timed zones for longer than the posted time.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
– This year’s festival includes seven events between April 15 and May 21, 2026
– Additional April in Santa Cruz events and information at aprilsc.ucsc.edu
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MUSIC ON THE MEADOW
AN ECOSYSTEM BEYOND A FESTIVAL
image: Great Meadow—UCSC (view, landscape, scenic, field, meadow, sky, clouds, ocean, bay, trees, blue, green)
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Reflections of Us Evening Bazaar - 2nd annual AA/PI/SWANA Heritage Night Market
2026-05-08 17:00 - 21:00 | Upper Quarry Amphitheater, 15 McLaughlin Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
It’s time for the 2nd annual AA/PI/SWANA Heritage Night Market on FRIDAY, MAY 8TH, from 5-9PM @ the QUARRY AMPHITHEATER!
In celebration of AA/PI Heritage Month in May and SWANA Heritage Month in April, AA/PIRC invites you to join us for the Reflections of Us Evening Bazaar — an evening full of free food, games, performances, and the opportunity to support small student businesses! This year’s special guest, will be RC Avenue. We can’t wait for you all to come hang out with us and listen to great music!
BIG THANK YOU to our SPONSORS: The Women’s Center, Cantú Queer Center, and College Nine & John R. Lewis College Activities Office!
RSVP at bit.ly/aapiswana-nm26 to get email reminders for the event, and please complete our interest form at bit.ly/aapirc-nm26 if you are interested in joining our planning committee, being a day-of volunteer, tabling, performing, and/or vending.

Guitar Virtuoso Hao Yang in Concert—An Evening of Classical Guitar Music from Around the World
2026-05-08 19:30 - 21:00 | Music Center, Meyer Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Join acclaimed classical guitarist Hao Yang as she brings her extraordinary talent to the stage, fresh off winning the prestigious 2024 Koblenz International Guitar Competition, “Hubert Käppel,” and placing second at the 2024 GFA International Concert Artist Competition. A recipient of the Clifton Foundation’s Emerging Artists Award, she has captivated audiences at Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center, Miller Theatre, and the National Centre for the Performing Arts, and has appeared as soloist with the Chursächsische Philharmonie in Germany. A passionate chamber musician, Hao made her Carnegie Hall debut premiering “Talking Guitars” by composer Paul Lansky, and regularly collaborates across diverse ensemble settings—from guitar quintets to voice and guitar—bringing fresh perspectives to both traditional and contemporary repertoire.
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ADMISSION
– This event is open to UCSC affiliates only.
– Attend in person at the Music Center Studio 131 at UC Santa Cruz.
– Open seating (no ticket required).
– Venue has limited seating and early arrival is encouraged.
– Doors are scheduled to open 30 minutes prior to event start time.
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PARKING
– Parking via permit, ParkMobile, or $11 cash/credit via the on-site event attendant.
– Arts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event.
– Visitors with DMV placards or plates may park for free in DMV spaces, Medical spaces, or ParkMobile spaces without additional payment, or in timed zones for longer than the posted time.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
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This program is open to all UCSC affiliates consistent with state and federal law.

[Cancelled] UCSC Wind Ensemble
2026-05-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Music Center Recital Hall, 400 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
event update: this event is cancelled (per notice on May 8 at 4:30 p.m.)
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The UCSC Wind Ensemble, directed by Nathaniel Berman, brings fantasy and imagination in a spring quarter concert, featuring music from the film Spirited Away, composed by Joe Hisaishi; The Dream of Angus, by Rolf Rudin; music depicting train journeys, by Alexis Shapiro and Steve Danyew; Sound and Smoke, by Viet Cuong; and Steampunk Suite by Erika Svanoe.
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ADMISSION
– this event has been cancelled

Berry U-Pick at the UCSC Farm
2026-05-09 09:00 - 12:00 | UCSC Farm, 152 Farm Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Come enjoy picking your own organic strawberries and/or blueberries at the campus farm! Our delicious, organic berries will be plentiful this spring and we hope you can come enjoy the bounty.
When: U-picks will take place on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm while supplies last. Blueberries will be available approximately through June, and strawberries will be available into the summer season. PLEASE NOTE that u-picks will not occur on Saturday, June 13 due to campus commencement ceremonies that will impact traffic and parking.
Where: Free parking will be available in the Hay Barn lot or lot 115/116 during u-pick hours. Please do not park in the dirt lot at the farm’s back gate. Please walk to the pinned location at the farm to pre-pay and collect your u-pick container(s). We will have directional signage displayed. There is one ADA parking spot on the farm. The UCSC Farm has uneven, hilly terrain. If you require accommodations to fully participate, please email agroecology@ucsc.edu and we will do our best to accommodate.
Cost: UCSC students with valid ID get 25% off.

Strawberry pints – $4 each
Strawberry flats (12 pints) – $44
Blueberry pints – $4.50 each
Blueberry flats (12 pints) – $50

Payment: Credit card payments only (you will need a smartphone to scan a QR code and enter your card info manually).
Dogs are not allowed on the UC Santa Cruz campus (service animals are OK).

Pitch-In! Campus Clean Up Day 2026!
2026-05-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Porter College, D-Building, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Help us keep our campus and county beautiful. Come volunteer to pick up litter across the county and campus. Our meet-up spot will be in front of the Porter Squiggle! We’ll be picking up litter, beautifying our campus, and celebrating with some snacks and prizes. Bring a friend, and help us save the planet! If you’re unable to join us on campus, visit the Pitch In Santa Cruz website to find a location near you! 🙂
Link to RSVP: https://forms.gle/47k8KgANTHGz5Yy86

Younger Lagoon Reserve Tours
2026-05-09 10:30 - 12:00 | Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
Younger Lagoon Reserve tours are free and open to the public. Space is limited to 18 participants. Call 831-459-3800 or sign-up online. Virtual tours are available online.

Visualizing Abolition Screening Series: Beyond Access
2026-05-09 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-05-10 12:00 - 17:00 | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
On view in the IAS Screening Room is a selection of short films curated by Visualizing Abolition Visiting Faculty Fellow Dr. Pooja Rangan.
Prisons deny and censor the access of those trapped inside them—to information, to intimacy, to community, to meaningful work, to nourishment of all kinds, and perhaps most cruelly, to care. This program assembles a series of films, including works by filmmakers incarcerated in California as well as others without that lived experience. Together, these works confront the debilitating impacts of these restrictions and reveal how the disabling logic of the prison is extended to other institutional spaces (the hospital, the university), turning access into a scarce commodity by enclosing what should be held in common. Questioning the carceral and state-sponsored productions of disability and accessibility, the short films together reveal the courage of people working despite limitations to produce collective access for one another, described simply and beautifully by disability justice activist Leah-Lakshmi Piepzna Samarasinha as “revolutionary love without charity.”
Thanh Tran
Dying in Prison, 2022
HD Video (color, sound), 3 minutes
Courtesy of the artist
Carolyn Lazard
Pre-Existing Condition, 2019
HD video (color, sound), 6 minutes
Courtesy of the artist and Trautwein Herleth3
Anthony Alejandrez
Another Rainy Day, 2023
Phone video (color, sound), 3 minutes
Courtesy of the artist
Jordan Lord
After…After… (Access), 2018
HD Video (color, sound), 16 minutes
Courtesy of the artist
Rahsaan “New York” Thomas
Friendly Signs, 2023
Video (color, sound) 21 minutes
Courtesy of Tommy Wickerd, Empowerment Ave & System Impact Media

Where Cultures Bloom — We Belong here
2026-05-09 12:30 - 15:00 | Oakes Learning Center
Where Cultures Bloom is a large-scale cultural celebration centered on community, expression, and belonging, grounded in the idea that UCSC is shaped by the diverse identities and voices of those who call it home. This event serves as an open platform for students to showcase their creativity and lived experiences through mediums such as spoken word, music, dance, drag, and visual art.
Bloom is intentionally designed as a collective cultural exchange, inviting students from across campus to come together, share their stories, and celebrate. Through performance, art, food, and connection, the event creates space to affirm that we belong here, together.
FREE food, flowers, and Oakes/RCC merch.
Location: Oakes Upper Lawn
Call for Performers:
We are inviting students who are interested in sharing their talents and lived experiences through performance. This includes (but is not limited to):

Music (solo or group)
Dance
Spoken word/poetry
Drag performance
Cultural performance
Any creative or expressive art form

We welcome performers of all backgrounds and experience levels who are excited to contribute to a community-centered event focused on belonging and expression.
Interest Form:
Students can sign up HERE

You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities.
To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications.

ABC Ensemble and This Never Happened—April in Santa Cruz
2026-05-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Music Center Recital Hall, 400 McHenry Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Pianists/experimentalists Amy Beal and Ben Carson, and friends in the This Never Happened Ensemble, present a concert of toys, noise, open-questions, and a love of play, including one piece involving no fewer than five concert grand pianos. Featuring the music of Shanna Sordahl, Marc Perez, Mexican composer Rodrigo Barriga Lopez, and legendary experimentalists Johanna Beyer and David Mahler.
This event is presented as part of the April in Santa Cruz Festival of Creative Music.
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ADMISSION
– Free and open to the public
– Attend in-person at the Music Center Recital Hall at UC Santa Cruz
– Open admission (no ticket or registration required)
—
PARKING
– Parking by permit, ParkMobile, or $11 cash/credit via the on-site parking attendant
– Arts Lot #126 is the closest parking lot to the event
– Visitors with DMV placards or plates may park for free in DMV spaces, Medical spaces, or ParkMobile spaces without additional payment, or in timed zones for longer than the posted time.
– UCSC affiliates must purchase their permits before arriving at the event in order to receive their discounted UCSC rate. Attendants will only sell the non-affiliate-priced permits.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)
—
FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
– This year’s festival includes seven events between April 15 and May 21, 2026
– Additional April in Santa Cruz events and information at aprilsc.ucsc.edu
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ABC ENSEMBLE
THIS NEVER HAPPENED

image: photo of R. Barriga, bass
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

Johns, M. (CMPM) - Playing Together in a Co-Designed Future: Building Resilience Through Community-Centered Gameful Design
2026-05-11 08:00 - 10:00 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Complex societal problems (e.g. wicked problems) such as those brought on by climate change can be addressed through a combination of Research through Design (RtD), co-design, and Serious Games (SG) by inviting affected communities to take part in developing iterative, experimental solutions and exploring their potential impact. In the course of my research, I have proposed a framework for design research that engages with wicked problems at the community level through gameful design, which is based on existing literature in HCI drawing from RtD, co-design, and SG. Core elements of the framework include supporting diverse perspectives, interdisciplinarity, working with local knowledge, and aligning different concepts with specific gameful elements to support meaningful interactions and discussion.
In a specific case study, my proposed framework is applied to create a gameful intervention to support wildfire resilience in communities at the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) which face particular risks from natural hazards. Through a community co-design process, open discussions have identified consistent pain-points and challenges faced by communities who have experienced wildfires or evacuations, e.g. traffic congestion in areas with one road in and out, while also pinpointing differences in their approaches based on local conditions, such as whether or not to encourage people to evacuate on foot. Through an RtD approach, important ideas have emerged about how serious games can be utilized in this space. For example, a common approach to serious game design is to align the win condition of a game with specific learning outcomes or desired changes. However, when working with wicked problems there are often complex social dilemmas and conflicting values without clear right answers. In these cases there is a need to map dilemmas and trade-offs to game mechanics rather than mapping learning outcomes to win conditions.
The gameful intervention developed through this dissertation integrates local knowledge from communities alongside expert knowledge from disciplines including fire science, social science, engineering, and design. The resulting artifact leverages a minigame design to map different concepts to specific and approachable game mechanics. Through universal and inclusive design practices, the games can be accessible to a broad audience including both children and older adults. The cooperative multiplayer aspects of the games encourage discussion and collaborative play between friends, community members, and particularly intergenerational play within families. In addition to contributing RtD reflections as a result of the project, I also measured change in resilience at the individual and community levels after deployment of the games through qualitative and quantitative methods. This dissertation contributes to knowledge about what game design has to offer to addressing wicked problems, with specific approaches to better serve communities facing complex risks such as those associated with a rapidly changing climate.
Event Host: MJ Johns, Ph.D. Candidate, Computational Media
Advisor: Katherine Isbister
Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/7959349044?pwd=[REDACTED]

SEACoast Spring Slow Seminar: More-than-Human Water Engineers
2026-05-11 08:00 - 10:00 | Humanities 1 Building, 257 Cowell-Stevenson Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
The Center for Southeast Asian Coastal Interactions (SEACoast) at University of California, Santa Cruz and Aarhus University Research on the Anthropocene (AURA) invite you to join us for our Spring Slow Seminar on Monday, May 11, 2026 from 8:00 am – 10:00 am PST / 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm CET.
Professor Anna Tsing (Anthropology, UCSC) will facilitate our conversation drawing on a selection of scholarship on more-than-human water engineering in wetland environments. In our reading and discussion, we will consider the following questions: Can nonhumans be ecosystem engineers? Are sago palms “the beavers of Southeast Asia”? What agents shape the salt/freshwater line? How is Southeast Asia relevant to understanding wetlands around the world?
Please register for the Slow Seminar by filling out this Google Form. Registered guests will receive copies of the selected readings via email.
This is a Hybrid event. Participants may join in-person at UCSC or Aarhus or by Zoom. The Zoom link will be sent out at least 1 hour before the event.
Registration will close at midnight on May 10, 2026.
New to Slow Seminars? Check out SEACoast’s definition here.

ECE 290 Seminar: Speaker Asir Intisar Khan - Engineering Heterogeneous Interfaces for Energy Efficient Electronics
2026-05-11 10:40 - 11:45 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Presenter: Asir Intisar Khan, Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS), University of California, Berkeley
Description: With the rise in global data demands, energy efficiency in electronics is becoming increasingly important for sustainable progress in AI, healthcare, IoT, and beyond. Emerging technologies, such as neuro-inspired computing and the 3D integration of logic and memory devices, offer great promise for overcoming the energy and latency limits of today’s data-intensive applications. Realizing these advances, however, require innovations in materials, transport physics, and device engineering. In this talk, I will discuss how atomic-scale engineering and integration of heterogeneous materials and devices can address these intertwined challenges with a few examples from our recent works on (i) engineering heterostructures for low-power memory and high-frequency logic, (ii) emerging quantum materials for low-resistance interconnects and (iii) nanoscale thermal management strategies. These advances highlight the innovation opportunities in transformative materials and multifunctional nanodevices for 3D-integrated, energy-efficient electronics.
Bio: Asir Intisar Khan is an Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a faculty scientist in the Materials Science Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and serves as a co-director of Berkeley Emerging Technology Research Center. His research focuses on charge, heat, and spin transport at nanoscale interfaces of electronic materials to address the energy and latency limits of emerging computing technologies. Khan received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and his BSc from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. His interdisciplinary work has been recognized with the AVS Russell & Sigurd Varian Award, IEEE Electron Device Society Ph.D. Fellowship, Materials Research Society Gold Graduate Award, and several best paper and presentation awards at leading venues, including the IEEE VLSI, MRS Fall Meetings, and the AVS Symposium.
Hosted by: Professor Soumya Bose, ECE Department
Zoom Link: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/97975378707?pwd=[REDACTED]
