Astrophysics: The Largest Unknowns and the Biggest Challenges
2026-04-15 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Rio Theater, 1205 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, 95062, United States
UCSC Professor Alexie Leauthaud will discuss her groundbreaking work understanding the past and future of our universe.
In this exciting public lecture, Professor Alexie Leauthaud will discuss some of the largest challenges and unknowns in Astrophysics. She will present the latest results on the nature of our universe, including groundbreaking and prize-winning new results on the nature of dark energy. Leauthaud will discuss our current understanding of the basic ingredients of our Universe and will explain why recent results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Collaboration (DESI) collaboration made international headline news earlier this year.
She will speculate on what this might mean for the future of our Universe. Professor Leauthaud will discuss other top challenges facing the profession, including political headwinds, recent attacks on science and funding, and will also explain why astronomers are increasingly becoming involved in the fight against climate change. She will discuss her own journey in recognizing the predicament of life on this blue planet will conclude with a big picture view of the challenges that lie ahead.
The Mandel Lecture is free and open to the public. Arrive early, seating is limited. Register at this link to reserve your seat; registration will be also available at the door.
This public talk is presented by the UCSC Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and UC Observatories, and presented as part of the Mandel Lecture series, which promotes public awareness of and appreciate for astronomy. We seek your help and support in keeping these lecture going. For more information on giving, please visit https://astronomy.ucsc.edu/give/.
For more information or for disability-related needs, please email ccarreir@ucsc.edu.

Drop-in Figure Drawing
2026-04-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Elena Baskin Visual Arts Center, Baskin Service Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Drop-In Draw provides a live model and room monitor. There is no formal lesson and only dry media is allowed (no paints).
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ADVISORIES
– These events contain mature content and nudity.
– Drop-In Draw is subject to the possibility of last-minute cancellation without notification, and sessions are not guaranteed.
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ADMISSION
– FREE and open to the public
– UCSC Art Department Room M-101
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FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
This series occurs weekly on Wednesday evenings during spring quarter, including the following:
Wednesday April 1, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 8, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 15, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 22, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday April 29, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 6, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 13, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 20, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
Wednesday May 27, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.
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PARKING
– Parking by permit or ParkMobile.
– 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.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS).
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This program is open to all members of the public consistent with state and federal law.

25th MARINe Annual Meeting - Public Day
2026-04-16 08:30 - 17:00 | Jack Baskin Engineering, Baskin Engineering 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Public Day – April 16 (All are welcome)
Time: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Jack Baskin E2-180, UCSC Main Campus
Registration: $60 (paid upon arrival; cash only)
We hope you can join us for the 25th MARINe Annual Meeting at UC Santa Cruz, hosted by the Raimondi Lab and Multi-Agency Rocky Intertidal Network (MARINe).
From intertidal ecology to cutting-edge coastal research (and plenty of tidepool appreciation), this is your chance to connect, learn, and explore what’s happening along our shores.
This day is open to practitioners, partners, and the broader community, and will focus on timely topics in rocky intertidal systems.

👉 Register here (by April 1):
MARINe Meeting 2026 PUBLIC DAY Registration Form
Agenda: DRAFT meeting agenda here
Key Details
Parking:

Parking will be included all day, but you must check in from 7:30-9:30am at the Core West Parking Structure. Please check in with the parking attendants on the SECOND FLOOR to receive included parking. You may park on any level of the structure.

Please note the parking attendants will have a list of registrants and we will be checking you in at the door as well.

If you miss this time window, you must pay for your own parking in one of the many UCSC lots using the Parkmobile app for daily ($22) or hourly rates ($5/hr).
Food:
Light breakfast, lunch (tacos), and snacks will be provided. Coffee, tea, and drinks included. Please bring your own cup if possible.
Optional Social Hour:
6–8 PM at Abbott Square (not included in registration)

If you have any questions, please contact Lexi Necarsulmer (anecarsu@ucsc.edu).
We hope to see you there!

Women Workers, Economic Power and Environmental Justice in India with Laureate Reema Nanavaty (India)
2026-04-16 09:45 - 11:30 | https://uzh.mediaspace.cast.switch.ch/media/Sustainability+now%21+Feminist+Pathways+to+environmental+justice+%2810VLSTS-102a%29/0_r56g0jax
This event is part of the 2026 Right Livelihood International Conference. This event is hosted by the Right Livelihood College in Zurich, Switzerland, as part of their Feminist Strategies for Change series.

Younger Lagoon Reserve Tours
2026-04-16 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.

Queer Connections: Latine and Queer
2026-04-16 10:30 - 12:00 | Lionel Cantú Queer Center, Crown Lane, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
CAPS & Cantú Collaboration: Queer Connections.
Join us at the Lionel Cantú Queer Center for conversations facilitated by CAPS Providers.
Latine and Queer: Exploring the intersection of Queer and Latine/x identities and addressing emotional well-being in college. Join us for a reflective space to connect, share and celebrate navigating multiple identities!
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.

Mirchandani, C. (BMEB) - Population and Evolutionary Genomics Across Ecological Scales
2026-04-16 11:00 - 13:00 | Engineering 2, Engineering 2 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Sequencing technologies have transformed population and evolutionary genetics, making it possible to ask questions at scales that were intractable a decade ago. Realizing that potential depends on tailored computational approaches, and on the tools and infrastructure those approaches are built on. My dissertation works across this spectrum. Using an in vitro Drosophila cell culture system, I show that mixed Wolbachia infections resolve rapidly and deterministically, with one strain competitively excluding the other across host species and starting frequencies, offering an explanation for why mixed infections are rarely observed in nature. In a deep-sea clam and its obligate bacterial symbiont, I use two ultra-accurate sequencing methods and demographic modeling to directly estimate the effective transmission bottleneck between host generations, finding it to be roughly eight symbionts, orders of magnitude below prior cell-count estimates. I also present two tools for population genomics at scale: snpArcher, a reproducible variant calling workflow developed for the California Conservation Genomics Project and now used across hundreds of species and tens of thousands of samples; and clam, a Rust-based tool that efficiently estimates population genetic statistics by leveraging callable loci, producing results identical to existing all-sites approaches at a fraction of the computational cost. Together, these projects demonstrate how tailored computational approaches can unlock biological insight across diverse systems and scales.
Event Host: Cade Mirchandani, Ph.D. Candidate, Biomolecular Engineering & Bioinformatics
Advisors: Russ Corbett-Detig & Shelbi Russell
Zoom- https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/98034081971?pwd=[REDACTED]

2026 Spring (all-majors) Career & Internship Fair
2026-04-16 11:00 - 15:00 | Colleges Nine and John R. Lewis College Multi-purpose Room, 615 College Nine Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
Undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni interested in pursuing careers in business, arts, social sciences & humanities industries are welcome to attend. Get the chance to meet recruiters from many industries/firms seeking to fill internship, full-time, and part-time roles. Come take essential steps toward laying the foundation for your future career and potentially even land an interview!
Curious about how to best prepare for the fair?
1. Research the organization
Identify the top 3-5 companies you are interested in, but remember to be open to different companies you may not have heard of because they may be a startup or business-to-business organization that doesn’t directly serve consumers.
Do your research by reviewing company websites. Look for their mission, values, location, and the type of available opportunities (e.g., internships, full-time positions, etc.). Company representatives are impressed by potential candidates who take the time to do this!
2. Prepare your introduction and questions
Reflect on what it is about each company that resonates with you. Perhaps it’s the specific technology they’re developing, the research they’re leading, or the world problem they’re trying to solve. What relevant experiences do you have? How can you be of service to that organization? Exercise critical thinking skills to develop questions to ask recruiters and hiring managers.
3. Dress with confidence
Each industry and each company has different work attire expectations and organizational culture. Do your research, ask mentors in advance for advice, and dress to impress!
PLEASE NOTE: You are encouraged to check in at the student registration table in order to participate in the career fair. Bring your student ID.
This program is open to all students consistent with state and federal law, the UC Nondiscrimination Statement and the Nondiscrimination Policy Statement for University of California Publications Regarding Student-Related Matters.
Want more support?

Visit a peer coach during drop-in hours
Schedule a career coaching appointment with a Career Engagement Specialist
For PhD students looking to pursue careers in industry, explore Beyond the Professoriate
(Scroll over “Login to Platform” at the top navigation bar and click “Through your institution”)
Stay in the loop by following Career Success on Instagram

You will receive registration and additional information in your email from Career Success via Handshake. Please make sure to check your junk/spam folder if you are not receiving any communication.
You will receive registration and additional information in your email from Career Success via Handshake. Please make sure to check your junk/spam folder if you are not receiving any communication.

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.
Questions? Send to csuccess@ucsc.edu or visit Career Success at Hahn 125 East Entrance
Need accessibility support? Let us know at slugtalent@ucsc.edu at least two weeks prior to the fair date.

Career fair registrations are made without endorsement, direct or implied, by Career Success or UCSC. Career Success educates students about various opportunities and ensures equity of access to campus recruiting activities for all employers who abide by our Employer Policies. Individual students are encouraged to determine which employers align with their diverse talents, values, and interests.

Wellness in Action: Healthy Metabolism, Healthy Heart Workshop
2026-04-16 12:00 - 12:30 | CA
Thursday, April 2, 12:00 PM -12:30 PM
Register for the Zoom link.
Healthy metabolism and heart health play a key role in overall energy, resilience, and long-term well-being. This workshop will highlight simple, everyday habits that support metabolic function and cardiovascular health.
This new Wellness in Action workshop series is designed to help you improve your health with a short session with simple tips you can try in your own life.
Register here for the Zoom link. The workshop will be recorded, and a link to the recording will be sent out after the first session.
In the follow-up session on Thursday, April 16 from 12:00 PM -12:30 PM, you will have the opportunity to share your experience and learn from others in the group. This session will not be recorded.
For questions, please reach out to Ashley Parker, Health and Well-being Specialist, at aseparke@ucsc.edu.

Goal Setting
2026-04-16 12:00 - 12:45 | https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/7372922776?pwd=[REDACTED]
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.

LGBTQIA+ Abroad Series: LGBTQIA+ Identities Abroad Student Alumni Panel
2026-04-16 12:00 - 13:00 | CA
Come join Lionel Cantú Queer Resource Center and Global Learning for a pre-departure series on navigating your LGBTQIA+ identities abroad during your upcoming Global Learning program.
Register Here
Session 2: LGBTQIA+ Identities Abroad Student Alumni Panel
Date: April 16, 2026
Time: 12:00-12:50 p.m.
Modality: Hybrid (Cantú Cabin or Zoom)
Description: Learn from a panel discussion from LGBTQIA+ Global Learning alumni. This panel will explore student experiences related to navigating identities abroad, finding community abroad, travel tips and tricks, exploring identity in general, and much more!

Find Your Path! 2026
2026-04-16 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-04-17 12:00 - 16:30 | Digital Arts Research Center, 407 McHenry Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
“Find Your Path!” is a two-day professional development event for UC Santa Cruz Arts Division students who are interested in careers in arts and entertainment. Students are invited to network with UC Santa Cruz colleagues, alumni, and creative professionals to find their path to success. Learn more about the speakers here.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Day One
Thurs. April 16, noon–2:00 p.m, UCSC Digital Arts Research Center (DARC) 108 and online (hybrid event)
– Keynote address: Sarah Sanford, UC Santa Cruz Teaching Professor, On Building Careers in Arts Education
– UCSC Career Success presentation: developing a stand-out resume, cover letter, portfolio, and more
– Light refreshments served
Day Two
Fri. April 17, noon–4:30 p.m, UCSC Digital Arts Research Center (DARC) 108 and online (hybrid event)
– Lunch and introduction begin at noon.
– Career panel discussions with creative industry professionals
– Join any or all four panel sessions:
1. Working in the Entertainment Industry: 12:10 PM- 1:05 PM
2. Careers in Museums and Performance Spaces: 1:10 PM-2:05 PM
3. Careers in Games, Design, and Digital Media: 2:20 PM-3:15 PM
4. Arts, Organizing, and Social Impact: 3:20 PM- 4:15 PM
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ADMISSION
– UC Santa Cruz Arts Division students only
– Register here to attend in person or online (hybrid event)
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PARKING
– Parking by permit or ParkMobile
– 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.
– More information provided by UCSC Transportation & Parking Services (TAPS)

Spring Exhibitions at the Institute of the Arts and Sciences
2026-04-16 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-17 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-18 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.

Visualizing Abolition Screening Series: Beyond Access
2026-04-16 12:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-18 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

Black on the Block
2026-04-16 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.

SWANA Movie Night
2026-04-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Namaste Lounge, 615 College Nine Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center is celebrating SWANA Heritage Month with a series of events! Join us for a movie night with snacks on Thursday, April 16th from 6-8pm at Namaste Lounge.
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.

Info Session: Humanities Summer Professional Opportunities
2026-04-17 10:00 - 11:00 | https://events.ucsc.edu/event/humanities-summer-opportunities-info-session/2026-04-17/
Are you looking for paid summer opportunities to explore career possibilities and put your humanities skills into practice? Join this info session to learn about two new summer programs offered by the Humanities Division in Summer 2026:

Summer Humanities EXCEL: Los Angeles offers 10-week project-based internships across Los Angeles County. Participants will enroll in a tuition-free 10-unit course and receive a $4,000 scholarship.

HumLaunch is a mentorship program offering job shadowing and short-term project placements with UCSC Humanities alumni ranging from 1 day to 3 weeks and available in locations around California and online. Participants will receive a scholarship of $100 per day.

Both programs are open only to students with a major or minor in the Humanities Division and who are continuing through Fall 2026.
We’re offering two info sessions where you’ll learn how the programs work, what opportunities are available, and how to apply. We’ll share tips for a successful application and answer your questions. Attend whichever session suits your schedule!
Session 1: Friday 4/17, 10-11am. Register for 4/17 here.
Session 2: Thursday 4/23, 2-3pm. Register for 4/23 here.
Contact Humanities Career Engagement Specialist Meredith Pelrine at hum-career-engagement@ucsc.edu with questions about the info sessions or the programs.

Understanding & Using Your Syllabus
2026-04-17 13:00 - 13:45 | https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/7372922776?pwd=[REDACTED]
In this workshop, you will: Break down, understand, and use your syllabus as a tool 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.

Virtual Town Hall: Public/Open Scholarship / Open Science - MA3 Challenge
2026-04-17 15:00 - 15:45 | https://events.ucsc.edu/event/online-town-hall-public-open-scholarship-open-science-ma3-challenge/
As part of an ORCA MA3 Challenge grant, UCSC faculty, researchers, staff, and graduate students are invited to join Christina Ravelo, Sikina Jinnah, Kendra Dority, and other members of the research team for a virtual town hall to learn more about working together to develop merit review guidelines for recognizing (1) public/open scholarship, and/or (2) equity-centered graduate mentoring.
Register for the online Town Hall here.
For additional background, please visit our campus announcement https://news.ucsc.edu/2026/03/uc-santa-cruz-awarded-grant-to-promote-and-support-open-scholarship-engaged-mentoring/

The Power of One: A Celebration of Earth Day at UC Santa Cruz
2026-04-17 17:00 - 19:00 | Merrill Cultural Center, 200 McLaughlin Dr, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
In honor of Earth Day, The Power of One brings together the campus and the community for a unique blend of film, dialogue, and environmental stewardship.
The program begins Friday evening with a special campus screening of The Power of One documentary and a panel discussion featuring filmmakers Alex Valdez and Pablo De la Fuente. They will explore how storytelling and individual agency can inspire meaningful social and environmental change, with a focus on ecological justice and sustainability.
The experience continues Saturday morning with a habitat enhancement project along the San Lorenzo River in partnership with the Coastal Watershed Council, followed by the option to participate in Earth Day festivities in downtown Santa Cruz. Together, these activities are designed to turn inspiration into action – demonstrating how the power of one can become the power of many in caring for our planet.
This event is free and open to the public. UCSC students are especially encouraged to attend. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP today!
The Power of One Film Screening and Panel Discussion

Friday, April 17
5–7 p.m.
Merrill Cultural Center

Habitat Enhancement with the Coastal Watershed Council

Saturday, April 18
9:30–11:30 a.m.
Lower San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz

Night of Ideas 2026
2026-04-17 17:00 - 21:00 | Institute of the Arts and Sciences, 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, United States
Enlightenment, Now!
Join us for a nocturnal celebration of art, philosophy, and activism!
Enlightenment, Now!
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence, the 2026 Santa Cruz Night of Ideas invites us not to celebrate the Enlightenment, but to interrogate it. Long associated with democracy, progress, and universal reason, the Enlightenment’s legacy remains deeply ambivalent – coexisting with enduring forms of exclusion, colonial violence, and economic exploitation. These unresolved tensions, strikingly visible today, demand renewed scrutiny.
Rather than treating the Enlightenment as a closed chapter or shared inheritance, this edition centers young local voices and civil society to ask urgent questions: whose reason matters, whose freedoms are secured, and whose futures are denied?
Through conversations, workshops, performances, and visionary talks, Enlightenment, Now! becomes a space for lived experience and collective experimentation. Featuring contributions from local performers Crista Berryessa and Beati Quorum, Alex Olwal’s audiovisual collaborations with AL-EK, and Juan Ospina, flautist and composer with Olemano, our event will also bring together Thomas Sage Pedersen, Ronaldo V. Wilson, Gina Athena Ulysse, and many other guests. The aim is not consensus, but momentum: rethinking progress and imagining new political, ethical, and cultural possibilities under radically changed conditions.
Join us on Friday, April 17 at the Institute of the Arts and Sciences to explore what remains of the Enlightenment, and what it might become!
This event is brought to you by the Center for Public Philosophy, with support from the Institute of the Arts and Sciences, The Humanities Institute, the Marc Sanders Foundation, Villa Albertine, and the Institut Français.
Learn more and sign up for updates at nightofideas.org.
Night of Ideas 2026 Schedule:
MAIN HALL
5:00pm: Crista Berryessa and Beati Quorum + introductory remarks by Jeanne Proust
5:30pm: Thomas Sage Pedersen, Staying with Discomfort. Why Our Capacity for Uncertainty Shapes the Systems We Create
6:00pm: Community Soundscape with Beati Quorum and Sarah Cruse
6:30pm: Gina Athena Ulysse, Ronaldo V. Wilson & Libia Posada, artist performances and remarks
7:30: Juan Ospina & Olemano live performance
8:30: Alex Olwal & AL-EK live performance + participatory dance with Brigitte Wittmer
CONFERENCE ROOM (Room 1)
6pm: Kyle Robertson, Contesting the Rule of Law
7pm: Adela Najarro, From Body to Word: Finding Enlightenment Through Poetry
8pm: Iris Oved, Mind the Gap: Masks, Goggles, and the Search for Authenticity
WEST ROOM (Room 2)
6pm: Jean-Paul Gazzaneo-Duarte, Identity Under Oppression: Lessons from Latin American Philosophy
7pm: Sam Kahn, Moving Beyond the Standard Story of the ‘Attention Crisis’
8pm: Ethics Slam! Workshop for collective debate
ONGOING
Philo-booth: “Ask a philosopher a question!”

4th Annual Mother Earth Drag Extravaganza
2026-04-17 19:00 - 22:00 | Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060
Get ready to slay and celebrate nature’s fierce beauty at the Mother Earth Drag Extravaganza!

A student drag show and queer prom! You won’t want to miss the 4th Annual Mother Earth Drag Extravaganza.
ABOUT
Mother Earth is inherently queer. Come celebrate nature with performances from student drag artists, tabling from queer groups as well as scientific groups, food, and dance! Doors open at 6:00 PM, show starts at 7:00 PM.
This year’s theme is Take it to Heart! We encourage you to come dressed for date night, but this is not required for attendance. Wear what makes you comfortable!
ACCESIBILITY
The Seymour Marine Discovery Center, Cantu Queer Center, C9/JRL CoCo, and our volunteers care about accesibility for all at this event. As such, equitable access and seating will be provided to those that request it.
Furthermore, if anything should arise on the day of the event, staff members and volunteers will be available to assist with any and all accesibility-related needs.
SAFETY GUIDELINES
We understand that due to the recent political actions taken against LGBTQ and BIPOC communities, there is an increasing concern about safety for events like this.
To address this, we have partnered with the Rainbow Defense Coalition whose volunteers will provide community safety during the event. Alongside staff and volunteers in blue Seymour Center Vests, you may look for people with rainbow umbrellas for security concerns.
We reserve the right to refuse service to guests that disrupt the enjoyment and comfort of others. We will not tolerate hate speech, harassment, or any form of abuse towards guests or staff/volunteers.
Furthermore, there is a list of restricted items that may not be brought to the event:

Knives, weapons of any kind
Cigarettes, e-vapes
Alcohol

We reserve the right to confiscate any of the aforementioned items.

Raíces Y Futuros: Food Justice and Abolition
2026-04-18 09:00 - 16:30 | Hay Barn, 94 Ranch View Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, United States
Join us at the UCSC Farm for an all-day conference on Food Justice and Abolition. We envision this conference as a grounds for cultivating hope and action towards food justice praxis. This includes building connections between disciplines and across communities so that we can engage in dialogue, build and strengthen coalitions, and ultimately work towards abolition and alternative institutions. Find out more on our webpage: https://sites.google.com/ucsc.edu/food-justice-and-abolition/home

RSVP as Participant: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScANq7YtIdvGk2Fyb8XzLCS7QSIN0Q92HuFBhlP3JSU0ojgjA/viewform
Submit a Workshop Proposal: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezJDSYHnNUorLdT1VIr0v9RAARcPlT3zB3Fuba1f2ROzf2mA/viewform

Noir Faire
2026-04-18 13:00 - 17:00 | Oakes Lower Lawn, Oakes College, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064
The African American Resource & Cultural Center (AARCC) invites you to the Noir Faire. Come join us for an afternoon of fun and connection in a medieval style!
Saturday, April 18th | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Oakes Lower Lawn
For questions or accommodation requests, please contact Mcossio@ucsc.edu.
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.

Native Star Stories Night
2026-04-18 16:00 - 20:30, 2026-04-18 17:00 - 21:00 | Lick Observatory, 7281 Mount Hamilton Road, Mount Hamilton, CA, 95140
Join us for the 5th annual Native Star Stories Night, a free immersive cultural-astronomy night for high school and college students and their families at Lick Observatory, on Mount Hamilton, east of San Jose. The night includes a private tour, free dinner, sunset ceremony, telescope observing, and sharing of traditional star stories from participants’ communities and countries.
Register here.
UCSC students are welcome to register as volunteers (same link) and will be able to participate in all events, but may be asked to facilitate the small-group story sharing.
General public and university staff are welcome to register as participant, but priority will be given to high school and community college students.
This event is made possible by the support of UCO/Lick Observatory, the American Indian Resource Center, and the Osterbrock Leadership Program.

This event is consistent with state and federal law, the UC Nondiscrimination Statement and the Nondiscrimination Policy Statement for University of California Publications Regarding Student-Related Matters.
