VOCES FUERTES BORDER BENEFIT CONCERT Make a spontaneous decision to attend a youth-organized concert tonight — at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley — that will benefit families at the US/Mexico border. The Voces Fuertes (Strong Voices) concert features young Bay Area artists to raise funds for Migrant Clinician’s Network (MCN), an organization that provides medical care for families seeking asylum. When they heard about kids being separated from their families at our southern border, the young organizers wanted to do something to help — to use their gifts and talents to make a difference. Many of them are musically gifted and so decided to put on a concert. While some of the youth are religious, it is not a religious event. If you love the idea but can’t attend, you can still donate to the cause. Details and tickets at the Voces Fuertes site.
BERKELEY VIDEO AND FILM FESTIVAL The 27th annual Berkeley Video and Film Festival kicks off tonight, and runs through Sunday then follows up with more screenings on Nov. 2-4. Films to enjoy include award-winning documentaries, experimental films, music videos and University Southern California student films. Among those on the roster: In Your Face: The Neil Zlozower Story, The Pushouts and Detroit’s Rivera: The Labor of Public Art. All screenings take place at the East Bay Media Center, 1939 Addison St. Berkeley 94704. Visit BerkeleyVideoFilmFest.org or call 510-843-3699 for details and to get tickets.
BREAD AND PUPPET THEATER IN THE PARK Vermont’s Puppet Theater — famous for very large manipulated puppets and a commitment to social justice — will be in Ohlone Park on Sunday Oct 28, from 4-5 p.m performing The Grasshopper Rebellion Circus. Expect an eclectic circus atmosphere and surprises. Bring the kids — and the grandparents. Get details and tickets at Bread and Circus online.
LEILA’S QUEST FOR FLIGHT On Saturday, Golden Thread Fairytale Players present Leila’s Quest for Flight, a dynamic show that promises to be entertaining for all ages. Written and directed by Torange Yeghiazarian, and drawn from Palestinian folktales, the 30-minute performance tells the tale of an optometrist who shatters little Leila’s dream of becoming a pilot. However a menagerie of mythic birds gather to help her accomplish her goal. The performance, which incorporates music, dance and physical comedy, is followed by 20-minute Q&A session with the cast. Saturday, Oct. 27, 11-12 p.m., Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, 102 Kroeber Hall, Berkeley 94720. Details and tickets.
TALKING ABOUT RACISM A series of six interactive and progressive workshops exploring racism in contemporary American society — The Talking about Racism: Unmasking the Elephant in the Room — kicks off on Sunday at 6 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Each workshop will be experiential and complete in its entirety, according to the organizer who add that “the series is intended to build on the knowledge base of each segment but participants can come to workshops sequentially or to individual sessions.” Session one will explore the development of the Atlantic Slave Trade and the notion of race – the making of a myth – racism as a tool of labor management, the invention of Whiteness; Implicit Bias and the development of racialized identity; What is race talk – dynamics and characteristics of; and Why don’t we talk about race – protocols, avoidance strategies? The six-part workshop is hosted by death educator and counselor Ann-Ellice Parker. Tickets: $5-$150 sliding scale. Details and tickets.
Don’t miss these other events featured on Berkeleyside:
The secret history of Berkeley Soul: AgapéSoul plays Cornerstone Nov. 1
Big Screen Berkeley: ‘Life and Nothing More’, ‘The War at Home’
Shotgun Players’ ‘Women Laughing Alone With Salad’ tackles gender issues with humor
