“$56 million a year
and Where’s The Art?”
Sept. 12
From city arts entitlements to grantmaking by private
foundations, big money is spent on the arts in San Francisco.
Funders struggle to be fair, while local artists and arts
organizations are torn between their creative mission and
market forces. This event is co-sponsored by Independent
Arts & Media as part of the annual Expo for the Artist
and Musician. With San San Wong (SF Arts Commission), John
Killacky (SF Foundation), Frances Phillips (Walter &
Elise Haas Sr. Foundation), Jessica Robinson (CounterPULSE),
Colleen Marlow (Art Head), Krissy Keefer (Dance Mission)
Sept. 19
Inaugurating a new “third Wednesdays” series
at CounterPULSE, Mona Caron will present a slide show of
her famous murals and many other works, talking about the
politics of her art, and her ideas about the relationship
of art and politics.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=10
Wet Infrastructure:
How and Where Should San Francisco Get Water?
Sept. 26
We’ll look the possibilities of a radically different
relationship to our local water supplies, including our
aquifer, creeks and rainfall. But most of San Francisco’s
water is supplied by the Tuolumne River, which flows through
a series of reservoirs, aqueducts and tunnels to our taps.
These facilities are being rebuilt now, along with yet another
massively expensive sewer system overhaul. Joel Pomerantz,
Spreck Rosenkrans (Environmental Defense Fund), Ruth Gravanis.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=9
The Trouble With Voting
October 10
Does voting matter? Do you urge everyone around you to
vote? What kinds of power do we gain or lose by participating
in elections? What else can we do? We’ll hear from
folks who believe in representative democracy, those who
propose reforms, and those who reject it outright. Michael
Med-o Whitson, Natasha Marsh (Calif League of Young
Voters), James Rucker (colorofchange.org).
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=11
October 17
Hugh will present a slideshow of his diverse body of work,
ranging from rock posters to anti-war flyers to original
paintings, and talk about the ways his politics have informed
his art—and vice versa.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=12
October 21
Come to our biannual feast of locally produced delicacies;
join a community gathering with speakers, video clips, performances
and a meal you’ll never forget! $50-100 sliding scale
to benefit CounterPULSE.
New Green City Politics
October 24
What are the historic roots of our current ecological
politics, how have they shaped today’s environment
and the questions we face now? Open space, biodiversity,
global warming, fresh water, street design and transit choices,
urban farming... local historian Dick Walker (“The
City in the Country”), Kearstin Krehbiel (SF Parks Trust), Peter
Brastow (Nature in the City), Keirstin Dischinger (Bike
Kitchen)
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=13
Public Commons vs. Corporate Privatization
November 14
With Mayor Newsom trying to give away the city’s
wi-fi space to a corporate consortium, efforts by Bechtel
and other private contractors to take over our public water
system, the ongoing scandal of PG&E selling us our own
“public” power and their current efforts to
take over alternative power, incessant pressure to privatize
the public schools, a national culture that blindly accepts
corporate interests as preferable to public interests, we’ll
talk about how the San Francisco Bay Area can begin a concerted
push back. Ted Nace (“The Rise of Corporate Power
and the Disabling of Democracy”), Jessica Bell, Matt Leonard, David Cobb, Shannon Tracey, Raymond Nat Turner.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=15
Food Security & Urban Agriculture
November 28
Our food system is being refashioned by new urban farmers,
farmers markets and community-supported agriculture, and
importantly, by savvy shoppers who demand local, organic
and safe food. Still, food security is tenuous for too many
of our neighbors. Amy Franceschini (Victory Gardens, past
and present), Willow Rosenthal (City Slicker Farms), Jason
Mark (Alemany Farm, and editor of Earth Island Journal)
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=16
Save the News!
December 12
Newsrooms are hamstrung by the business practices of Wall
Street and Big Media, even as newspaper circulation declines
and TV news continues the race to the bottom. Both the San
Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News recently laid
off large portions of their newsroom staff. The Internet
is vulnerable to the same marketplace compromises. Explore
alternative business models to ensure journalism remains
a lively piece of our civic life. Barry Parr (Coastsider.com,
Mercury Center founder), Michael Stoll (Grade the News,
SJSU, SF Public Press), Rose Aguilar, (KALW-FM, Your Call
radio), Josh Wilson (Newsdesk.org/Indy Arts), Northern California
Media Workers speaker TBA.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=17
Replaying Lost Landscapes:
Film Fragments of San Francisco
December 19
Rick Prelinger of the Prelinger Archive and Library returns
to reprise his popular show from last year, with some new
surprises. Drawing from silent and early sound films, exuberant
early 1960s city views, diverse home movies and industrial
films, this program includes rarely-seen views of San Francisco
and invites the audience to help identify mystery scenes.
Bring your parents!
Class and Power in Queer San Francisco
January 9, 2008
What does ‘class’ or ‘community’
mean? How does the newbie Midwesterner serving burgers at
a Castro street diner relate to the landlord and shop owner
‘Gay Community’ spokesmen? How do the schisms
between different classes of women, whether lesbian or bi
or undefined, show up in daily life and local politics (or
not)? How does fear of gender bending impact trans and intersexed
people when it comes to paying the rent? Solidad de Costa,
Keith Hennessy, and Michelle Tea.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=20
Art & Politics: Andrew Schoultz
January 16
Schoultz’s distinctive murals full of strange animals,
twisting buildings and floating birdhouses caught the angst
of modern life. Lately he’s gone to a surrealistic
sea and we’ll get a full look at his work and hear
what he says about it tonight.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=21
GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year
January 30
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area sustains more
federally threatened and endangered species than Yosemite,
Yellowstone, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks combined.
The San Francisco Bay Area is considered the 6th most important
biological diversity hotspot in the United States by the
Nature Conservancy. UNESCO has even granted the GGNRA “Biosphere
Reserve” status, the same status granted to the Central
Amazon rainforests. Come and learn about the amazing biodiversity
in your own backyard! Brent Plater and Peter Brastow
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=28
Political & Community Spaces
February 13
Community based public art spaces are stuck between business-like
survival and serving their communities. Hear veterans of
San Francisco’s Space Wars discuss how they’ve
navigated the repressive dynamics of real estate, money,
and power to hold open spaces for diverse communities to
meet, talk, make art, and shape life. Jonathan Youtt (Cellspace),
Robin Balliger (Komotion), Michael Med-o Whitson (848 and
CounterPULSE).
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=31
Art & Politics: Eric Drooker
February 20
Eric Drooker’s art has provided iconic imagery for
countless political initiatives, as well as showing up on
covers of the New Yorker, and in a number of gorgeous
graphic novels. His slide show and talk is one of the best
of its type. Don’t miss it!
The Birds Once Filled the Skies
February 27
The Spanish explorers reported a deafening din from the
millions of birds that would ascend into the air from the
bayside. Most historic wetlands and riparian areas have
been destroyed or severely altered, but San Francisco remains
a birdwatcher’s bonanza. 250 species can be seen in
the city throughout the year! In the Presidio’s Tennessee
Hollow and Crissy Marsh we see what is severely imperiled,
and what is possible for the future of ecological restoration
of wildlife habitat. Josiah Clark, Matt Zlatunich.
no podcast: technical problems with recording
Arab San Francisco
March 12
Peoples from the Arab World have been migrating to San Francisco for over a hundred years. The earliest were mostly from the Levant: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine; and also Yemen. Most recent immigrants coming from North Africa’s Magrib region (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and Iraq since the first Gulf War. Why did they come here? How have they affected SF life? What are their ongoing connections to “homelands” across the world? San Francisco, being a liberal progressive oasis, attracts many gay and lesbian Arabs as a home away from home. This Talk will also examine the gay and lesbian struggle in the context of conservatism in the Arab World, showing how Arab conservatism was created, encouraged and spread as a result of western interference.
Monadel Herzallah (Arab American Union Members Council) Renda Dabit (Palestinian American artist, activist, and business woman), Maher Sabry, (Egyptian human-rights activist and filmmaker)
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=43
Art & Politics: Favianna Rodriguez
March 19
Favianna Rodriguez has been making art to make change
for years. She will present remarkable posters, illustrations,
stickers and more, and talk about art and politics, in the
concluding event of our solo artist shows this season.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=44
Twin Peaks Bioregion and the Natural Areas Program
March 26
The Franciscan Bioregion is the unique ecological area of Planet Earth and the area of our keen interest, north of the San Francisco airport, from San Bruno Mountain to the Golden Gate. In the heart of the city is a series of hilltops, e.g., Mt. Davidson, Tank Hill, Corona Heights, as well as Glen Canyon, that are still rich with natural areas, wildlife habitats, and indigenous biodiversity. This “Twin Peaks Bioregion” is severely threatened by noxious weeds and insensitive uses of our local natural habitats. Still, many people are working hard to steward these special places, and they hold an exciting vision for this area and the whole city as a restored network of wildlife corridors, nature trails, and livable communities, for example from Golden Gate Park to Glen Park. Tom Radulovich - Livable City, BART Board; Greg Gaar - Natural Historian, Haight-Ashbury Native Plant Nursery; Craig Dawson - Mt. Sutro Stewards, Inner Sunset Merchants Association.
podcast: http://diva.sfsu.edu/users/Chris.Carlsson/ssf_talks?podcast=45
“Local to Global”
Wednesday, April 30, 7:30pm, Free
Local rarity in the Franciscan bioregion: Who cares? Charismatic butterflies,
delicate lilies, and Still Wild at Heart, a film about nature &
wildlife in the city. With Liam O'Brien, Margo Bors and Melissa Peabody
SF’s Endangered Treasures
Wed. May 28, 7:30pm Free
Federally listed endangered species are legally protected but still fragile and fighting for survival! This Wednesday’s discussion will revolve around the sensitive Mission Blue, our own beloved Snowy Plover, and the Jumping Frog of San Francisco County. Featuring Stuart Weiss, Liam O’Brien, and Chris Giorni.
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