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Southern California based pianist, Jason Stoll, will draw on his wide-ranging repertoire
in a concert designed to lift the spirits of the audience. The eclectic program includes “Fantasy on Themes from Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story,” by young composer Andy Villemez, along with works by Granados, Ravel, Chopin, and Beethoven, among others.

The concert will also showcase the talent of classical violinist Kaitlyn Greenwood, a local high school student.

Simi Valley Environmental Services Director Stratis Perros will appear at a meeting on Saturday, Feb. 18 to discuss with community members a pathway to more affordable housing in a city where many lower income workers cannot afford to live or must endure overcrowded conditions or work at multiple jobs to reside there.

The meeting, organized by the local nonprofit organization Buen Vecino, will be held from 10 a.m.to noon at Nueva Esperanza Covenant Church, 4680 Alamo St. in Simi Valley. The session will provide a space for community members to learn, share their experiences, ask questions, and share what they wish to see change with regards to housing.

Perros heads a city agency that coordinates the city's development, including land use planning and affordable housing programs. Its Housing Resources Section's mission is to create a strong, sustainable, inclusive community with quality housing for all of the city's residents.

Buen Vecino Community Organizer Guadalupe Jasso will also speak at the event about the needs and benefits of affordable development and grassroots community advocacy.

Among topics to be covered are the city's General Plan Housing Element, inclusive affordable housing, accessory dwelling units, and community engagement, including the City Council's agendas relating to housing. The meeting offers an opportunity for affordable housing supporters to address plans and projects that they deem most crucial to be high on the city's priority list.

In addition to Buen Vecino, several other community organizations will be present.

The event will be bilingual and fully accessible to English and Spanish speakers. Registration for this free event is available online at: www.bit.ly/simihousing

For information, contact Buen Vecino at (805) 283-9828.

It's Free Family Day-- the day of the month when admission to the garden is waived all day for all guests! Help us celebrate by bringing your family down to SLOBG to explore the beautiful plant collection, talk to docents and plant experts throughout the garden, and participate in fun family activities!

This month, join us and our community partners, including Cuesta College, The IDEA Project, and the Marine Mammal Center, for our very first STEAM Fair! We will be presenting fun activities in science, technology, engineering, art and math throughout the Children's Garden!

After a three-year hiatus due to challenges brought on by the pandemic, the 37th Annual California Strawberry Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, May 20-21. For the first time, the event will be held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds (10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001). Festivalgoers can indulge in strawberry treats from over 50 food and beverage booths. The festival features artists and crafters, a Ninja Nation obstacle course, live entertainment on two stages, Strawberryland for kids and "build-your-own" strawberry shortcake.

An estimated 1.5 million strawberries will be consumed over the two-day festival. Vine-ripened strawberries grown in the Oxnard Plain are considered by many to be the juiciest strawberries in the world. Since its inception, the nonprofit California Strawberry Festival has donated over $5 million to Southern California charitable organizations. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., both days. Admission is $15, active military with ID and family and seniors 62 and over, $10, youth ages 5 to 12, $8, children 4 and under, free. Limited parking onsite, Free shuttles. Amtrak station across the street. For more information, go to www.CAStrawberryFestival.org or email info@castrawberryfestival.org.

Artificial intelligence is active in our lives every day. But what does the term “AI” mean? How can we assess what effect it has or might have on us and on those we care about? Does it work reliably? Is it fair and equitable? How can we help ensure that the benefits and risks of this type of technology are appropriately balanced, at least for us?

Paul Witman (Ph.D.) is a Professor of Information Technology Management, in California Lutheran University’s School of Management. His research interests include social networking for non-profits, information security, usability, health care information, and electronic banking and finance. Prior to joining Cal Lutheran, Dr. Witman served as Director of Integration Engineering for Digital Insight Corp. and as Director of Global Delivery Systems at Citibank. He earned his Ph.D. in Information Systems and Technology from Claremont Graduate University.

The abuses on the innocent people of Iran by their government are again in the world’s spotlight with the death of Mahsa Amini. Her crime? An alleged violation of the state-imposed head covering law. Iranian artists have responded with a global outcry and are not retreating from their activism. Female artists have sought to expose the decades of atrocities by the regime affecting most every aspect of daily life in Iran. Amini’s death has ignited a call to direct action and many are taking personal risks in order to end the authoritarian control over the lives of the Iranian people.

Join us as we review an array of artists, past and present that are visually speaking for the plight of the Iranian people and for the rights of all humanity.

Christine Maasdam holds a Master's in Humanities and a B.A. in Cultural Geography. Her art studies include The Courtauld Institute of Art in London, The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center in D.C. and Post Graduate studies in Antiquities Trafficking and Art Crime at the University of Glasgow. She is a graduate of the Art Crime Investigation Seminar led by Robert Wittman, founder of the FBI's National Art Crime Team. Christine is a member of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection and holds a certificate from Trident Manor on Protection of Cultural Venues. Christine received Sotheby’s certification on Determining Value: An Appraiser’s Perspective. She has spent over a decade as a LACMA docent and is an active volunteer at the City of David archaeological dig in Israel.

The Art Nouveau era in France appeared at the end of the 19th century in a swirling world of societal changes. The style is characterized by sinuous curves and organic forms with nature as the ultimate source book, particularly the plant world as well as insects and birds that lent themselves to the same stylizing process. Much of the art of the era is influenced by dreams, symbolism, creepy crawlers, opium smoke, and the ideas of Darwin and Freud. The curve of the female body, particularly when combined with long flowing hair, was an inspiration for decorative possibilities.

Eleanor Schrader (M.A.) is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures worldwide on art and architectural history, and leads art and architecture tours throughout the world. She has been named a Distinguished Instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. She is also Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a Design Review Commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

The 1920s were wild times in Los Angeles; scorning Prohibition, organized crime flourished, and social behavior escaped traditional boundaries - never to return. In this lecture, we explore the popular culture, milestones, scandals, and legends of this tumultuous era in our city’s history. Topics include the impact of silent movies (from the star worship of Rudolf Valentino to the star scandal of Fatty Arbuckle’s murder trial), the changes resulting from L.A.’s growing population, car culture, and landmark construction projects (from the Hollywood Bowl and Bullock’s Wilshire to City Hall). We will also look at the speakeasies, casinos, and offshore gambling ships where Angelenos broke the rules.

Sharon Boorstin is a contributing writer for the Los Angeles Times, specializing in lifestyle, food and travel. In 2019 she won Visit California’s Eureka Award for Best Newspaper Travel Article. In the 1970s and ‘80s Sharon was the Restaurant Critic of the (late) Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, and in the ‘90s she edited the annual Gayot Guidebooks for Los Angeles and other cities. She also wrote for magazines including Bon Appetit, Smithsonian and Town & Country Travel. With her husband Paul, she wrote dozens of screenplays for feature films and television including Angel of Death (ABC) starring Jane Seymour. Her memoir/cookbook, “Let Us Eat Cake: Adventures in Food and Friendship” (Harper-Collins 2002), was a selection of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club. Raised in Seattle, Washington, Sharon moved to Los Angeles in 1966 after earning a California Lifetime Teaching credential at U.C. Berkeley. She taught high-school History, English and Social Studies in L.A. for 11 years.

How is California doing? And Ventura County? And where might they be headed? Not long ago, California and Ventura were considered Republican territory. What explains the shift to solid Democrat majorities today? What might the future bode?

This lecture looks at California politics from two perspectives: state and local. It seeks to understand California’s big policy issues, especially its budget volatility as it has gone from a $100 billion surplus to a $40 billion deficit just since the New Year. The lecture will focus on Ventura County and the city of Thousand Oaks to illustrate the challenges confronted by local governments.

Herbert Gooch (Ph.D.) is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at California Lutheran University. He formerly served as Director of the Masters in Public Policy and Administration program and Assistant Provost for Graduate Studies at Cal Lutheran. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley in History, he holds a M.B.A in Management and both masters and doctoral degrees in Political Science from U.C.L.A. He has written extensively and is a frequent commentator on political affairs locally and statewide. He has been at Cal Lutheran since 1987 and lives in Newbury Park with his wife. His interests include politics, film and travel.

In 1969, Michael Arndt was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam as a combat infantryman. After 40 years, he returned to Vietnam, an experience which began his healing and led to his commitment to aid veterans through the arts. Professor Arndt began to interview and video record veterans from WW II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. He created a multimedia theatrical piece that has been produced a number of times as a way of opening conversations with veterans and non-veterans. The play has led to the writing of a book to assist veterans in using their stories and art as a healing force. This lecture details Michael’s combat experience and its effect upon his life when he returned, including his artistic works.

Michael J. Arndt (MFA) has been a Professor of Theatre Arts at California Lutheran University for the past forty years and is the artistic director of the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company. As a theatre director, he has directed over 200 theatre productions. Among the awards he has received are the Cal Lutheran President’s Award for Teaching Excellence, The Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival, Region VIII-Outstanding Theatre Educator, and the Alliance for the Arts’ Exemplary Arts Educator Award. He was named a “local hero” by the Ventura County Reporter and “Patriotic Citizen of the Year” by the Conejo Valley Chapters of the Military Order of the World Wars and The Military Order of the Purple Heart.

A Vietnam combat veteran, Michael created “Under Fire: Stories of Combat Veterans Across Generations.” He is currently co-authoring a book: “Making Contact: The Way to Healing from the Trauma of Combat.”