2026 Cleveland Humanities Festival: FREEDOM Events

Hope Renewed: How eTMS Ohio transforms Mental Wellness

7 pm Cuyahoga County Public Library, Middleburg Heights Branch, 16699 Bagley Road, Middleburg Heights, OH 44130

Discover how a free, state-funded wellness program is transforming mental health care for first responders, Veterans, and their families.

Be the Fire: Rewriting Stress With Science and Soul with author Libbey Pelaia-Krumhansl

7:00 pm Cuyahoga County Public Library, Independence Branch, 6361 Selig Drive, Independence, OH 44131

Break free from stress with a dynamic approach that blends science and creativity.

Rose Wohlgemuth Weisman Women's Voices Lecture - Truly Seeing: Art, Freedom and Reckoning with the Past

6 pm Linsalata Alumni Center, 11310 Juniper Road, Cleveland, OH 44106

Free Comic Book Day

10:30 am Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn Branch, 7619 Memphis Avenue, Brooklyn, OH 44144

Join us help celebrate the annual day celebrating comic books! Free Comic books will be available starting at 10:30 AM while supplies last.

Adult Rocky River Readers Book Group: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

11:30 am Rocky River Public Library, Community Room,1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH 44116    

Joan Goodwin is among the few women accepted into NASA’s space shuttle program in the 1980s. As she and her fellow trainees prepare for their first flights, Joan embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Read this unforgettable bestseller and come share in the discussion.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library and is free and open to the public.  

Understanding the School to Prison Pipeline  

7 pm     CCPL Bedford Branch, 70 Columbus Road, Bedford, Ohio 44146    

Learn the root causes behind this economic phenomenon that disproportionally affects marginalized communities.

Suffragettes - USA!

11 am Cuyahoga County Public Library, Gates Mills Branch, 1491 Chagrin River Road, Gates Mills, OH 44040

Celebrate Women's History Month and explore the friendship of two iconic women’s rights leaders.

Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were close friends for 50 years.  They collaborated fighting for women’s rights and advocated for the rights of others. Join us to hear about their challenges, setbacks and legacies. Discover how their pioneering significantly contributed to the passing of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. 

Be the Fire: Rewriting Stress With Science and Soul with author Libbey Pelaia-Krumhansl

7:00 pm Cuyahoga County Public Library, Berea Branch, 7 Berea Commons, Berea, OH 44017

Break free from stress with a dynamic approach that blends science and creativity.

Suffragettes - USA!

7 pm Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma Heights Branch, 6206 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, OH 44130

Celebrate Women's History Month and explore the friendship of two iconic women’s rights leaders.

Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were close friends for 50 years.  They collaborated fighting for women’s rights and advocated for the rights of others. Join us to hear about their challenges, setbacks and legacies. Discover how their pioneering significantly contributed to the passing of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. 

Windows of Hope: A Joy Filled Art Project

7 pm     CCPL Parma Branch, 2121 Snow Road, Parma, Ohio 44134

Imagine being in a room with one window—what view would keep your spirit alive? In this program, participants will create a layered collage made of stacked frames, creating the illusion of looking through a window to the space beyond. Through color, texture, and creativity, you’ll craft a personal piece that reflects your vision of interior freedom.  

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.