2021 Cleveland Humanities Festiva: Events

Changing the Stories Museums Tell  with Linda C. Harrison, Rehema Barber, and Key Jo Lee

Art museums in the United States follow a prescribed narrative, built upon Eurocentric notions of history and collecting practices informed by legacies of colonialism and social and racial inequality. But is it possible to expand the stories told on their walls and floors? 

I Come from a People Who… - In Conversation with Marcie Rendon

“I Come from a People Who…” is a series of events with Native author, playwright and poet Marcie Rendon that weaves together the themes of the 2021 Humanities Festival and the 40th anniversary of community organization InterReligious Task Force on Central America and Colombia: identity, memory and resistance. Focusing on Rendon’s extraordinary contributions to Native literature and her advocacy for Native American artists and writers, the series will include a community conversation, an intimate virtual gathering for Cleveland’s Indigenous community, and an interactive poetry workshop.

Genealogy 101

The internet is a vast resource for genealogical research. This program will present current internet sources and tips on how to use these sites to further family history research. Virtual 2-part series. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Scam and Identity Theft

Rachel from Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People will share how to recognize scams, fraud and exploitation. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Catfish Scam

What is catfishing? How do you know if you are being catfished? Danelle Musil from the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs will provide answers to these questions plus share ways you can protect yourself from being catfished online. Virtual program. Registration required.

Click HERE to register.  

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Desktop Dialogue: An Art Anthology, Chapter One with Eric Coble

How many stories can a work of art tell?  

The series An Art Anthology, accompanies the CMA exhibition Stories from Storage. Developed in collaboration with the creative writing organization Literary Cleveland, the series invites four local storytellers to offer artful interpretations of select objects on view in the show. 

A Virtual Ralph Pruitt Lecture and Presentation: Employing Cleveland Black Her-story in Creative Works

Personality Tests; Fact or Fiction

Popular “personality tests” promote a deeper understanding of self. Or do they?  Dr. Keriazes from MetroHealth will help you explore how real these tests are and what we can learn from them. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

How the Buddhist Teaching on Non-Self Offers a Path in These Uncertain Times

Building Trust through Representation: At the Intersection of Disability, Race and Parenting

Charisse (Nikki) Montgomery, Salina Miller and Patricia Parker, authors of We Dare Be Brave: African American moms and the emotional journey of raising children with disabilities, will share their personal experiences as Black parents and as advocates to improve the experiences and health outcomes of children with complex medical needs.

Rick Guidotti & Positive Exposure: Recognizing Beauty in Difference

After a chance encounter with a young woman living with albinism, award-winning international fashion photographer Rick Guidotti began exploring images in medical textbooks.

Who Names the Neighborhood? A Question of Identity

Pretty/Funny: Women Comedians and Body Politics

Campus Conversations on JUSTICE: Cats, Dogs, Teens, and Soldiers: Reflections on the Virtue of Obedience

Pauline Shanks Kaurin, professor in the College of Leadership and Ethics at the Navy War College and the Admiral James B. Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics will launch her new book On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military, Citizenry, and Community. Shanks Kaurin will introduce new scholarship that draws from a variety of disciplines including classical studies, philosophy, history, international relations, literature, and military studies, to explore the ethics of obedience. 

In Our Own Words: PEARLS Ambassadors & Youth Advocacy

Join us to meet young ambassadors who are changing people's perspectives with their honesty, thoughtfulness, and humor.  They will discuss their own journeys and share what inspires them to speak out.  The Youth Ambassadors of PEARLS Project and their families are empowered self-advocates, using their unique voices to foster positive change.  The project is a creative tool for classrooms, professional development and research, as well as for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding

Travel: A Crowdsourced Video Poem on Identity 

As part of the Cleveland Humanities Festival, Literary Cleveland partnered with the CSU Poetry Center to create "Preparations for Travel," a crowdsourced video poem on the theme of identity. For this project, poet Kamden Hilliard, Anisfield-Wolf Fellow at the CSU Poetry Center, developed an original three-part poem using lines and phrases selected from writing submitted by more than 40 local poets. The final video version of the poem, read by local performers, will premiere on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

Flavors of the World: Uzbek Plov

Mrs. Selbi Muhammetberdiyeva will demonstrate how to make delicious and flavorful Uzbek Plov, the national dish of Uzbekistan. Plov is a rice pilaf cooked with lamb or beef, onions, garlic, raisins, and carrots. Restaurants serve Plov with bread, tea, and a selection of side salads. 

Registration HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

A Conversation with Poet Laureate Joy Harjo

Critically-acclaimed indigenous poet Joy Harjo discusses her work with David Lucas, Poet Laureate of the State of Ohio and lecturer in the Department of English. Harjo, a member of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation, is the author of several books of poetry, as well as collections of interviews and conversations, children’s books, and collaborative art texts.  She is the 23rd U.S. poet laureate  and the first Native American poet to serve in that position.

Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia

Cynthia Davenport from the Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter will provide basic information that everyone needs to know about memory loss issues and what they mean for all of us. It incorporates video interviews with professionals, patients with dementia, and caregivers discussing real life issues. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Designing Victory

Award-winning architect Robert Madison was the first African-American to graduate from Case Western's School of Architecture, as well as the first to gain a degree in architecture in Ohio.  His firm, Robert P. Madison International, has been both the lead and associate architects for the design of major projects including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Great Lakes Science Center, and Cleveland Museum of Art.

Indigeneity and Disability: Futures of Personhood, Care and Consent

What dreams for the world whisper through the cracks of this world that is breaking? This panel brings together the breadth and depth of five influential scholars, artists, cultural/political organizers and researchers to delve into how the embodied realities and analytics of both indigeneity and disability open political, cultural, medical and spiritual imaginaries about body, land, practices of care and consent. With Ella Callow, Jen Deerinwater, Juliet McMullin, AM Kanngieser, and Petra Kuppers, facilitated by Marina Tsaplina. 

Doctors, Suffragists, Socialists, Eugenicists: Identities and Politics in the Early Birth Control Movement

Folksong and Ethnic Cleansing in Central Europe

Desktop Dialogue: An Art Anthology, Chapter Two with Sarah Lohman

How many stories can a work of art tell?  

The series, An Art Anthology, accompanies the CMA exhibition Stories from Storage. Developed in collaboration with the creative writing organization Literary Cleveland, the series invites four local storytellers to offer artful interpretations of select objects on view in the show. 

A Conversation with Kevin Young

Kevin Young, director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and poetry editor of The New Yorker, discusses his work with Ben Vinson, Hiram C. Haydn Professor of History and Provost and Executive Vice President at Case Western Reserve University.  Young is the author of thirteen books of poetry and prose and is the editor of nine other collections.  He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was named a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets in 2020.  

The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard: Incorporating Truth while Writing Fiction

Join author, actress and transformational storyteller Echo Brown for a conversation about how her real-life experiences have fueled her mold-breaking fiction writing.

From her inspiring and award-winning one-woman shows to her first book, Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard, Brown infuses her work with magical realism while still addressing the realities of racism, abuse, addiction, depression and poverty.  Learn about the life-changing lessons that inform her creativity and bring questions to share. 

Campus Conversations of Justice - Chasing Something Beautiful: What A Smart City Promises, What a City Can Do

M.R. Sauter, assistant professor at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies, will participate in a live-streamed discussion on disruptive activism, such as hacking as a form of activism ("hacktivism") and/or justice related to smart cities, municipal governance, and neo-corporate colonialism.

Catfish Scam

What is catfishing? How do you know if you are being catfished? Danelle Musil from the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs will provide answers to these questions plus share ways you can protect yourself from being catfished online. Virtual program. Registration required.

Click HERE to register.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Adult Rocky River Readers Book Club: "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett 

Spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s, this unforgettable novel follows twins, light-skinned Black sisters Desiree and Stella Vignes, who run away together from their racially-fixated small Louisiana town, only to separate a year later, when Stella decides to begin passing as a white woman. Register to receive an emailed invitation to join in our virtual discussion.

Click HERE to register.

Scam and Identity Theft

Rachel Slomovitz from Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People will share how to recognize scams, fraud and exploitation. Virtual program.

Desktop Dialogue: An Art Anthology, Chapter Three with Mourning [A] BLKstar 

How many stories can a work of art tell? 

The series An Art Anthology, accompanies the CMA exhibition Stories from Storage. Developed in collaboration with the creative writing organization Literary Cleveland, the series invites four local storytellers to offer artful interpretations of select objects on view in the show. 

"Animal Affinities" Structuring Identity in Medieval Hebrew Manuscripts

Personality Tests: Fact or Fiction

Popular “personality tests” promote a deeper understanding of self. Or do they?  Dr. Keriazes from MetroHealth will help you explore how real these tests are and what we can learn from them. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This events is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

The LatinX-Perience

While all Latinx individuals have varied backgrounds and unique family histories, we also encounter common threads that tie us together. Join us for a discussion exploring our shared and contrasting experiences as Latinx individuals growing up in the United States.  Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Virtual Panel Discussion: Slovenian Neighborhoods of Cleveland

Cleveland is home to the largest settlement of Slovenians outside of Europe. Slovenian-Americans took advantage of the resources the city made available to them to build families and institutions and develop a lively cultural scene. Each of the city’s Slovenian neighborhoods was anchored by an imposing cultural Hall or majestic church (or both), surrounded by tidy homes and thriving businesses. Many high-profile Clevelanders emerged from those neighborhoods to leave their mark on the city.

Booked by the Police Chief: "Homeland Elegies" by Ayad Akhtar 

Read this inventive, fiction story inspired by the author’s personal experiences, to explore life as first-generation American-born Muslim man. Police Chief George Lichman will lead the discussion as we consider what creates personal and cultural identity. Register to receive an emailed invitation to join in our virtual discussion.

Click HERE to register.

The event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Contemplating the Sublime

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world self-quarantined in hopes of slowing down the rate of infection. Everyday life was not as fixed as we perhaps once thought; and, since we often identify with our daily activities, so too did many of our identities seem untethered from this new reality. Our identities are (in part) constructs, narratives that we continue to affirm through our beliefs and our behaviors; in this regard, identity also allows us to intervene in the stories that we believe about ourselves.

Scam and Identity Theft

Rachel Slomovitz from Empowering and Strengthening Ohio’s People will share how to recognize scams, fraud and exploitation. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Desktop Dialogue: An Art Anthology, Chapter Four with Kamden Hilliard

How many stories can a work of art tell?   

The series An Art Anthology, accompanies the CMA exhibition Stories from Storage. Developed in collaboration with the creative writing organization Literary Cleveland, the series invites four local storytellers to offer artful interpretations of select objects on view in the show. 

Catfish Scam

What is catfishing? How do you know if you are being catfished? Danelle Musil from the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs will provide answers to these questions plus share ways you can protect yourself from being catfished online. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia

Cynthia Davenport from the Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter will provide basic information that everyone needs to know about memory loss issues and what they mean for all of us. It incorporates video interviews with professionals, patients with dementia, and caregivers discussing real life issues. Virtual program. Registration required.

Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

The Inequity of Climate Change: Finance, Policy, Justice

Online and Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom, 11038 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH  44106 (Please note new location.)

A Conversation with Mary Weems and Bryant Keith Alexander

Virtual Event

Join CCPL for a conversation with Mary Weems and Bryant Alexander, authors of Still Hanging: Using Performance Texts to Deconstruct Racism and Collaborative Spirit Writing: Performance in Everyday Black Lives. Weems is a poet, playwright, performer, imagination-intellect theorist and Social Foundations scholar working in interpretive methods. Alexander is an author and interim dean of the Loyola Marymount University College of Communication and Fine Arts, and professor of Communication and Performance Studies.

Region 3 Ohio History Day: "Debate & Diplomacy"

Virtual event.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library,  Parma Powers Branch, 6996 Powers Blvd., Parma, OH  44129

Create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes by using a cereal box and some leftover paper.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

Improv Games Workshop with Sam Dee

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Fairview Park Branch, 21255 Lorain Road, Cleveland, OH  44126

What is Knowledge? (3-part series)

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Independence Branch, 6361 Selig Drive, Independence, OH  44131

What is knowledge? Is knowledge something different, something more robust, than belief or opinion? Join us for a mind-bending but informative three-part series that investigates these questions.

Is Caste Equal to Internalized Attitude? A Theoretical Discussion

Virtual Event

Adrianne M. Crawford Fletcher, PhD, LISW, LCSW, Assistant Dean for Diversity & Inclusion and Adjunct Professor at CWRU, will host a discussion about Caste: the Origins of our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson from the lens of Relational Theory. This perspective allows us to think about 'caste' from the view of 'internalized attitudes', to consider how these attitudes are formed, and how they determine our approach to relationships.

Music's Many Voices - Education Concert

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

Age of Disinformation

 Virtual Event

In the Age of Disinformation, Dr. Froehlich discusses the rise of polarization in American society through disinformation wars by domestic and foreign actors, in which rational or consensus decision-making, facts and expertise are often derailed by and into culture wars.  These wars are likely to continue and deepen, putting American democracy in peril. 

Music's Many Voices - Education Concert

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

Music's Many Voices - Education Concert

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

Woori Sori (Our Voice) Responds to Who Was this Built to Protect

Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Gund Commons,11400 Euclid Avenue

What is Knowledge? (3-part series)

Virtual Event

What is knowledge? Is knowledge something different, something more robust, than belief or opinion? Join us for a mind-bending but informative three-part series that investigates these questions.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Maple Heights Branch, 5225 Library Lane, Maple Heights, OH  44137

Create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

TOWN BLOODY HALL (USA, 1979)

Cinematheque, Peter B. Lewis Theater, Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Avenue

Town Bloody Hall (USA, 1979) Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker

Virtual Panel Discussion: Writing the Region

This roundtable will consider the opportunities and challenges for presses, literary publications, and media groups attempting to promote writing about and within the region known as the American Midwest.

Write-In with Literary Cleveland: Writing Inspired by Black Art 

Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH  44106

Fuel your writing with inspiration from Black art. 

Stop by CMA any time between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and explore the works in Currents and Constellations: Black Art in Focus through a variety of writing prompts and activities with Literary Cleveland. CMA curator Key Jo Lee will be on hand to answer questions about the works on view. 

TOWN BLOODY HALL (USA, 1979)

Cinematheque, Peter B. Lewis Theater, Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Avenue

Town Bloody Hall (USA, 1979) Chris Hegedus, D.A. Pennebaker

Island Hopping

Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom A, 11038 Bellflower Road

How do you craft an emotional story while translating very technical and abstract information? Drawing from raw tape of interviews with scientists, Jad Abumrad, composer, journalist, creator and host of Radiolab, focuses on the inherent struggles in science communication (or interpreting any technical or difficult information) – what happens when you get it wrong, how to fix it, and how it’s useful to embrace error in the process.  

This lecture will also be live-streamed.

Common Ground in the Age of Misinformation

Cuyahoga County Public Library, North Olmsted Branch, 27403 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, OH  44070

Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Respectful discourse and creating common ground are essential to maintain relationships, whether with your family, friends, or neighbors. Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

2022 Issa Lecture - Art as Transformation: Using Photography for Social and Environmental Change

Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom A, 11038 Bellflower Road

The Case Against the Pill?: The Controversy Over Birth Control Side Effects, 1965-1975

Allen Memorial Library, Powell Room, Case Western Reserve University, 11000 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH  44106

Addressing Historical Truth in a Divided 21st Century Society

Virtual Event.

Artifact Spotlight: "It's Been Said All Along"

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1100 E 9th Street, Cleveland, OH  44114

Book Chat with Chief Lichman-Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

Rocky River Public Library, Green Room, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger

What can we learn from exploring the ideas of loyalty and belonging, while also constantly trying to find a purpose to our lives? Why is adversity more memorable than a happy occasion? Pick up this book and join the discussion on how we are stronger together and ways we can make those connections happen, led by Rocky River Police Chief George Lichman.

We Want Everything: Opening Event

Cleveland Institute of Art, Reinberger Gallery

Moral Grandstanding in American Discourse: Is It a Problem?

Virtual Event

2022 Baker-Nord Distinguished Faculty Lecture: What are Dreams For?

Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom A, 11038 Bellflower Road

Improv Games Workshop with Sam Dee

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brecksville Branch, 9089 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH  44141

Universal Inclusivity in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism: LGBTQ+ and Jodo Shinshu

Clark Hall Room 206, 11130 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH  44106 The exclusion of marginalized groups within society via the endorsement of religious bodies has been a topic of much attention but little change. Doctrinal and Qualitative statements are often used to define the behavior and expectations of followers of many different faiths. The unwelcoming and exclusive environment and discourse has led to a generalized rejection of religion by many people in marginalized communities.  

Age of Disinformation

Virtual Event

In the Age of Disinformation, Dr. Froehlich discusses the rise of polarization in American society through disinformation wars by domestic and foreign actors, in which rational or consensus decision-making, facts and expertise are often derailed by and into culture wars.  These wars are likely to continue and deepen, putting American democracy in peril. 

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Berea Branch, 7 Berea Commons, Berea, OH  44017

Create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

Rhinestone Revolutionaries on the Flaming River: Untucking Cleveland’s Drag Past

Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom A, 11038 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH  44106

Film Screening: The First Step (USA, 2021)

Playhouse Square, 1501 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

Year: 2021 Country: USA Language: English Run Time: 89 minutes

Internal Exclusion and Caste: A Philosophical Discourse

Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Following a short lecture on internal exclusion and philosophical concepts related to American social hierarchies, we will have an engaging discussion focusing on Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. Presented by Matthew Dargaj, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at Lorain County Community College. 

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Isabel Wilkerson

Milton and Tamar Maltz Performing Arts Center, 1855 Ansel Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106

Adult RRPL Readers Book Group: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Rocky River Public Library, Green Room, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

A Depression-era woman faces a wrenching choice between fighting for the Dust Bowl-ravaged land she loves in Texas or pursuing an uncertain future in California in this epic and stirring story of hardship and love.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Common Ground in the Age of Misinformation

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

Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Respectful discourse and creating common ground are essential to maintain relationships, whether with your family, friends, or neighbors. Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

Educating for the Future: The Intersection of Education and Humanistic Inquiry

This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled for Fall 2022.

In Conversation: Derrick Adams and Ellen Rudolph

Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH  44106

Staged Reading: How Do We Talk to Each Other

Cleveland Public Library, 325 Superior Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44114

Literary Cleveland is organizing a free staged reading titled “How Do We Talk to Each Other?” during the Cleveland Humanities Festival.

Accepted submissions will be adapted, in collaboration with the authors, for the staged reading. The readings will be performed by experienced actors under the direction of Christine Howey.  

To Submit:

Deadline to submit: February 28, 2022.

Wednesday Night Special: WTF NFT

Virtual Event

Join us for Wednesday Night Special, a unique extension of the Cleveland Institute of Art's Lunch on Fridays lecture series that invites artists, arts workers and arts leaders to discuss their practice and pressing issues.

In this special lecture, WTF NFT, the basics of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) will be explored. Ever wonder what exactly an NFT is or how one is made? This program will answer those questions and provide a baseline, entry-level understanding of the technology and its impact on the art world.

Common Ground in the Age of Misinformation

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Independence Branch, 6361 Selig Drive, Independence, OH  44131

Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Respectful discourse and creating common ground are essential to maintain relationships, whether with your family, friends, or neighbors. Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

14th Annual Stop the Hate Youth Speak Out & Youth Sing Out Awards Ceremony

Virtual Event

Join us for the 14th Annual Stop the Hate® Youth Speak Out & Youth Sing Out Awards Ceremony which annually awards $100,000 in scholarships and prizes to middle and high schools, students, and teachers speaking out against bias and discrimination. Be inspired by young people of different cultures, backgrounds, and identities raising their voices to effect change in their communities.

·         Meet the top 20 Youth Speak Out essay contest finalists from 6th – 12th grades

Skin in the Game: A Conversation with Kyle Kidd

Clark Hall Room 206, 11130 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH  44106

Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Kyle Kidd is an artistic powerhouse with personal and aesthetic investments in local social justice movements. As a musician and multi-modal artist, they intend for their art in all its forms to serve as a tribal legacy, oriented toward “representation, raw expression, and true freedom.” An activist in Cleveland for Black and Queer communities, much of Kidd’s work focuses on strategies for reparative justice while honoring and celebrating difference.

Sports Identity and Inclusivity On-&-Off the Court with the LGBTQ+ Youth Sports League

Tinkham Veale University Center, Senior Classroom, 11038 Bellflower Road 

Sports participation is one of the many areas where LGBTQ+ youth experience exclusion and discrimination resulting in decreased levels of participation, and increased negative impacts on a youth’s physical, mental, and behavioral health. The need to foster safe spaces where LGBTQ+ youth can participate in accessible, inclusive, and equitable sports platforms has never been more critical. 

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library,  Brecksville Branch, 9089 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH  44141

Create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes by using a cereal box and some leftover paper.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

Tell Us a Story

Rocky River Public Library, Green Room, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Family Event.

Do you have a story to share for National Tell a Story Day? Use our puppets, or make your own to share a story with us.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Comic Talks

Rocky River Public Library, Community Room, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

As part of our collaboration with the Cleveland Humanities Fest we will explore the theme of Discourse through graphic novels. We will look at a variety of books that demonstrate how graphic novels are a powerful tool for communicating important issues, especially for members of marginalized groups. 

Registration required. Register HERE.

The Chevalier: Music of Joseph Bologne - Education and Family Concerts

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106

Common Ground in the Age of Misinformation

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brecksville Branch, 9089 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH  44141

Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Respectful discourse and creating common ground are essential to maintain relationships, whether with your family, friends, or neighbors. Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

Common Ground in the Age of Misinformation

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brecksville Branch, 9089 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH  44141

Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Respectful discourse and creating common ground are essential to maintain relationships, whether with your family, friends, or neighbors. Join us to discuss how to move past misinformation and form connections despite differences.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

Represent: Writing Inspired by Black Art

Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH  44106   Spend your evening at the CMA with Literary Cleveland, as we provide space for writers to share work that reflects on Black art and its expansive possibilities.   

Otello in Concert

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

About the Music: VERDI  Otello (complete opera) Acts I & II Acts III & IV Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Olmsted Falls Branch, 8100 Mapleway Drive, Olmsted OH  44138

Create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

Age of Disinformation

Virtual Event

In the Age of Disinformation, Dr. Froehlich discusses the rise of polarization in American society through disinformation wars by domestic and foreign actors, in which rational or consensus decision-making, facts and expertise are often derailed by and into culture wars.  These wars are likely to continue and deepen, putting American democracy in peril. 

Click HERE to register.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Beachwood Branch, 25501 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, OH 44122

Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

Honoring Black Composers Community Concert

Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street, Cleveland, OH 44106

Improv Games Workshop with Sam Dee

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Mayfield Branch, 500 Som Center Road, Mayfield, OH  44143

Otello in Concert

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

About the Music: VERDI  Otello (complete opera) Acts I & II Acts III & IV Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Honoring Black Composers Prelude Concert

Severance Music Center, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106

Join Musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra in a prelude concert entitled “Honoring Black Composers” showcasing music by African American Classical composers, past and present, including some Ohio natives! This prelude concert will take place in Reinberger Chamber Hall in advance of the evening Cleveland Orchestra festival concert.

Purchase tickets HERE.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cuyahoga County Public Library, Warrensville Heights Branch, 4415 Northfield Road, Warrensville Heights, OH  44128

Create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

In the age of social media, receiving a hand-written letter or card can be very special and exciting! Using a cereal box and some leftover paper, you will create a template that you can use to make your own unique envelopes to add a personal touch to your letters or greeting cards.

Honoring Black Composers Prelude Concert

Severance Music Center, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106

Join Musicians of The Cleveland Orchestra in a prelude concert entitled “Honoring Black Composers” showcasing music by African American Classical composers, past and present, including some Ohio natives! This prelude concert will take place in Reinberger Chamber Hall in advance of the evening Cleveland Orchestra festival concert.

Purchase tickets HERE.

Otello in Concert

Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

About the Music: VERDI  Otello (complete opera) Acts I & II Acts III & IV Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Contraception, Culture Wars, and Congregations

Clark Hall Room 206, 11130 Bellflower Road

ART is the Agent of Change

Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH  44106

How to Build a Healthy Financial Life

Berea Branch, CCPL, 7 Berea Commons, Berea, OH  44107

In this discussion, you will begin to understand money and the emotions behind it. 

Topics include debt, credit scores and reports and money mindset. Financial Wellness is not taught in schools, and yet we interact with money daily! Join me for this fun and engaging learning opportunity! Presented by Rachel Durci, Financial Wellness Coach.

Grow From Your Pain: 6 Steps to Self-Empowerment  

Garfield Heights Branch, CCPL, 5409 Turney Road, Cleveland, OH  44125

Learn how to use your limiting beliefs, and the mental pain of your past and present, to uplift your future.  A discussion and action plan that will guide you on a path of self-discovery, acceptance of self, and emotional evolution. 

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Introduction to Art Journaling - 3 Week Series

Independence Branch, CCPL, 6361 Selig Drive, Independence, OH  44131

Start building your own personal journaling practice with this beginner-friendly series.

Each week, this class will combine a variety of mixed media supplies and techniques with the principles of self-expression and self-discovery to create full-page spreads and designs. Blank journals will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring their own journal (blank book, sketchbook, graph pad, upcycled old book, or whatever you like) if they choose.

Beauford Delaney in Paris

Gartner Auditorium, Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH  44106

Beauford Delaney’s painting shifted dramatically when he left America for France, becoming more abstract and more luminous. In this lecture, Key Jo Lee guides audiences through the life and artistic transformations that occurred after Delaney, like so many other Black American artists at the time, moved from New York City to Paris in 1953.

Mindfulness Meditation for the Family

Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Join us as we learn to meditate together as a family in a fun and playful way.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Create Your Own Vision Board

Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Looking for inspiration to achieve your goals? Learn how to create your own vision board that reflects your dreams and passions. Materials provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Essential Oils Basics

Richmond Heights Branch, CCPL, 449 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights, OH  44143

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Dr. Knock Staged Reading

Allen Memorial Medical Library 11000 Euclid Ave.  Cleveland, OH 44106

(In-person Only for the moment. We may offer this hybrid, but are not yet certain.)

The Lion's Side: The Utilization of Storytelling for Transformation in Arts, Culture & Health

Health Education Campus, Room 176 9501 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106

Or, join virtually at https://cwru.zoom.us/j/97592293876?pwd=Y05PSXE1ZFBzSk1CODhMdFFVS0tBZz09

William Carlos Williams Poetry Awards Ceremony

Health Education Campus, Room 176 9501 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106

Or, join virtually at https://cwru.zoom.us/j/91754619796?pwd=RWxScm04VVFsdkZyOGZGbGZLZE9DZz09

Be a (Pen) Pal!  

Brecksville Branch, CCPL, 9089 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH  44141

You may be surprised to learn that letter writing can be used to stay sharp, boost brain health, preserve memory, and prevent dementia. In this program, you will learn about the health benefits of letter writing, and some resources to get you started on your journey.  

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library. 

Social Emotional Learning Skills for Adults

Mayfield Branch, CCPL, 500 SOM Center Road, Mayfield, OH  44143

An interactive workshop on coping skills, self-esteem, effective communication, managing emotions, and more. 

By the end of this engaging program participants will have a better understanding of their emotions and how to manage and express their feelings. We recognize that everyone has different learning methods, and that is why our program provides various techniques of presenting to ensure the best experience. Meal provided. 

Social Emotional Learning Skills for Adults

Mayfield Branch, CCPL, 500 SOM Center Road, Mayfield, OH  44143

An interactive workshop on coping skills, self-esteem, effective communication, managing emotions, and more. 

By the end of this engaging program participants will have a better understanding of their emotions and how to manage and express their feelings. We recognize that everyone has different learning methods, and that is why our program provides various techniques of presenting to ensure the best experience. Meal provided. 

Freudian Strips: A History of Comics and Mental Health in the U.S.

Peter B. Lewis Theater, Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

Intermittent Fasting: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

Virtual Event

Learn about intermittent fasting from a registered dietician. 

Intermittent Fasting has become an extremely popular diet pattern in the past few years. However, many questions surround this unique eating plan. Anthony DiMarino RD/LD, CPT describes the intermittent fasting diet, misconceptions of, its benefits, and tips and tricks to make it work for you!

Against Optimization

Tinkham Veale University Ctr Ballroom A 11038 Bellflower Road

Jia Tolentino is a staff writer at the New Yorker and the author of the essay collection Trick Mirror. Formerly, she was the deputy editor at Jezebel and a contributing editor at the Hairpin. Her talk will focus on thinking toward radical alternate visions of value, aspiration, and potential.

Registration requested.  Register HERE.

Your Healing is Killing Me

The Health Education Campus of CWRU and Cleveland Clinic   Room 176  9501 Euclid Avenue

Essential Oils Basics

Strongsville Branch, CCPL, 18700 Westwood Drive, Strongville, OH  44136

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Maple Heights Branch, CCPL, 5225 Library Lane, Maple Heights, OH  44137

Learn about the importance of sleep and how to get a good night’s rest.

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital for a healthy brain, especially as we age. Join us for a program about the importance of sleep and learn how to make simple lifestyle changes that will set you up for a restful night.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Fellini's 8 1/2 (Italy/France, 1963)

Cinematheque, Peter B. Lewis Theater of the Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44106

The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF VENUE

Lisa Damour Thwing Center Ballroom  11111 Euclid Avenue

Exploring queer-trans intimacy, disability aesthetics, and community care in JC Pankratz’s Seahorse. A Talk. A Performance. A Gathering.

Dampeer Room, Kelvin Smith Library, 11055 Euclid Avenue

De-Stress Yourself  

Garfield Heights Branch, CCPL, 5409 Turney Road, Cleveland, OH  44152

Explore stress reducing techniques and find one that works for you.   

When emotions run high – or low – mental function, as well as long-term brain health, can suffer. Join us for this program where you will learn stress-reducing techniques that you can apply at home.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Exploring queer-trans intimacy, disability aesthetics, and community care in JC Pankrat's "Seahorse." A Talk. A Performance. A Gathering.

Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, 5403 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44102

Morning Steam: Telehealth

Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Learn what technology is used to attend virtual doctor appointments, how you can ensure your appointments are secure, and which virtual options are available at Cleveland Clinic, University Hospital, and Metro Health.

Morning STEAM programs can be viewed virtually. Please call the Training Services Department or email us at computer.training@rrpl.org to receive a Zoom link.

Poetry Workshop

Chagrin Falls Branch, CCPL, 100 East Orange Street, Chagrin Falls, OH  44022

In this interactive workshop, you will learn about poetry, explore poetry types, and complete writing exercises. Join us as we celebrate poetry for National Poetry Month. Led by Lanson Wells.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

What Makes Us Well: A Staged Reading

Mather Mansion, Cleveland State University, 2605 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115

Intellectual Wellness: The Commonplace Book Tradition

Tri-C - Western Campus, 11000 W. Pleasant Valley Road, Parma, OH  44130 and Online.

Social Emotional Learning Skills for Adults

North Olmsted Branch, CCPL, 27403 Lorain Road, North Olmsted, OH  44070

An interactive workshop on coping skills, self-esteem, effective communication, managing emotions, and more. 

By the end of this engaging program participants will have a better understanding of their emotions and how to manage and express their feelings. We recognize that everyone has different learning methods, and that is why our program provides various techniques of presenting to ensure the best experience. Meal provided. 

What We Learned While Alone: Global Voices Speak to the Pandemic

Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom C 11038 Bellflower Road

How to Build a Healthy Financial Life

Parma Heights Branch, CCPL, 6206 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, OH  44130

In this discussion, you will begin to understand money and the emotions behind it. 

Topics include debt, credit scores and reports and money mindset. Financial Wellness is not taught in schools, and yet we interact with money daily! Join me for this fun and engaging learning opportunity! Presented by Rachel Durci, Financial Wellness Coach.

Adult Rocky River Readers Book Group - Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Thirty-year-old Eleanor Oliphant isn’t comfortable in social settings but is great at avoiding human contact. When Raymond, an office mate, attempts to insert himself into Eleanor’s life, she must decide if she open her heart to let him in.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Introduction to Art Journaling - 3 Week Series

Olmsted Falls Branch, CCPL, 8100 Mapleway Drive, Olmsted Falls, OH  44138

Start building your own personal journaling practice with this beginner-friendly series.

Each week, this class will combine a variety of mixed media supplies and techniques with the principles of self-expression and self-discovery to create full-page spreads and designs. Blank journals will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring their own journal (blank book, sketchbook, graph pad, upcycled old book, or whatever you like) if they choose.

Essential Oils Basics

Brecksville Branch, CCPL, 9089 Brecksville Road, Brecksville, OH  44141

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Navigating Family Secrets and Healing Intergenerational Trauma: A Reading and Conversation with Cassandra Lane

Learning Commons, Louis Stokes Wing, Cleveland Public Library  525 Superior Avenue

Grow From Your Pain: 6 Steps to Self-Empowerment

Richmond Heights Branch, CCPL, 449 Richmond Road, Richmond Heights, OH  44143

Learn how to use your limiting beliefs, and the mental pain of your past and present, to uplift your future.  A discussion and action plan that will guide you on a path of self-discovery, acceptance of self, and emotional evolution. 

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Essential Oils Basics

Garfield Heights Branch, CCPL, 5409 Turney Road, Garfield Heights, OH  44125

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Creatures of Emotion

Harkness Chapel, 11200 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44141

In this exciting sneak peek into ENCORE Chamber Music Institute's 8th season, Artistic Director Jinjoo Cho joins forces with pianist Hyunsoo Kim for an evening of Music & Ideas. 

Zero Waste Living

Rocky River Public Library, 1600 Hampton Road, Rocky River, OH  44116

Are you working towards a more eco-friendly lifestyle? Learn how to reduce your plastic waste with Rachel Regula, owner of Little Spark Refill Shop. Discover tips and tricks to embrace sustainable habits on your zero-waste journey.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Rocky River Public Library.

Poetry Workshop

Parma Powers Branch, CCPL, 6996 Powers Boulevard, Parma, OH  44129

In this interactive workshop, you will learn about poetry, explore poetry types, and complete writing exercises. Join us as we celebrate poetry for National Poetry Month. Led by Lanson Wells.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

How to Build a Healthy Financial Life

Maple Heights Branch, CCPL, 5225 Library Lane, Maple Heights, OH  44137

In this discussion, you will begin to understand money and the emotions behind it. 

Topics include debt, credit scores and reports and money mindset. Financial Wellness is not taught in schools, and yet we interact with money daily! Join me for this fun and engaging learning opportunity! Presented by Rachel Durci, Financial Wellness Coach.

Intermittent Fasting: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

Virtual Event

Learn about intermittent fasting from a registered dietician. 

Intermittent Fasting has become an extremely popular diet pattern in the past few years. However, many questions surround this unique eating plan. Anthony DiMarino RD/LD, CPT describes the intermittent fasting diet, misconceptions of, its benefits, and tips and tricks to make it work for you!

Material Conditions: Adjuncting & Wellness

Virtual Event

Meet Author Lisa Damour

Bay Village Branch, CCPL, 27400 Wolf Road, Bay Village, OH  44140

Join us when author Lisa Damour visits to discuss her newest book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers.

With clear, research-informed explanations alongside illuminating, real-life examples, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers gives parents the concrete, practical information they need to steady their teens through the bumpy yet transformational journey into adulthood.

Essential Oils Basics

Berea Branch, CCPL, 7 Berea Commons, Berea, OH  44017

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

How to Build a Healthy Financial Life

Virtual Event

In this discussion, you will begin to understand money and the emotions behind it. 

Topics include debt, credit scores and reports and money mindset. Financial Wellness is not taught in schools, and yet we interact with money daily! Join me for this fun and engaging learning opportunity! Presented by Rachel Durci, Financial Wellness Coach.

Essential Oils Basics

Maple Heights Branch, CCPL, 5225 Library Lane, Maple Height, OH  44137

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Intermittent Fasting: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

Virtual Event

Learn about intermittent fasting from a registered dietician. 

Intermittent Fasting has become an extremely popular diet pattern in the past few years. However, many questions surround this unique eating plan. Anthony DiMarino RD/LD, CPT describes the intermittent fasting diet, misconceptions of, its benefits, and tips and tricks to make it work for you!

Registration required.  Register HERE.

Essential Oils Basics

Middleburg Heights Branch, CCPL, 16699 Bagley Road, Middleburg Height, OH  44130

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

A Study Day: Explorations The American Dream

Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom A 11038 Bellflower Road   Join two robust conversations about the American Dream by participants sharing diverse viewpoints from across political, social, economic, and cultural spectrums. A performance of the opera, La Fanciulla del West, follows the day’s presentations.    12:00 – 2:00 PM - 

Essential Oils Basics

Parma Heights Branch, CCPL, 2121 Snow Road, Parma Heights, OH  44134

Learn what Aromatherapy is and how plant oils such as Peppermint, Rosemary, and more work for human medicinal application. Participants will make a product to take home. All materials will be provided.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Beachwood Branch, CCPL, 25501 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, OH  44122

Learn about the importance of sleep and how to get a good night’s rest.

Registration required.  Register HERE.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library.

How a Graphic Novelist Almost Eclipsed Mark Twain

11:30 AM Cleveland State University BH202 2121 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH  44115

This event features Adam Sonstegard, Chair and Professor in the Department of English, and is free and open to the public.   Pizza and refreshment will be provided.

This event is part of the 2024 Eclipse Seminar Series sponsored by the Society of Physics Students at Cleveland State University.  

Barbara Bosworth: Landscape Stories

2:00 PM Cleveland Museum of Art East Boulevard Cleveland, OH. 44106

See Us Now: Recent Acquisitions by Contemporary Women Artists

12:00 PM Cleveland Museum of Art East Boulevard Cleveland, OH 44106

Come to the CMA for a quick bite of art history. Every first Tuesday of each month, join curators, conservators, scholars, and other museum staff for 30-minute talks on objects currently on display in the museum galleries.

DIY Galaxy Tie-Dyed Pillowcase

3:30 PM Rocky River Public Library   1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, OH 44116

Dream about the upcoming solar eclipse while sleeping on your galaxy themed tie-dyed pillowcase. Grades 7-12.

Register HERE. 

Art and an Alaskan Adventure, March

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

9 to 5: The Story of a Movement

6:30 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Berea Branch 7 Berea Commons Berea, OH 44017

When women entered the workforce in the 1960s, most of the available jobs were secretarial. Instead of being seen by their bosses as a vital part of the office, many secretaries were regarded as glorified servants for the men who did the “real work.”

Was the “Rip Van Winkle” story an Alien Abduction Account?

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Orange Branch 31975 Chagrin Boulevard Pepper Pike, OH 44124

Many UFO researchers have suggested that Washington Irving’s story “Rip Van Winkle” was a colonial era alien abduction account based on the “lost time” aspect. Journalist Cheryl Costa decided to conduct her own research and discovered a startling trail of facts.

Costa is an author and newspaper columnist who writes about UFOs and the paranormal. The International UFO Congress awarded her Researcher of the Year in 2018.

Think Forum: David Baron - Scientific America: The Eclipse that Enlightened a Nation

  7:30 PM   Maltz Performing Arts Center  1855 Ansel Rd  Cleveland, OH 44106

David Baron is a journalist, author, and broadcaster who has spent his thirty-year career largely in public radio. He has worked as a science correspondent for NPR and Boston’s WBUR, and as health and science editor for the PRI/BBC program The World. 

Astronomy and Awe: A Historical Journey

4:30 PM Kelvin Smith Library   11055 Euclid Ave Cleveland, OH 44116

The Political Ecology of Awe

6:00 PM Tinkham Veale University Center 11038 Bellflower Road Cleveland, OH 44106 

Author Percival Everett

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Parma Snow Branch  2121 Snow Road Parma, OH 44134

Psychedelics in an Age of Freud and Pharmacology: What Happened Before, What is Happening Now, Why it Matters

6:30 PM Cleveland Psychoanalytic Center   2460 Fairmount Boulevard, Suite 312,  Cleveland Heights, OH 44116

Author Hanif Abdurraqib

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Parma Snow Branch 2121 Snow Road Parma, OH 44134

PLEASE NOTE: Per the publisher’s requirement, attendees must wear a mask at all times during this event.

Each ticket ($30) includes event admission, a copy of There's Always This Year, and a donation to the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation.

About the author:

G-d Talk: Poems and Conversation with Jessica Jacobs and Philip Metres

7:00 PM Donahue Auditorium, Dolan Science Center 1 John Carroll Boulevard University Heights, OH 44118

Embrace Life in Your Garden

 7:00 PM Rocky River Public Library   1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, OH 44116

Not enough buzz in your garden? The Master Gardeners of Cuyahoga County will share tips and techniques you can use to welcome pollinators and other beneficials to your vegetable garden and landscape. 

Register HERE.

CIFF Film Screening: All You Hear is Noise

7:25 pm | Connor Palace | 1615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

A crowd-pleasing profile of Trent Hampton, Melanie Holmes, and Chris Wines—three intellectually disabled triathletes as they compete for glory and acceptance at the Special Olympics World Games in the United Arab Emirates. From Executive Producer LeBron James.

48th CIFF Film Screening: All You Hear is Noise

12:10 pm | Connor Palace | 1615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

A crowd-pleasing profile of Trent Hampton, Melanie Holmes, and Chris Wines—three intellectually disabled triathletes as they compete for glory and acceptance at the Special Olympics World Games in the United Arab Emirates. From Executive Producer LeBron James.

The Gift of Darkness

 1:00 PM  Cleveland Public Library    325 & 525 Superior Avenue  Cleveland, OH 44114

Literary Cleveland is organizing a free staged reading titled “The Gift of Darkness” in collaboration with Cleveland Public Library as part of the Cleveland Humanities Festival on Saturday, April 6, 2023 at Cleveland Public Library Main auditorium downtown.

9 to 5: The Story of a Movement

6:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Bay Village Branch 27400 Wolf Road, Bay Village, OH 44140

When women entered the workforce in the 1960s, most of the available jobs were secretarial. Instead of being seen by their bosses as a vital part of the office, many secretaries were regarded as glorified servants for the men who did the “real work.”

Was the “Rip Van Winkle” story an Alien Abduction Account?

6:30 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Chagrin Falls Branch 100 East Orange Street   Chagrin Falls, OH, 44022

Many UFO researchers have suggested that Washington Irving’s story “Rip Van Winkle” was a colonial era alien abduction account based on the “lost time” aspect. Journalist Cheryl Costa decided to conduct her own research and discovered a startling trail of facts.

Costa is an author and newspaper columnist who writes about UFOs and the paranormal. The International UFO Congress awarded her Researcher of the Year in 2018.

Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, King Kong (1933)

9:20 PM Cleveland Institute of Art 11610 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106

Art and an Alaskan Adventure, April

11:00 AM Cuyahoga County Public Library Olmstead Falls Branch 8100 Maplewway Drive Olmstead Falls, OH 44138

An Evening with Poet and Theologian Padraig O Tuama

 6:00 PM Donahue Auditorium, Dolan Science Center 1 John Carroll Boulevard University Heights, OH 44118

What Makes You Go "Wow!" - A Conversation Exploring the Development of Awe in Children and Youth

4:00 PM TVUC Ballroom C 11038 Bellflower Road

Experiencing awe and wonder adds meaning and joy to life. How do we develop the capacity to feel awe, and how do we help children and adolescents experience this wonderful event in daily life? This panel will highlight ways to develop this capacity through reading, music, nature, and creative endeavors such as pretend play. Join us as we discuss the benefit of adding more “awe” into our lives.

Author Mary Quade

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library South Euclid-Lyndhurst 1876 S Green Rd South Euclid, OH 44121

Mary Quade is the author of the poetry collections Guide to Native Beasts and Local Extinctions. A graduate of the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, she is a recipient of an Oregon Literary Fellowship and four Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Awards for both poetry and creative nonfiction. She teaches creative writing at Hiram College.

Rejecting the Pill: A History of the Science of Natural Family Planning

4:30 PM Allen Memorial Medical Library 11000 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH, 44106

Adult Rocky River Readers Book Group

7:00 PM Rocky River Public Library   1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, OH 44116

We’ll discuss this awe-inspiring, bestselling epic that tells the story about a daredevil aviator determined to circumnavigate the globe in the 1940s, and the actress who is cast to play her in a blockbusting film in Hollywood, 80 years later. This unforgettable novel was shortlisted for the 2021 Booker Prize and the 2022 Women's Prize for Fiction. 

Register HERE.

Was the “Rip Van Winkle” story an Alien Abduction Account?

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Bedford Branch 70 Columbus Road Berea Commons Bedford, OH 44146

Many UFO researchers have suggested that Washington Irving’s story “Rip Van Winkle” was a colonial era alien abduction account based on the “lost time” aspect. Journalist Cheryl Costa decided to conduct her own research and discovered a startling trail of facts.

Costa is an author and newspaper columnist who writes about UFOs and the paranormal. The International UFO Congress awarded her Researcher of the Year in 2018.

Word Magic, Inspiration, and Awe: Readings and Conversation with Kwame Alexander

 6:00 PM  Linsalata Alumni Center  11310 Juniper Road Cleveland, OH 44106

Cleveland Institute of Art's 2024 Spring Show

6:00 PM Cleveland Institute of Art 11610 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106

Celebrate with us as CIA unveils some of the best work created by students of all levels working across our majors. At the 2024 Spring Show, visitors can meet CIA students—the next generation of artists and designers—and see their awe-inspiring work throughout campus.

Cleveland Institute of Art's 2024 Runway Show

7:00 PM Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Atrium 11610 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106

Part of CIA's Spring Show, the Runway Show is a perennial crowd-pleaser, highlighting some of the most innovative and awe-inspiring works of art and design—all original work for the body—by students from a variety of majors.

Communication with Improv Games Workshop with Sam Dee

11:00 AM Cuyahoga County Public Library Olmsted Falls Branch 8100 Mapleway Drive Olmsted Falls, OH, 44138

Nurse Unseen - Film Discussion

6:30 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Parma-Snow Branch 2121 Snow Branch Parma, OH 44134

When COVID-19 impacted America’s frontline healthcare workers, one demographic was hit especially hard: Filipino nurses. Nearly a third of all nurses who died during the pandemic were Filipino.

Was the “Rip Van Winkle” story an Alien Abduction Account?

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Middleburg Heights Branch 16699 Bagley Road Middleburg Heights, OH, 44130

Many UFO researchers have suggested that Washington Irving’s story “Rip Van Winkle” was a colonial era alien abduction account based on the “lost time” aspect. Journalist Cheryl Costa decided to conduct her own research and discovered a startling trail of facts.

Costa is an author and newspaper columnist who writes about UFOs and the paranormal. The International UFO Congress awarded her Researcher of the Year in 2018.

Mozart's The Magic Flute

 7:00 PM  Severance Hall   11001 Euclid Ave  Cleveland, OH 44106

Mozart's The Magic Flute

  7:00 PM  Severance Hall   11001 Euclid Ave  Cleveland, OH 44106

The Five Lakes Chinese Music: Bamboo and Silk

27403 Lorain Road

North Olmsted, OH, 44070

The Five Lakes Chinese Music Ensemble was established in Cleveland about 40 years ago. Members are dedicated musicians with extensive experience performing at many cultural events in Northeast Ohio.

Musicians will perform Southern China Bamboo and Silk ensemble style using different traditional Chinese instruments. Participants will delight in observing the difference in tone, scale, pitch and instrumentation from Western music.

Art and an Alaskan Adventure, May

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Beachwood Branch 25501 Shaker Boulevard Beachwood, OH 44122

Mozart's The Magic Flute

 7:00 PM  Severance Hall   11001 Euclid Ave  Cleveland, OH 44106

Mozart's The Magic Flute

  7:00 PM  Severance Hall   11001 Euclid Ave  Cleveland, OH 44106

Was the “Rip Van Winkle” story an Alien Abduction Account?

7:300 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Parma-Powers Branch 6996 Powers Boulevard Parma, OH, 44129

Many UFO researchers have suggested that Washington Irving’s story “Rip Van Winkle” was a colonial era alien abduction account based on the “lost time” aspect. Journalist Cheryl Costa decided to conduct her own research and discovered a startling trail of facts.

Costa is an author and newspaper columnist who writes about UFOs and the paranormal. The International UFO Congress awarded her Researcher of the Year in 2018.

The Five Lakes Chinese Music: Bamboo and Silk

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Solon Branch 34125 Portz Parkway Solon, OH 44139

The Five Lakes Chinese Music Ensemble was established in Cleveland about 40 years ago. Members are dedicated musicians with extensive experience performing at many cultural events in Northeast Ohio.

Musicians will perform Southern China Bamboo and Silk ensemble style using different traditional Chinese instruments. Participants will delight in observing the difference in tone, scale, pitch and instrumentation from Western music.

[Awe] Mystery of the Light

3:00 PM Harkness Chapel 11200 Bellflower Road Cleveland, OH 44106

An Appetite for Ancestry: A Conversation with Mel Michelle Lewis on Food, Folklore, and Identity

Mel Michele Lewis and Isaiah Hunt

6:30 pm | Virtual Event

Step into the rich tapestry of Gulf South culture with Mel Michele Lewis, author of the new Biomythography Bayou, as part of our exploration of our appetite theme.

Put Spring in your Step, Cleveland!

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library North Olmsted Branch 27403 Lorain Road North Olmsted, OH 44070

Discover Northeast Ohio's best urban and rural trails with hiking expert Diane Stresing! Explore scenic spots, historical trails, and hidden gems within 60 miles of Cleveland. Perfect for hikers of all levels.

Book sale and signing to follow.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Who Were the Buffalo Soldiers?

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

Discover the story of African American soldiers on the Western frontier after the Civil War. After the Civil War, many sought a fresh start in the West. Learn how the 9th and 10th Cavalry, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers"  played a vital role in westward expansion and helped lay the groundwork for the National Park Rangers.

Presented by Jermaine Crayton, M.Ed, CTRS, Yogi.

Shucked: A New Small-Town Musical in a Big-City Medium

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Olmsted Falls Branch 8100 Mapleway Drive Olmsted Falls, OH 44138

Join Music Historian Stephanie Ruozzo to explore Shucked, a “corny” new musical redefining Broadway. With a score blending country, folk, and blues, Shucked challenges traditional Broadway norms and broadens its appeal across class, geographical, and racial lines, giving  marginalized voices a modern stage.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.

43rd Annual William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition Award Ceremony

4:00 – 5:30 PM  Room 176 of the Samson Pavilion/Health Education Campus 9501 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States

Thirst for Knowledge: The Florist of Millionaire's Row

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Strongsville Branch 18700 Westfood Drive Strongsville, OH 44136

Celebrate gardening and Women’s History with this fascinating presentation about this local green thumb. Explore the rich history of gardening through the life of Ella Grant Wilson, the celebrated Florist of Millionaires Row. Known for her exceptional work with Cleveland’s elite, Ella was instrumental in shaping horticultural practices of her time. This engaging talk blends her gardening expertise with her legacy as a pro-women advocate.

On Eating and Reading: A Conversation with Dwight Garner

Dwight Garner

6:00 pm | Wolstein Building Auditorium | 2103 Cornell Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106

Dive into the delicious intersection of food and literature with Dwight Garner, celebrated New York Times book critic, as he discusses his latest work, The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading.

He will be in conversation with Elysia Balavage, Anisfield-Wolf Fellow and member of the CWRU Department of English.

Cooking Vareniki (Ukrainian Pierogis)

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Brecksville Branch 9089 Brecksville Road Brecksville, OH 44141

You’ll see step-by-step how to assemble and cook this traditional Vareniki (Ukrainian pierogis). In this hands-on program you will build your Vareniki, choose fillings, learn to fold and crimp this Ukrainian favorite using premade dough discs. You will leave with Vareniki ready to be cooked at home. Supplies limited. 

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Travel the Silk Road: Journey Through Asia

10:00 AM Cuyahoga County Public Library Richmond Heights Branch 449 Richmond Road Richmond Heights, OH 44143

History on Tap: 90s Girls' Game Night

 7:00 PM Cleveland History Center 10825 East Boulevard Cleveland, OH 44106

Satisfy your craving for connection and empowerment at this 90s-themed Girls' Game Night. Celebrate Women’s History Month with iconic games, throwback music, and themed cocktails. Dive into 90s pop culture, fashion, and art through lively discussions led by museum professionals. Bring your best denim and scrunchies for a night that captures the playful energy and hunger for fun that defined the decade.

The Hunger for Meaning: Fifth Decade Mastery

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Garfield Heights Branch 5409 Turney Road Garfield Heights, OH 44125

Learn to unlock your potential in your 50’s and beyond! Are you looking back with regret and feeling anxious about the future, sensing that time is slipping away? In this workshop, uncover the keys to unlocking your limitless potential and achieving abundant success in your fifties and beyond. Presented by Natalie Rudd, Certified Professional Life & Business Coach

Book a Chat with the Chief

7:00 PM Rocky River Public Library 1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, OH 44116

In this discussion led by Police Chief Lichman, read The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, and come to share your thoughts on how communities can be built through one connection at a time.

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

Registration is required. Register HERE.

Hunger for Change: Writing as Activism

1:30 - 3:00 PM Third Space Action Lab, 1464 E. 105th St, Cleveland, Ohio 44103

Appetite isn't just about food; it can be a hunger for change, justice, and transformation. This workshop invites participants to harness their writing as a tool for social commentary and activism. We will explore how writers can respond to the world's injustices and articulate a collective yearning for a better future. Participants will leave with a powerful piece that channels their hunger for change.

Who it's for: Writers interested in exploring activism through creative writing.

Food and Culture: Healthy Cooking Made Simple with Vel Scott

2:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Brooklyn Branch 7619 Memphis Avenue Brooklyn, OH 44144

Cooking Vareniki (Ukrainian Pierogis)

11:00 AM Cuyahoga County Public Library Mayfield Branch 500 SOM Center Road Mayfield, OH 44143

You’ll see step-by-step how to assemble and cook this traditional Vareniki (Ukrainian pierogis). In this hands-on program you will build your Vareniki, choose fillings, learn to fold and crimp this Ukrainian favorite using premade dough discs. You will leave with Vareniki ready to be cooked at home. Supplies limited. 

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Ravenous Remediation: Documentary to AI Practices in Visual Storytelling from Eurasia

6:30 pm | Cinematheque at Cleveland Institute of Art, 11610 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44106

Thirst for Knowledge: The Florist of Millionaire's Row

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Chagrin Falls Branch 100 East Orange Street Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

The Analytic Museum: Freud’s Curatorial Phantasm

6:30 PM 2460 Fairmount Boulevard #312 Cleveland, OH 44106

Feasting the Imagination: Writing Inspired by Art

1:30 – 3:00 PM The Darl Center of the Arts 5437 Broadway Ave, Cleveland, OH 44127

Film Screening: Seeds

7:20 PM Playhouse Square 1501 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115

Filmmaker/cinematographer Brittany Shyne vividly and patiently captures 100 years in the life of a Black farming family in Thomas County, Georgia from social challenges to financial straights to their dedication to one another. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at Sundance 2025.

This film screening is part of the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival and is a ticketed event.

Purchase tickets HERE.

Transforming Sophia: Mycotecture

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT.

7:00 PM Clark Hall Room 400 11130 Bellflower Road Cleveland, OH 44141

This workshop will explore shaping the built environment using fungi. You will use the byproducts of mushroom cultivation to shape building blocks, scuptures, or other artifacts from living materials. You will also learn clean handling of microorganisms, form buildinng, and cultivation of objects from fungi. The instructor will discuss real world application of biofabrication.

Film Screening: Seeds

2:25 PM Playhouse Square 1501 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44115

Filmmaker/cinematographer Brittany Shyne vividly and patiently captures 100 years in the life of a Black farming family in Thomas County, Georgia from social challenges to financial straights to their dedication to one another. Winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at Sundance 2025.

This film screening is part of the 49th Cleveland International Film Festival and is a ticketed event.

Purchase tickets HERE.

Thirst for Knowledge: The Florist of Millionaire's Row

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

Put Spring in your Step, Cleveland!

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Chagrin Falls Branch 100 East Orange Street Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

Discover Northeast Ohio's best urban and rural trails with hiking expert Diane Stresing! Explore scenic spots, historical trails, and hidden gems within 60 miles of Cleveland. Perfect for hikers of all levels.

Book sales and signing to follow.

This event is sponsored by Cuyahoga County Public Library and is free and open to the public.

Books at the Market

 10:00 AM West Side Market 1979 West 25th Street Cleveland, OH 44113  

The Rust Belt Humanities Lab, Cleveland Public Library and Literary Cleveland along with local partners are hosting Books at the Market with pop up vendors at the West Side Market vending books and other fresh fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics and more alongside favorite butchers, bakers and fishmongers. At 1pm, National Book Award winner, Andrew Aydin (co-author of March with John Lewis) will be signing books at the market.

Literary Cleveland: Hungry Heart, CHF Reading

2:00 PM West Side Market 1979 West 25th Street Cleveland, OH 44113

Appetite for Words: Satisfying the Hunger for Storytelling

1:30-3:00 PM Lake Erie Ink: a writing space for youth 2108 South Taylor, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

Spice Club

 Rocky River Public Library 1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, 44116  Pick up a kit each month that includes a spice sample, a background of the spice, and recipes using it. We’ll share feedback through email.

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

Who Were the Buffalo Soldiers?

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Solon Branch 34125 Portz Parkway Solon, OH 44139

Discover the story of African American soldiers on the Western frontier after the Civil War. After the Civil War, many sought a fresh start in the West. Learn how the 9th and 10th Cavalry, known as the "Buffalo Soldiers"  played a vital role in westward expansion and helped lay the groundwork for the National Park Rangers.

Presented by Jermaine Crayton, M.Ed, CTRS, Yogi.

Meet Author Juliet Grames

7:00 PM Rocky River Public Library 1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, OH 44116  

The Hunger for Meaning - Fifth Decade Mastery

 7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Orange Branch 31975 Chagrin Boulevard Pepper Pike, OH 44124

Learn to unlock your potential in your 50’s and beyond! Are you looking back with regret and feeling anxious about the future, sensing that time is slipping away? In this workshop, uncover the keys to unlocking your limitless potential and achieving abundant success in your fifties and beyond. Presented by Natalie Rudd, Certified Professional Life & Business Coach.

Food, Appetite, and our Sense of Place: from Wild Rice to Chicken Nuggets to Blue Cheese made with AI

 4:30 PM Tinkham Veale University Center Ballroom A 11038 Bellflower Road Cleveland, OH 44106

Thirst for Knowledge: The Florist of Millionaires’ Row

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Fairview Park Branch 21255 Lorain Road Fairview Park, OH 44126

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zanner

10:00 AM Rocky River Public Library 1600 Hampton Road Rocky River, OH 44116

A poignant memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother to cancer, and finding solace in food. Read this heartfelt exploration of grief, identity, and the power of cultural connection and come join the discussion at our long-running book group’s new morning meet-up time. 

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

Register HERE.

Shucked: A New Small-Town Musical in a Big-City Medium

7:00 PM Cuyahoga County Public Library Strongsville Branch 18700 Westwood Drive Strongsville, OH 44136

Join Music Historian Stephanie Ruozzo to explore Shucked, a “corny” new musical redefining Broadway. With a score blending country, folk, and blues, Shucked challenges traditional Broadway norms and broadens its appeal across class, geographical, and racial lines, giving  marginalized voices a modern stage.