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TailscaleUp 2026 is the flagship conference for engineering, security, and IT leaders focused on secure connectivity across teams, infrastructure, services, workloads, and devices. The agenda features speakers from GitHub, AWS, Grafana Labs, and other industry leaders discussing practical approaches to modern infrastructure security and networking. Designed for technical practitioners and decision-makers navigating secure connectivity challenges.

What does it mean to build differently in a place with a long history of challenging convention? Architect Michael Heacock and Matt and Jan, owners of the Mill Valley Lumber Yard, discuss architecture, design philosophy, and Marin's rebellious spirit — exploring how the region's countercultural heritage shapes contemporary building practices and community character.

A conversation on Europe, the U.S., and the future of transatlantic relations, part of the EU Ambassadors' Book Collection initiative 'Words That Unite, Stories That Connect.' The event brings together voices on European-American diplomatic and cultural ties. Hosted at UC Berkeley's Faculty Club and free to attend.

Gül Dölen, neuroscientist, explores how psychedelic compounds reopen critical developmental periods in the brain and their potential therapeutic applications. Drawing on recent research into the molecular mechanisms of psychedelic-mediated neuroplasticity, Dölen discusses the basic science underlying these altered states of consciousness and their implications for treating conditions characterized by rigid neural circuits.

A guided tour of 'Some Particular Heaven: Ideas of Utopia in the BAMPFA Collection' exploring how utopian thought and artistic vision intersect across the museum's holdings. The tour examines artworks that grapple with ideals of perfect or alternative societies, examining representation and aspiration in visual culture. Included with general admission to BAMPFA (Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive). Best suited for art enthusiasts and those interested in utopian philosophy and cultural history.

An insider look at high-stakes First Amendment litigation and press freedom with David McCraw, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of The New York Times. McCraw will discuss what it takes to defend the newsroom of the world's leading newspaper, from navigating libel suits and national security leaks to managing constitutional theory in the real-world news cycle. Hosted by Mass Media at Berkeley Law.

A historical and legal analysis of the November 22, 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, examining the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, subsequent congressional investigations suggesting probable conspiracy, and persistent questions about additional shooters and the 'grassy knoll.' Oak Dowling, a retired attorney with 43 years of practice and 13 years teaching legal history through courtroom drama at Dominican University's OLLI program, explores the evidence and enduring debate surrounding one of America's most consequential historical events.

Stephanie Wildman and Terry Tierney read from their work at the Wetland Garden in Salesforce Park. Part of the Words & Stories Reading Series hosted by The Writers Grotto.

Selected founders demo their AI and robotics products to executives, operators, and potential buyers, receiving live feedback on messaging, positioning, and sales approach. The event is designed as a practice ground for turning product demonstrations into customer conversations and business deals, with attendees learning how decision-makers evaluate B2B technology.

An afternoon with Nordic and international AI founders pitching live to investors and the startup community. Timothy Lindblom (Newly AI), Joel Edholm (Goldfish), Steve Rahimi (Pango AI), Douglas Solberg (Zaplar), and Isabel Storgårds (Klar) will present their companies, followed by a panel offering real-time feedback and questions. The event opens with JP Morgan executives discussing how they support founders and current market trends, then opens the floor to audience discussion.

A moderated conversation on literature, creativity, and the role of reading in an increasingly digital world. Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States, joins San Francisco City Librarian Michael Lambert to explore the enduring cultural connections between Europe and America, and how literature and creativity help us navigate the age of AI. The discussion examines cultural heritage and the enduring value of reading. Followed by audience Q&A and a reception featuring the EU Ambassadors Book Collection, created as part of the America 250 initiative.

A public lecture on the ethical dimensions of AI reporting, exploring how journalists cover artificial intelligence's impact on society, the challenges of accountability in AI development, and the human stakes of emerging technologies. Hosted at UC Berkeley.

A discussion of Ba'thist Iraq Through Archives, a new scholarly volume examining how the opening of Iraq's Ba'th Party archives has revolutionized the study of Iraqi politics and authoritarianism. Lisa Blaydes, Professor of Political Science at Stanford University, and Samuel Helfont explore what over a decade of archival research reveals about Saddam Hussein's regime—from elite decision-making to everyday bureaucratic practices—and what this tells us about authoritarian governance more broadly. The book also critically examines ethical questions around the archives' origins, removal from Iraq, and access barriers for local scholars. Hosted by the Hoover History Lab and Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford.

A 60-minute workshop for life sciences professionals on how to evaluate AI vendor pitches critically. Participants will learn three categories of AI tools in life sciences and five framework questions that reveal what vendor claims actually mean. The session includes a hands-on workshop applying the framework to a real vendor pitch excerpt. No technical background required—just skepticism. Ideal for research scientists, R&D professionals, regulatory teams, and clinicians who evaluate or work alongside AI tools. Hosted by KAMI Think Tank.

A hands-on code challenge night at GitHub HQ where engineers compete to spot and fix hidden bugs using Qodo's AI tools. The evening features talks by Itamar Friedman and Idan Gazit, a panel with Apoorv Jha (OpenAI), Nnenna Ndukwe, Sai Krishna, and Baruch Sadogursky on clean code and AI-assisted development. Participants submit pull requests evaluated live for code quality, logic, and edge case handling — the best merged PR wins a Mac mini. Free pizza and drinks provided.

A dinner conversation exploring whether AI draws humanity closer to or further from the sacred. Speakers include Laur, CEO of Bible Chat, and Paul Taylor, Founder of Bay Area Center for Faith, discussing the intersection of faith and artificial intelligence—from AI as a spiritual companion to deeper questions about meaning, doubt, and human identity. Part of Surreal, a monthly dinner series at art galleries exploring AI and creativity.

Lightning talks on DSPy, an AI framework for building language model applications. Speakers include Noah Ziems (Prime Intellect) on DSPy in frontier model training, Michael Isaac (CMPND) on dspy.Flex, Josh Purtell (Synth AI) on DSPy and rubric optimization, Jialin Zhang (UC Berkeley) on GEPA's parallel proposals, Maxime Rivest (CMPND) on DSPy's LM interface design, and Raveesh Bhalla (Orizu) on optimization as observability. The event emphasizes extended time for Q&A, conversation, and networking with the DSPy developer community.

UC Berkeley researchers present an ICML 2026 oral on production agent systems across dozens of domains, surveying how AI agents are being deployed in real-world applications. The event includes a fireside discussion on agent self-improvement and capabilities.

A participatory evening exploring San Francisco's cultural and urban past with Peter Hartlaub, the San Francisco Chronicle's culture critic and co-founder of Total SF. The event invites attendees to submit historic locations they'd like to revisit; Hartlaub and guests including former Mayor Art Agnos and Muni archivist Jeremy Menzies will lead journeys through the 1980s, 1970s, and the Chronicle's archives, with historic photos screened live. A celebration of Bay Area history, journalism, and collective memory.

A demo night showcasing AI agents embedded in Slack as the next major form factor for enterprise AI. Sofía Sánchez-Zárate (Head of Technical Ecosystems at CopilotKit) presents Kite & OpenTag with the Channels SDK; Abhi Aiyer (Co-founder & CTO at Mastra) demos Mastra Channels; Ido Pesok (Member of Technical Staff at Cognition) shows Devin in Slack; and the WorkOS team presents Atlas Agent. Community demos also featured. Free, with networking, drinks, and pizza.

Explore how U.S.-Iran tensions and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz affect global energy markets, oil and gas prices, and U.S. economic security. The discussion covers maritime blockages, price volatility, strategic reserves, and supply-chain vulnerabilities. Led by Severin Borenstein, faculty director of the Energy Institute at Haas Business School, UC Berkeley, a leading researcher on energy economics and policy.

A meetup on solving the context problem in production AI systems. Lightning talks and demos from engineers at Retriever AI, Entire, Chalk, and Neo4j on tools and infrastructure that give AI agents reliable access to real-time information. Hosted by Temporal (durable execution platform) and Persona (identity verification), featuring food, drinks, and networking with engineers, founders, and ML builders working on agent systems.

An evening of AI engineering talks exploring agent systems, runtime infrastructure, and the practical challenges of building reliable AI-powered software tools. Muhammad Annas Hashmi of Daytona will discuss forkable sandboxes for long-running agents—how to pause, branch, and sample multiple continuations from machine state, turning complex agent workflows into inspectable, recoverable processes. Additional speakers and topics TBA. Free event with networking, pizza, and beverages for AI builders, researchers, and enthusiasts.

A community art-making night where participants contribute written and drawn reflections to an evolving collective weaving artwork. The project responds to Interwoven Histories, an exhibition exploring migration through personal testimony and historical context, featuring work by artist Alexandru Salceanu including Witness Collaborative and AlieNation. Through video, sound, and public programming, the exhibition invites audiences to become active witnesses to stories of resilience, displacement, family, and hope. As the exhibition travels, the weaving expands, carrying the voices and stories of each community.

Victoria Yeager, widow of legendary pilot Chuck Yeager, presents the extraordinary life and legacy of the American aviation hero who first broke the sound barrier on October 14, 1947. She traces Yeager's journey from a curious boy in West Virginia to a fearless fighter pilot who changed aviation history, covering his service in World War II, his daring escape after being shot down over France, his rise as a decorated ace, and his historic supersonic flight in the Bell X-1.

A conversation on artificial intelligence with W. Kamau Bell, a comedian, filmmaker, and social commentator who examines technology and culture through a critical lens. Bell brings a distinctive perspective on how AI intersects with society, media, and contemporary life.

An evening of short animations and films created by Creativity Explored artists over the last two decades. Creativity Explored is a nonprofit art center supporting self-taught and outsider artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The screening takes place at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

Technical founders and growth engineers demonstrate working AI agents, customer data infrastructure, and go-to-market systems. Focus is on engineering and implementation rather than pitches, offering insight into how teams are building and deploying AI tools in real-world commercial contexts.

Pamela Jessup Runner reads from her memoir Grief Grit Glory, exploring themes of loss, resilience, and personal transformation. The author shares her journey through grief and the grit required to rebuild and find meaning. A chance to hear directly from the writer in an intimate bookshop setting.

A casual, loosely structured gathering for non-technical founders to share honest experiences with AI integration across their daily workflows. Participants discuss what AI implementations are actually working, where gaps remain, and how AI connects—or fails to connect—across marketing, product, design, and engineering. Expect informal peer shares, conversation on AI as a bridge between roles, and a look at what Frontier Tower is building. Come prepared to share one AI experiment you've tried and one thing you wish worked better.

A salon conversation at Manny's about navigating anxiety in 2026—from literal wildfires and democratic threats to AI-induced uncertainty. Attendees share coping mechanisms, struggles, and solutions while building community connections. The event emphasizes accessibility: paid tickets receive a bar discount, free tickets available on request, and 'Pay It Forward' tickets enable others to attend. The goal is to leave with practical strategies for managing anxiety and living with more joy amid global uncertainty.

Jonathan Weber, reporter and newsroom leader who witnessed San Francisco's transformation firsthand, discusses his book *City on the Edge: How Tech Remade San Francisco*. From the AIDS crisis and Loma Prieta earthquake through the rise of the internet and tech boom, Weber traces how technology entrepreneurs helped remake the city into a global innovation capital—while examining the mounting crises of homelessness, addiction, and political dysfunction that followed. A sweeping history of one city's dizzying ascent and the heedlessness that nearly undid it.

A gathering exploring meaning through real obituaries, hosted by Vanessa Li (founder of Tomatokind creative community) and Mary McGreevy (creator of the viral Tips from Dead People project). Attendees will read obituaries together, uncover unexpected ways people lived meaningful lives, and reflect on their own stories through playful prompts, honest reflection, and conversations with strangers. Free with suggested $10 donation.

The second annual Summer Symposium at Bathers Library is a five-day festival bringing together creative practitioners across disciplines—talks, performances, screenings, readings, workshops, and community gatherings. Day passes and full symposium passes are available; all proceeds go directly to participating artists. Workshops can be booked as part of a pass package or signed up for individually. Events operate on a NOTAFLOF (Not One Thin Dime On the Floor) basis, with walk-up workshop registration available throughout the week.

A conversation between Bay Area artist and educator Terri Friedman and Margot Norton, Chief Curator at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, discussing Friedman's first solo exhibition at Anthony Meier. The show illuminates thirty years of artistic practice, focusing on weaving as formal investigation and philosophical inquiry. Friedman's large-scale textile works oscillate between image and language, often beginning with a single word or phrase and employing collected fibers—Icelandic wool, upholstery piping, painted fibers, and commercial acrylics—to render sensations and mood. New works created for the Mill Valley space include *Time of Day*, a four-work series evoking the Bay at sunrise, daytime, and midnight.

Opening night of Bathers Library's Summer Symposium at UNTITLED Vol.2 featuring readings and conversation with Brittany Newell, author of *Soft Core*, and Sasha Fuentes, creator of the F.A.G. Archive, alongside a one-night-only installation by nkiruka oparah and a curated soundtrack by Eternal Now. Admission is included with a Summer Symposium pass; single-night tickets available for $15.

Children's author Jerrold Connors reads from and discusses his new picture book *Stampede!*, a hilarious globe-spanning adventure featuring two little cows. A lively, all-ages event at this beloved independent bookshop.

Pim Techamuanvivit, chef and owner of the Michelin-starred restaurants Kin Khao (San Francisco), Nari (San Francisco), and Nahm (Bangkok), discusses her new cookbook *Cooking Thai*, which explores the complexity and authenticity of Thai cuisine through her personal kitchen notebooks. Born in Bangkok, Pim left a Silicon Valley career to pursue restaurant ownership, and now shares her culinary knowledge and philosophy with culinary bridge builder Andrea Nguyen, a leading authority on Asian cuisine.

An evening of Hindu devotional chants, including the Hanuman Chalisa, led by Alembic teacher Michael Taft and local musicians Erik Yates and Jesse Sheehan. Participants are invited to sing together in call-and-response style. Taft is a meditation teacher, bestselling author, and mindfulness coach; Yates is an Oakland-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

A screening of *No Straight Lines*, a documentary exploring over seventy years of queer comics history through interviews with trailblazers including Alison Bechdel, Howard Cruse, Rupert Kinnard, and Mary Wings. Introduced by Vivian Kleiman and Mel Y. Chen, Richard and Rhoda Goldman Professor of Gender and Women's Studies at UC Berkeley.

A showcase of installations, speculative objects, design fictions, research artifacts, performances, publications, and experiments created by participants in a 10-week study of the book *Speculative Everything*. Hosted by tiat, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit creating spaces for creative technologists to experiment, exhibit, and expand their practice at the intersection of art and technology.

A talk on prenatal cannabis exposure and fetal brain development by Sophia Rogers, a Ph.D. candidate in Biopsychology at UC Davis. Rogers presents findings from human studies and animal models, focusing on her own research using prairie voles—a highly social rodent whose bonding behavior mirrors human social relationships—to investigate how prenatal THC exposure shapes later behavior and neural development. She separates established findings from open questions in this emerging field. The event includes a 45-minute lecture followed by Q&A, with a distinctive no-phone policy to encourage focused listening and present-moment engagement.

A conversation with three radical authors on abolition, economic liberation, and community self-determination. Julio Linares, economic anthropologist and organizer, discusses *Decolonizing Money: The Promise of Abolishing the US Dollar*, presenting anarchist strategies for dismantling imperial currency and building grassroots liberation. Annie Paradise and Manolo Callahan, co-authors of *Community Safety in the Fourth World War* from the Bay Area's Center for Convivial Research and Autonomy, explore five elements of insurgent conviviality—self-defense, fierce care, assembly, knowledge production, and autonomous justice—grounded in a decade of Bay Area organizing and Global South solidarity.

A multi-session festival exploring the AI economy's frontier through unfiltered conversations and live programming. Designed for founders, investors, and operators navigating the latest developments in AI-driven startups and technology. The festival features keynotes, panel discussions, and networking sessions bringing together industry leaders, emerging companies, and capital across the Bay Area.

How can the spaces we inhabit make everyday routines feel more meaningful? Architect Michelle Dumont, Interior Designer Sabra Ballon, and Erika Shern of Moroso Construction discuss their process for designing rituals and delightful interactions into the built environment. Panelists explore how thoughtful design of everyday spaces can elevate ordinary moments and foster meaningful human experience.

A book club discussion of K.J. Whittle's mystery novel *Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests*, featuring seven guests, one mysterious dinner party, and a chilling prediction. Hosted at Orinda Books.

A seminar on chemoproteomic profiling as a strategy for identifying therapeutic targets and druggable sites in biology. Speaker Jack Taunton discusses how most covalent drugs combine an electrophile 'warhead' with a noncovalent ligand, and how direct profiling methods reveal biological insights beyond traditional drug-discovery approaches. Hosted by UC Berkeley.

A Cantor Arts Center exhibition showcasing recent acquisitions from the Asian American Art Initiative (AAAI), founded in 2018 by Stanford art history professor Marci Kwon and curator Aleesa Pitchamarn Alexander. The AAAI has grown from roughly 30 works to over 800, making it one of the nation's leading museum initiatives dedicated to Asian American art. This exhibition presents works by artists including Pacita Abad, Ching Ho Cheng, Tseng Kwong Chi, Young Joon Kwak, Masami Teraoka, and Rupy C. Tut, spanning generations, media, and artistic approaches. Many works are being presented to the public for the first time. The exhibition runs during regular museum hours; admission is always free.

Political scientist Thea Riofrancos (Providence College) explores the contradictions of green capitalism in her new book *Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism*. She examines how the global push for renewable energy and electric vehicles depends on massive mineral extraction — lithium, cobalt, copper — often from the Global South, raising questions about whose interests are served by the "green" transition and who bears its environmental and social costs.

An intimate poetry salon exploring how language and verse touch our humanity. Jennifer McClanahan hosts a conversation with poet Astrid Schanz-Garbassi, reading and reflecting on Schanz-Garbassi's work together. The event invites both poetry newcomers and devoted readers to slow down, listen, and feel. Bring your lunch and join a small gathering designed for genuine connection through poetry.

A lecture on interpreting civil procedure through a social justice lens, examining how procedural rules affect access to justice for marginalized communities. Led by Prof. Andrew Bradt of UC Berkeley School of Law, the session is designed for students and practitioners interested in using civil litigation as a tool for social change and equity.

A facilitated conversation exploring mortality, impermanence, and what makes life meaningful. Participants reflect together on death and dying in a culture that often avoids these discussions, sharing stories, questions, and uncertainties in a relaxed, participatory format. Led by Donna Edwards Neumark, PhD, RN, an end-of-life doula and former oncology nurse with decades of experience supporting people facing serious illness and their families. Coffee and light refreshments provided.

A discussion of how cultural backgrounds shape learning expectations, academic behaviors, and social interaction in U.S. universities. Led by International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) at San Jose State University, the session examines U.S. academic culture and offers practical strategies to help international students succeed. Part of the Beyond Global Spartan Welcome series designed to ease the transition for newly enrolled international students.

A monthly open mic hosted by 1428 Poets at the North Beach Library. Listen to local poets and share your own work in this community gathering that celebrates the art of the poem. Co-hosted by Dan Brady and Antoinette Vella Payne, continuing a tradition started by the late Richard Sanderell.

Annual Open House at UC Berkeley's Labor Center, a research institution focused on the labor movement and social justice. The event invites attendees to learn about the center's work and mission. Free. Hosted at UC Berkeley.

A multi-session showcase featuring expert-led talks, workshops, and crash courses on AI development and implementation, in partnership with AWS, MongoDB, and LangChain. Sessions cover practical applications of large language models, vector databases, and development frameworks for building AI systems.

Technical talks and fireside chat on forward-deployed engineering in AI with leaders from Factory, Reducto, and Exa. The event features practitioners discussing deployment challenges, real-world implementation strategies, and emerging practices in AI engineering.

A reading and discussion with poet Patricia Smith, author of *Incendiary Art*. Smith is a National Book Award finalist and MacArthur Fellow whose work explores race, identity, and social justice through lyric poetry.

A screening of the Emmy-winning documentary *Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria* — co-directed by Susan Stryker and Victor Silverman — followed by a panel discussion. The film recounts the 1966 Compton's Cafeteria Riot, the first well-documented trans and queer uprising against police violence in the United States, three years before Stonewall. Susan Stryker, retired Professor of Gender and Women's Studies from the University of Arizona and distinguished visiting scholar at Stanford's Michelle Clayman Institute for Gender Research, joins facilitator Ach Kab and guest panelists to explore how this history illuminates possibilities for trans liberation and collective futures at the intersection of struggles against policing, white supremacy, patriarchy, capitalism, colonialism, displacement, ableism, and environmental destruction.

A fireside chat with Vinay Gaba, a 15-year Android veteran who has shipped products at Google and beyond, for Bay Area mobile engineers. The conversation focuses on mobile development practices and insights from shipping at scale.

AI finance and accounting software evaluated in real-world conditions by practicing finance operators. Founders building AI systems for finance run live demos on anonymized data in front of a bench of controllers, FP&A leads, AP/AR managers, and CFOs. Each demo must show a failure case and respond to a live input the builder hasn't prepared for. Focus areas: close & accruals, FP&A variance analysis, AP/AR exception handling, reporting auditability, and revenue recognition. Teams evaluate together to build a shared read on the category. Hosted at Frontier Tower, San Francisco.

Explore AI Loops — autonomous systems that repeatedly execute tasks and optimize business problems until reaching a goal — with product leaders building on top of them. Shay Mandel (Ergo Next) discusses leveraging AI Loops for product management tasks; Yuval Hazaz, CEO of Overcut.ai, covers orchestrating, observing, and improving agentic loops. The evening includes time to network with fellow product leaders and share insights from the field.

A developer meetup featuring live demos and talks on building production AI agents and applications. Josh Weimer (Anthropic) explores context-aware engineering agents that reason across entire systems; Evan Eissler (Vercel) demonstrates deploying agents securely to production; Grant Huston (Supabase) builds a working app live from SQL to deployment. The evening includes trivia with cash prizes, pizza, and networking. Hosted by Postman.

A four-part breathwork and meditation series led by trained facilitators from The Art of Living. Learn foundational meditation practices, accessible breathing techniques to regulate the nervous system, and tools for managing stress and attention. Each session stands alone, though the series builds progressively. No experience necessary. Held at The Commons SF.

A Commonwealth Club forum exploring how family support systems—including prenatal care, early childhood services, stable housing, mental health resources, and basic needs assistance—directly shape children's readiness to learn and long-term success. The event moves beyond narrow classroom-focused metrics to examine the foundational conditions that enable students to thrive academically and developmentally. Commonwealth Club is a trusted nonpartisan civic institution; this event passes both axes of the editorial filter.

Leaders in legal, recruiting, and HR tech discuss building and scaling global AI teams, covering compliance, culture, and hiring strategies in an AI-driven workplace.

Join SFMOMA's Works on Paper Book Club for a discussion of Zadie Smith's Swing Time, moderated by Assistant Curator of Photography Shana Lopes. Lopes will open with a short talk connecting the novel to the museum's current exhibition Feel the Beat: Dance in Photographs (Floor 3), then guide the group through structured discussion. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for informal conversation. Partial reading welcome — all plot points are fair game for discussion. Space is limited; advance registration required.

A creative writing workshop exploring the overlapping experiences of parenting a pubescent child while navigating your own body's changes (perimenopause). Led by Ali Lawrence of Four Chambers Writing, this session uses poetry and free writing as tools to unlock honest expression around embodiment, aging, and parenthood. No writing experience required—just bring pen and paper. Expect a brave, laughter-filled space for processing the physical and emotional shifts of this life stage.

Mark Pincus, Silicon Valley entrepreneur and co-founder of Zynga, shares insights on building companies, product strategy, and turning ideas into reality. Aimed at entrepreneurs, product managers, innovators, and anyone pursuing a startup vision.

A staged dramatic reading bringing to life *Paris Portraits: Stories of Picasso, Matisse, Gertrude Stein, and Their Circle* by Harriet Lane Levy, a San Francisco writer and theater critic (1867–1950). Actress Laura Sheppard portrays Levy's account of moving to Paris in 1907 with Alice B. Toklas and immersing herself in the salons of Gertrude and Leo Stein, witnessing the rivalry between Picasso and Matisse, and discovering life as a single woman in Montmartre. Directed by Suzanne Stassevitch with piano accompaniment by Dale Tsang.

A technical discussion of agent and RAG infrastructure tradeoffs—latency, ownership, and the assumptions baked into retrieval-and-inference systems. Speakers with real shipping experience discuss practical engineering decisions when API-call-away speed is no longer fast enough. Features Ravi Madhabhushi, CTO of Scalekit, in short and lightning talks with open Q&A.

A conversation with artist Tricia Rainwater and Larissa Nez, Curatorial Associate of Painting and Sculpture at SFMOMA, exploring art as a pathway toward healing in femme Indigenous spaces. Using Rainwater's work as a framework, the dialogue examines how the body responds in healing journeys and through shared artistic practice. Nez is a Diné scholar and doctoral student in Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley whose research focuses on Afro-Indigenous, Black, and Native artists and how artistic practices articulate memory, embodied relationships to land, and collective futurity. Part of the closing week of the two-person exhibition at SFAC Galleries, on view through August 29, 2026.

A staged dramatic reading bringing to life stories from Harriet Lane Levy's *Paris Portraits: Stories of Picasso, Matisse, Gertrude Stein, and Their Circle*. Actress and Yiddish Theatre Ensemble artistic director Laura Sheppard portrays Levy's account of moving to Paris in 1907, her immersion in the Stein salon, the Picasso-Matisse rivalry, and her discoveries as a single woman abroad. Directed by Suzanne Stassevitch and accompanied by pianist Dale Tsang. Co-presented with Mechanics' Institute.

Neuroscientist Jacinda Taggett explores the invisible architecture of digital attention: how dopamine drives habit formation, why infinite scroll feels irresistible, and the psychology behind persuasive design. The talk examines whether social media is addictive, where persuasion crosses into manipulation, and what happens when the world's best designers compete for your attention. Part of Pub Scholar's lecture series at Bay Area bars, blending science with conversation.

LeeAnn Pickrell reads from and discusses her debut memoir *Tsunami*, about her experience in the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, releasing August 2026 from Unsolicited Press. Pickrell is a poet, editor, and Mills College MFA graduate whose debut poetry collection *Gathering the Pieces of Days* was published in 2025. Her work has appeared widely in print and online, and she serves as managing editor of *Jung Journal: Culture & Psyche*.

A conversation with Martin Sorge, winner of The Great American Baking Show and author of *Great Bakes*, and Hetal Vasavada, cookbook author and creator of *Milk & Cardamom* and *Desi Bakes*. Sorge shares modern baking recipes inspired by Midwestern traditions, while Vasavada discusses her approach to blending Indian flavors with Western baking techniques. Both authors are celebrated food writers, recipe developers, and voices in contemporary food media.

Executive editor Lizzie Davis and publisher Adam Levy discuss Ángel Bonomini's *Slow Elephants of Milan* (translated by Jordan Landsman), twelve enigmatic fictions by a lost master of Argentinian literature. The conversation explores how Bonomini's work came to Transit's attention, along with questions of editing and translation. Lizzie Davis is a translator from Spanish and Italian whose recent translations include Juan Cárdenas's *The Devil of the Provinces* (longlisted for the 2023 National Book Award) and work by Valeria Luiselli and Elena Medel. Adam Levy is Transit Books' publisher.

Sanjeev Vinodh, professional magician and cognitive scientist from UC Berkeley, reveals how magic exploits cognitive shortcuts and perception. Through live demonstrations and interactive discussion, he explores how language, movement, and attention engineering create the illusion of the impossible—and what this reveals about how our minds work. Vinodh, the youngest magician to fool Penn and Teller on Fool Us, blends performance with cognitive science insights. The evening includes arrival and socializing (7:00–7:35), lecture (7:35–8:20), and Q&A (8:20–9:00).

A book release event for Valerie Hsiung's *The Pedestrian*, featuring readings and conversation with poets Jennifer S. Cheng, Jennifer Elise Foerster, and Samantha Giles. Held at Green Apple Books' 9th Avenue location.

Greg Sarris discusses his first novel in 28 years, *The Last Human Bear*, a sweeping story of a Pomo woman navigating identity, family curses, shapeshifting, and independence across Depression-era California and the twenty-first century. Sarris is an enrolled member of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, former UCLA professor, and author of *Grand Avenue* (adapted into an HBO miniseries) and *Watermelon Nights*. He currently serves as chairman of his tribe and holds the Distinguished Emeritus Graton Endowed Chair in Native American Studies at Sonoma State University.

A screening of the documentary *The Last Class* followed by a live conversation with economist and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich on his memoir *Coming Up Short*. Reich examines inequality, economic power, and the erosion of the middle class in contemporary America, drawing on decades of public service and scholarly work on labor and political economy.

Are AI chips the new frontier of computing? Explore how major cloud companies are shifting from purchasing chips to designing their own custom silicon—a transformation reshaping datacenter architecture, supply chains, and global competition. This program unpacks the technical and strategic implications of the semiconductor gold rush, examining how bespoke chip design is enabling faster, cheaper, and more scalable AI infrastructure.

Learn to write and perform dance music in real time using Auwen, a command-line digital audio workstation. This hands-on workshop with Nes Croft, creator of Auwen and musician/computer engineer, covers software installation, the Auwen interface, collaborative jam sessions, and solo composition practice. No prior coding or music experience needed. Participants join an ongoing Discord community for multiplayer jam sessions and further learning.

A conversation on speculative fiction as political resistance. Author Radhika Singh and scholar-organizer Omar Zahzah discuss *Earthly Playing Field*, a contemporary science fiction novel connecting global liberation movements through a queer Sufi love story. They explore how genre fiction—often dismissed as apolitical—functions as a tool to imagine alternatives to surveillance, genocide, colonialism, and Big Tech domination, and to push imagination toward resistance against structural oppression. Singh teaches and writes in Queens; Zahzah is Assistant Professor of Arab, Muslim, Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies at San Francisco State University and author of *Terms of Servitude: Zionism, Silicon Valley, and Digital Settler Colonialism in the Palestinian Liberation Struggle*.

A screening of John Sayles' *Lone Star* with cinematic introductions by Marisol Medina-Cadena. In this landmark 1996 film, Sheriff Sam Deeds uncovers a decades-old murder in the Texas border town of Frontera, following clues that implicate his late father. As Deeds investigates, he navigates old family secrets, class tensions, and a rekindled romance, exploring how the past shapes identity and community on the border.

A case-driven continuing medical education conference for orthopedic trauma specialists and allied health professionals. The Stanford Orthopaedic Trauma Symposium brings together high-volume trauma faculty to address real-world emergency room challenges, open fractures, periprosthetic failures, and on-call decision-making. The weekend program includes didactics, debates, case presentations, and interactive breakout sessions covering compartment syndrome management, extremity fractures (clavicle, humerus, elbow, wrist, hip, femur, tibia, ankle), geriatric trauma, and evidence-based frameworks for on-call dilemmas. Accredited for AMA, AAPA, and ANCC continuing education credits. Held at The Quail Lodge, organized by Stanford University.

A half-day symposium on constitutional interpretation exploring how states and local governments can use federal authority to counter authoritarianism and advance freedom and equality. Featuring keynote speaker Attorney General Nick Brown of Washington and expert panels with constitutional scholars discussing the federalist system and untapped state powers to challenge repressive federal actions. The symposium draws on chapters from an upcoming book published by The New Press in early 2027. Hosted by UC Berkeley's Edley Center on Law & Democracy.

The Bay Area Council Economic Institute and South Korea's Consulate General release a new report on Korea-Bay Area economic ties, spanning semiconductors, AI, venture capital, and startup ecosystems. Remarks by Korea's Consul General Jung-taek Lim and Bay Area Council CEO Libby Schaaf, followed by a summary of key findings by report author Dr. Sean Randolph and a panel discussion with technology and innovation leaders on deepening Korea–Silicon Valley connections and their strategic future. Lunch provided.

A storytelling presentation about Imagination Park in San Anselmo with Ed Westbrook, co-founder of Quarryhouse, Eric Blasen, Founding Principal of Blasen Landscape Architecture, and Gary. The event explores the design and vision behind this community space through a conversation with the architects and designers who created it. Part of Design Marin's programming celebrating Bay Area design and placemaking.

An international colloquium examining the relationship between media formation and Japanese premodern literary history. Hosted by UC Berkeley's East Asian Library.

A Mechanics' Institute librarian shares the professional techniques and strategies they use to discover, curate, and recommend books. Learn how librarians navigate collections, match readers with titles, and build reading recommendations across genres and interests.

A monthly gathering for climate-focused people—entrepreneurs, activists, artists, and curious minds—to connect and envision together. Malcolm Knapp of Finding the Future will guide a visioning exercise exploring positive futures and the stories we tell about tomorrow. The event combines facilitated dialogue with informal networking and happy hour at Trellis, SF's climate resilience hub. Beverages available (cash bar, 25% off happy hour). Hosted by Social Impact SF, last Friday of each month.

A meet-and-greet gathering with botanical illustrator and naturalist Lara Call Gastinger celebrating her new manual on botanical art and natural observation. The event takes place at Sebastopol Center for the Arts in Sonoma County.

A structured community discovery event exploring real-world applications for voice AI technology. Participants—founders, builders, operators, and community leaders—will engage in small-group conversations to identify meaningful challenges across small business, education, accessibility, healthcare, workforce development, and community services. Selected ideas will advance to a mini hackathon and demo showcase, creating a conversation-to-creation pipeline. First in a three-part series presented by NemulAI and Lynkable.

A reading and panel discussion celebrating Vietnamese diasporic voices. Cindy Pham, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller *The Secret World of Briar Rose*, and Trinity Nguyen, a bestselling and award-nominated author, read their work, followed by a moderated discussion led by Aimee Phan, author of *We Should Never Meet: Stories* and *The Reeducation of Cherry Truong*. Part of the DVAN (Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network) quarterly reading series in partnership with the San Francisco Public Library, this event spotlights emerging and established voices reshaping the broader cultural narrative around Vietnamese and Southeast Asian diaspora.

A launch event for Analeigh Sbrana's romantasy novel *Heir of Prophecy*. Sbrana is a Sunday Times bestselling author. The event takes place at Copperfield's Books in Napa.

A live phone conversation with Jason 'Knowledge-Supreme' Jackson, a spoken-word artist and SLAM poet incarcerated at San Quentin, hosted by Clio's Books in collaboration with Pollen Initiative. Jackson, a Los Angeles native who has been incarcerated for 13 years, uses poetry to tackle themes of love, social climate, cultural expression, and history. A proud HBCU alumnus and current staff writer for San Quentin News, he will discuss his work and artistic practice. This is the latest in a recurring series featuring imprisoned poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and philosophers. Proceeds support Pollen Initiative's programs amplifying incarcerated voices through journalism, multimedia training, and creative expression.

Economic journalist Annie Lowrey discusses her book *The Time Tax*, which investigates how complex government bureaucracies disproportionately harm poor people seeking access to basic services and rights. Lowrey, a staff writer for *The New York Times*, *Slate*, *New York Magazine*, and *The Atlantic*, unpacks the hidden costs of bureaucratic paperwork and offers a vision for systemic reform. In conversation with Ezra Klein.

A two-day hands-on engineering hackathon where teams build and test robotics solutions for extreme-condition deployment. Participants will work on real-world challenges: onboard inference without cloud connectivity, locomotion on ice and mixed terrain, hardware resilience at altitude and extreme weather (-20°C, 200 km/h winds), and satellite communications. Teams will use actual deployment-grade technology including Jetson Thor inference hardware. Open to robotics engineers, ML researchers, embedded systems builders, and hardware hackers. Winning team receives a field expedition to the Himalaya, robotic arms, and cash prizes. Organized by Iterate and Robot Everest.

Future University @ The Fold is a community-powered weekend program of workshops, classes, mini salons, and screenings hosted at The Fold in the Mission District. Weekend 2 runs August 29–30. The Fold invites community members to teach, facilitate, or lead sessions on design, cooperative economics, urban ecology, AI literacy, art, storytelling, movement, and wellbeing — no academic credentials required. Sessions range from hands-on skill workshops (2–3 hours) and structured classes to facilitated discussions and film screenings. The Fold provides space, AV equipment, and promotion; facilitators shape the curriculum collaboratively.

Join Bay Area Young Architects (BAYA) for a guided sketch walk through North Beach, led by Steven and Cathi House of House and House Architects. Participants will sketch prominent San Francisco architecture and urban design while learning directly from the architects about the city's built environment.

A 6-hour hands-on workshop exploring sculpture, light, and projection as a unified medium. Participants build modular cardboard sculptures using lasercut shapes and 3D-printed connectors, then learn projection mapping with TouchDesigner and KantanMapper to align visuals to their irregular surfaces. The day opens with a short illustrated lecture on artists including Isamu Noguchi, Rebecca Horn, and Tony Oursler, then moves into iterative making—building, testing, and refining under instructor guidance. Led by Mark Hellar, creative technologist and SFMOMA consultant. All materials provided; participants keep their construction set. No prior experience needed.

A celebration of Gus D'Angelo's illustrated children's books National Parks ABC and National Parks A to Z. Engage with the author, kids, and families about the natural wonders and ecology of America's national parks. A perfect event for young readers and parents interested in nature education and children's literature.

An introduction to natural dyes and sustainable dyeing practices led by indigenous artist Ocean Escalante. Participants will learn about local Bay Area plants that produce vibrant colors, ethical foraging practices, and techniques for shifting natural dye colors. The workshop includes a presentation, hands-on examples of dyed materials, and color experiments. All materials provided. Part of the San Francisco Public Library's Summer Stride program.

Drawing on extensive archival research, John Brackett explores how the Grateful Dead's hit single "Touch of Grey" fundamentally transformed the band's cultural legacy and trajectory. Brackett examines the behind-the-scenes story of how one song catapulted the group from cult phenomenon to mainstream rock stars, tracing the creative, commercial, and cultural forces at work. In conversation with Mike McClure.

An immersive adaptation of Waris Shah's 18th-century Punjabi masterpiece *Heer*, curated by Sonia Dhami for modern audiences. The performance weaves poetry, live music, sung Punjabi verses, visual imagery, and English narration to tell the story of Heer and Ranjha as they challenge family, class, and society. Features vocalist Ishmeet Narula, flute player Tejasvi Chakravarthy, mandolinist Harinder Singh, and narrators Sadia Azmat and Sonia Dhami.

Learn about Pacific Heights' Victorian architecture and the history of the neighborhood from Rob Thomson, past president of the Victorian Alliance of San Francisco and Federal Preservation Officer at the Presidio Trust. Thomson, trained as an archaeologist and historic preservation planner, will discuss the Victorian Alliance's house tour programs with photos from past events including the 2006 Pacific Heights tour. Thomson has written extensively on historic preservation policy in the US and Asia, including the co-authored book *Architectural Conservation in Asia: National Experiences & Practice*.

A three-hour guided workshop exploring AI adoption in work and life. Rather than a tools demo or cautionary sermon, the session unpacks what's real versus hype in AI, examines hidden costs and ethical gaps, and helps participants identify their own boundaries—what they'd hand over and what stays human. Participants leave with a clearer picture of AI's actual impact, their personal line on adoption, and one concrete, deliberately chosen use case for their business or work. Designed for anyone feeling behind on AI without losing agency in the process. No technical background required.

Mythologist and author Phil Cousineau explores Homer's *Odyssey*, a foundational work of Western literature that has captivated audiences for nearly three thousand years. Cousineau examines the timeless wisdom embedded in Odysseus's perilous journey home after the Trojan War, drawing out lessons for modern readers about resilience, transformation, and the human condition. This event at Orinda Books combines literary analysis with mythological insight, ideal for readers interested in classics, mythology, and the enduring relevance of ancient texts.

A screening of Nathaniel Dorsky's complete Arboretum Cycle, a series of experimental films exploring light as their central subject. Dorsky will be present for this in-person presentation at BAMPFA.

A book launch and reading celebrating *Growing a Backbone*, a collection of poetry and prose on healing, resilience, and living with chronic pain. Author Silver, a PhD scientist and patient advocate in pharmaceutical sciences and health equity, reads from her debut work—a two-part exploration of suffering and transformation, moving through sections titled "PAIN" and "LIFE&LOVE." The event includes a signing and community gathering for reflection and connection.

Join botanical artist Lara Call Gastinger for a hands-on workshop on creating a perpetual art journal layered with observations of nature. Participants will learn Gastinger's approach to combining visual documentation, reflection, and mixed-media practice to deepen their connection with the natural world and themselves. No prior art experience necessary.

An open gathering of Fat Window, the first cohort of artists in residence at Winslow House Project in Vallejo, summer 2025. The cohort — Kelli Black, Ann Altstatt, Bill Basquin, Tana Quincy Arcega, and Blanca Bercial — invite the public to visit and experience their collective work and practice. RSVP required for venue address.

A book launch for Aimee Suzara's 'Birth Language'. Hosted by Nomadic Bookshop.

A forum on Fidel Castro's legacy and contemporary US-Cuba relations, featuring Gloria La Riva, a longtime Cuba solidarity activist and recipient of Cuba's Friendship Medal, and Jonathan Thomas, a UPS Teamster and shop steward who recently traveled to Cuba with the Hatuey Project to deliver cancer medications to children's hospitals. The event reflects on Castro's life and calls for ending the US economic blockade on Cuba. Hosted by the Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee and the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) begins surveying the Southern sky this year, generating millions of astronomical alerts nightly — a paradigm shift for studying transient phenomena. Dr. Shreya Anand, LSST-DA Catalyst postdoctoral fellow at Stanford's Kavli Institute, discusses how Rubin will produce, process, and disseminate alerts; filter and classify stellar explosions; enable population studies of transients across the galaxy and beyond; and potentially reveal entirely unknown transient phenomena. Her research uses wide-field survey data to identify and characterize transients through photometric and spectroscopic analysis.

A book club for yoga practitioners and the yoga-curious that extends contemplative practice beyond physical poses into reading, reflection, and philosophy. Gatherings include discussion, meditation, and journaling at Book Society. The first book is *The Yamas & Niyamas* by Deborah Adele, an accessible exploration of yoga's ethical foundations. Open to teachers, students, and anyone interested in deepening their understanding of yoga philosophy and practice.

A joyful, all-ages Rosh Hashanah celebration combining rituals, hands-on crafts, live music, and learning. Participants will hear the shofar, create holiday crafts, join a DRUMMM Rhythmic Circle led by Jeni Swerdlow (founder of DRUMMM Rhythmic Events), explore honeybees with the SF Beekeepers Association, and taste apples, honey, and other seasonal foods. No musical experience required; drums and percussion provided. The event also features a food drive benefiting neighbors experiencing food insecurity.

A reading by S.E. Filomeo from her new novel, Tortue du Soleil. Hosted by Book Passage in Corte Madera and organized by Left Coast Writers.

A dramatic reading of Harriet Lane Levy's *Paris Portraits: Stories of Picasso, Matisse, Gertrude Stein, and Their Circle*, performed by Laura Sheppard in the SFMOMA galleries alongside the artworks themselves. Levy (1867–1950) was one of the first Americans to collect Matisse and Picasso; this performance brings her firsthand encounters with artists, collectors, and the Paris avant-garde to life. Directed by Suzanne Stassevitch. Sheppard is artistic director of Yiddish Theatre Ensemble and senior producer at Mechanics' Institute.

Lily Kanter discusses her book *Woven For Purpose: How Design, Business, and Heart Can Stitch a Better World*, exploring whether it's possible to build a successful company without compromising your values and sense of self. The talk examines how design, business strategy, and personal integrity can work together to create meaningful social impact.

A screening of *Skin of Glass*, a documentary by Denise Zmekhol about squatters occupying a landmark São Paulo skyscraper designed by her late father in the early 1960s. Introduced by Zmekhol and Teresa Caldeira, Professor of City & Regional Planning and Carmel P. Friesen Chair in Urban Studies at UC Berkeley, whose research addresses urban inequality, housing, and the politics of space.

Elizabeth Svoboda discusses her guide to long-term pacing, exploring how to balance hustle and leisure whether pursuing ambitious goals or managing daily life. Drawing on strategies from elite athletes and other high performers, Svoboda examines sustainable approaches to productivity and well-being. The event takes place at Book Passage in Corte Madera.

A screening of the documentary short 'The Baddest Speechwriter of All' with Stephen Curry, co-director and four-time NBA champion; Ben Proudfoot, two-time Oscar-winning co-director; and Erick Peyton, executive producer and CEO of Unanimous Media. The 29-minute film, which won the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, examines the life and legacy of Clarence B. Jones, lawyer, strategic adviser, and speechwriter to Martin Luther King Jr. The conversation explores social justice, civil rights, and the enduring impact of those who shaped American history.

An examination of higher education policy and academic collaboration between Europe, France, and the United States. Valérie Brisset explores how the EU has strategically opened its education and research programs to third countries, reshaping transatlantic academic exchange and research funding. The talk addresses the institutional frameworks, policy drivers, and implications of European-American educational partnership.

A public lecture on how technology and governance shape the visibility and accessibility of local legal systems in America. Diag Davenport, Assistant Professor of Technology Policy, Governance, and Society at UC Berkeley, examines what it means when public law remains obscure to the public — and what mechanisms might make local legal institutions more observable and accountable. A lunch reception precedes the talk.

A multi-session colloquium examining how emerging technologies—artificial intelligence, algorithmic management, employee data collection, and digital surveillance—are reshaping employment law and worker protections. Sessions feature nationally recognized legal scholars including Pauline Kim (Washington University), Brishen Rogers (Georgetown), Matthew Bodie (University of Minnesota), and Veena Dubal (UC Irvine), alongside a moderated panel with Samantha Gordon (TechEquity Collaborative), Mishal Khan (UC Berkeley Labor Center), and Aiha Nguyen (Data & Society Research Institute). Each 1-hour presentation includes interactive Q&A with speakers, students, and attendees. Hosted by UC Law San Francisco, Mondays 12:30–1:30 PM, August 31–October 26.

A lunch talk exploring what a famous Talmudic dispute teaches us about AI and judgment. In the Talmud, the sages reject a heavenly voice endorsing one rabbi's view, declaring the law 'is not in heaven'—an early refusal to let a perfect external oracle settle a legal question. Professor Dov Greenbaum (Arizona State University) reads that ancient debate as a precedent for today's courts and lawyers deploying AI systems that predict outcomes with uncanny accuracy. The talk asks: can a correct answer from the wrong kind of source still be the wrong answer? No background in Talmud or AI required.

A seminar on detecting anyon scaling dimensions and braiding properties in the fractional Quantum Hall Effect. Speaker: Thierry Martin. For nearly fifty years, anyons in the FQHE have been proposed as exotic excitations carrying fractional charge and statistics, bridging quantum mechanics and topology. This talk explores recent theoretical and experimental advances in characterizing these anyonic quasiparticles through interferometric and tunneling measurements.

A screening of Flicka: A Love Letter with an introduction by Cole Thomason-Redus, co-chair of the Arts Forum at the Commonwealth Club. The film explores a legacy of artistic achievement and cultural significance, framed by expert commentary on its context and meaning.

Joel Makower, renowned sustainability strategist and veteran of decades in climate and green business, reflects on his career in a fireside conversation and Q&A. He'll discuss the trajectory of the sustainability field, lessons from building meaningful careers and resilient communities, and lasting impact in climate tech. Hosted by the Jewish Green Business Network for climate professionals, newcomers, and anyone exploring how Jewish identity aligns with environmental values. Light vegan appetizers served.

Pierce Abernathy, recipe developer and content creator, discusses his approach to seasonal, plant-forward cooking rooted in Armenian heritage and culinary curiosity. The talk explores techniques for making vegetables craveable and creative across all seasons. Abernathy brings experience from work with major food and media brands, including BuzzFeed and the New York Times. The event features conversation with Gaby Maeda, Executive Chef of Friends and Family Bar and James Beard Foundation Rising Star finalist, whose culinary journey spans the California Culinary Academy, Restaurant Gary Danko, and State Bird Provisions. Together they explore generosity, care, and innovation in food.

A behind-the-scenes look at Marin Theatre Company's production of *The White Chip*, Sean Daniels' recovery comedy about addiction and sobriety. The play follows Steven McAlister as he navigates the highs, lows, and redemptive arc of recovery, told with candor and humor. Artistic Director Lance Gardner directs. Actors, directors, and designers join the discussion to explore the play's creation, design choices, casting, and rehearsal process.

Weekly presentation and discussion about Lean, a programming language and theorem prover. The meetup welcomes mathematicians, computer scientists, AI researchers, and beginners interested in the intersection of formal verification, computation, and mathematical reasoning. Hosted by Radoslav Kirov.

A gathering for non-gestational parents of all kinds—men, women, enbies, trans, cis, queer, straight, adoptive—to slow down together and explore experiences that don't always get public airtime. Led by Shea Waldron, this small, intentional space invites participants to engage deeply with the specific joys, challenges, and identities of parenting without having carried pregnancy.

Bestselling author Chloe Benjamin returns with *Under Story*, an intimate yet epic love story and sweeping odyssey of scientific discovery. Benjamin, known for her debut novel *The Immortalists*, reads from and discusses her new work at Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore in San Francisco.

UCSF Center for Genome Surgery inaugural full-day symposium showcasing a new partnership between the UCSF Broad Stem Cell Center and the Innovative Genomics Institute to advance genetically-targeted therapies for genetic diseases. Keynote speakers include Jennifer Doudna and Laura Sepp-Lorenzino. The program features scientific talks on genome engineering technologies, clinical implementation pathways, ethics discussions, and patient perspectives. Faculty, trainees, and research staff present posters spanning basic science discovery through clinical translation—disease biology, therapeutic engineering, gene editing, RNA therapeutics, delivery technologies, manufacturing, regulatory science, and multidisciplinary approaches. Designed to convene investigators from academia, healthcare, industry, regulatory bodies, and patient advocacy. Lunch provided.

A hands-on workshop on integrating generative AI into course design. Participants bring an existing assignment and redesign it using Bloom's Taxonomy and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, then learn techniques for using AI to generate assignment rubrics. Hosted by Santa Clara University.

Three co-located conferences—API World, CloudX, and AI TechWorld—bringing together developers, cloud architects, AI engineers, and technology leaders for technical education and innovation. API World covers API design, strategy, operations, and security; CloudX focuses on cloud-native systems, infrastructure, and modern computing; AI TechWorld explores enterprise AI adoption, model deployment, AI infrastructure, and real-world applications. Programming includes keynotes from top practitioners, hands-on technical workshops, product demonstrations, and networking opportunities. September 1–3, 2026, Santa Clara Convention Center.

Two Tigers Productions artists Leah Thompson and Jillian Schultz discuss their interdisciplinary practice spanning photography, documentary film, and community engagement on urgent social and environmental challenges. They will share insights into their feature documentary *You Should Never Blink*, about the life and legacy of educator and artist Sister Corita Kent, currently in post-production with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Thompson and Schultz's work includes the landmark *Coal + Ice* exhibition on climate crisis and collaborations across grassroots and institutional settings.

A multi-track deep dive into agentic AI architectures, security governance, and observability using Omnigent, an open-source meta-harness for coordinating agents across multiple models and providers. Designed for engineers, ML/AI developers, security practitioners, and AI startup founders deploying autonomous agents in production. Keynote from Kasey Uhlenhuth (Databricks), with breakout sessions and live demos featuring leaders from Databricks, OpenAI, Cursor, OpenHands, Ollama, and Modal. Topics include sandbox design, agent failure modes, audit trails, cost monitoring, and cross-vendor agent orchestration. Includes registration, keynote, three breakout tracks, and reception.

A screening of Kiarostami's *Taste of Cherry* (1997, 99 min, Persian language, no captions) followed by discussion with local photographer and film enthusiast Tommy Milutin. The film follows a man driving through Tehran seeking someone to help with his planned suicide, encountering people from varied backgrounds who refuse on moral, religious, or personal grounds. A meditation on despair, dignity, and human connection.

Wasmer founder Syrus Akbary presents major product launches and live technical demonstrations of the company's infrastructure platform. The event features deep dives into Wasmer's latest capabilities and engineering approach.

A conversation on David Perlis's comprehensive narrative history of Marin County's cultural transformation in the 1960s–70s—what he terms the "Marinaissance." Perlis explores Zen Buddhism, psychedelics, and pop culture's role in shaping this distinctive California awakening, in conversation with Peter Coyote, actor, writer, and longtime Bay Area figure.

PG&E Chief Patti Poppe and State Senator Scott Wiener discuss the utility's response to the 2018 Camp Fire, rising electricity prices, repeated power outages, and the path toward affordable, reliable service. Following PG&E's guilty plea to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter and Poppe's appointment as CEO to reform the company, this conversation examines the tensions between infrastructure investment, customer affordability, and public safety — and what legislative and corporate action might restore public trust.

A celebration of Debbie Berne's new book *Cookbooking: A Fan's Guide*, exploring the visual history, design, and cultural evolution of cookbooks — from diet cookbooks to French, hippie, and TV-show editions. Berne, a Bay Area cookbook designer and author of *The Design of Books*, invites attendees to bring a favorite cookbook to share and discuss: a well-loved cooking staple, an obscure gem, or a cherished heirloom. A participatory gathering for cookbook lovers and design enthusiasts.

A twice-monthly working session for people actively building with agentic AI tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and Conductor. Each session features live demos from experienced builders showing their actual workflows, setups, best practices, and what still breaks. Attendees bring laptops, share their own work, compare approaches, and learn from peers solving similar problems in real time.

Abstract is a conference for engineers and technical leaders focused on AI, abstraction design, and software architecture. Featuring talks and panels from Convex, Sentry, Resend, Microsoft AI, and Cloudflare on building elegant AI systems and infrastructure. At SFJAZZ, San Francisco.

Learn how to observe and understand San Francisco government meetings with the League of Women Voters of San Francisco. This free 30-minute interactive training covers how local government works and how to get the most from attending public meetings, whether independently or with LWVSF's Observer Corps. Open to all and held monthly. Nonpartisan civic education.

A seminar on the structure and function of cilia in African trypanosomes, with Kent L Hill. The cilium is a fundamental cellular organelle, and understanding its role in these parasites offers insights into both cell biology and infectious disease.

Emile Chabal of the University of Edinburgh examines the life and legacy of Eric Hobsbawm, the influential Marxist historian and one of twentieth-century Europe's most significant public intellectuals. Drawing on intellectual and political history, the talk explores Hobsbawm's major contributions to our understanding of modernity, nationalism, and social change.

A midday break featuring hands-on creative activities—drawing, painting, intention necklaces, friendship bracelets, and mandalas—hosted by Tatyana Kabealo at The Hivery in Mill Valley. Designed as a stress-relief hour during lunch, blending tactile projects with connection and imagination. Drop-in format; bring your lunch.

A discussion with physical AI and robotics founders on token cost optimization as companies scale. Founders share strategies for managing exponential token expenses while building infrastructure and business models. Hosted at Frontier Tower with free pizza and interactive dialogue among builders in AI, robotics, and token-intensive spaces.

Rob Ehle reads at the Words & Stories Reading Series hosted by The Writers Grotto in the Wetland Garden at Salesforce Park.

A fireside conversation on leadership, risk, and reinvention in an age of AI. Patty Elvey, executive strategist and author of *Practicing the Art of Becoming*, discusses what it means to keep becoming when the world changes faster than ever—drawing on four decades of experience working alongside leaders and visionaries navigating uncertainty, growth, and change. Lydia Flocchini, GTM leader and operator, joins the conversation to explore why human judgment, intuition, courage, and the willingness to take risk may matter more than ever as AI proliferates. Topics include distinguishing intuition from fear, vulnerability as leadership, and how to move forward when you don't have all the answers. Attendees receive a complimentary copy of the book and a chance to meet the author.

A lecture exploring how Jewish law traditions can illuminate contemporary constitutional debates over the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. By examining case studies and comparative legal frameworks, this talk examines the false binary often constructed in religious freedom jurisprudence and considers alternative approaches grounded in Jewish legal reasoning. The event is free.

How is rapid innovation in AI and deep tech reshaping the social contract, intellectual property law, and legal systems globally? A keynote from Dr. Tamali Sen Gupta, author of *Tech, Law & Trust: India's Path to Sovereign IP*, explores AI's impact on the planet's 8.3+ billion people and its intersection with existing social structures. A panel of technologists, legal scholars, and entrepreneurs — including Prof. Henry Greely (Stanford Law), Dr. Pushkar Apte (SEMI), Sanjay Bhatnagar (THOT Capital), and Dr. Ajit Paranjpe (Prima Innotech) — discusses innovation across the deep tech stack and its legal and policy implications, moderated by Dr. Richard Dasher of Stanford's US-Asia Technology Management Center.

AIASF Small Firms and CRAN leaders discuss practical issues facing residential architects working with Mill Valley Planning and Building. Topics include state housing law (SB9, AB130, SB330) versus local zoning, Design Review exemptions for single-family homes, historic report requirements, building permit fees and budgeting, and designing Bay Front projects for sea level rise, BCDC, and Army Corps approvals. Aimed at local architects and builders navigating Mill Valley's permitting landscape.

A panel exploring live entertainment's economic and cultural impact on San Francisco, from music venues and festivals to city-wide events. Speakers will discuss how the industry supports local businesses, attracts visitors, and strengthens community identity; the opportunities and challenges facing venues and producers; and how city permitting and department processes can better support a thriving events ecosystem.

Six frontier researchers, founders, and tech leaders discuss the next frontier in AI beyond large language models, including vision models, world models, and time series prediction. The panel explores cutting-edge research directions and their practical applications in the field.

An evening of technical talks on continual learning and agent development at LangChain's San Francisco office. Featured speakers include Ben Tannyhill and Anirudh Sriram (LangChain Labs), Will Brown (Prime Intellect), and Charlie O'Neill (Baseten), discussing frontier research and product development. Attendees can meet the LangSmith Engine team, provide feedback, and network over food, drinks, and interactive experiences on the patio.

What is environmental justice, where did the movement originate, and what threats does it face under the current administration? Veronica Eady, Executive Director of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (WOEIP) and former Deputy Executive Officer for Environmental Justice at the California Air Resources Board, explores the EJ movement's roots, its role in shaping landmark programs like AB 617, and how communities can address environmental inequities locally. Eady, an environmental lawyer, law professor, and West Oakland resident, brings decades of advocacy and policy expertise to this essential conversation.

A screening of short films from the Shaping Legacy project, which invites artists and communities to propose reimagined commemorative landscapes for San Francisco monuments including those honoring Francis Scott Key, Junipero Serra, Christopher Columbus, and Admiral Dewey. Films feature artist proposals and creative responses to the Civic Art Collection, followed by moderated panel discussion with filmmaker Nix Guirre and cultural organizer Chris "L7" Cuadrado. Part of the Power & Public Memory series exploring inclusive spaces of public memory and challenging colonial legacies through creative resistance.

Andrea Bajani discusses *The Anniversary*, his Strega Prize–winning novel about a son's decade-long estrangement from his parents and his reckoning with an abusive marriage and family silence in patriarchal Italy. The novel explores whether one can truly escape familial origins and rebuild a free, authentic life. Bajani, born in Rome and author of *If You Kept a Record of Sins* and *The Book of Homes*, teaches creative writing at Rice University. He is joined by Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of *Less* and *Less Is Lost*, for conversation.

A reading and discussion of *These Shattered Spires*, a YA high fantasy novel featuring four rival familiars—bone witch Taro, botanical familiar Nixie, blood familiar Elliot, and stone familiar Alix—forced to work together in a deadly competition to crown a new ruler at Fourspires Castle. Author Cassidy Ellis-Salter (they/them), who holds an MA from the Warwick Writing Program, will discuss their debut novel, which blends intricate magic systems with character-driven narrative.

A nonpartisan candidate forum for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors District 8 race, hosted by the League of Women Voters of San Francisco, ACLU Northern California, the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, and SFGovTV. All qualified candidates will answer questions about issues and policies affecting District 8 and the city. Attendees can submit questions for consideration during registration. The forum is free and open to the public; registration is required for in-person attendance (ID check at door). A livestream with closed captions will be available for remote viewers, and a recording will be shared with all registrants.

Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and author of *A Memoir of My America*, examines whether American democracy is doomed. Despite documenting its shortcomings and the anti-democratic forces challenging it, Reich argues we can reclaim community and a democratic capitalism rooted in ideals still within our reach. A conversation on democracy, capitalism, and civic reclamation with one of America's leading public intellectuals.

A screening of Memories in Motion: Selected Stories of Mildred Howard, a documentary about the Berkeley-based artist and cultural icon. The event includes a Q&A with filmmakers and participants. Mildred Howard is a pioneering African American visual artist whose practice spans sculpture, installation, and community engagement. Free and open to the public.

David Perlis discusses his new book *Morning in Marin: Zen, Drugs, and Ewoks on the California Coast*, a comprehensive narrative history of Marin County's cultural awakening between World War II and the 1980s—what he calls the "Marinaissance." Perlis traces the early figures and influences behind movements that gave rise to Star Wars, the Grateful Dead, Alan Watts, and a creative revolution that shaped American imagination for generations. Perlis is a writer, musician, and filmmaker from Marin County; he co-hosted the late-night talk show Night People on WFMU and has worked for the New York Public Library and the American Museum of Natural History.

A recurring philosophical salon where participants use thought experiments to explore ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology. This session focuses on whether dating preferences can be racist, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory. The group discusses foundational questions spanning free will, morality, identity, and meaning through structured dialogue. Open to curious thinkers of all backgrounds; prior philosophical training is not required. Facilitated discussion at The Commons SF.

An evening for career changers, sabbatical-takers, and anyone navigating a major life transition. Hosted and facilitated by Bernadette Lagman and Miguel Rivera, this guided salon combines candid storytelling, structured reflection, and group conversation around the disorienting process of returning after a leap. The evening features personal narratives from the hosts, guided journal activities, and peer sharing—designed to build clarity, connection, and reassurance that a soft landing is possible. Come as you are.

An author event celebrating Joyce Tang's cookbook *Bake Sum: Asian American Pastries, Breads, and Other Treats*. Tang is the founder of Bake Sum bakery in Oakland and a former tech worker who pivoted to culinary school and worked at three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca in Catalonia. In conversation with Soleil Ho, an award-winning food and culture writer, San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic, and James Beard Foundation Award winner who co-founded COYOTE Media Collective in 2025. At Omnivore Books on Food.

A Commonwealth Club lecture exploring how historians and presidential scholars evaluate America's leaders — their intelligence, competence, and ethical conduct. Drawing on expert assessment and research, the event examines which presidents succeeded, which failed, and what patterns emerge from systematic historical evaluation of presidential character and governance.

A presentation exploring the intersection of contemplative practice, neuroscience, and music. The event examines how meditation and mindfulness interact with brain function and musical experience, bridging contemplative traditions, cognitive science, and the arts.

An exploration of psychedelic pioneers and counterculture history featuring Thessaly Lerner (the Ukulady), creator of narrative podcasts documenting her family's role in the Beat era, the Haight-Ashbury, and San Francisco's psychedelic scene. Lerner, a storyteller and documentarian with 25+ years in entertainment, discusses the first generation of women to navigate the Pill, LSD, and rock and roll — from North Beach to the Committee to FM radio's early days. Joined by J. Christian Greer, PhD, a Religious Studies scholar at Stanford Medical School specializing in global psychedelic culture and co-founder of the American Academy of Religion's Drugs and Religion program.

The 8th annual Voices of Contemporary Artists Lecture features Narsiso Martinez, a Los Angeles-based artist whose charcoal and gold-leaf portraits on discarded produce boxes honor the dignity of migrant farm workers. Drawing on his own decade as a seasonal laborer, Martinez creates work that makes visible the often-invisible people who feed America. His pieces are held at LACMA, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, and the Amon Carter Museum. This annual lecture series brings contemporary artists to the de Young to inspire staff, docents, and the broader community.

A lecture on Black transnational culture in twentieth-century Liverpool, examining the city's paradoxical role as both the 'slaving capital of the world' and a site of significant Black settlement and cultural production. Stephen Small traces how Afro-Caribbean and African communities established themselves in England from the 1950s onward, growing from an estimated 50,000 in the 1950s to substantially larger numbers by 2001, and explores the anomalous legacies of Liverpool's Black cultural life in this context.

A one-hour somatic movement and embodied anatomy class led by Apryl Uncapher exploring how body awareness, developmental patterns, and subtle internal attention can create easeful, upright sitting without bracing or strain. Participants learn practical techniques to support the pelvis and core, free the neck, jaw, and tongue, and develop tools to reduce tension at the desk. The class concludes with participants leaving with a more buoyant posture and immediately applicable practices for work and expression.

Hands-on workshop where Rippletide engineers work directly with your team to automate a bottleneck approval process using AI agents governed by explicit business rules. Transform manual human check workflows into autonomous action approval systems in 30 minutes.

Opening reception for 'Hidden Layers: AI Infrastructures and Hallucinations,' an exhibition at UC Berkeley's Worth Ryder Art Gallery exploring the material systems, data dependencies, and failure modes underlying artificial intelligence. The exhibition examines how AI systems learn, hallucinate, and break down, using visual and conceptual frameworks to illuminate the gap between AI's public presentation and its actual technical foundations. Free and open to the public.

Opening reception for Market/Value, a group exhibition at Gleeson Library Thacher Gallery featuring installations by six Bay Area artists: Reniel del Rosario, Kathryn Kenworth, Kevin Lopez Pardillo, Madi Reyes, Jasmine Ross, and Jeffrey Sincich. An artist-led tour runs 4–5 p.m., followed by a reception with music by a KUSF DJ.

Eight pre-Series A AI startups pitch live to San Francisco's tech community in a competitive showcase format. Attendees see cutting-edge product demos, pose real-time questions to founders, vote on winners, and network with builders and investors via an interactive app. The event celebrates emerging AI companies reshaping the frontier of the field.

An opening celebration of Ramekon O'Arwisters's installation In Between, a multidisciplinary textile and craft presentation exploring lived experience, inspiration, and resilience through collective creative practice. The evening begins with a brief meditation led by O'Arwisters, followed by a performance by Azere Wilson with Kele Nioto. Free and open to the public; museum admission not required. At SFMOMA's Koret Education Center.

Peter Rock, author of *My Abandonment*, discusses his latest novel *Makeshift* in conversation with fellow author Karen Russell. A literary dialogue exploring Rock's new work at San Francisco's historic Mechanics' Institute.

Scholar and journalist Orville Schell, director of the Asia Society's Center on U.S.-China Relations, discusses his investigation into China's prison labor network and the personal costs of reporting on authoritarianism. Schell has spent decades as a leading expert on China and author of numerous books on the country. His latest work recounts an extraordinary investigation uncovering systematic human rights abuses and the risks faced by journalists pursuing truth under authoritarian regimes.

Three acclaimed Bay Area poets—Francesca Bell, Lee Herrick, and Albert Flynn DeSilva—explore how poems become vessels of belonging, memory, and identity. Drawing on lyric, narrative, witness, and imagination, they discuss how poetry preserves what might otherwise disappear and carries belonging across generations, borders, and language. Bell is author of *Bright Stain* and *What Small Sound* (both finalists for the Julie Suk Award) and translator of *Whoever Drowned Here*; she was Marin County Poet Laureate (2023–2026) and teaches poetry at San Quentin. Herrick and DeSilva bring their own distinctive voices to a conversation about poetry's role in articulating home and identity.

A community roundtable at Manny's exploring San Francisco's past, present, and future. Participants will share memories and stories from the city's history while discussing current changes, fears, and hopes for what comes next. The event combines reflection on SF's rich cultural heritage with present-day concerns, capturing a snapshot of collective thinking about the city's direction. Manny's ensures accessibility with free tickets available on request and a pay-it-forward option.

A panel on San Francisco's punk history and underground culture featuring V. Vale, founder of Search & Destroy tabloid and RE/Search publications; Penelope Houston, co-founder of proto-punk band the Avengers; Joe Donohoe; and Russ Forster. Discussion covers Vale's documentation of the nascent punk scene beginning in 1977, the role of self-publishing and zines in spreading countercultural ideas, and activism within underground art and music movements. Part of SF Zine Fest 2026.

Jennifer Newens discusses her book *Thursday Night Tiki Lounge*, a collection of 52 cocktail and mocktail recipes, one for each Thursday of the year. Newens will demonstrate mocktail making and shaking techniques, with samples available for attendees to enjoy. Registration encouraged due to limited mocktail supplies.

A poetry reading series hosted by Local Economy to benefit the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (WOEIP), the leading environmental justice organization in West Oakland for the past 20 years. Poet Ben Gucciardi curates this third edition of the Sundial Reading Series, featuring readers including Alexis Madrigal and additional poets to be announced.

What are we talking to when we talk to AI? Amy Kurzweil, cartoonist for The New Yorker and author of *Artificial: A Love Story*, sits down with Banu Kellner, executive coach to AI founders and author of the *Superhumanist Manifesto*, to explore the metaphors through which humans conceptualize artificial intelligence and what these metaphors reveal about humanity. The evening combines a fireside chat with facilitated small-group salon discussions, bringing together philosophers, historians, technologists, artists, and social scientists for collaborative sense-making.

A recurring discussion group exploring philosophical, scientific, and religious theories alongside psychological insights into human life. Participants engage with fundamental explanatory concepts that have shaped civilizations and continue to influence our pursuit of meaning and happiness—ideas often dismissed once formal education ends. Hosted at Orinda Public Library.

A poetry reading and book release for Hieu Minh Nguyen's third collection *Staying Still*, published by Tin House. Nguyen is a Vietnamese American poet whose work explores identity, spirituality, and queer experience. This event marks the public debut of his latest collection. Hosted by Kearny Street Workshop, a community arts center dedicated to Asian American artists and cultural expression.

An evening on California mushroom foraging with Dr. Gordon Walker, author of *Passport to Kingdom Fungi*. Walker, known as 'Dr. Fun Guy,' shares expertise on identifying and foraging edible and medicinal fungi across California's diverse ecosystems. Part natural history, part practical guide, the talk illuminates the hidden world of fungi and how to engage with it responsibly.

A poetry reading celebrating indie publisher Black Ocean's 20th anniversary, featuring poets Carrie Olivia Adams (executive editor of Black Ocean, author of *The Book of Marys* and *Glaciers*), Kristin George Bagdanov (climate policy researcher and author of *Fossils in the Making*), Nathan Hoks (recipient of the National Poetry Series award, author of *Moony Days of Being*, teaches at the University of Chicago), and Zachary Schomburg (founding editor of Octopus Books, author of *The Man Suit* and *Mammother*). Black Ocean, founded in 2006, is a Boston and Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to publishing innovative contemporary poetry and literature.

Sona Movsesian, New York Times bestselling author and co-host of the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, discusses her hilarious memoir about parenthood's gap between expectation and reality. Through witty essays, comics, and behind-the-scenes stories with comedy legend Conan O'Brien, Movsesian explores how loving parents can feel they're falling short—and why that's universal. A candid, funny exploration of modern motherhood for anyone who's ever wondered if they're doing it right.

Kitchen Table is a San Francisco reading series blending poetry, literature, food, and cultural politics. Featured readers Dāshaun Washington, Jeanne Powell, and Cecilia Lei share their work while attendees enjoy offerings from Half Baked Hapa pop-up, exploring what nourishes body and mind alike.

A free afternoon hands-on buildathon for non-technical people to create working AI tools and prototypes. Participants will receive a short introduction to building with AI, then spend the afternoon ideating, teaming up, and shipping a project—no coding experience required. The event culminates in a community showcase where builders demo their work. Designed for designers, marketers, founders, operators, creators, and anyone with an idea but no technical background. Hosted by Builder Pub at AWS Builder Loft, September 4.