Every week, I highlight a few events across the SoCal region. This week, stroll through a garden, explore the Black American experience, celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, and see Broadway in the desert.
The evidence of culture
Willie Birch: Stories to Tell opens at the California African American Museum, the first-ever retrospective of artist Willie Birch. Spanning works from the late 1960s to today, the show traces Birch’s exploration of the Black American experience through sculpture, papier-mâché, works on paper, and mixed media. Essential viewing, Birch’s work bridges histories and disciplines, inviting audiences to confront the uncomfortable complexities of American identity while celebrating the possibility of greater cultural awareness.
Little pages, big heroes
Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at the 2nd Annual Nikkei Children’s Book Festival at the Japanese American National Museum. This gathering spotlights the richness of Nikkei storytelling through author and illustrator readings, hands-on crafts, and meet-and-greets. Featured guests include creators like Stan and Julie Sakai, Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas…..