Diné History’s Impact on Jewelry with Nanibaa Beck

AZ, United States

Nanibaa Beck provides a history of Diné jewelry over the century, focusing on changes in each decade. Beck highlights the shifting techniques, styles, and meaning of the art over the years. Also incorporated is the impact of boarding schools, training schools and access to new styles and materials on Navajo jewelry over this expanded period […]

FREE

The Underground and Overground Railroad with Dr. Tamika Sanders

Avondale Civic Center Library 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale, AZ, United States

Using storytelling, historical artifacts and songs, this presentation will depict the ingenuity and resiliency used by those involved in the Underground Railroad to help over 100,000 enslaved people escape to freedom between 1810 and 1850. We’ll then fast forward to the Jim Crow era and explore the Overground Railroad created by the Green Book which […]

FREE

A Story, A Story: Ananse Tales to Live By with Dr. Akua Duku Anokye

Goodyear Recreation Campus 420 Estrella Pkwy, Goodyear, AZ, United States

Ananse the Spider, a trickster hero of Ghana, is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore. Ananse’s tales are told to not only explain the origins of the Akan people, but used to reinforce the belief system that enriches their society. Not just found in Ghana, these stories are likened […]

FREE

FRANK Talks for Teens – Education in the News: Talking about LGBTQ+ Identity in Schools with Derek Keith

Burton Barr Central Library - Teen Central 1221 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ, United States

Debates over education—what is included and what is excluded—seem more heated these days. New legislative measures across the country seek to regulate curriculum and discussion about LGBTQ+ identity in schools. Lawmakers along with parents and community members are also asserting more control over books children read in the classroom, including literature on LGBTQ+ experiences. Should […]

FREE

Growing Arizona: Water for the Future with Sarah Porter

Prescott Public Library 215 E. Goodwin St., Prescott, AZ, United States

Water has played a vital role in the long history of thriving agriculture in Arizona. For generations, agricultural production was the linchpin of the state’s economy, and cotton, cattle and citrus production had a significant influence on how Arizona communities grew. Water continues to support farming, ranching, and more recently, urban population growth. As Arizona […]

FREE

A Story, A Story: Ananse tales to Live By with Dr. Akua Duku Anokye

Mesa Public Library - Main Branch 64 E. 1st Street, Mesa, United States

Ananse the Spider, a trickster hero of Ghana, is one of the most important characters of West African and Caribbean folklore. Ananse’s tales are told to not only explain the origins of the Akan people, but used to reinforce the belief system that enriches their society. Not just found in Ghana, these stories are likened […]

FREE

Water Policy in Arizona: Who Has Access? with Sarah Porter

Yavapai County Free Library District - Paulden Public Library 16 Big Chino Rd, Paulden,, AZ, United States

Access to water is important to ensure prosperity and stability in communities across the state. So where does our water come from? Who controls water resources? Rural, urban, and industry constituents all compete for access to water. Who benefits from current water policies and who is burdened? Can present-day water policies or potential reforms create […]

FREE

Pathways of Water: Historical Journeys Along Arizona’s Rivers with Jay Craváth

Mesquite Branch - Phoenix Public Library 4525 Paradise Village Pkwy N, Phoenix, AZ, United States

Water sustains life and has a significant role in our state’s history. The myths and stories of our indigenous tribes are rich with its references. Immigrants trod and floated Arizona’s waterways enduring great peril. Government surveyors explored and mapped our river systems. Huge dams blocked their flow to create vast reservoirs. This program will share […]

FREE

Growing Arizona: Water for the Future with Sarah Porter

South Mountain Community Library 7050 S 24th St, Phoenix, AZ, United States

Water has played a vital role in the long history of thriving agriculture in Arizona. For generations, agricultural production was the linchpin of the state’s economy, and cotton, cattle and citrus production had a significant influence on how Arizona communities grew. Water continues to support farming, ranching, and more recently, urban population growth. As Arizona […]

FREE

They Beat the Heat: How Arizonans Survived the Desert Heat in the Days Before Air Conditioning with Christine Reid

R.H. Johnson Lecture Hall 19803 R. H. Johnson Blvd., Sun City West, AZ, United States

Drawing from multi-cultural influences of the variety of people who helped build Arizona, discover how creative adaptations in lifestyle, architecture, building materials, town planning and even humor all contributed to surviving intense desert temperatures. What have we forgotten and what can we learn from the wisdom of those who came before as climate becomes a […]

FREE

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