Programming & Events

Events

DEIB Programming

A Dream Called Home by Reyna Grande
When: October 8 (Wednesday), 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 
Where: U-SU Theater (First floor)
  • Why attend?
  • First 100 attendees will receive a free copy of A Dream Called Home by Reyna Grande
  • Attendees have the chance to get their books signed by the author
  • Free refreshments after the Q&A with the author
  • Award-winning author Reyna Grande will join us to share a reading from her work, followed by a Q&A and book signing. Grande is the author A Dream Called Home, and other books exploring immigration, family, and the American Dream. Born in Iguala, Mexico, Grande made her own journey across the border at age nine before becoming the first in her family to attend college. Explore real-world scenarios: how would you respond to a disclosure of abuse?

Click here to register
Facilitator: Dr. Rosa Heckenberg, DREAMERS Resource Center, Cal State LA
For more information about the Stories without Borders event series, please visit this webpage.

(Virtual) Unpacking Gender-Based Violence: Myths, Realities & Action 
When: October 14 (Tuesday), 3:00 p.m. - 4:20 p.m. 
Presented by: Devika Hazra, Professor at Cal State LA and Violence Prevention Specialist at Peace Over Violence. 
Alma Cardenas, Campus Advocate at Cal State LA, Peace Over Violence
  • Why attend?
  • Learn about myths and facts: test your knowledge and challenge common misconceptions.
  • Explore real-world scenarios: how would you respond to a disclosure of abuse?
  • Engage in a survivor-centered discussion: what support systems exist, and how can we improve them?
  • Learn bystander intervention strategies: learn how to safely intervene and support peers.
  • Peace Over Violence is a nonprofit, multicultural, community-based, and volunteer-centered organization dedicated to building healthy relationships, families, and communities free from sexual, domestic, and interpersonal violence.

Click here to register (Cal State LA authentication required to join)
Facilitator: Dr. Devika Hazra, Cal State LA

Civil Dialogue in Troubling Times
When: October 21 (Tuesday), 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Library North - Innovation Hub
November 5 (Wednesday), 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Community Room - Library North B131
November 18 (Tuesday), 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. - VIRTUAL – Click here to register
Presented by:  Shaunelle Curry, lecturer for Cal State LA’s TVFM department, and Media Done Responsibly
Anaïs Maseda, Living Room Conversation
  • Why attend?
  • Learn strategies to cultivate respectful civil dialogue, courageous listening, and empathy when engaging in conversation around divisive topics
  • The mission of Media Done Responsibly (MDR) is to amplify the practice of social responsibility in media while providing education, voice and access to youth change-makers through their 3-pillar approach of media literacy, production, and advocacy. MDR is in its 17th year of partnering with Cal State LA.  
  • Living Room Conversations began in 2010 with the idea that a structured, intimate conversation format could empower everyday citizens to discuss important issues with friends of differing backgrounds and political affiliations
  • Light refreshments will be provided for in-person sessions

Facilitator:  Shaunelle Curry, Media Studies Lecturer Faculty, TVFM and Media Done Responsibly

(Virtual) Disability Justice 101 
When: October 23 (Thursday), 11:00am – 12:30pm
Presented by: Laurent Corralez, LA Spoonie Collective
Sade Musa, LA Spoonie Collective
  • Why attend?  
  • Learn about the emergence and development of Disability Justice activism, a modern civil rights movement
  • Discuss many topics and concepts of ableism and saneism (the forms of marginality disabled people encounter)
  • Learn to stand in solidarity with disabled people in their lives, and how to appropriately support and affirm disabled, neurodivergent, and chronically ill people.
  • Learn bystander intervention strategies, how to safely intervene and support peers.
  • The Los Angeles Spoonie Collective is composed of disabled, neurodivergent, and chronically ill LGBTQIA+ community members within the Los Angeles area (Tongva land). We offer virtual and in-person workshops and panel discussions on the intersections of race, gender, and disability, disability justice, feminist theory, and more.

Click here to register (Cal State LA authentication required to join)
Facilitator: Dr. Pau Abustan, Cal State LA WGSS Faculty

Campus Partner Events

Stories Without Borders: Kick-Off Event
When: October 6th, 1:00 PM
Where: USU LA Rooms
  • The DRC in collaboration with Upward Bound will be having the Kick-Off to Stories Without Borders. This event initiates a week's worth of events that highlights our undocumented students and the work that they are doing.
Stories Without Borders: Art & Spoken Word
When: October 7th, 1:00 PM
Where: Farmers Market Triangle
  • As a part of our Stories Without Borders event, students will be given the opportunity to share a few words with the audience while others can engage in creating artwork on canvases...
Stories Without Borders: A Dream Called Home by Reyna Grande
When: October 8th, 2:00 PM
Where: U-SU Theater
  • Author Reyna Grande will be engaging in a discussion that highlights her book A Dream Called Home. Books will be available for attendees on a first come first serve basis.
Stories Without Borders: Business Resource Fair & Presentations
When: October 9th, 2:00 PM
Where: USU LA Rooms
  • We will be hosting a business resource fair where student entrepreneurs will showcase their businesses, products, and services. We will also have presentations for those interested in starting their own business.
To view the EGFDRC Stories Without Borders page see: https://www.calstatela.edu/gfdrc/stories-without-borders
Annual 2K Journey

When: Tuesday, October 21 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where: Jesse Owens Track & Field.

  • The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) invites the campus community to participate in Disability Awareness Month at Cal State LA this October, a month-long event series promoting awareness, accessibility, and inclusion for all.
  • Events include workshops on creating accessible instructional materials, career readiness sessions, sensory art activities, and the Annual 2K Journey on Tuesday, October 21 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on the Jesse Owens Track & Field.
  • Participants who register by October 5 will receive a free OSD 2K t-shirt and medal. Students, staff and faculty are invited to register here: 2K Journey

Click for more information on Disability Awareness Month at Cal State LA 

We hope to see you throughout the month as we come together to celebrate our community!

Sounds of the Underground at Cal State LA
When: October 21 (Tuesday) through October 23 (Thursday)
Where: Various locations – see website for details
  • Why attend?
  • A special screening of the documentary New Wave followed by a live Q&A with director Elizabeth Ai on Tuesday, October 21 from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM at the USU Theatre. Attendees have the chance to get their books signed by the author!
  • Learn from researchers, artists, archivists, and community historians to share work on grassroots sound-making on Wednesday, October 22 from 9:25 AM – 3 PM at the Library North Community Room & Library South Special Collections Reading Room
  • Live performances from Shit Chaotic and Lynda Trang Đài, alongside an Emily’s Sassy Lime DJ set on Thursday, October 23 from 3:00pm to 5:30pm at the USU Plaza.
For more information about the Sounds of the Underground event series, please visit the Library webpage.

Campus Events

Domestic Violence Workshop
When: Thursday, October 2, 9 AM –12 PM, Wednesday, October 8, 9 AM – 12 PM
Where: Library Innovation Hub
  • Guided dialogue & Experiential activity
Domestic Violence Awareness Month Career Panel and Expo
When: Tuesday, October 21
Where: Golden Eagle Ballroom 1
  • Agency Exhibition and Info Tables: 1:00 PM- 3:00 PM
  • Professional Panel: 3:30 PM- 5:00 PM
Central American Memoria Histórica Archive (CAMHA)

When:  Wednesday, October 22: 1:40pm - 2:55 p.m. 
Where: University-Student Union Theatre

  • Contemporary Artist Series: Elia Arce Join us for the inaugural CAMHA contemporary artist series with visiting artist Elia Arce. Arce is a costa Rican theater director, filmmaker, and performance artist with a long history of art making in Los Angeles, Costa Rica, and internationally.
  • Arce's performances in Los Angeles begin in the mid-1980's with the Los Angeles Poverty Department, Highways Performance Space, and the Central American community. Arce's performances have featured the Salvadoran poet Roque Dalton, Central American community leaders, and recent work in collaboration with Ruben Martinez: Little Central America: 1984 performed in la in 2019 and in Berkeley, CA in 2024.
  • Following this lecture and conversation Arce will be performing No Time To Mourn (An Excerpt): A Performance and Conversation with Elia Arce at the Cal Arts REDCAT Theater on October 30th. Free. Tuesday, October 22: 1:40 - 2:55 p.m. University-Student Union Theatre CAMHA, founded in 2018, is a ten-year art/research project with Special Collections & Archives, University Library, to archive Central American cultural production in Los Angeles.
  • The event is moderated by Leda Ramos, Chicana(o) and Latina(o) studies, founder/director, CAMHA, and is a collaboration with the Chicanx Latinx Resource Center, Cross Cultural Center. For more information, [email protected]
Domestic Violence Awareness Month Campus Resources Panel
When: Tuesday, October 28, 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
Where: University Student Union Board Room (Location Pending)
Larry Itliong Day (Cross Cultural Centers)

When: October 28, 2025, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM 
Where: U-SU Plaza

  • Join the APISRC, Asian and Asian American Studies, and Kalahi in celebrating Larry Itliong and his leadership in the American labor movement, during Filipino American History Month (FAHM)! It will be an afternoon of celebrating Filipino culture and history through fun and educational activities, resources, vendors, food, and performances!
  • Funded by your student fees and operated by the Cross-Cultural Centers, part of the University Student Union. 

For accessibility or accommodations, contact CCC at (323) 343-5001 at least one week in advance or reach out to the Office for Students with Disabilities.

Dia de los Muertos
When: October 29th, 2:30 PM
Where: USU Plaza
  • Join the Chicanx/Latinx Student Resource Center in celebrating Dia de los Muertos, where we will honor the passing of loved ones and celebrate the beauty of life.
  • Enjoy music and performances, visit ofrendas, enjoy free food, and more.
  • Whether you are remembering a loved one or learning about the tradition for the first time, all CSULA students, staff, and faculty are welcome to join the event!

Cal State LA in the Community

Cal State LA will also be participating in community events:

CicLAvia—Heart of LA presented by Metro
When: October 12 (Sunday), 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Where: Cal State LA is adopting an intersection at CicLAvia (4th/St. Louis)
Why attend?
  • CicLAvia closes streets to car traffic and opens them for people to walk, skate, bike, play, and explore parts of Los Angeles County
  • Join your fellow Golden Eagles to walk, roll, skate, bike, and explore the open streets route with the Cal State LA community as CicLAvia transforms 7+ miles of Los Angeles into car-free public space
  • For more information about CicLAvia, please visit this webpage.
Taste of Soul
When: October 18 (Saturday), 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where: Crenshaw Blvd. (between Stocker & Obama) 
This year, Cal State LA will proudly join the Historic Crenshaw community and more than 350,000 attendees and their families at the 20th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival (https://lasentinel.net/taste-of-soul-2025)
Volunteers – We need help to staff the booth during the event. This is an all-day event, so this is what we consider a collaborative marathon. Sign-ups are organized in 2-hour slots. Please email J.T. CHESTNUT ([email protected]).
 

DEIB Programming 

Civil Dialogue in Troubling Times

When: November 5 (Wednesday), 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Library Innovation Hub
November 18 (Tuesday), 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. - VIRTUAL – Click here to register
Presented by:  Shaunelle Curry, lecturer for Cal State LA’s TVFM department, and Media Done Responsibly. Anaïs Maseda, Living Room Conversation

  • Why attend?
  • Learn strategies to cultivate respectful civil dialogue, courageous listening, and empathy when engaging in conversation around divisive topics
    The mission of Media Done Responsibly (MDR) is to amplify the practice of social responsibility in media while providing education, voice and access to youth change-makers through their 3-pillar approach of media literacy, production, and advocacy. MDR is in its 17th year of partnering with Cal State LA.  
  • Living Room Conversations began in 2010 with the idea that a structured, intimate conversation format could empower everyday citizens to discuss important issues with friends of differing backgrounds and political affiliations
  • Light refreshments will be provided for in-person sessions

Facilitator:  Shaunelle Curry, Media Studies Lecturer Faculty, TVFM and Media Done Responsibly

ROOTS Scholars Fall Symposium - Rooted in Togetherness & Strength: Elevating AANHPI Student Voices 

When: November 6 (Thursday), 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Presented by: ROOTS Scholars Program - Click here to register. 

  • Why attend?
  • Discover the work of the ROOTS Scholars Program, explore data about our students, and engage with stories that highlight the needs, strengths, and lived experiences of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students. 

Facilitators: Dr. Shikha Upadhyaya and Dr. Trinh Pham, Program Co-Directors 
For more information about the ROOTS Scholars Program, please visit this webpage.

(Virtual) Gender-Based Violence and Marginalized Communities: Understanding Intersections and Barriers to Support 

When: November 12 (Wednesday), 3:00 pm – 4:20 pm
Presented by: Peace Over Violence - Click here to register. (Cal State LA authentication required to join) 

  • Why attend?

  • Gender-based violence does not affect all survivors equally. This interactive workshop explores how systems of inequities across race, gender, ability, and class as well as exclusion shape both the experience of violence and access to safety, justice, and support. We will also discuss strategies for building survivor-centered, affirming, and equitable environments across communities. 

Facilitated by: Dr. Devika Hazra, Cal State LA 

Canned Food Drive

When: October 20 (Monday) - November 14 (Friday)
Where: Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good

  • Why attend?
  • In honor of Native American Heritage Month in November, the Center is organizing a Canned Food Drive to collect canned goods to help with the United American Indian Involvement Inc.’s initiative to serve the Native American community during the holiday season.
  • We are collaborating with the Center for Student Involvement as an initiative to involve the campus community in contributing to a significant cause.
  • The collected canned goods will be donated to the United American Indian Involvement, Inc. and distributed to the Native American families during their Annual Harvest Festival.

Facilitators: Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good
For more information, please see Flyer