Upcoming Events
Welcome to our 2026 lineup!
We’ve got lots on tap and more in development for spring. Sign up for membership to be the first to register via our weekly email, or the general (bi-weekly-ish) newsletter to keep up to date on all the things.
Book Release: Solidarity Economics
Organizers all around the world are working to build ways of managing resources that serve human and ecological needs. But how can these projects be more than small islands of solidarity and sustainability surrounded by oceans of domination and environmental destruction?
Cynthia Kaufman, Director of the Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action at De Anza College, tackles this question in a new book.
Solidarity Economics: Building Sustainable Social Relations lays out the landscape of these projects aimed at building a better world, and explores the institutional frameworks needed for them to expand. How do we build just and sustainable societies based on relations of solidarity. Drawing on Indigenous economics and anti-capitalist theory, this book critiques the idea of an economy as something autonomous from the rest of society and helps us see practical pathways to building systems which ensure that everyone’s needs are met.
Vibes: Deep, learned
Works-in-Progress x MIPSLIP
For our third round of the Works-in-Progress series, we’re partnering again with MIPSLIP, an ongoing gathering for sharing recent creative work. You bring a recent or unfinished creative work and come prepared to share why it is meaningful to you. All media and themes welcome.
MIPSLIP aims for greater aliveness through consistent practice, self-expression, and collective inspiration. They have some guidelines. Part of being seen in your creative process is seeing others in theirs. Please come prepared to witness others and disclose how their works impact you.
Max attendance: 15
Vibes: Participatory, open, supportive,
Cost: Free
Paint-and-Chat
You may have seen the excellent recent story in Coyote Media about author (and LE member) Maggie Tokuda Hall's hobby: painting pigeons. In these times, who doesn't want to paint a little pigeon with a jaunty hat on?? And even if you don't, it's nice to spend some time doing something creative with friends, rather than doomscrolling.
Though Maggie is now known as an author of celebrated books, she did go to college for studio art, so you will be in good hands.
Vibes: Pigeon'd, creative, chatty
Cost: Sliding scale, 0-$10
Zyzzyva Issue 131 Release Party
Come and toast the publication of the newest issue of ZYZZYVA, the award-winning literary journal publishing since 1985. Featuring short readings by contributors Tomas Moniz, Maw Shein Win, and Suzanne Rivecca, emceed by ZYZZYVA Editor Oscar Villalon.
Tomas Moniz is a Latinx writer living in East Oakland. His first novel, Big Familia (Acre Books), was a finalist for the 2020 PEN/Hemingway and the LAMBDA. His second novel, All Friends Are Necessary (Algonquin Books), won the 2024 California Golden Poppy Award. His next novel will be published by Algonquin Books in 2026. He teaches at Berkeley City College, the Antioch MFA program, and the University of San Francisco.
Maw Shein Win's latest full-length poetry collection is Percussing the Thinking Jar (Omnidawn), which was shortlisted for the 2025 Northern California Book Award in Poetry. Her previous full-length collection, Storage Unit for the Spirit House (Omnidawn), was nominated for the Northern California Book Award in Poetry, longlisted for the PEN America 2021 Open Book Award, and shortlisted for the Golden Poppy Award for Poetry. She is the inaugural poet laureate of El Cerrito, the recipient of the 2025 Berkeley Poetry Festival Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2025 Nomadic/SF Foundation Literary Award for Non-fiction.
Suzanne Rivecca is the author of the short story collection Death is Not an Option (WW Norton), which won the Rome Prize in Literature and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway, the Story Prize, the NYPL Young Lions prize, and others. She lives in the Bay Area and works at a civil rights law firm in San Francisco.
Vibes: Literary, released
An Invitation to Talk About Death and Dying, Vol 2
In this series of events, death doulas Tracy Tingle and Ka Yun Cheng invite you into a conversation about mortality.
This conversation doesn’t have to be scary or taboo or something we react to in crisis. It can be something we get inspired by and plan for.
This is not a grief session or a death cafe. It’s an invitation to gather and explore topics about aging and dying in an actionable and approachable way. We encourage you to show up and participate at your comfort level. Bring your curiosity, and a pen and paper.
The first event occurred in January, but different topics will be discussed each month. You can dip your toes into one or come to several for further exploration. The last session will be held
March 15.
Tracy Tingle is an Oakland based end of life doula whose work stems from the belief that everyone benefits from being more comfortable in talking about and planning for our inevitable end.
Ka Yun Cheng is a Sunnyvale based death doula at Leave Behind Love who strives to normalize death as a conversation topic.
If the event is sold out and you’d like to be added to a waitlist, please email Tracy at tracy.a.tingle@gmail.com
Sunday Coffee, hosted by Jeff Wright, vol. 4
Jeff Wright of Edith’s Pie has been hosting a regular event on Sunday mornings at his house for months. It’s a low-stakes morning of chatting, coffee, and snacks, and he’s bringing it to Local Economy on a Sunday morning each month.
For this edition, Hailie Hay and Christopher Sturm are spro.machine, and they will be pulling wrecking ball espresso for donations at this event.
Cost: Free for members, sliding scale $10 for the public
Vibes: Chill, chatty, cozy
Oakland Garden Club: The Botany of Houseplants
As we wait for the longer days to return, Allyson Greenlon delivers us an rich presentation on the botany of your houseplants.
Greenlon runs the UC master gardener program around here. She has an intersectional background in plant biology, botany, and horticulture from UC Davis, and field experience ranging from wildlands, museum archives, botanic gardens, home garden design, and now working with volunteer groups to extend the reach of her work.
Demo Nights: Robin Sloan's Notebook
We kick off a new format at Local Economy, the Demo Night, in which members of the extended community present new projects, give people a sneak preview, & gather rich real-world feedback. (The "demo" context is associated with tech but of course this wouldn't have to be tech.)
For months now, author (and olive oil magnate) Robin Sloan has been working up a new project centered on ... the notebook. Yes, the humble notebook. It has both analog and digital parts.
Demo Night would begin with a little talk laying our Sloan's thinking, and then you'd get to see and try out this new notebook right on the spot.
Zine-making Workshop, pt. 2
After a wonderful first session in which more than 30 zines got made, artist Rena Tom returns to Local Economy for another zinemaking workshop.
On the one hand, a zine is just a tiny magazine, cheaply produced, often handmade. On the other hand, THE ZINE is a way of life, an approach to the world of letters. Visit any zine fest and you can see that making zines isn't just about copying and pasting. People are drawn to the ideas inside these tiny publications and to the collaborative, DIY philosophy that leads people to make them.
We'll have some things, but bring materials and ideas!
Cost: Free for members, sliding scale $10 for the public
Vibes: Hands-on, DIY, skillsharey
Imperfect Caregiving
We can all read a parenting book, but what does it mean to really
think about what kind of caregiving works for you, and why and how you can live it? Come learn, reflect, and set intentions around your caregiving for the year -- what you want more of, what you want less of, and what you can let go of altogether. For caregivers of all types and all ages of dependents.
The session will be led by Sarah Wheeler, Educational Psychologist and imperfect caregiver.
Vibes: Real, reflective
Empty Set Magazine Discussion Group
Empty Set is a new magazine founded on the idea that technology writing is at an impasse. They say: “Empty Set is dedicated to finding the concepts and thoughts that we’ll need into order to tell a new story about our technologized lives.”
The session will be led by Zoelle Egner, who may or may not be in the technology industry.
Just a note: We're not affiliated with Empty Set, but we just think they are interesting.
Vibes: Exploratory, reflective
Storytime for Caregivers with Nina Renata Aron
Story time is great, no matter how it works. BUT, Patricia Zaballos brings you a literary series that’s for the caregivers, not the cared for. Each month a writer with a caregiving theme shares their work, chats about their reading, and ends with a book for the baby/toddler crowd. This month we’ll be joined by Nina Renata Aron, the author of Good Morning, Destroyer of Men's Souls, a memoir and cultural history of codependency. She's also the author of the newsletter, Dollface.
Babies & toddlers welcome, but not required.
One-hour event; stay after for IRL connection!
Vibes: Warm, relaxing, communal
Seasonal Mending Circle
Gather up your pile of holey sweaters, shirts with unraveling hems, and tin of stray buttons, and haul them to Local Economy to make the old new again, by hand. MaryAnn will be offering guidance on darning knits, and you can put into practice all the skills you picked up from Carrie last fall. Please bring your own sewing supplies, and we'll all sit and fix together.
Hosted by LE members Marthine Satris, Carrie Sloane, and MaryAnn Placzek Scheuer, and open to all.
Vibes: Healing, practical, skill share
An Invitation to Talk About Death and Dying
In this series of events occurring over the next three months, death doulas Tracy Tingle and Ka Yun Cheng invite you into a conversation about mortality.
This conversation doesn’t have to be scary or taboo or something we react to in crisis. It can be something we get inspired by and plan for.
This is not a grief session or a death cafe. It’s an invitation to gather and explore topics about aging and dying in an actionable and approachable way. We encourage you to show up and participate at your comfort level. Bring your curiosity, and a pen and paper.
Future sessions will be held:
Feb 15, 2025
March 15, 2025
Different topics will be discussed at each event. You can dip your toes into one or come to several for further exploration.
Tracy Tingle is an Oakland based end of life doula whose work stems from the belief that everyone benefits from being more comfortable in talking about and planning for our inevitable end.
Ka Yun Cheng is a Sunnyvale based death doula at Leave Behind Love who strives to normalize death as a conversation topic.
If the event is sold out and you’d like to be added to a waitlist, please email Tracy at tracy.a.tingle@gmail.com
Vibes: Gentle, deep, death positive
Sundial Reading Series
Poet Ben Gucciardi hosts a new reading series at Local Economy. Up first, poets will read to benefit the non-profit, Refugee and Immigrant Transitions. Sundial hopes to invite in those both inside and outside the literary worlds.
For this first edition, Gucciardi will be joined by Zeina Hashem Beck, Armen Davoudian, and Chris Feliciano Arnold.
Beck is the author of the collection O, which won the 2023 Arab American Book Award for Poetry. Davoudian is the author of the poetry collection The Palace of Forty Pillars, which was long-listed for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry. Arnold is the author of The Third Bank of the River, a sweeping investigation into crime and corruption on the Amazon.
After the session Lauren Markham will lead a Q&A with the authors.
Vibes: Rich, dialed in, well versed
Botanical Drawing
Hannah Hirsekorn is an artist working in ink on paper and skin. She runs Oology Tattoo, and she specializes in flora and fauna. For her, drawing the more-than-human world is a practice of deep looking and a form of environmental conservation. In this workshop, you’ll bring your own art supplies. Hannah will bring items to draw and do some low-key instruction.
Vibes: Chill, meditative, participatory
How to Ditch Single-Use Waste at Home
In the first of our collaborations with our neighbors across the street, Re-Up Refills, co-owner Matt Zimbalist will be holding a talk and Q&A about household waste, sustainability essentials, and how we can make effective change as consumers and individuals. After the Q&A join us for a stroll over to Re-Up for a bulk shopping trip with the owners where they show us all the tips and tricks of going refillable.
Vibes: Pragmatic, loose
Oakland Junk Journal Club
The Oakland Junk Journal Club is a new outfit from Local Economy member Shilpi Tomar.
Junk journaling is like scrapbooking, but more freeform and low pressure. It's common to use found papers like receipts, tickets, wrappers, and bits from everyday life to make something beautiful and personal.
Vibes: Chill, scrappy.
Good Luck Saturday
Join Good Luck Bakery for famously delicious morning pastries. Always a big hit.
Adjective Goals: New Year Vision Workshop
Ariana Wolf and Luisa Alberto of Kindredly lead a session on a different kind of goal setting for the new year. Here's Ariana’s overview of the concept of Adjective Goals:
"So often, we set our sights on noun and verb goals—what we want to have or what we want to do. Run a marathon. Buy a house. Launch a business. But here’s the kicker: what we actually want isn’t the thing itself. It’s the way we believe achieving that thing will make us feel. We’re not chasing the marathon, the house, or the business. We’re chasing the way we want to feel: strong, disciplined, successful, free, at peace, connected."
Learn how to do this goal-setting practice at LE.
Vibes: Focused, introspective
New Year Silent Writing Session with Jasmine Guillory
Romance novelist and neighbor Jasmine Guillory is the author of a bunch of bestselling books including The Wedding Party, Drunk in Love, and Flirting Lessons. For the new year, she leads a silent writing session, a moment to bring your writing materials and get busy on whatever you've been wanting to write. Journal, start the novel, dash off a poem, etc.
We'll have a couple prompts, too, if those are helpful!
Vibes: Introspective, cozy, literary
Sunday Coffee, hosted by Jeff Wright, vol. 3
Jeff Wright of Edith’s Pie has been hosting a regular event on Sunday mornings at his house for months. It’s a low-stakes morning of chatting, coffee, and snacks, and he’s bringing it to Local Economy on a Sunday morning each month.
Cost: Sliding scale to $10
Vibes: Chill, chatty, cozy
Oakland Review of Books Holiday Party (and Secret Santa)
Oakland Review of Books is a new publication featuring writing about, for, and from Oakland. Join the editorial team for a holiday party where they'll introduce themselves, tell you about their whole deal, and also deliver an informative and very brief lecture on what Herb Caen thought about Oakland. The best part? An Oakland-themed Secret Santa. Bring a piece of Oakland paraphernalia -- a book, a pamphlet, an old-school souvenir, anything worth less than $20 -- and you'll get to exchange it for someone else's piece of Oakland history. Don't have anything? You can come and buy an Oakland book from a display at East Bay Booksellers next door.
Vibes: Paraphernaliac, envibed, not-just-books
Non-Gestational Parents Discussion
A discussion event for non-gestational parents of all kinds—men, women, enbies, trans, cis, queer, straight, adoptive—just to talk about our specific issues across identity categories. Like: we didn't carry the kids, but we're parents, too, and we're carrying other things.
This will be a small event, and we're hoping it's deeply interactive. Come ready to talk. What didn’t you expect that’s shown up in your experience of parenthood? What’s something your baby/kid has taught you about yourself? We’re all building wisdom in the process of parenthood, so what’s something you’d like to share with other non-gestational parents?
Vibes: Talky, parental, supportive
BYOB Show and Tell
A simple concept: bring a significant object to you and tell us its story (probably a true one). You'll get 3ish minutes. Bring something to drink of whatever persuasion you prefer.
Photographer Kara Brodgesell will be on site, offering up photos with your object.
Just note that there are two types of tickets: show-and-teller & listener. Choose wisely!
Vibes: Storytelling, holiday vibing, community building
Storytime for Caregivers with Tomas Moniz
Story time is great, no matter how it works. BUT, Patricia Zaballos brings you a literary series that’s for the caregivers, not the cared for. Each month a writer with a caregiving theme shares their work, chats about their reading, and ends with a book for the baby/toddler crowd. This month we’ll dig into fiction for the first time, discussing Tomas Moniz's novel All Friends Are Necessary. Set in the Bay Area, the book explores the devastation of infant loss, how community can show up for us in hard times, and how humor and joy can exist in the mix of it all.
Babies & toddlers welcome, but not required.
One-hour event; stay after for IRL connection!
Vibes: Warm, relaxing, communal
Authors Against Book Bans with Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Rachel Latta
Maggie Tokuda-Hall is an Oakland author who has taken up the cause of keeping books from getting banned. She's now the president of Authors Against Book Bans, which is standing up for intellectual freedom across the country. In this event, she'll talk with District 1 Oakland School Board rep Rachel Latta about banned books and how to keep our freedom to read in our region.
And we’ve also added special guest, Dashka Slater, who will read and discuss her brilliant (and sometimes banned) book, The 57 Bus.
Any proceeds from ticket sales will go to support AABB, which is now a 501c3.
Vibes: Righteous, hilarious, informative
Graphic Novel Art Talk & Auction to Benefit Chapter 510
Long-time Pixar animator Bobby Podesta is out with his first graphic novel, North for the Winter. Podesta has a bunch of process drawings—bits used to create the final product—and he came to us wanting to auction them for a charity. Other members of our community like Mac Barnett & Shawn Harris, Briana Loewinsohn, and Wahab Algarmi are also donating art for the auction.
Bobby and some other artists will also talk about how they make their graphic novels. And the proceeds from the art auction will go to Chapter 510, our local storytelling and bookmaking space for young people.
This event is designed to be fun for families. We'll have light tables and some cool drawing opportunities for graphic novel-loving kids.
Vibes: Arty, auctiony, good feeling-y
Repair Advice Clinic w/Jenny Odell
Jenny Odell is working on a book about repair. For this event, we're partnering with her to bring together experts in fixing different things with people who need things fixed.
Jenny is planning to talk a bit about her new work towards the beginning of the clinic, but the main event is people helping each other learn how the things around us work.
There are two types of tickets: participants, who want to bring things to be fixed, and viewers, if you just wanna come by and see what's going on.
We currently have repairpeople to work on: Woodworking, bikes, clothes mending, electronics, bookbinding, and small appliances.
If you have some repair skills, email us at hi@thelocaleconomy.com
Vibes: Meetupy, self-organized, drop-in-drop-out
Dire Straights Live with Tracy Clark Flory and Amanda Montei
Writers and podcasting superteam Tracy Clark-Flory and Amanda Montei present an evening celebrating their show, Dire Straights, with special guest Myisha Battle, a feminist sex and dating coach.
Dire Straights is a feminist podcast critiquing heterosexual love, sex, politics, and culture. Recently they've taken on the rise of WWE masculinity, marital "intimacy" as the fifth shift of women's work, the decline of the 4B movement, "red flags" in dating, and the "work" of couples therapy.
For this one night only, Tracy and Amanda will be in conversation with Myisha—and you—about the state of hetero life and love.
Oh, and as a special treat, Savala Nolan will also be opening the show with a reading from her new work.
Vibes: Feminist, hilarious, variety show
Mahjong Night with The Mahjong Project's Nicole Wong
In what may well be the first in a series of Mahjong Nights, we've got a special one to start. Nicole Wong, author of The Mahjong Project: House Rules from Across the Asian Diaspora joins us for a little how-to and history. We'll talk, and then we'll play.
Cost: Free for members, sliding scale $10 for the public
Vibes: game-y, table-y, auntie
Botanical Drawing with Hannah Hirsekorn, vol 3
Hannah Hirsekorn is an artist working in ink on paper and skin. She runs Oology Tattoo, and she specializes in flora and fauna. For her, drawing the more-than-human world is a practice of deep looking and a form of environmental conservation. In this workshop, you’ll bring your own art supplies. Hannah will bring items to draw and do some low-key instruction.
Vibes: Chill, meditative, participatory
How to Make a Zine with Rena Tom
On the one hand, a zine is just a tiny magazine, cheaply produced, often handmade. On the other hand, THE ZINE is a way of life, an approach to the world of letters. Visit any zine fest and you can see that making zines isn't just about copying and pasting. People are drawn to the ideas inside these tiny publications and to the collaborative, DIY philosophy that leads people to make them.
Artist (and LE member) Rena Tom shares her zinemaking techniques and knowledge of the culture of zines in this hands-on session.
We'll have some things, but bring materials and ideas!
Cost: Free for members, sliding scale $10 for the public
Vibes: Hands-on, DIY, skillsharey
Bay Aerial exhibition with East Bay Yesterday's Liam O'Donoghue
What does looking at half a century of aerial photographs reveal about the Bay Area’s ongoing transformation? East Bay Yesterday host Liam O’Donoghue will explore this question with Alexis Madrigal by closely examining a mysterious archive of images he rescued from destruction. These photos show much more than changing landscapes – they illustrate the values, circuitry, and impact of our civilization, for better or worse.
Come see stuff starting at 6. We'll start the actual program at more like 6:30.
Cost: Free for members, sliding scale $10 for the public
Vibes: History but make it Friday night, interactive, not stuck in the past
Sex Change and the City with Tuck Woodstock & Soleil Ho
Coyote Media co-founder Soleil Ho interviews Tuck Woodstock, creator of the Gender Reveal podcast, about the new book he co-edited, Sex Change & the City, an anthology featuring 45 trans and queer perspectives on “Sex and the City.” (And if you like that, check out his excellent 2 Trans 2 Furious zine.)
Max attendance: 60
Vibes: Fun, 2 Trans 2 Furious, Literary