Oral History Live: Trans Stories Panel with SpeakOUT

Join Boston Public Library,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.historyproject.org/">The History Project</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.speakoutboston.org/">SpeakOUT</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;Oral History Live, our ongoing event series dedicated to documenting LGBTQ+ history in the making. In this special edition, we partner with SpeakOUT Boston (the nation's oldest LGBTQ+ speakers bureau) to highlight trans voices, because trans stories need to be documented, preserved, and shared—now more than ever. SpeakOUT will provide a panel of speakers and The History Project will facilitate the conversation, collecting these oral histories and contextualizing them within the broader arc of LGBTQ+ history. By documenting today’s trans experiences, we ensure they become the histories that future generations can learn from, honor, and build upon. This program is generously funded by The Howard Cooper LGBTQ+ Endowment Fund at Boston Public Library.

Connolly Branch of the Boston Public Library

A Night of Line Dancing with Gays for Patsy Dance Club

Join us for a night of line dancing hosted by the Gays for Patsy Dance Club!  Come on your own or with a group of friends. You do not need to bring a partner. This program is for all levels. We will start with a lesson for beginners. Then, you can try out your new dancing skills while listening to music from every genre. Expect to hear pop, R&amp;B, and country tunes. We will be dancing on carpet, so please wear smooth-soled shoes. Remember - the first rule of line dancing is to have FUN!<ul><li>6:00 PM - Lesson for beginners</li><li>7:00 PM - Line dancing</li></ul>About Gays for Patsy: "Two Stepping with a Purpose in Jamaica Plain" Gays for Patsy (GFP) is a Boston-based, non-profit dance organization that promotes country-western partner and line dancing in a supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community and friends. Founded more than 30 years ago, our mission is to create welcoming events that allow our participants to dance, learn, and socialize. Our primary dance styles include two-step, line dancing, west coast swing, east coast swing, and waltz. We provide free or low-cost lessons and social dance events and strive to make them accessible to anyone who wishes to participate. This program was generously funded by The Howard Cooper LGBTQ+ Endowment Fund

Charlestown Branch of the Boston Public Library

Author Talk: Theresa Okokon - "Who I Always Was"

Join local author Theresa Okokon as she discusses her memoir,&nbsp;Who I Always Was.&nbsp; The talk will end at 7:15 PM after a Q&amp;A session from the audience. Afterwards, there will be an in-person author signing facilitated by Frugal Bookstore. About the book:&nbsp;When Theresa Okokon was nine, her father traveled to his hometown in Nigeria to attend his mother’s funeral…and never returned. His mysterious death shattered Theresa as her family’s world unraveled. Now a storyteller and television cohost, Okokon sets out to explore the ripple effects of that profound loss and the way heartache shapes our sense of self and of the world—for the rest of our lives. Using her grief and her father’s death as a backdrop, Okokon delves deeply into intrinsic themes of Blackness, African spirituality, family, abandonment, belonging, and the seemingly endless, unrequited romantic pursuits of a Black woman who came of age as a Black girl in Wisconsin suburbs where she was—in many ways—always an anomaly.

Rabb Hall, Boston Public Library

Candy-Making and Memory in Boston

The Boston candy-making industry goes back to the 1760s, when an Irish immigrant named John Hannon built a chocolate mill on the Neponset River in Dorchester. For over 250 years, the city was a confectionary hub, boasting over a hundred candy producers at its peak in the early 20th century.&nbsp; The story of candy-making (and candy-eating) here is a complex one whose origins include the rise of industrialization, immigration, and the legacy of slavery both in Massachusetts and in the Caribbean. This program will explore several centuries of candy history, focusing on the people who worked in the candy industry, and those who have consumed and enjoyed it over the decades. Presenter Bio:&nbsp; Beth Folsom is program manager at History Cambridge, where she works to create programming that shares the stories of all Cantabrigians. Beth is a graduate of Wellesley College and American University, with a B.A. and M.A. in early American history. She has worked as an adjunct professor at Framingham State University, Emmanuel College, and the University of Massachusetts Boston, as well as at the Winsor School. Beth is particularly passionate about monuments and memorials, and the landscape of public memory in New England. Accessibility Notice: We strive to make our events accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services, contact the department listed in the "Contact Info" pane on the right. Please allow at least two weeks to arrange accommodation.

Commonwealth Salon, Central Library in Copley Square 

The Seltzer Factory: Film Screening and Conversation with Writer and Director Paloma Valenzuela

Join us for a matinee screening of The Seltzer Factory, written and directed by the Dominican-American, Boston-based filmmaker Paloma Valenzuela. This short documentary follows Paloma as she investigates her family history and explores her identity as a biracial Latina Jewish-American, piecing together the connecting events that shaped her family's story from Marghita to Oradea, to Cleveland, to the Dominican Republic to Boston. The film will be followed by an audience Q&amp;A with Paloma Valenzuela. This event will be held in Rabb Hall, in the Lower Level of the Boylston St. Building at the Central Library in Copley Square. Content warnings: mentions but no visual depictions of violence, war, death, genocide, suicide, antisemitism, religious bigotry, deportation, concentration camps

Oral History Workshop

Join us for an interactive oral history workshop led by the Community History Department. Together, we’ll go over the basics of oral history and interview practices. Then, we’ll do a hands-on demonstration of the BPL Oral History Backpack. Come ready to practice interviewing and active listening. Registration recommended.

Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library

Join us for an interactive oral history workshop led by the Community History Department. Together, we’ll go over the basics of oral history and interview practices. Then, we’ll do a hands-on demonstration of the BPL Oral History Backpack. Come ready to practice interviewing and active listening. Registration recommended. Note: This workshop takes place at the Fenway Community Center.&nbsp;The address is&nbsp;1282 Boylston Street #123,&nbsp;Boston, MA 02215&nbsp;(enter off Jersey Street).

Fenway Community Center

Join us for a matinee screening of The Seltzer Factory, written and directed by the Dominican-American, Boston-based filmmaker Paloma Valenzuela. This short documentary follows Paloma as she investigates her family history and explores her identity as a biracial Latina Jewish-American, piecing together the connecting events that shaped her family's story from Marghita to Oradea, to Cleveland to the Dominican Republic to Boston. The film will be followed by an audience Q&amp;A with Paloma Valenzuela. This event will be held in Rabb Hall, in the Lower Level of the Boylston St. Building at the Central Library in Copley Square. Content warnings: mentions but no visual depictions of violence, war, death, genocide, suicide, antisemitism, religious bigotry, deportation, concentration camps

Adult Craft Night: Collage Poetry

Join other crafty adults as we celebrate National Poetry Month by creating collage poetry! We will create our own poems by cutting out words from magazines, old books, newspapers, and more. You can also print out a poem you love and design a beautiful collaged background to display it. Art supplies will be provided by the library. Bring your creativity! Registration is not required, but recommended.

Codman Square Branch Library

Empowering Voices: Black Women Shaping Narratives in Literature

Join a thought-provoking panel discussion with three accomplished women in the literary world. They will discuss their unique journeys, challenges, and goals in bringing inclusive narratives to print. A Q&amp;A will follow. Panelists: Lisa Stringfellow&nbsp;writes middle grade fiction and has a not-so-secret fondness for fantasy with a dark twist. Her work often reflects her West Indian and Black southern heritage. Lisa received the inaugural Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Manuscript Award for a draft of her first novel,&nbsp;A Comb of Wishes, which was a Bram Stoker Award Finalist, an Indies Introduce Top Ten title, an Indie Next List selection, and a New England Booksellers Association Book Award Finalist. Her second novel,&nbsp;Kingdom of Dust, will be published August 20, 2024 by HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books. Lisa is a middle-school teacher and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her children and bossy cat. Perpetua Charles&nbsp;joined Beacon Press in 2015. She is a graduate of Florida Southern College and earned her MA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College. Perpetua has extensive publicity experience in the areas of race and culture, memoir, education, and history. Some of her favorite things include the Lord, TV, Disney princesses, books, 90s-00s teen pop, and the color pink.&nbsp;Connect with her on Instagram at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fprincessperpetuaa&amp;data=05%7C02%7Castokes%40bpl.org%7C5f3a743c183e436b86d408dc1dca5740%7Cfa735c71d7954c01b0ae09fa7415b2b1%7C0%7C0%7C638418002125114246%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=hwVN1ruiOaV7FMIxKOqffJmMYvGvNllyIgUz88DhBw0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">@princessperpetuaa</a>. Serina Gousby&nbsp;is a writer, calligrapher, and Program Manager of the Boston Writers of Color program at GrubStreet. She oversees and manages programming for BIPOC writers such as literary events, author visits, and community gatherings. In addition, she engages with over 2,000 members through Facebook, Meetup, and a mailing list, and provides literary opportunities and resources. As a poet, her work is published in&nbsp;Pangyrus,&nbsp;and has performed at the Boston Poetry Marathon, HUBWeek, and Literary Death Match. Additionally, her wellness and joy blog,&nbsp;The Rina Collective, features essays of her travel experiences, life challenges, and music playlists. Serina holds a BA in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing and minor in Black Studies from Suffolk University.

"Burn Boston Burn" Author Talk and Book Signing

Join author and previous Special Agent, Criminal Investigator and Certified Fire Investigator, Wayne M. Miller, to discuss his book, "Burn Boston Burn-The Largest Arson Case in the History of the Country." It is an astounding true crime narration. A conspiracy of 9 men, including 3 Boston cops and a Boston firefighter, burned Boston and surrounding communities in the early 1980’s due to tax-cutting measures that caused layoffs of hundreds of police and firefighters. Over 2 years, these fire buffs, turned arsonists, torched 264 buildings, causing millions of dollars in damages and hundreds of injuries.  The city was ablaze with nightly fires, sirens wailing through the streets and people too afraid to sleep. This book interweaves the activities of the arsonists with those of the investigators, the firefighters and the citizens of the area. Readers will shake their heads in disbelief at the brazen and wanton actions of these political terrorists. Books will be sold and signed by the author after the talk.

Jigsaw Puzzle Competition!

Compete with other pro puzzlers to see which team can complete their puzzle the fastest! Register with a team of up to 4 people or by yourself and you will be placed in a team. The puzzles will be exactly the same design and have 300-500 pieces. Prizes will be given out at the end!  There will also be a free puzzle exchange table. Bring your old puzzles with you and go home with a new one to try. Light refreshments will be served.  Register at bpl.org/events.

Codman Square Branch Library 

The Foodways Book Club Reads "How the Other Half Eats"

Please join us on Monday, December 11 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM over Zoom as we discuss How the Other Half Eats: The Untold Story of Food and Inequality in America by Priya Fielding-Singh.  Book review: "Sociologist Fielding-Singh debuts with an enlightening examination of how socioeconomic inequities affect eating habits and health. Drawing on research she conducted as a Stanford University PhD student, Fielding-Singh profiles four families living in San Francisco's Bay Area and documents their food choices and limitations over the course of several years. Nyah Baker, a Black single mother of two teenage daughters, relies on disability checks, payday loans, and occasional sex work to make ends meet. Meanwhile, Julie Cain, the wife of a corporate lawyer, spends roughly $900 per month on food for her family of four. The author's deeply empathetic approach allows her to personalize the copious data on nutritional and health disparities she cites. The result is devastating portrait of "the scarcity, uncertainty, and anxiety that permeates so much of the American dietary experience." - Publishers Weekly Books can be placed on hold and picked up at your local BPL branch through the catalog: <a href="https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S75C8077732">https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/...</a> Book club description: Hello, we are two librarians interested in foodways. Because food and foodways are multifaceted, we will be reading and listening to material from many disciplines, such as the history and anthropology of food, environmentalism, food justice, artistic expression, sociology, and more. We will host discussions every few months and each meeting will focus on a different book. We will also share reading and listening material for additional understanding and enrichment of foodways.

Online

Dolls of Our Lives: Discussion and book signing with Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks

The hosts of the popular podcast, Dolls of Our Lives, have written a book! Join Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks in a moderated discussion about the nostalgia and allure of American Girl. The discussion will be led by Research Services Librarian, Alea Stokes. Afterwards, guests will be able to buy a copy of the book, Dolls of Our Lives, and have their copy signed by the authors.  About the book:  "Combining history, travelogue, and memoir, Dolls of Our Lives follows Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney on an unforgettable journey to the past as they delve into the origins of this iconic brand. Continuing the conversations that began on their podcast, they set out to answer the lingering questions that keep them up at night. What did American Girl inventor Pleasant Rowland hope to say to children with these dolls? Was girl power something that could be ordered from a catalogue, described by a magazine, or modeled in the plot lines of books? And how - and why - did this brand shape an entire generation? Through interviews with a legion of devoted doll lovers, a field trip to Colonial Williamsburg, a place that inspired Pleasant to create American Girl, and an exploration of their own (complicated) fandom, this is a deep dive into one of the 90s most coveted products - the American Girl doll." - Macmillan About the authors:  Allison Horrocks is a public historian who once tried to fail an eye exam to get Molly-style glasses. She is interested in histories of women and work and can always be convinced to take part in a house museum tour. Mary Mahoney is a historian, pop culture addict, and a total Molly. She will gladly discuss the histories of American Girl, bibliotherapy, or Mariah Carey’s short-lived reality show. Presented in partnership with Trident Booksellers &amp; Café. This event is accessible. To request a disability accommodation and/or language services please contact Alea Stokes (<a href="mailto:astokes@bpl.org">astokes@bpl.org</a>). Please allow at least 2 weeks to arrange for accommodations.

 Branch Out Writing Group

Looking for a space to write and connect with other local writers? The Branch Out Writing Group meets the first Monday of each month at the Codman Square Branch. Whether you are just getting started or honing your craft, the Branch Out Writing Group provides a dedicated writing space close to home! Each session will consist of a short introduction and writers discussion, writing time, and time at the end to share works in progress and get feedback. All skill levels and genres welcome!  Branch Out Writing Group meets at the Codman Square Branch on the first Monday of each month from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Registration recommended but not required. This is an in-person event.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Discover kid-friendly fun in Boston, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas! Enjoy hands-on exhibits at the Boston Children’s Museum, explore the New England Aquarium, and visit the Franklin Park Zoo. Find parks, playgrounds, and seasonal events perfect for families across Massachusetts.

Top 20 kid-friendly things to do in Boston, MA

Kid-friendly things to do in Boston

Kid-friendly events

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.