Miranda Lopez, candidate for LD 21 House at DGT
2026-04-13 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Phoenix)
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

“Please join us on April 13th at Noon via Zoom for a lively discussion with Miranda Lopez who is running for Arizona State Representative in LD 21 about her campaign, her district, and her position on the pressing issues facing our state.

You Must Register in Advance for this Event:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/4ymUrLavTYe-or_i45z-Aw

Miranda says of herself and her campaign:

I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 (Bear Down!) and began my career working in grassroots organizing with the statewide Democratic Coordinated Campaign where I served as both a Field Organizer and later a Regional Organizing Director.

In 2021, I was Executive Director of the Pima County Democratic Party, where I focused on building local party and data infrastructure, supporting candidates, and strengthening community engagement across Southern Arizona.

I started working for the Arizona Students’ Association in 2023 where I advocated for college students at the state legislature, developed student leaders at the University of Arizona, and mobilized young people to take action against harmful legislation. During this time I decided to return to school, and along the way I joined United Campus Workers and was elected as their Treasurer. After working a fulltime job and being a fulltime student, I finally graduated with my Masters in Public Administration in May of 2025.

I believe real change happens when communities are organized, informed, and empowered — and that’s the approach I bring to everything I do.”

Carolyn’s note: This is a 4 way Dem primary for 2 House seats, with Miranda challenging two incumbents, Consuelo Hernandez and Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, along with another political newcomer Maritza Higuera. The AZ Primary is on July 21, 2026 this year. Consuelo is sister to LD 20 House Rep. Alma Hernandez, now running for Senate in that LD, and also former House Rep. Daniel Hernandez. Stephanie was a House Rep. in LD 10 prior to running for LD 21.

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Architect Bob Vint on Affordable Building in the Sonoran Desert at Sustainable Tucson meeting
2026-04-14 18:00 - 19:30
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

April 14 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

“Sustainable Tucson Monthly Meeting, 2nd Tuesday, 6:00-7:30 pm, on Zoom. Join us Tuesday, April 14 at 6:00 pm for Sustainable Tucson’s monthly Sustainability Spotlight program. Our speaker will be Robert Vint, Assistant Professor of Architecture and longtime Tucson architect. He will speak on designing for the desert. Details and the Zoom link for the meeting will be on our website www.sustainabletucson.org, and on our Facebook and Meetup pages. To be added to our newsletter e-list, send your name and email address to paula@sustainabletucson.org.

Sustainable, Affordable Building:Ancient & Modern Designs for Living in the Sonoran Desert

Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 6:00-7:15 pmZoom: <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88387731024?pwd=[REDACTED]

Many of the solutions for climate and habitat resilience are hiding in plain sight. Come to this month’s Sustainability Spotlight to learn about building design principles that help urban and rural communities weather extreme heat and dryness more effectively and, ultimately, at lower cost than “building as usual.” Our speaker, Bob Vint, has a decades-long career in architecture and is an active teacher in the classroom and in the field. His latest field project involved a trip with UA architecture students to Agua Prieta, Sonora, where they designed and constructed housing for a local family in partnership with Rancho Feliz. Working alongside local builders and community members, students helped complete a single-family home using the Highly-Johansen system, a construction approach designed to perform in extreme desert climates. This community-engaged learning model connects design education with real-world impact and is a model that may have real-world applications in a variety of endeavors.

BOB VINT is a native Tucsonan who has practiced as a licensed architect in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Massachusetts. He serves as preservation architect for the Mission San Xavier del Bac in Pima County, the most significant historic building in Arizona (dating to 1783, built of low-fire clay brick with lime mortar), as well as for the prehistoric Native American Cliff Dwellings of the Sierra Ancha in the Tonto National Forest (dating to 1290, built of stone with mud mortar). Additional projects of note include Linda Ronstadt’s Tucson residence, the main entrance to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, and the mixed-use Plaza San Agustin in downtown Tucson.

Vint is author of a book on affordable housing in the Southwest published by the department of Housing & Urban Development, Southwest Housing Traditions: Design, Materials, Performance (2005). Since 2011, he has been a member of the adjunct faculty at the University of Arizona’s College of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Architecture. His courses include the History & Theory of Urban Design and Arid Region Urbanism, featuring field trips throughout the Southwest.”

https://capla.arizona.edu/directory

Carolyn’s note: Bob Vint has worked on the historic San Xavier del Bac Mission and on the Ranchhouse at Agua Calente Park, where I was a board member for five years.

Dine Out for Safety 2026
2026-04-15 07:00 - 23:30
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

“Mark your calendars! Dine Out for Safety is officially returning on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

Grab breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee or a snack! Your purchase fuels life-saving care for survivors.

We’re prepping the ingredients for a successful day of fundraising! Whether you want to lead the way as a sponsor, sign on as a restaurant partner, or give back as a volunteer, there is a seat saved just for you!

Here is how you can get involved:

Become a Sponsor: Amplify your brand while fueling critical services for (sexual assault)survivors.

Register Your Restaurant: Join the ranks of local favorites who donate a portion of their sales to support survivors in our community.

Volunteer with Us: Be the boots on the ground! Help us spread the word and manage the magic on event day.

Visit dineoutforsafety.org to learn more and sign up!”

List of participating restaurants:https://dineoutforsafety.funraise.org/page/participating-restaurants.

Carolyn’s note: I’ve been participating for years and have eaten at quite a few of these restaurnats – Cafe 54, Feast, Yellow Brick Coffee, Brother John’s, Zemam’s. Check out the options and support SACASA. It’s also Tax Day, so don’t forget to mail those tax forms first.

Vets Forward Happy Hour with Democrats of Greater Tucson
2026-04-15 16:00 - 18:00 | Brother John’ s Beer, Bourbon & Barbecue, 1801 N. Stone Ave., Tucson, Arizona, 85705, United States
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Vets Forward Happy Hour with Democrats of Greater TucsonDATE: April 15th, 2026TIME: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PMLOCATION: Brother John’s Beer Bourbon & BBQ, 1801 N Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705

Democrats of Greater Tucson is excited to partner with Vets Forward to cosponsor the FREE monthly Democrats of Greater Tucson Happy Hour. We are excited to talk to our community about the issues that matter to Arizona Veterans and the fantastic Veteran candidates running in Southern Arizona this cycle.

Join us for a fun evening of joining forces to take back our nation.

FREE Happy HourDATE: April 15th, 2026TIME: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PMLOCATION: Brother John’s Beer Bourbon & BBQ, 1801 N Stone Ave, Tucson, AZ 85705

Want to get involved in your local political scene? Spend time with a wonderful group of fellow Democrats? Enjoy some good food? Join us at Brother John’s Beer, Bourbon & BBQ’s Bourbon Lounge for drinks and great conversation, and make some new friends!

Come have a conversation you won’t have anywhere else, and feel free to bring a plus one! We can’t wait to see you there!

VetsForward (VetsFWD) is an organization driven by veterans dedicated to defending democracy through grassroots advocacy. Leveraging our unique perspective, we advocate for issues that matter to veterans, including common-sense gun safety laws, clean energy, voting rights, equitable care at the VA, reproductive rights, and criminal justice reforms.

Carolyn’s note: Brother John’s is one of the Dine Out for Safety restaurants, so please tell the waiter so SACASA will get the funds. Thx.https://dineoutforsafety.funraise.org/page/participating-restaurants

The Power of the Crowd: Understanding the Impact of Modern Protests
2026-04-15 18:00 - 19:30
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Donating During a Fascist Crisis
2026-04-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Martha Cooper library, 1277 N. Catalina Avenue, Tucson, Arizona, 85712
This session is a practical presentation about how to give money strategically in the current crisis of democracy.

We’ll talk about the unusual and urgent nature of this moment, and how both charitable giving and political giving may need to change in response. We’ll consider what kinds of organizations are most likely to make a real difference right now, and how different giving strategies make sense for people in different financial situations.

The focus is on how financial support for the resistance can be a powerful complement to—and a source of capacity behind—voting drives, court challenges, constituent lobbying, mutual aid, street protests, and other forms of action.

Register on Mobilize: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/933367/

"American Fiction" film screening by Tucson Black Film Club
2026-04-18 11:00 - 16:00 | Dunbar Pavilion, 325 W. 2nd Street, Tucson, AZ, 85705, United States

Earth Day Community Sing
2026-04-19 14:30 - 16:00 | Pima Friends Meeting House, 931 N. 5th Avenue, Tucson, Arizona, 85706
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

“Dear Friend,

Earth Day is coming round again in April. To remind us of our place among all life on this spinning world.

Let us resurrect that connection in song! Spread the word?”

Ted

Renew Tucson Summit
2026-04-23 09:00 - 2026-04-24 13:00 | PCC Downtown, 1255 N. Stone Ave., Tucson, Arizona, 85701
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Renew TucsonInvesting in People, Infrastructure, and Well-Being

“A Summit for Thinkers, Doers, and Citizen ActivistsPresented by Sustainable TucsonThursday, April 23, 9 am to 5 pm Friday, April 24, 9 am to 1 pmAt the Azurite conference hall, Pima Community College (PCC) downtownSponsored by PCC’s Division of Applied TechnologyMark your calendar for a mind-opening gathering to learn about, discuss, and plan for innovative approaches to invest in both people and infrastructure. Founding concept: increasing our local economy’s energy and resource productivity can enable more jobs – at living wage and better – while building a more robust economy and reducing the strain on our local ecology. Speakers and facilitators will include nationally-known resource and energy economists, plus local leaders adopting creative and collaborative solutions to serve generations to come.The Summit will explore community priorities, government agencies’ resources, and local business/industry capabilities to identify specific infrastructure projects, policies, and programs that we can fund and implement together.Federal support is uncertain; State and City budgets are tight. But Tucson can invest in itself – creating local jobs, reducing household costs, and building the infrastructure that makes us more resilient. We’re deepening connections among community, government, and local industry to promote investments that upgrade and build sustainable infrastructure, which in turn will create jobs, cut costs, and both deepen and keep investment in Tucson.Registration opens this week. See our website: https://www.renewtucson.org/.”When community priorities align with government capacityand funding availability, things actually happen

Donating During a Fascist Crisis
2026-04-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Dusenberry-River public library, 5605 E. River Rd., Tucson, Arizona, 85750
This session is a practical presentation about how to give money strategically in the current crisis of democracy.

We’ll talk about the unusual and urgent nature of this moment, and how both charitable giving and political giving may need to change in response. We’ll consider what kinds of organizations are most likely to make a real difference right now, and how different giving strategies make sense for people in different financial situations.

The focus is on how financial support for the resistance can be a powerful complement to—and a source of capacity behind—voting drives, court challenges, constituent lobbying, mutual aid, street protests, and other forms of action.

Register on Mobilize: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/932702/

National Crime Victims' Week Candlelight Vigil
2026-04-25 17:30 - 19:00 | Children’s Memorial Park, 4876 N.15th Place, Tucson, Arizona, 85704
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Save the Date: Saturday, April 25th

“Join us for a candlelight vigil in honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Together, we illuminate our commitment to healing and remembrance. More details to follow.”

Activist author Cherrie Moraga at PCC luncheon
2026-04-30 11:30 - 13:30 | Tucson Marriott University Park Hotel, 880 E. 2nd St., Tucson, AZ, 85719
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

UPDATE: New speaker at this luncheon, no longer Dolores Huerta.

Thursday, April 30, 2026

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

University Park Marriott

Tucson, Arizona

REGISTER HERE

Dear Friends/Amistades of PCC’s Ethnic, Gender, Transborder Studies & Sociology (EGTSS) Dept.,

“Due to recent, nationally publicized events, we have had a change of keynote speakers for the Raquel Rubio Goldsmith Lecture/Scholarship Fundraiser Luncheon. We are excited and proud to announce our new speaker is literary icon, Cherríe Moraga.

Cherríe Moraga is a highly acclaimed and internationally known Chicana/Mexican American feminist lesbian writer, poet, essayist, playwright, and cultural activist. She broke onto the national writing scene in 1981 with the landmark text, This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color, co-edited with another famed Chicana writer, Gloria Anzaldúa. The text was adopted quickly onto reading lists of Ethnic and Gender Studies programs at universities and colleges across the country and has entered the canon. Her work is also widely used in English, Writing, Theater, and Humanities programs. She has published numerous books and collections, for which she has won many prestigious awards (please see bios, below), all of which makes her one of the most influential Chicana thinkers and cultural workers today. Throughout her work, Cherríe Moraga thinks critically about how race/ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality intersect and interact with each other to critique systems of oppression and to advocate for social justice, el mero mole of the EGTSS Department and our courses. By accepting our invitation, we are deeply honored by her solidarity toward our students, our community, and Dolores Huerta. We look forward to collectively welcoming Cherríe to our College and our city.

Bios

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/cherrie-moraga

Cherríe Moraga

Registration is required to attend. Contribute to student success, become a co-sponsor!

Thank you to our Co-Sponsors for their continued support!!!

Chris & Pat Rubio Goldsmith

Office of the Vice President, Desert Vista Campus, PCC

Francisca James Hernández, Ph.D. | she/ella

Head, Dept. of Ethnic, Gender & Transborder Studies/Sociology (EGTSS)

Faculty, Anthropology & Mexican American Studies

Downtown Campus, Pima Community College

Donate to student scholarships at: pimafoundation.org/EGTS

“¡Sí, se puede!”

Research Associate, Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW), University of AZ

sirow.arizona.edu/people/francisca-james-hernandez

Co-editor, Chicana Studies: An Introduction (www.kendallhunt.com/solorzano)

Individual tickets are $125, student tickets $75.

LD 17 Come to our Cabaret
2026-04-30 17:30 - 20:00 | Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E. Speedway Blvd,, Tucson, 85712
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

LD17 Cabaret

“Join LD17 Democrats for our annual Cabaret, a lively celebration of music and comedy featuring local legends David Fitzsimmons and Cat Ripley. The show takes place Thursday, April 30, 2026 at Unscrewed Theater, with doors opening at 5:30 PM. Enjoy an unforgettable evening of entertainment while supporting LD17’s work in our community. Tickets are $75.”

https://www.ld17azdemocrats.org/cabaret?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ2VwJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFmQ3BKQTBqNkRRVFNwSzBZc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhCc1ubH–7AhR_ZUr0bPVlOXLAsECb4Dvayk6gPmKGq6TacGRGeZYQ8-rHh_aem_F7us853JVgEduzo9DDuAnw

Gabby Giffords Gala
2026-05-08 19:00 - 21:00
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Don’t miss out on this incredible event! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/gg-gala-2026

Carolyn’s Note: Gabby was 5 year congresswoman in CD8, survived Tucson mass shooting on Jan. 8, 2011. Her husband Astronaut Captain Mark Kelly was elected US Senator in Nov. 2020, re-elected Nov. 2022.

Secular AZ talk - "Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right"
2026-05-15 12:00 - 13:00
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Dr. Laura Field: Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right

May 15 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pmWebinar

“Please join us on May 15 at noon (AZT) as we welcome Dr. Laura Field to discuss her new book Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right.

Register for this virtual presentation

Donald Trump is not a big thinker, but his 2016 presidential victory presented a grand opportunity for people who are, and it set off a radicalization and reconfiguration of the American conservative intellectual world. In Furious Minds, Laura Field chronicles the rise of the New Right—the network of academics, public intellectuals, and influencers who provide ideological fuel to Trumpism, and to Vice President JD Vance. Perhaps above all else, the MAGA New Right is engaged in a vast culture war against modern liberal pluralism. Field will discuss what inspired her to write the book and provide an overview of the ideological radicalization that is shaping contemporary politics in American and around the world.

Laura K. Field is an associate with the Illiberalism Studies Program at George Washington University, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, and visiting scholar in residence at American University. A political theorist by training, she holds a PhD in government from the University of Texas at Austin, and has held faculty positions at Rhodes College in Memphis, Georgetown University, and American University in Washington, DC. In addition to her academic work she has written for The New Republic, Politico, The Bulwark, Le Monde, The New York Times and The Atlantic. Her book Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right is now out with Princeton University Press. She lives in Washington, DC. “

14th Annual PCDP Udall dinner
2026-05-30 17:00 - 21:00 | Desert Diamond Casino, 7350 S. Nogales Hwy, Tucson, Arizona, 85756
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Udall Dinner 2026

Save the date!

“The Pima County Democratic Party’s 14th annual Udall Dinner will take place on the evening of Saturday May 30th.

Reserve your table or ticket now.

Guest Speakers, Award Winners & Master of Ceremonies to be announced!

General questions: director@pimadems.org

We will of course accept a check made out to: Pima County Democratic Party for “Udall 2026”.

Mail Checks to 2302 E Speedway Blvd. Suite 106. Tucson, AZ 85719.”

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/udall2026

"Rustin" film showing for Juneteenth
2026-06-20 11:00 - 16:00 | Dunbar Pavilion, 325 W. 2nd Street, Tucson, AZ, 85705, United States

Tucson Juneteenth celebration 2026
2026-06-20 18:00 - 22:00 | Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way, Tucson, Arizona, 85713
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

“Tucson, we’re calling in the helpers, the do-ers, the legacy builders.

The Tucson Juneteenth Festival is growing, blooming, and stepping into a new season — and we can’t do it without community hands guiding the way.

If your spirit pulls you toward service… if you believe in honoring our history while shaping tomorrow… if you’re ready to be part of something bigger than yourself…

we want you on the team.

We’re recruiting volunteers across every committee — from education to logistics, entertainment to fundraising, vendors to social media. Whether you love teaching, organizing, uplifting artists, welcoming guests, or just making sure things run smooth, there’s a place for you.

Your time becomes tradition. Your service becomes legacy.

Join us, and let’s build the 2025 Festival together.

To sign up or learn more, drop a comment or message us directly.

The gates are open, fam — come be part of the movement.

email info@tucsonjune19.org or go to:

https://forms.gle/TqMy3T87DtNmakdd8 to sign up.”

Arizona Primary election
2026-07-21 06:00 - 19:00
by Carolyn Classen, blogger

Up for election this year 2026 are 9 Az Congressional seats (2 year terms);

Arizona state offices, including 2 on Az Corporation Commission (Kevin Thompson, Nick Myers);

All Arizona Senate (30) and House (60) legislative offices (for 2 year terms);

One seat (District 5) on Pima County Bd. of Supervisors (Andres Cano appointed for remainder of a term);

some School districts including two on TUSD Governing Board (Jennifer Eckstrom & Val Romero);

Early ballots go out on June 24, 2026. Stay tuned for primary candidate info for Dem and Republican parties.

https://azsos.gov/elections/calendar-dates
