California Humanities

06/01/2026

📖 One book. Three states. Hundreds of libraries. Thousands of readers.

This weekend marked the culmination of One Book, One Coast, a regional reading initiative that brought together libraries, cultural organizations, and readers across California, Oregon, and Washington through a shared reading of They Called Us Enemy by George Takei.

The celebration featured a special conversation with George Takei and remarks from Skye Patrick.

California Humanities was proud to support a program that demonstrates the power of stories to connect people, spark dialogue, and build community across the West Coast.

Thank you to everyone who read, reflected, and participated in this year’s One Book, One Coast. 💙

05/29/2026

🎉 Congratulations to the newest recipients of Connecting California funding!

Across California, organizations are creating opportunities for people to connect through stories, culture, history, and community conversations. We are proud to support these inspiring projects and the communities they serve.

As we celebrate our newest awardees, we’re also excited to announce that Round 3 of Connecting California is now open.

If your organization has an idea that brings Californians together through the humanities, we encourage you to apply.

📅 Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through July 13, 2027.

Explore the opportunity and learn more at California Humanities.

05/27/2026

We’re proud to share that our President & CEO, Rick Noguchi, will join national leaders for the Opening Keynote Conversation at the upcoming virtual summit convened by the American Association for State and Local History on Wednesday, May 27, from 9:30–10:30 a.m. PT.

Facilitated by Jamie Bosket, the conversation will explore how historical organizations and cultural institutions can help strengthen democratic practice through storytelling, public engagement, and the humanities.

Also joining the keynote:
• Natalia Crujeiras

In America’s 250th anniversary year, the two-day summit will explore how history organizations can help strengthen civic participation, bridge divides, and address contemporary challenges through public history and community engagement.

05/24/2026

This conversation stayed with our director of marketing and communications, Shonda Moore, long after the microphones turned off.

While working on Episode 4 of Reclaiming Our Stories: Voices of Indigenous Peoples of California, she found herself reflecting deeply on the histories many of us were never taught, the impact of colonization and enslavement, and the resilience carried by communities who survived both.

As a Black woman, Cindy Alvitre’s reflections on Olvera Street, memory, and what she describes as “unresolved intergenerational grief” struck something deeply personal in Shonda.

And yet, even in speaking truth about painful history, there is still power, wisdom, survival, and joy.

That is where this conversation lives.

Episode 4, “This City is on Native Land,” drops Tuesday, May 26. You can listen to Reclaiming Our Stories wherever you get your podcasts.

We’ll also drop the direct episode link and the invitation flyer for our FREE live recording of Episode 6 at the Autry Museum of the American West on June 27 in the comments.

05/14/2026

Stories connect us. Culture grounds us. Public humanities programs help communities across California learn, reflect, and engage with one another.

For 51 years, California Humanities has invested in the people and organizations doing this important work statewide.

Now, we need your help.

California Humanities is urging supporters to contact their Assemblymember and State Senator in support of Senator Ben Allen’s $6 million funding request to help sustain humanities programming across California during ongoing federal funding uncertainty.

Take action today and help protect the stories, cultures, and community programs that matter to Californians.

Find your representatives:
findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov

05/12/2026

Episode 2 is here.

“Whose 250 Years?” brings together Georgiana Sanchez (Chumash, O’odham) and Judge Abby Abinanti (Yurok) in a powerful, deeply alive conversation with Story Weaver Victorio L. Shaw.

This episode moves through truth-telling, Indigenous governance, survival, memory, laughter, contradiction, and the enduring strength of Native communities across California.

These conversations are living knowledge.
And they continue.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

https://youtu.be/qdfrE7HRIL4



Acknowledgements

Reclaiming Our Stories: Voices of Indigenous Peoples of California is made possible with support from The 11th Hour Project and Weingart Foundation.

Reclaiming Our Stories is a part of By the People: Conversations Beyond 250. By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

“Whose 250 Years?” brings together Georgiana Sanchez (Chumash, O’odham) and Judge Abby Abinanti (Yurok) in a powerful, deeply alive conversation with Story W...

05/11/2026

✨ Connecting California Grants are now open!

California Humanities is proud to support publicly accessible projects that bring people together across difference and foster shared understanding, connection, and civic participation.

We’re looking for community-centered programs that help Californians engage with one another through storytelling, dialogue, culture, history, and the humanities.

Eligible applicants include nonprofits, libraries, schools, tribal governments, public agencies, and fiscally sponsored organizations across California.

Apply now and help strengthen connection in communities across our state.

🔗 Visithttps://calhum.org/connecting-california-quick-grants/ to learn more and apply.

Program Purpose Connecting California supports publicly accessible activities and events that strengthen social connection and cohesion across California’s diverse communities. Funded projects help foster understanding, empathy, and trust by creating […]