California Humanities

10/07/2026

What does everyday courage look like?

This November, join us in Los Angeles for an evening with legendary playwright and filmmaker Luis Valdez, founder of El Teatro Campesino, as we explore courage through the stories we tell and the histories we carry forward.

✨ We’ll also honor Ann Burroughs, President and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum, with the Spirit of the Humanities Award for Courageous Leadership, and State Senator Ben Allen with the Spirit of the Humanities Award for Legislative Champion.

🎬 Plus, experience a special screening of the trailer for American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.

📅 November 10 | 5:30–7:45 PM
📍 Los Angeles Central Library

Seats are limited. Register today through the link in our bio.

10/02/2026

Come see us at the Great Valley Gathering at Courthouse Park in Fresno, October 2-4, 2026! This free, three-day festival is part of the Smithsonian’s nationwide “Of the People” initiative for America’s 250th anniversary — and I’m honored to be part of it alongside so many incredible Central Valley culture bearers and artists.
Join me in celebrating the culture, food, and community that make this place home.
📍 Courthouse Park, Fresno | 🗓️ Oct 2-4, 2026 | Free & open to the public
gathering.actaonline.org

09/28/2026

The California Documentary Project is making news! 🎬

Public News Service takes a closer look at the return of CDP and how support for documentary storytelling helps bring California’s histories, cultures, communities, and experiences to audiences.

The story features California Humanities President & CEO Rick Noguchi and filmmakers Mitchell Johnson and Daniel Golding, co-directors and producers of Coming Home: From Shadowlands to Spirit World, who share what this support can make possible for documentary storytellers.

📖 Read the story: California Humanities Launches 2026 Documentary Grant Program⁠/https://app.publicnewsservice.org/story/california-humanities-launches-2026-documentary-grant-program-1/4a3bb9d2-0689-4c37-8b96-b6eb9704f029

📅 Letters of Intent are due October 14 at 5 PM PT.

Public News Service American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez

California is a land rich in culture and history and now, documentarians looking to tell the state’s stories can reach new audiences.The California Documentary Project from the nonprofit California Humanities

09/21/2026

What does it mean for museums to serve as civic spaces in this moment?

It’s a question worth sitting with.

This week, California Humanities CEO Rick Noguichi will moderate a conversation at the Western Museums Association Annual Meeting about the role museums can play in protecting cultural memory, nurturing public trust, and creating space for dialogue across difference.

He’ll be joined by Ann Burroughs of the Japanese American National Museum, Lori Fogarty of the Oakland Museum of California, and Edward Tepporn of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation.

We’re especially glad to share this conversation with Ann, who will join us again in November as a Spirit of the Humanities Award honoree at California Humanities’ Everyday Courage. ❤️

If you’re attending , we hope you’ll join the conversation.

📅 Thursday, September 24 | 2–3:15 pm
📍 Alpine West

Learn more at the link in our bio.

09/14/2026

🎬 Applications are OPEN for the California Documentary Project!

Have a documentary story that can deepen our understanding of California?

The California Documentary Project supports film, audio, and digital media projects exploring the histories, cultures, communities, ideas, and experiences that shape our state.

✨ R&D Grants: Up to $15,000
✨ Production Grants: Up to $50,000

📅 Letter of Intent due Wednesday, October 14 at 5 PM PT

Learn more about the grants, eligibility, and how to apply at the link in bio.

09/10/2026

Join us for a special Indigenous Peoples Day conversation.

On October 13, California Humanities invites you to continue the conversation sparked by Reclaiming Our Stories, Voices of Indigenous Peoples of California.

Together, we’ll explore Indigenous histories, lived experiences, cultural continuity, sovereignty, and the futures Native communities are shaping across California.

📅 Tuesday, October 13, 2026
⏰ 5:30 to 7:00 PM PT
💻 Virtual

Register today through the link in our bio.

And before the conversation, listen to Reclaiming Our Stories wherever you get your podcasts.

09/10/2026

What does humanities impact look like in Orange County?

California Humanities recently met with Senator Steven Choi, representing California’s 37th Senate District, to talk about the role the humanities play in strengthening communities and creating opportunities for Californians to connect, learn, and engage with one another.

One example: Woven Wave, supported through our new Connecting California grant program. Presented at the Doheny Surf & Art Festival in June, the participatory project invited community members to weave a sculptural wave and reflect on what Doheny means to them.

As Scott Sherman of the Doheny State Beach Foundation shared, “…People come together to weave and reflect on what Doheny means to them, which fosters empathy, curiosity, and pride in shared coastal identity—bridging differences through creativity, play, and place-based reflection.”

This is the humanities in action—connecting people, place, and community.

08/20/2026

Reclaiming Our Stories: Reflecting on the Land is now open at the California Museum! 🌿

Experience the stories, perspectives, and connections to land shared by California Native peoples through this traveling exhibition—on view through October 4.

📍 California Museum, Sacramento
🎧 And keep the experience going: listen to the Reclaiming Our Stories: Voices of Indigenous Peoples of California podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

See the exhibit. Hear the stories. Reflect on the land.

06/28/2026

✨ Thank you for joining us for Futures of Sovereignty, our live recording of Reclaiming Our Stories: Voices of Indigenous Peoples of California.

Together, we gathered in community to listen deeply, honor Indigenous knowledge, and reflect on our collective responsibilities to future generations. We are deeply grateful to our host, guests, cultural performers, and every person who shared this space with us.

From the Land Welcome and traditional song offerings to powerful conversations on sovereignty, storytelling, and Indigenous futures, this evening reminded us that our stories are living pathways to understanding, connection, and change.

Thank you for helping us reclaim stories and imagine a more just and inclusive future for California. 💛