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COMMUNITY EVENTS ARCHIVE
Maya Lê
Sun-Kissed
Gouache on canvas
Community events are ephemeral by nature. This archive preserves the labor and organizing of San Diego's richly diverse refugee communities, reflecting their presence and contributions and ensuring they remain part of the historical record.
This is a new initiative. If you've organized an event or have heard about something relevant, help us populate this page by submitting relevant events, past or upcoming.
Sep 19, 2026, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PMMira Mesa Library, 8405 New Salem St, San Diego, CA 92126, USAThe Bilingual Development in Context Lab invites you to the upcoming book launch at the Mira Mesa Library.
Sep 23, 2026, 6:00 PM – Sep 25, 2026, 6:00 PMHouse of Pacific Relations - Hall of Nat, 2191 Pan American W Rd, San Diego, CA 92101, USAJoin House of Palestine and the world-renowned El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe for an extraordinary week of music, dance, and cultural exchange in San Diego.
Sep 13, 2026, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PMThe Feminist Bookstore, 930 W Washington St #10, San Diego, CA 92103, USAFeature: Mai-Linh Hong is a Vietnamese American poet and literary scholar writing from the afterlife of refugee migration. Her debut poetry collection, Continental Drift, won the 2025 Trio Award and was published by Trio House Press in July 2026.
Sep 02, 2026, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMMesa Art Gallery, Fine Arts Building, 7250 Mesa College Dr Rm FA-103, San Diego, CA 92111, USAReception for Thao Huynh French's debut exhibit featuring paintings, interactive installations, and archival materials exploring her Asian American heritage and experience as a refugee. Exhibit on view Aug 24–Sept 17, 2026.
Jul 21, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMMajdal: Arab Community Center of San Die, 329 E Main St, El Cajon, CA 92020, USAJoin the Palestinian Feminist Collective and Palestinian Youth Movement for a panel and community discussion on a new groundbreaking 200-page report, published by the Palestinian Feminist Collective with the support of Progressive International.
Jun 20, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PMGlobal Marketplace, 5591 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105, USAA community celebration featuring small business vendors, cultural performances, cooking classes, gardening and art activities, food and more!
May 21, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PMUniversity of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USADr. Dilșa Deniz (Ph.D., Social Cultural Anthropology, Yeditepe University, Turkey) will discuss her recent book Shâmaran: The Neolithic Eternal Mother, Love and the Kurds in conversation with Hamoun Dolatshahi (MFA, UCLA), award winning Kurdish-Iranian filmmaker.
May 19, 2026, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PMLindbergh Park, 4141 Ashford St, San Diego, CA 92111, USAFor the victims and families of the Islamic Center of San Diego shooting.- May 19, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PMUniversity of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USADr. Dilșa Deniz (UCSD Scholar at Risk in Residence 2019-2020) will discuss her experiences as a Kurdish feminist scholar and activist.
May 14, 2026, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PMUniversity of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USAJoin us for a screening of JIN (2026), followed by a discussion with director Hamoun Dolatshahi (filmmaker and UC San Diego alum)
Apr 30, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PMCity Heights, City Heights, San Diego, CA, USAJoin Viet Voices and a panel of local community members as they connect past to present and discuss what a healed future looks like.
Apr 18, 2026, 9:00 PM – Apr 20, 2026, 5:30 PMWat Lao Buddharam Temple, 726 44th St, San Diego, CA 92102, USA✨💦 Celebrate Pi Mai Lao 2026 with the Lao Buddhist community in San Diego! 💦✨
Jan 31, 2026, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PMMajdal Community Center, 329 E Main St, El Cajon, CA 92020, USALetters From a Future is an art project with the Majdal Arab Community Center of San Diego and the AjA project.
Jan 24, 2026, 7:00 PM – 7:05 PMEmbarcadero Marina Park South, 200 Marina Park Way, San Diego, CA 92101, USAJoin the Palestine Children's Relief Fund for their annual Move for Palestine 5K! Run, walk, or jog to support children in Gaza and across Palestine.
Jan 23, 2026, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PMSan Diego, 1100 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101, USAA powerful portrait of courage and humanity based on real call recordings of five-year-old Hind Rajab to the Palestine Red Crescent during the bombing in Gaza.
Jan 17, 2026, 7:00 PM – 11:00 PMSan Diego, 5319 Orange Ave, San Diego, CA 92115, USAPlease join us to celebrate the new beginning and to wish everyone's safety and good health in 2026, together as a community.
Jan 11, 2026, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PMBramble Bay Venue, 536 13th St #1, Imperial Beach, CA 91932, USAFeaturing live music, local vendors, live food-making demonstrations, and more, this event provides a sacred space for cultural connection and preservation.
Dec 13, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMBread & Salt, 1955 Julian Ave, San Diego, CA 92113, USAHistorian Kelly Lytle Hernández and filmmaker Alex Rivera come together for a live conversation, film preview, and community gathering exploring the history and future of U.S. deportation.
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