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Join Earthwise Aware for a fascinating walk as we explore how land use and climate change shape the future of urban green spaces. The loss of biodiversity and the impacts of climate change are pressing challenges, but small actions can lead to big change. Discover how you can make a difference by helping to protect urban ecosystems. Learn to observe and document the incredible interactions between plants, animals, and their habitats while contributing to EwA’s community-driven ecology science projects. Together, we can create a brighter future for urban nature! Meet in Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.

What do you get when you mix honey, vinegar, ginger, horseradish, and whatever else hot and spicy you find in the back of your fridge? A powerful and delicious fire cider that can help our immune system kick out colds, flus and more. In this class, we will discuss the ingredients in fire cider, different recipes for different conditions, and when and how to use them (salad dressings! mocktails!). Mo Katz-Christy (they/them) is a queer Ashkenazi Jewish herbalist born and raised in Cambridge, MA on unceded Massachusett land. They approach herbalism by connecting folks to the knowledge they already have about their body and herbs through working with kitchen medicine, ancestral traditions, and mulberries falling on the sidewalk! Mo graduated from a three-year clinical herbalism program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism in 2022. They work one-on-one with clients to address the root imbalances that are causing dysregulation and to promote long-term healing, focusing on gut health. You can find out more about their work at mokatzchristy.com.

What’s all this fuss about fermented foods? Why are fermented foods essential for gut health, and why are they so expensive? In this class, Mo Katz-Christy will walk you through how to use any old vegetables to make delicious and nutritious fermented foods that replenish the microbiome, regulate our immune system, and more! Leave with a jar of kraut that you can share with your household. Mo Katz-Christy (they/them) is a queer Ashkenazi Jewish herbalist born and raised in Cambridge, MA on unceded Massachusett land. They approach herbalism by connecting folks to the knowledge they already have about their body and herbs through working with kitchen medicine, ancestral traditions, and mulberries falling on the sidewalk! Mo graduated from a three-year clinical herbalism program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism in 2022. They work one-on-one with clients to address the root imbalances that are causing dysregulation and to promote long-term healing, focusing on gut health. You can find out more about their work at mokatzchristy.com.

What's all this fuss about fermented foods? Why are fermented foods essential for gut health, and why are they so expensive? Join clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy to learn how to use any old vegetables to make delicious and nutritious fermented foods that replenish the microbiome, regulate our immune system, and more! Leave with a jar of kraut that you can share with your household. Mo Katz-Christy (they/them) is a queer Ashkenazi Jewish clinical herbalist and educator in Boston, MA on unceded Massachusett land. They approach herbalism by connecting folks to the knowledge they already have about their body and herbs through working with kitchen medicine, ancestral traditions, and mulberries falling on the sidewalk! Mo teaches herb classes and programs at over 40 different sites in New England. They work one-on-one with clients, in Somerville and virtually, to address the root imbalances that are causing dysregulation and to promote long-term healing, focusing on gut health. You can find out more about their work at mokatzchristy.com. Registration is required. Registration opens Thursday, February 5th.

Celebrate AAPI voices through a poetry open mic & feature! Poets of Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage are invited to share their work and/or recite a cover poem. All adults are welcome to attend. Interested poets can sign up for a 3-5 minute timeslot in the open mic by filling out this form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/g/dszDWm1h2R Following the open mic, we will be featuring Cambridge-based poet Aparna Paul. Aparna Paul (she/her) is a writer, chemical engineer, banana bread enthusiast, & amateur crossword constructor based in Cambridge, MA. Her poetry & prose has been recognized by Reckoning, DMQ Review, & Gaining Ground, among others. She edited the anthology Reflections of The Land (Literary Cleveland, 2022) and is a co-editor of GOOD SOUP, now on hiatus (@goodsoup.mag on insta!). She performs regularly, hosts occasionally, and slams sometimes at the Boston Poetry Slam at the Cantab Lounge. HOME FREE (Game Over Books, 2025) is her debut full-length poetry collection. Books will be available for purchase. Coffee will be provided.

Join Earthwise Aware for a thought-provoking workshop examining how land use and climate change influence the design, function, and future of urban green spaces. Starting at the library’s front lawn, we will explore how conventional designs can undermine biodiversity and tree health. What makes a space truly nature-friendly? Can a lawn, sidewalk, or plaza be transformed into habitat? We will compare low-functioning green spaces with examples of micro-forests, native plantings, and meadows. Along the way, we will observe seasonal changes in plants and wildlife through the lens of phenology, the study of nature’s calendar. We will also introduce simple participatory science tools that help monitor habitat quality, foster community engagement, and inform better decisions. Even a modest native plant patch can be a pocket of resilience. Come learn how to spot, support, and reimagine urban nature that works with the ecosystem, not just mimics it. The program will start with a workshop in the Rossi Room, then move outside to Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required.

Join Earthwise Aware (EwA) for an interactive walk to observe, document, and take part in shaping urban spaces that work with nature. Together, we will explore how design choices and climate pressures shape the ecological value of our everyday green spaces, and document habitat conditions using simple citizen science tools. Starting at the library lawn, we will examine spaces that appear green but often function poorly. Manicured lawns and sparse tree plantings may look inviting, yet they frequently support little biodiversity and can limit soil health and resilience. What makes a space truly nature-friendly? We will record what is present, what is missing, and what that tells us about ecological function. During the walk, we will: Observe and document plant communities and habitat quality Identify signs of low and high ecological function Compare conventional landscapes with more resilient plantings such as native beds or meadow patches Contribute real data that supports local ecological understanding and decision making This is participatory science in practice. Your observations will feed into broader efforts to track urban biodiversity and inform better land use choices. The program will meet outside the library in Joan Lorentz Park. Registration required. Rain date: Wednesday May 6

A Force for Good is the biography of the remarkable life of Gisela Warburg Wyzanski. Unlike many wealthy German Jews, Gisela chose to remain in Europe to combat the horrors wrought by Hitler and the Nazis. From both Europe and the United States, she worked tirelessly to bring war-torn European children to a new life in the land now known as Israel. In 1943, Gisela married Federal Judge Charles E. Wyzanski and the couple settled in Cambridge where they raised their family and where Gisela continued her activism. A Force for Good evolved from the discovery of a treasure-trove of letters and documents carefully preserved by Gisela herself and recently discovered by her daughter, Anita Wyzanski Robboy, the book’s author. Anita Wyzanski Robboy is a noted author and lawyer. She is a partner in the Boston law firm, Prince Lobel & Tye, LLC, and is currently a Visiting Scholar/Research Associate at Brandeis University. She authored Aftermarriage: the Myth of Divorce, Lewis Hayden: From Fugitive Slave to Free Mason, and numerous articles in legal publications. She is the daughter of Gisela Warburg Wyzanski and Judge Charles E. Wyzanski.

Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Pizza will be provided. For ages 7-10 and a parent or caregiver. This month's book is Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Odder and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a heartfelt story about a girl who risks everything to help a handmade creature who comes to life. Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as "screechers." When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend, Connor, she's determined to speak up for the animals she loves, and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears. A timely and timeless tale about our fragile earth, and one girl's fierce determination to make a difference. Both caregiver and child should read the book before the discussion to participate. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family. For a copy of the book, stop by the Children’s Room after you've registered. If we run out of books at the desk, you can place a hold on the book by clicking on the book title in the paragraph above. For questions about parent/child book group, please email Meagan: malbright@cambridgema.gov

Join us for a lively discussion of a great book in person at the Main Library! Snacks will be provided. For ages 7-10 and a parent or caregiver. This month's book is Willodeen by Katherine Applegate. From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Odder and The One and Only Ivan, Katherine Applegate, a heartfelt story about a girl who risks everything to help a handmade creature who comes to life. Eleven-year-old Willodeen adores creatures of all kinds, but her favorites are the most unlovable beasts in the land: strange beasts known as "screechers." When a handmade birthday gift brings unexpected magic to Willodeen and her new friend, Connor, she's determined to speak up for the animals she loves, and perhaps even uncover the answer to the mystery of the missing hummingbears. A timely and timeless tale about our fragile earth, and one girl's fierce determination to make a difference. Both caregiver and child should read the book before the discussion to participate. Registration is required — only one registration is needed per family. For a copy of the book, stop by the Children’s Room after you've registered. If we run out of books at the desk, you can place a hold on the book by clicking on the book title in the paragraph above. For questions about parent/child book group, please email Meagan: malbright@cambridgema.gov