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For four decades, Johnisha Matthews Levi believed a conventional story about her birth, picturing her happy parents at the hospital together. While sorting through her late mother's belongings, however, she discovered a document indicating that her father was instead serving time in Lorton Correctional Complex. This revelation, along with rumors about an FBI investigation of her deceased parents' "private business," leads Levi to unearth the hidden history of her family. She ties this story to public policy, demonstrating how state lottery legalization and the War on Drugs disrupted the Black institutions and communities in Washington, DC. Registration is required.

Join clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy for a walk around the Alewife Reservation to learn about the medicine, botany and magic of medicinal herbs. We will discuss medicinal plants in Cambridge and their specific indications and properties. Bring a notebook as we delight in the bounty of our neighborhood! Registration is required. We will meet at the seating area on the bike path near the Alewife Brook Pathway and DCR Wetland Boardwalk: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CC32nJqG1Xk3b5zDA. It is a 6 minute walk from Alewife MBTA station, accessible by bus or by the Red Line. There is no parking available on-site. Parking is available at Alewife MBTA station, the Alewife Reservation lot on Acorn Drive or limited on-street parking on Cambridgepark Drive.

Join the Cambridge Public Library in welcoming Philip Taubman, former Washington Bureau Chief of The New York Times and Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Taubman for a discussion of their latest book, McNamara at War, a captivating and authoritative psychological portrait of Robert S. McNamara. Informed by newly discovered diaries, letters, and interviews with those closest to him, the authors uncover an emotionally tortured man—a man who mastered everything in life, until the Vietnam War mastered him. The discussion will be moderated by Fredrik Logevall, the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School and the author of JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century.

This engaging and educational program is led by master fitness trainer, author, and motivational speaker Shaun Zetlin. Designed for teens and adults of all fitness levels, this session explores how to build strength, improve balance, and move with greater confidence in everyday life. Through clear instruction and gentle, accessible demonstrations, participants will learn how simple movement patterns can enhance stability, coordination, and independence over time. Shaun also highlights the connection between physical confidence and emotional well-being, offering practical tools to help individuals feel more secure, capable, and empowered in their daily lives. All exercises are adaptable, with options performed seated or standing, making the program inclusive and approachable for a wide range of abilities. Registration is preferred not required.

Join us at Donnelly Field (behind the Valente Library) for a joyful celebration with musician and educator Otha Day! A Drum Circle is a highly interactive group of people who play drums and percussion instruments together to create in-the-moment music. Through the experience of rhythm and sound we experience what it means to beat as one heart: we become a vibrant community. This drum circle will include playful and accessible rhythm activities, games, traditional ensemble pieces, songs and most importantly, improvisation. No experience necessary; all ages can participate. No registration is required. In the event of rain, this program will move indoors to the Community Room of the Valente Branch. Funding for Vacation Week Programming: Live at the Library has been generously provided by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.

Cambridge’s Percent-for-Art ordinance, established in 1979, has led to the city housing the largest municipal collection of contemporary public art in the region, along with the responsibility of maintaining it. The 2024 exhibition Rust Happen(s): Caring for the Public Art Collection showcased the challenges of preserving outdoor artworks, from rust and graffiti to storm damage, and highlighted the meticulous work of Cambridge Arts’ conservation team. Through stories of restored sculptures and murals, the exhibit underscored the science behind art conservation and encouraged community engagement in protecting public art.

The City of Cambridge Department of Veterans Services will host a Veterans Day Observance event on Saturday, November 11, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., at Cambridge Common. A Veterans Appreciation Week will be held November 13-17, at the Veterans' Life and Recreation Center, 51 Inman Street, 2nd floor, Cambridge. events will provide an opportunity for veterans and their loved ones to gather and participate in health, wellness, and other fun and interactive activities. Free food and refreshments will also be available each day from 12-4 p.m.

Cambridge Police Department (CPD) launched a co-response program that places a clinician in a cruiser with a police officer to respond to mental health calls. Beginning in August 2024, Officer Qaiss Farazi, aka “Q”, and Co-Response Clinician Bonnie Magee, an employee from North Suffolk Community Services, began responding to mental health calls across the city. The two main goals of co-response are to reduce arrests related to mental health calls and to reduce unnecessary trips to the ER for mental health calls that can potentially be resolved on scene.

As part of our Black History Month celebration, the Peace Commission invites you to Step Into the World of Gospel Music through a special concert featuring the Millennium Gospel Choir, presented in partnership with the Cambridge Public Library. Gospel music is a foundational part of Black American history and culture. Emerging from the lived experiences of Black communities, gospel has long been a source of expression, resilience, storytelling, and collective joy. It has shaped American music far beyond church walls, influencing soul, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and the popular music we know today. This concert is offered as a cultural and historical experience, highlighting gospel's role in the Black freedom struggle, community building, and artistic innovation. Through powerful vocals and rich musical traditions, the performance invites reflection on how music has carried hope, resistance, and connection across generations. Whether you are familiar with gospel or experiencing it for the first time, all are welcome to join us in honoring this enduring art form and its place in Black history.

To the owners of the hereinafter described land and to all others concerned, You are hereby notified that on Monday, December 15th, at 8:00 P.M. at the Treasurer/Collector’s Office, 795 Massachusetts Ave, pursuant to the provisions of General Laws, Chapter 60, Section 53, and by virtue of the authority vested in me the Collector of Taxes, it is my intention to take for the City of Cambridge the following parcels of land for non-payment of the taxes due, with interest and all incidental expenses and costs to the date of taking, unless paid before that date.