Friday 5/25
Who Killed the Electric Car? documents the creation, limited commercialization, and death of the battery-charged electric vehicle. Discover how the automobile manufacturers, oil industry, and U.S. government severely limited the exploration and adoption of this environmentally friendly technology. 7 p.m., Bethany United Church of Christ, 6230 Beacon Ave. S.
Friday 5/25 – Monday 5/28
With 19 stages and 1,000 performances, Folklife Festival is a four-day extravaganza of dance, crafts, food, visual displays, demonstrations, and workshops. Suggested donation $10. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St.
Saturday 5/26
Lisa Gray-Garcia and Portland-based group Sisters of the Road will spend the afternoon challenging our views of homelessness, poverty, and social justice. Gray-Garcia’s book Criminal of Poverty: Growing Up Homeless in America goes beyond clichés by illuminating the true stories of hardworking survivors. Sisters of the Road recently penned the anthology Voices from the Street: The Truth About Homelessness from Sisters of the Road. 2 p.m., Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S. Main St. Info: www.sistersoftheroad.org
Tuesday 5/29
A former U.S. Marine who was part of an unarmed team sent to Darfur to monitor the fragile cease-fire agreement between rebel groups, Brian Steidle witnessed agonizing destruction and genocide. Steidle will share from his book, The Devil Came on Horseback, which draws from his notes and emails to show his transformation in the face of inhuman violence. Tickets $5. Tues., May 29, 7:30 p.m., Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave.
Civil liberties attorney and scholar Peter Irons reads from his latest book, God on Trial: Dispatches from America’s Religious Battlefields. His latest writing is a blow-by-blow narrative of the cases that have divided communities: the placement of the Ten Commandments in a rural Kentucky school, a cross displayed on Mount Soledad in San Diego, and the challenged words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. 7:30 p.m., Elliott Bay Book Company, 101 S. Main St.
Wednesday 5/30
Can the environment be saved and the global warming crisis end under capitalism? The International Socialist Organization presents the public forum “Capitalism Is Killing The Planet.” From acid rain to the depletion of the ozone layer, the harm humans have brought to the Earth becomes more evident each year. This open discussion will analyze how the crisis is solved differently under a socialist and capitalistic economy. 7 p.m., Seattle Central Community College, Room 3202, 1701 Broadway.
Thursday 5/31
Dr. Elizabeth Lorde-Rollins’ talk “What’s Really Killing Dykes?” addresses the pertinent health concerns of lesbians, focusing on tobacco, depression, and cancer. 6:30 p.m., Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Ave. Info: (206)323-6540.
Friday 6/1
In Search of International Justice chronicles the resurging commitment to the International Rule of Law so that victim’s stories continue to be heard, even after their death. The film shows the arrest and trial of Kosovo’s Slobodan Milosevic, Uganda’s Acholi people suffering at the hands of The Lord’s Resistance Army, and Rwanda’s women, who were the victims of rape during the 1994 genocide. To date, 100 countries have signed on to the International Criminal Court’s mandate, but the U.S. is still strongly opposed. 7 p.m., Keystone Church, 5019 Keystone Pl.
The Gay-Straight Alliance envisions a future where every child respects others regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The GSA Network Banquet and Awards Presentation features performers, guest speakers, two auctions, and a buffet. Tickets $20. 5 p.m., Lakeside School, 14050 First Ave. NE Info: www.glsenwa.org
Saturday 6/2
Ed Mast leads the forum “Palestine for Beginners,” which guides participants through the history of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and offers current peace-seeking strategies. 4 p.m., Newberry Books, 561 NE Ravenna Blvd.
Calendar compiled by Dena Burke. Have a suggestion for an event? Email it to calendar@realchangenews.