Friday, Jan. 19

“Flora x Fauna” exhibit’s final day from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Cambridge Center for Adult Education, 42 Brattle St., Harvard Square. Free. Last chance to see works inspired by the natural world created by visual arts students and instructors in the center community. Information is here.

Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing every Friday). $15. No partner or experience necessary to learn this group dance to Cuban and other salsa music involving the changing of partners. Information is here.

“Do It for the Boys” opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at Gallery 263, 263 Pearl St., Cambridgeport. Free. In his first solo exhibition, photographer Nathan Bolton presents images of the Los Angeles Rebellion, one of the United States’ four original Queer/Inclusive rugby teams, as it returns for a 20th season amid increasingly anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric nationwide. Information is here.

Underground Magic with Jonathan Vale at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $18 and 21-plus. The New England mentalist magician blends storytelling, philosophy and psychology to astound audiences with magic and mind reading that feels real, that’s engaging and also makes them laugh. Information is here.

The Far Out perform at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25. Come ready to dance to this high-energy pop-funk group made up of lifelong friends from Massachusetts’s North Shore. They’re multi-instrumentalists who have powerful voices and groovy horn lines. Also playing: Somerville’s Birds Already. Information is here.

Kyle Chayka reads from “Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The New Yorker magazine staff writer and author of “The Longing for Less” traces the creeping, data-driven equations that try to anticipate human desires and asks, “Is personal freedom possible on the Internet?” Oliver Munday, creative director of Doubleday and author of “Don’t Sleep,” joins the conversation. Information is here.

Age of Aquarius dance performance from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing through Sunday). Free to $50 sliding scale. The local Click collaborative tells stories through dance of growing up, old and into oneself with depictions of universal experiences that balance joy and anxiety. Information is here.

This Music presents horn player Stephen Haynes with a new quartet from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. Haynes (cornet, flugelhorn), Pandelys Kayorgis (vintage keyboards and piano), Kit Demos (bass) and Eric Rosenthal (drums and percussion) improvise with a strong and engaging collective voice with spontaneous offerings of groove and melody. Information is here.

Lakiyra “Oompa” Williams presents “Celebration of Life” at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20 to $25. The nationally acclaimed Roxbury-born hip-hop artist, who once taught writing to eighth-graders in Cambridge’s Breakthrough program, performs a benefit concert to honor her late mother. Information is here.

Show Me Your Bits improv show from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at the Café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $10. Jonathan Anderson and friends from Union Comedy and Boston’s Improv Asylum do stand-up, characters, music and sketch comedy so “silly and thought-provoking” it prompts follow-up questions from the audience. Information is here.

Billy Novick and the Shades of Swing perform for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $13 to $20. This social partner dance with live music includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required; no street shoes allowed. Information is here.

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Saturday, Jan. 20

Winter Bird Walks: New Year’s Birding from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free. A look near the water for our resident songbirds and raptors, as well as winter guests such as the common merganser, American tree sparrow, red-breasted nuthatch and yellow-bellied sapsucker. Information is here.

“Picasso: War, Combat and Revolution” installation from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through May 5). Free. Launching today, the drawings and prints exhibit explores core themes of “Guernica,” the dictator Franco, broader imagery of death, symbolic struggles of good and evil, revolution of various types and issues of desire and capture. Information is here.

“Wolf Vostell: Dé-coll/age Is Your Life” installation from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through May 5). Free. Prints, films, sculptures and other works on view starting today by an artist who saw World War II’s brutality and developed an aesthetic around “destruction of art” (works lacerated and images ripped) to jolt spectators from complacency. Information is here.

Museum of Modern Renaissance guided tour from 11 a.m. to noon at the Museum of Modern Renaissance, 115 College Ave., between Davis and Powder House squares, Somerville. Free. Learn about the museum’s history and the “legends and fairytales” kept within its walls. Photos allowed. We wrote about the museum here. Information is here.

T and Tea with Transit Matters from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at CultureHouse Union Square, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free, but register. Meet the TransitMatters team and discuss transit issues affecting the Union Square area, Greater Boston and across the Commonwealth over complimentary tea. Information is here.

“Renaissance Portraits” vocal concert at 3 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $10 (low-income tickets) to $40 (general) and $87 (reserved). The ensemble Blue Heron evokes the world of 15th-century Italian portraiture, of popes and nobles, lovers and spouses, patrons and theatrical personalities. Music by Ciconia, Du Fay, Busnoys, Isaac and more, and a free pre-concert talk by Boston University’s Jodi Cranston at 2:15 p.m. Information is here.

School of Rock Watertown adult students perform from noon to 4 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $10 to $15 and all ages. An adult band showcase featuring classic rock, metal, pop, Motown and soul by four bands who spent four months preparing for the footlights. Information is here.

Starr Forum on Haiti: Linguistic Barriers, Exploitation and Resistance from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 2, also known as The Simons Building, 182 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Free. Dominique Dupuy, ambassador of Haiti to Unesco, speaks with moderator Michel DeGraff of MIT during the concluding event of the daylong conference sharing the same title. Information is here.

Comedian Alvin Kuai performs with special guest Igor Martinez at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25 and 21-plus. Two New York City stand-ups who don’t always stick to their prepared material. Information is here.

Zine Stand “Coming Out” Party at 7 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. A celebration of the new Take-a-Zine Leave-a-Zine stand being placed outside the armory includes local zine makers sharing stories and tips, a zine-making station with printer, a quirky silent auction to fund future stand repairs and, of course, free zines for the taking. Information is here.

Age of Aquarius dance performance (continued) from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free to $50 sliding scale. Information is here.

Boston Text and Tone Festival at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Music Spaces, 1060 Broadway, Suite C101B, Somerville (and continuing tomorrow in Brookline). $20. Four weekend concerts in Boston-area venues celebrate language as a doorway to experiencing the richness and diversity of human and musical expression. Concert III, “Cabaret Bouquet,” explores the link between art song and cabaret in various languages and features poetry from Letta Neely and songs by Weill, Schumann, Britten, Blitzstein, Schonthal, Schoenberg and Bolcom performed by vocalist Joanne Evans and pianist Elias Dagher. Information is here.

Crystal Meat Ball at 9 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $10 and 21-plus. New queer dance party featuring DJ Curtis Atchison from Midnight Society plus special guests. Information is here.

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Sunday, Jan. 21

School of Rock Watertown students perform from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. A full day of student acts in a variety of genres with themed set lists. Information is here.

Winter Foraging from noon to 2 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Learn how to identify some edible and medicinal plants on a winter walk with Sage McTaggart. Bring along a mug to enjoy tasty teas. Information is here.

Climate Action Fair from noon to 4 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Meet leaders from Boston Climate Action Network, Mothers Out Front, Progressive Massachusetts, Energy Allies, Home Energy Efficiency Team and Resonant Energy. Sponsored by The Massachusetts Sierra Club. Information is here.

Getting Cozy at the Library from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Somerville Public Library auditorium, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. Wear cozy clothes, enjoy hot cocoa and tea, and learn a craft. This session staff will show adults how to begin knitting a scarf, no experience necessary. Information is here.

Age of Aquarius dance performance (continued) from 2 to 3:15 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free to $50 sliding scale. Information is here.

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras perform Bellini’s “Norma” at 3 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square. $45 to $75 and ages 10-plus. A semi-staged opera conducted by Federico Cortese and featuring esteemed guest vocalists in the lead roles and chorus. Information is here.

Activist Afternoons launch party from 4 to 6 p.m. at St. James’s Episcopal Church, 1991 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge (and the first and third Sunday of every month). Free. Enjoy snacks and meet others to help celebrate the return of a space for quick activism in Cambridge (writing postcards, phone banking, training and more). We wrote about it here. Information is here.

Year of the Dragon Craft Drop-in from 4 to 6 p.m. at CultureHouse Union Square, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free and all ages. This Lunar New Year is the year of the wood dragon, symbolizing growth, progress and abundance. Help build a dragon for the community space or make your own New Year-inspired crafts while learning about New Year traditions across Asia. Information is here.

Treasures of Darkness, a contemplative evening of music and poetry from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Christ Church, Cambridge, Zero Garden St., Harvard Square. $20 suggestion donation. Performances of chamber music works from seven composers – most female – from the 12th century up to today, plus readings from prophets and poets on the theme of sacred dark. Information is here.

Night Song: Reflective and Ambient Improvisations concert at 7 to 9 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. Free, but donations are warmly welcomed. A 45-minute candlelit service featuring textured and poignant improvisations by pianist Ben Schwendener and saxophonist Logan From. Information is here.

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Monday, Jan. 22

“The Effects of Facebook and Instagram on the 2020 Election” from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Taubman Building of Harvard Kennedy School, 15 Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Stanford University’s Matthew Gentzkow reports key findings about political beliefs, attitudes and behavior from a study that randomized a subset Facebook and Instagram users who willingly deactivated their accounts for six weeks before the 2020 U.S. election. Information is here.

Turkey and the West: Autonomy and Contestation in a Changing Global Order seminar from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Professors from Turkey and Harvard discuss the drivers behind Turkey’s quest for strategic autonomy, the parallels with other middle powers, its repercussions for the West and the global order and possible future scenarios. Sponsored by the Center for European Studies at Harvard. Information is here.

MIT Shaping the Future of Work Initiative launch event from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Free. Panel discussions explore “What role can worker representatives play in the direction of technology? How can AI be used for social good? What type of work do we want in the future?” Information is here.

Beginner belly dance from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and every Monday through Feb. 12). $20 and ages 14-plus. All skill levels are welcome to learn technique and beginner choreography from professional belly dancer and instructor Sabrina Mijares. Information is here.

“How to Save the Planet” with Extinction Rebellion Boston from 6 to 8:15 p.m. at Somerville Public Library West Branch, 40 College Ave., near Davis Square. Free. Learn about the current climate emergency, the latest climate science and how governments and corporations hide the truth (or just outright lie). Come ask questions, and learn how to spread the word and take action because “action is the antidote to despair” (Joan Baez). Information is here.

A/V Comedy Club from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free, but not kid-friendly (material runs PG-13 to R). Drop in to watch members of the local comedy community do interactive stand-up bits with PowerPoint slides and (occasionally) music. Information is here.

Kate Mann reads from “Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author blends intimate stories with her signature trenchant analysis as a feminist philosopher to show why fatphobia has become a vital social justice issue, and proposes a politics of “body reflexivity” – a radical reevaluation that affirms our bodies exist for ourselves and no one else. Information is here.

PSB Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly). Free, but RSVP. This month’s selection: “All This Could Be Different” by Sarah Thankam Mathews. Information is here.

30’s Speed-Friending from 7 to 9 p.m. at Lamplighter Brewing, 284 Broadway, The Port, Cambridge. $18.50. Meet a special someone IRL at this facilitated event using psychology-backed question prompts from Somerville-founded Skip the Small Talk. Information is here.

Indie Spelling Bee(r) from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free and 21-plus. The brewery allows up to 10 teams of up to three members each to cross swords, orthographically speaking. Sign-up is first come, first served. Information is here.

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Tuesday, Jan. 23

Slow Flow Yoga from noon to 1 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing every Tuesday). $20. Accessible to all levels, the class consists of a mixture of seated, passive and flowing postures geared to opening up the connective tissue in the body to help relieve stress. Information is here.

Boudreau Mystery Book Group from noon to 1 p.m. at Cambridge Library’s Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free. This month’s title: “The Maid” by Nita Prose. Information is here.

Great Books Book Group from 7:15 to 9 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. This time: William Wordsworth’s preface to “Lyrical Ballads” and the poems “Lines Written a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey” and “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood.” Information is here.

Make-Along for Adults: LED Lanterns from 6:30 to 7:30 at Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington. Free. The first of a monthly series of creating something and socializing. Make this month’s project (supplies provided), or bring another to work on. Information is here.

Mindfulness and Journaling: Happy, Mindful New Year from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Brief guided meditations to start, followed by setting personally meaningful intentions for the year with time for short journal entries (optional prompts and materials provided). No meditation (or journal writing) experience is required. Information is here.

The Rat Poison Problem: How Rodenticides Are Harming Wildlife, Pets and People discussion from 7 to 8:30 at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free. Save Arlington Wildlife founder Laura Kiesel reviews facts about rodenticides and their effects on our health and environment while offering practical solutions residents can take to protect their communities from these poisons with positive effects for the entire state. Masks are strongly encouraged. Information is here.

The Moth: Boston Story Slam at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $15. This monthly open-mic storytelling competition is open to anyone who can share a five-minute tale on the night’s theme – this time, “Wonders,” about feeling small under the stars, meeting the love of your life, expansive views (or small, perfect instants) or how your life was changed forever by a venture into uncharted territory. Information is here.

Zzzahara performs at 7 p.m. at Warehouse XI, 11 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. $15. The singer, songwriter and guitarist’s SoCal LA indie rock sound is surprisingly vulnerable for someone who grew up needing to be street smart to survive. Information is here.

Outdoor Pub Sing from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. A pub-style singalong in which anyone is welcome to lead – drinking songs, sea chanteys and any song with a singable chorus is appreciated. There will be a propane fire pit and marshmallows to toast; other snacks are welcome. Information is here.

Big Richard performs at 7 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. This group of four well-established career musicians played together for the first time in 2021 and ever since have mashed up genres from traditional bluegrass to country and pop to “break through the wall of what women are supposed to be.” Information is here.

Exhibition tour of “Wolf Vostell: Dé-coll/age Is Your Life” from noon to 1 p.m. at the Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square. Free, but space must be reserved starting at 10 a.m. Curators give an in-depth tour of a new exhibition devoted to Wolf Vostell, an activist artist who developed an aesthetic around “destruction of art” to jolt spectators from complacency regarding the atrocities of war. Information is here.

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Wednesday, Jan. 24

Drum. Yoga. Sweat! from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and every Wednesday). $25. An energetic and playful Vinyasa-based movement flow with live drumming by award-winning musician Toussaint the Liberator and friends. Some yoga experience is recommended but not required. Bring your own yoga mat if you can – there will be some to share. Information is here.

Matthew J.C. Clark reads from “Bjarki, Not Bjarki: On Floorboards, Love and Irreconcilable Differences” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. With humor and awe, the carpenter and essayist reports on the people and processes that transform the forest into your floor, including Bjarki Thor Gunnarsson, the young man who manufactures the widest, purest, most metaphorical pine floorboards on the planet. Along the way, disparate topics arise (gift cards, masculinity, crab Rangoon) that prompt Clark to wonder what it means to connect with another person, especially in an increasingly polarized America. Author and chief classical music critic of The Boston Globe Jeremy Eichler joins the conversation. Information is here.

A Night of Poetry with Tracy K. Smith from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. The former U.S. poet laureate and author of “To Free the Captives: A Plea for the American Soul” as well as the Pulitzer Prize–winning “Life on Mars” reads poetry and answers questions. Information is here.

All Ages Trivia Night! from 6:15 to 7 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. Test your knowledge of science, history, literature and culture. Individuals and groups are welcome; snacks will be provided. Information is here.

Strummerville Ukulele from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville, and every fourth Wednesday. Free. Amateur musicians invite you to join in as they sing and strum the hits. Information is here.

Adam Shatz reads from “The Rebel’s Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Franz Fanon” from 3 to 4:15 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Shatz dramatically reconstructs the life of the Martinican writer-activist and presents a guide to how his work underlies today’s activism. Joining the conversation are Harvard’s Joelle Abi-Rached and Jesse McCarthy. Information is here.

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Thursday, Jan. 25

Plaza WinterFest from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Harvard’s Science Center Plaza between Harvard Yard at Kirkland and Oxford streets, near Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through March 7). Free. Launching today, join in seasonal games including curling, ice bowling and ice shuffleboard as well as year-round favorites including pingpong, illuminated cornhole and giant chess. Free hot drinks available on select days while supplies last. Information is here.

Thursday Morning Talks: Jo Sittenfeld from 10:15 a.m. to noon at Holy Trinity Armenian Church, 145 Brattle St., West Cambridge. $20 or $125 (suggested donations for individual talk or series subscription), and registration is required. The photographer and filmmaker’s New York Times Op-Doc “Growing Up Ethan,” about a young man with autism filmed over a 12-year span, delves into the issue of young adults with developmental disabilities aging out of school services. The film is touring the country as part of a Smithsonian exhibit. Her topic today is “Time is the Best Story of All.” The January and February lecture series is a fundraiser for Mount Auburn Hospital in its 87th year. Information is here.

Plant (and Fungi) Consciousness Reading Group from noon to 2 p.m. at the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge (and every other Thursday). Free, but register. Recent research describes the sophisticated ways plants and fungi sense, make sense of and interact with the world. Alongside these discoveries is a wave of interest in the “more-than-human” humanities. This yearlong reading group will explore “How do plants and fungi trouble our understanding of ‘thinking,’ and perhaps cause us to reconsider what it means to be human?” Information is here.

Lesley Leadership Series with curator Michael Cary from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Lesley University’s University Hall, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Talk with the curator of New York City’s Gagosian Gallery since 2008 (exhibiting Francis Bacon and Picasso), and previously at the Museum of Modern Art (exhibiting Edvard Munch and Richard Serra). Information is here.

“The Alchemy of Traveling Inward” exhibit opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. at the CAA@Canal Gallery, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. Eight artists in various media look at the paradoxes of the human experience (oppression and bliss, creation and destruction, growth and decay) as part of the Cambridge Art Association’s new Artists as Curators course. Information is here.

Harvard Art Museums at Night from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Calderwood Courtyard at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Wander the galleries and browse the shop during this recurring event while enjoying sounds from DJ C-Zone, snacks and drinks for purchase from Jack’s Abby. Information is here.

“Framing the Light: Quaker Meetinghouses as Space and Spirit” exhibit opening reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. Photographer Jean Schnell describes her photos taken in 23 New England Quaker meetinghouses this way: “For Quakers, the building itself is not considered to be a sacred edifice. It is what takes place inside the buildings that is sacred: the collective, spiritual, seeking experience … A meeting for worship is born in light, centered in quiet and peace; it is the simple act of expectant waiting.” Information is here.

Not Your Usual Burns Night from 5:30 to 11 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $40 or $85 or $250 and 21-plus. Three levels of experience: arrive at 8 p.m. and enjoy Scottish country dancing to live music and dessert; arrive at 6:30 p.m. and enjoy live recitations of Robert Burns poetry, heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer; arrive at 5:30 for an intimate performance by Scottish soprano and songwriter Maureen McMullan, hors d’oeuvres, a whisky tasting and gift bag plus an open bar during the VIP hour. Information is here.

Dr. Uché Blackstock reads from “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine” at 6 p.m. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, or $34 with book. The Harvard grad (and one of the first Black mother-daughter legacies at Harvard Medical School) discusses long-standing inequities that result in only 2 percent of all U.S. physicians today being Black women; the practices and policies that ensure Black Americans have far worse health outcomes than any other group; and the systemic barriers faced by Black patients and physicians. Boston Globe columnist and associate editor Renée Graham joins the conversation. Information is here.

Cookbook Book Group from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Collins Branch, 64 Aberdeen Ave., West Cambridge. Free, but register. All cooking levels are welcome at this potluck where you bring a dish (or your thoughts) to share and discuss with other cooks. This month choose any recipe from “Milk Street Tuesday Nights: Mediterranean” by Christopher Kimball. Information is here.

“Nevelson in Process” screening from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at MIT Media Lab, 20 Ames St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The artist Louise Nevelson was known for her elaborate and monumental sculptures made of found materials such as discarded wood and scrap metal. The 1977 film came out two years after her “Transparent Horizon” became the first Percent-for-Art commission at MIT. Information is here.

Community contemporary dance with The Click from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing every Thursday through Feb. 29; no class Feb. 22). $12 to $17. Launching today, this open-level class taught by Angelina Benitez is for those looking for a supportive environment to animate and excite the tiny inner child dancer within them. All bodies and types of movers are invited. Register for the “repertory experience” that includes every class and runs until 8 p.m. (for $120 total) and have the chance to perform alongside The Click in its March 8-10 showcase at The Foundry. Information is here.

Katherine Vaz reads from “Above the Salt” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. With lyrical prose, the novelist and short story writer tells a sweeping love story about Portuguese refugees who flee religious violence and reignite their budding romance in Civil War America. Novelist Elizabeth Graver, author of 2023’s “Kantika,” joins the conversation. Information is here.

Climate and Community Conversation at 7 p.m. at LBJ Apartments, 150 Erie St., Cambridgeport. Free. This Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association meeting (it is not city-sponsored) includes small-group brainstorming on how to build community and become more connected and resilient in the face of climate change. Information is here.

Poet Pablo Medina reads from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, but register. A special evening for the launch of Hanging Loose issue No. 114 and Pablo Medina’s new collection of poems. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (through Feb. 25). $24 to $93. Starting today is a play by Francisco Mendoza about an AI nursing application that increases its learning as the health of the man it cares for deteriorates. The application’s creator must confront his responsibility; he’s also the man’s son. Produced in partnership with Teatro Chelsea. Information is here.

Elements 25th Anniversary Celebration from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $5 before 11 p.m. and 19-plus. The Drum & Bass event, held every Thursday at Phoenix Landing since January 1999, throws a birthday party with selections by residents Lenore and Furious, visuals by Bvbblvs (Alex Dawn) and commemorative Ts by Made in Boston. Information is here.

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Friday, Jan. 26

Call to Action! Addressing Urban Vulnerable Territories in Latin America and the Caribbean from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 9, also known as the Samuel Tak Lee Building, room 255, at 105 Massachusetts Ave., Area II, Cambridge. Free. This daylong workshop – the result of a collaboration among organizations and faculty members from five universities – discusses migration, climate and urban inequalities toward improving conditions in the region. Information is here.

Weekly Meditation from 5:20 to 6 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and every Friday through Feb. 16). Free, but register to save your spot. Start the weekend feeling fresh and centered during this class that is unaffiliated with any religion or ideology. Information is here.

Nightingale Vocal Ensemble – Photoplay from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. Nine virtuoso singers who collaborated on the 2023 album “Composition Sped Up” will improvise soundtracks to short films, ranging from early silents to absurd comedy and contemporary works. Information is here.

Cuban Dance with Boston Rueda (continued) from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $15. Information is here.

“Reclaiming Freedom,” a discussion of Boston Review’s Fall 2023 issue at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Aziz Rana, professor of law at Boston College Law School, discusses the appropriation of the language of freedom by the political right and how political messaging and institution building can extend real freedom to all. Brandon M. Terry, professor of the social sciences at Harvard, joins this conversation co-sponsored by the Boston Review. Information is here.

Shit-Faced Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew” from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing tomorrow and next weekend). $30 and 21-plus. Not Cliff’s Notes, but more fun: This version of the bard’s witty and bawdy play, truncated to an hour, includes one actor randomly selected who drinks before and during the performance, leaving the remaining sober cast to fight their way through the show while incorporating, rectifying, justifying and generally improvising around the drunkenness. The troupe has done Macbeth and Hamlet; this show promises “food fights, one too many bum cheeks, a highly underwhelming horse and more twisted gender politics than you can shake a fawning fat-skinned fustilarian at.” Information is here.

Musical Comedy Night Improv Jam from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free, but donations are welcomed. A fully improvised musical by Uncomposed, the solo-improv talents of Party of One and the mini-musical mashup Mamma Misérables followed by an all-access improv jam open to anybody. Information is here.

Emo Night Tour at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $18 to $25. The popular throwback party returns for those wanting to relive all the sadness. Information is here.

“Machine Learning” (continued) at 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

“Ballads, Fancies and Courtly Airs”: Songs and instrumentals from 17th century England from 8 to 9 p.m. at Lindsay Chapel, First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St. (entrance on Mason Street), Harvard Square. $25 to $30, cash or check only. Mezzo-soprano Carrie Cheron joins the El Dorado Ensemble on viols, lutes, bandora and cittern playing music by Weelkes, Simpson, Lawes, Lupo, Robinson and others. Information is here.

R!SK, a sober open stage for all things drag from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $5 to $15 and 18-plus. Hosted by Killah Croc and Kulfi Jaan with special guest Heather Rose and 20 performers of all styles (some under 21 and some making their drag debut). Note: masks are required (and available), and it’s customary to bring cash to tip performers. Organized by Aster R*sk. Information is here.

Improv Boston: The Finale from 9 to 10:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 and 21-plus. The 40-year-old Cambridge comedy theater bids farewell with a final show full of laughs and gratitude. We wrote about the closing here. Information is here.