Sunday Assembly: A Morning of Poetry, Live Music & the “Man Box” | San Jose

Submitted by the Event Organizer

“Sunday Assembly” Silicon Valley Community Gathering | Mountain View

“Live Better, Help Often, Wonder More” is the motto for Sunday Assembly Silicon Valley (SASV), an international community movement that celebrates life. The radically inclusive SASV is a secular and service nonprofit that celebrates life, welcomes all people and supports everyone fulfilling their potential.

It aims to help people “live better” with inspiring, thought-provoking and practical ideas that help people lead the lives they want; “help often” by encouraging community action and lives of purpose; and, “wonder more” with talks, singing as one, readings and games to connect with each other and world. Most of all, have fun, be nice and join in.

Monthly meetings feature live pop music, TED-style talks, inspirational stories, socializing over coffee and cake and activities for children. SASV focuses on purpose and action. It supports local nonprofits through hands-on help and donations. The organization offers “smoups,” small activity groups that gather around member interests, including outdoor activities, book reading, crafts, self-improvement and beer tasting. On site parking is free.

Sunday, June 14, 2015
“Sunday Assembly” Silicon Valley Community Gathering | Mountain View

The Man Box Redefined — Sunday Assembly Celebrates Life

 “Celebrating Men and Boys”   is the June “Wonder More” theme. Lester Deanes, assistant dean at Santa Clara University’s Office of Student Life, talk is entitled “Man in Progress – A Conversation on Redefining Manhood and Family.”  He will present on the transformation of male roles in America and how our society,  individually and within families,  can contribute to supporting healthier men. At SCU, Deanes’ role is to promote an inclusive campus community. His research focuses on first-year students, men and masculinity, students of color, and first-generation college students. Deanes is co-founder of the university’s Men in Progress program, which allows men to explore male identity and manhood.

 City of Cupertino Poet Laureate Jennifer Swanton Brown will present the monthly reading. Brown is a poet, teacher and   board member for California Poets in the Schools (CPitS). Her poems have been published in multiple local journals, including Caesura and The DMQ Review.

The Assembly’s live band pop song sing-along songs are “Whatta Man,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “The Way I Am,” and “Should I Stay or Should I Go.”  The Kid’s Corner will offer a drawing or craft activity focused on family, dads and male mentors. Assemblers can sign up for June’s “Help Often” activities: a blighted neighborhood cleanup with Downtown Streets Team, gardening for Our City Forest, and stone fruit pitting with Garden to Table. Refreshments are available before and after the program and everyone is invited to walk over for a lunch of hot dogs and bagels at the neighborhood eateries.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.