Classes & Special Events   

CSULB Tech Lab / Hyflex Ever been curious about an app, but don’t know how to get started using it? Join this class and choose from popular free apps like; WhatsApp, LinkedIn, YouTube, Uber, Google Maps, Eventbrite, or AI apps like Canva, IoT, Invideo AI, Bluesky, Gemini, Llama, Copilot. Many are part of the social media environment. Or you could learn about gifs, memes, or how to navigate the huge selection on Amazon, the App Store, or Google Play Store. This hands-on class helps you practice using the apps you choose. Learn on all devices and platforms, including computers or mobile devices.

Bring a charged mobile device to class.

We hear a lot about potential downsides of AI for the present and the future. Global public opinion of AI is declining as AI grows. Yet there are potentially valuable upsides to AI technologies. In fact, a global organization (which includes the UN) is named “AI for Good.” Its goal is to “unlock AI’s potential to serve humanity through building skills, AI standards and advancing partnerships.” Pope Leo XIV is advocating for similar goals. And a recent book with the same title describes beneficial uses of AI.

This new class examines the issue of “AI for the Good,” covering both the current and potential benefits of AI, some of its unintended consequences, and, of course, touches on its potential harm. 

The more advanced recorder players participate in a group. Students will analyze and interpret the music and improve their playing! Join us as we progress along the “path to perfection”.

This class is for “beyond beginners”.

Bring your own recorder, either soprano or alto. 

Students will explore the historical aspects, aesthetic compositions, and the lives of influential artists and architects representing the Italian Mannerism and Baroque periods and the Italian and French Rococo period (1520- 1790).

Mediums presented will include paint, chalk, charcoal, lead/graphite, clay, marble, bronze (casting), and printmaking.

Lecture and discussions will take into consideration the impact of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, absolute aristocratic power, deep economic inequality and economic policies as they affected the lives and practices of artists and architects.

Explore nonfiction books on issues shaping our society and our lives, from the institutions we rely on to the challenges we face together. We offer thoughtful conversation and shared reflection in a welcoming environment. This fall, as our nation marks its 250th anniversary, our readings examine what it means to be an American, both as a matter of law and as a matter of lived history. First: the story of the U.S. Constitution itself, tracing how its promise of amendment has been argued over, invoked. Then we visit 13 regions of the country, revisiting the places where America has repeatedly defined and redefined itself.

Fall books: Oct - We the People: A History of the US Consittution - by Jill Lepore Nov. - This Land is Your Land - by Beverly Gage Class

2 meetings only

For Beginners and players who played previously. Learn to play bridge the modern way. Each class includes the play of 8 hands related to the subject taught. Topics include introduction to bridge, opening a major, opening a minor, no trump, Stayman, transfers, opening leads, attitude, carding, 1 NT Forcing and 2 over 1.

Pay the additional $20 card fee to the LB Bridge Center.

Class will  continue beyond Session to December 1.

Prerequisite: Bridge 1 and 2 or knowledde of Bridge materials.

Topics include: preempts and The Law, leads and carding, 2 club strong opener, 1430 and slam bidding, finesses, defensive thoughts, plus an in-class tournament for master points.

Pay the additional $20 card fee to the LB Bridge Center.

Course will extend beyond session to Dec 1.

Whether you are an experienced singer or have always desired to sing, this creative chorus is for you. Together we will gain confidence in our natural singing abilities and musicianship. Performances will be scheduled when prepared. Fee for music scores. A pencil w/eraser and a 1” BLACK 3 ring binder are required.

Stay informed and have your say on the news of the day. Instructors will choose a few current event topics each week, give a brief presentation for each and then ask for thoughtful comments and questions from the class. Discussions are very much valued and are the core of the class. Class members are also encouraged to choose a topic of their own and present it for discussion. 

Leadership alternates among volunteers Naida Tushnet, Sonia Savoulian, Mary Meyer, Bill Shaddle and Gary Murph.

Dungeons & Dragons has had quite a resurgence but many people are intimidated by playing, finding a group, or running a game. Whether you’ve played as a kid and want a refresher or you’ve never played before, this class will get you battle-ready! You’ll learn the basics of the game, some history, and some Table Top Role - Playing Game (TTRPG) alternatives to D&D.

Once we’re acquainted with the game, we will break into groups of 5 or less and play! We will end with instruction on how to run a game (GM, “Game Master”). $10 fee for materials, including dice and a mini figure. Adventure awaits!

NOTE:  NOVEMBER IS A HOLIDAY.  THE CAMPUS IS CLOSED.

Learn the fundamentals of finger style, Travis picking, finger rolls, thumb independence, and chord melodies. Review knowledge of chords and positions. Learn a variety of song styles, including: traditional, folk, country, blues, and jazz.

Mushroom Montoya has been involved in the practice of shamanism since 1981. Some things are best learned when experienced, first hand. Learning about shamanism is best learned by going on a shamanic journey. In the class: you'll learn how to journey into nonordinary reality and meet spirit helpers. Shamanism is the oldest spiritual practice known to humankind. A shaman is a man or woman who uses the ability to see “with the strong eye” or “with the heart” to travel into hidden realms. Shamans have and still act as healers, doctors, priests and priestesses, psychotherapists, mystics, and storytellers.

It's an exciting time to have a smartphone. But every year there are more interesting features, and it can be hard to keep up with all the changes. Learn about a wide range of iPhone features and services ranging from phone care to the current Apple AI, how to manage your email, messages, and contacts, the different ways you can personalize your iPhone. We’ll discuss how to stay safe or private when you are using your phone, how to edit and organize all those photos you’ve taken, how to take advantage of the iPhone’s health features and much more.

This is a romp through Brooklyn, NY, from its beginnings to present day, with videos that epitomize Brooklyn life. The course will highlight many famous people that grew up in Brooklyn and their achievements. It will cover neighborhoods, landmarks and Brooklyn’s impact on the world as well as describing how life in Brooklyn today is different from how it was when many OLLI people grew up there. 

Jazz was born in New Orleans at the end of the nineteenth century, in a unique cultural environment shaped by African, Caribbean, French, and American influences. Introduced to France by American soldiers during World War I, jazz quickly found an enthusiastic audience and became a lasting part of French cultural life. Over the following decades, many legendary American musicians—including Sidney Bechet, Josephine Baker, Bud Powell, and Miles Davis—found in France a welcoming environment where they could perform, create, and often enjoy greater artistic freedom and recognition than at home. This course explores the rich and enduring relationship between jazz and French culture. It will be offered using music and video presentations both in person and via Zoom (HyFlex).

Would you like to take on a knitting project with others who share your love of the art? Bring your desired pattern and materials and we will work through your project together in a friendly instructor-guided environment. You will have fun and success. Students will learn to read and manage their patterns. Seeing others’ projects and successes will inspire students to blossom. Knitters can tackle almost anything with kind support.

This class is for “beyond beginners” only.

Movement with low impact, non-aerobic practice to prevent disease, protect your health, increase concentration with meditation. Do nothing that hurts or feels uncomfortable.

Objectives: Develop better balance; increase physical strength by stretching muscles, tendons; and supply greater amounts of oxygen to the body through deep breathing.

Equipment: BRING YOUR OWN POLE. Purchase a collapsible painter’s extension pole that opens to 3-4 “ longer than your height, with rubber (not plastic) end caps (Ace Hardware or Lowe’s). Wear tennis shoes and loose, layered clothing.

This class has been designed to introduce senior citizens into the fun and brain-stimulating world of modern board games. This is an interactive class where we will play a different low-complexity game each week in a friendly small group. Everything will be provided-no previous knowledge is required. Come and enjoy learning!

Beginning students: Introduction to basic knitting and crochet stitches using class demonstration and individual instruction. Information covered in class will include types of stitches, stitch abbreviations, pattern interpretation and basic tools/supplies. Beginners, on the first day of class please bring a skein of size 4 or worsted yarn, and either size 7 or 8 knitting needles or a size H or I crochet hook, depending on your desire to learn knitting or crochet.

Intermediate students will continue to work on their projects with instruction and assistance from the instructor as needed.

Did you study French in school and wish that you could have continued your studies? Have you been using Duo Lingo or online classes but want feedback from a live French-speaking person? If so, this course is for you! Come to refresh your memory and ignite your ability to speak and understand French through a variety of modalities. Guided conversations, vocabulary building, review of essential grammar, and training in proper pronunciation will be supported by a little reading, a little writing, and songs.

This course is for those with some knowledge of French and is not a first-time experience in learning French.

NOTE:  This course is also offered on Saturday 10:30-12:00.

 Explore meditation and the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda through an engaging 7-week journey designed to support balance, vitality, and overall well-being. Participants learn practical meditation techniques, receive an individualized mantra, and are introduced to Ayurveda—a holistic system of wellness that emphasizes understanding the mind-body constitution. Through simple Ayurvedic practices, students will explore how food choices, daily routines, rest, and self-care can support energy, digestion, sleep, and emotional balance.

No prior experience is needed—just curiosity, openness, and a desire to thrive.

This class is designed for anyone who wants to improve the flow of energy throughout their body and work on balance. My Tai Chi process will enhance your overall system harmony and incorporates many different styles. Students may find that, over time, they exude a glow or energetic illumination!.

Yoga is for Every Body! Chair Yoga provides the advantages of yoga’s amazing health benefits including relaxation and a feeling of well-being with adaptations for all levels of flexibility. This class uses yoga exercises, breathwork, energy work, basic meditation, and acupressure for a total yoga experience. Students report better balance, strength and flexibility as a result of Chair Yoga! This yoga experience is based on Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga (LVCY), Eden Energy Medicine, and Dr. Micheal Reed Gach Acupressure Yoga.