A radically different approach to living and learning, Free Skool Santa Cruz is a grassroots educational project beyond institutional control. It is an opportunity to learn from each other and share what we know, to foster communities of mutual support and autonomy.
Our 2026 spring/summer session goes from May Day/Beltane on May 1st to July 15th. And in July we will request class submissions for the Summer/Autumn session, from July 16th to the Autumn Equinox on September 22nd. More info about FSSC https://freeskoolsantacruz.org/
A hand drawn FSSC calendar will be here soon! AND google calendar version of the calendar is HERE! https://freeskoolsantacruz.org/free-skool-calendar/
NOTE: a few more classes will likely be added as additional class updates come in!
-Anarchist History Quiz Contest – Sunday, June 7th / 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. with Hank Hyena (anarchist-utopian@proton.me)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Anarchist History Quiz Contest asks the anarchas, anarchos, and anarchy-curious students 120 questions in a very entertaining format. (The quiz can be viewed at https://anarchist-utopian.news/anarchist-history-quiz-contest). Many queries have visual prompts and multiple prizes are awarded to active participants: tshirts, patches, posters, booklets. Questions cover a world-wide scope of anarchist history, actions, and ideas, in a fun way to accumulate knowledge.
Preparation: You should study anarchist history before the event if you want to win prizes and impress your friends.
-Ask a Dog Trainer (note: please do not come with your canine pal) – Sunday, June 28th / 1 p.m. with Kristin (Be.mine.canine@gmail.com)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Please leave your dog at home, but bring note taking supplies! This stand alone class will be rich in information to help you better understand your dog and their behavior! Myths will be dispelled! Training and wellness tips will be provided! This class will feature academic language and a political lens about the aspects of control in how we live and care for our furry friends
-Beginner Bluegrass Slow Jam – Sunday, June 28th / 11 a.m. with Bashi (scouter_caches0m@icloud.com)
Location: SubRosa courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Bluegrass standards for beginners, played at a very slow 60-90 bpm. If you can play a G, D, and A chord on your instrument, you’re able to take part in this group jam. If not, come and learn!
Materials: BYO instrument
Accessibility: We will be outside.
-Collective Creation Games – every third Sunday / 11am – 2pm with with Rami Chahine (346-235-9782)
Location: SubRosa courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: CCG is an experiment in establishing spaces of love and empathy where play and co-creation would affect a poetic transformation of our shared vulnerabilities and concerns- whether personal, social or political- into buds of power and collectivity.
Each session will be self-generative using the personal stories and questions that we bring with us in order to build up the shared play experience.
NOTE: If participants are comfortable with it, the workshop can lead to participatory creative interventions on Pacific Avenue.
Materials: Bring a personal object, a sketchbook or paper and pen. Having junk and cardboard around can be very useful.
Accessibility: I’m parent to a toddler, so if someone feels under the weather it’s better to not show up.
-Consent Cafe – every Tuesday / 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. with Bxrii (bxrii@proton.me)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Please join us to talk about engaging in conflict, accountability and community care. This is an ongoing open forum discussion where we create space for engaging with difficult realities around engaging with conflict, consent, DV, & sexual assault. No experience necessary, pop in for one or come for them all.
Community care note: Masks recommended.
-Custom Stamp Making – Tuesday, June 16th / 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. with Katie Wunsch (kathrynwunsch@gmail.com)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description:Come make custom stamps this summer! Stamps will be made on 4×6 inch linoleum blocks, and will be reusable when the class is completed. Students will be able to create prints of the same images with different colors. I will bring ink, paper, and rubber brayers which may be shared among people.
The linoleum blocks and linoleum block cutters are individual and reusable if ink/water is provided. Students should get the linoleum block, and linoleum blocks cutter if possible. Alternatively, if that is not possible, large russet potatoes would work as a substitute for print making. If people want to make multiple designs/stamps they would want to bring multiple potatoes.
Materials: Speedball linoleum block 4 in by 6 in (They’re pink), speedball linoleum block cutter, speedball rubber brayer, speedball metal bench hook. (see above note about alternative materials!).
Community care note: Please stay home if you are sick with either the cold, a flu, or Covid.
-Decay the Empire Composting Workshop at Hard Core Compost! – Thursday May 28th / 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. with Thea of Hard Core Compost (thearrhenry@gmail.com)
Location: At the Hard Core Compost site, 110 Shaffer Road
Description: During this course we will discuss the biological mechanisms and social benefits of compost, and then get our hands dirty turning one of Hard Core Compost’s hot piles. Compost lovers and compost curious are welcome!
Accessibility: The event is outdoors and on uneven ground.
-Dinner with Friends: How to DIY a Dinner Co-op – TBD / 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. with Leedy and friends (Signal: lee.178 or Email: izzyshmoo@gmail.com)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Tired of figuring out dinner alone? Start a “dinner co-op” with neighbors and friends! Our crew of 8 has been running our co-op for six months and we can’t imagine life without it. We each cook once every two weeks and get 7 meals in-between. Join us to learn more and start your own!
Accessibility: The workshop will be held in an outdoor, wheelchair accessible space. Masks optional.
-Dyke Trans March – Saturday, June 6th / 4:20 p.m. (https://www.instagram.com/santacruzdtmc)
Location: The Clocktower (Pacific & Water in downtown Santa Cruz)
Description: We are trans-feminist, intersectional, and committed to the decolonization of everything; including our movements, our relationships, and our futures.
We are against war, imperialism, and genocide. We are anti-Zionist and stand firmly with Palestine and all people resisting colonial occupation. Liberation of one group is not separate from our own liberation. We reject all systems built on domination, displacement, and state violence.
We oppose policing in all its forms, whether it be police, ICE, borders, prisons, or within our own groups. People are free to speak, chant, and express themselves without censorship, as long as there are no direct calls to violence.
We reject hierarchy. We strive for consensus, make decisions horizontally, collectively, and focus on shared power, care, and accountability.
We are building a world rooted in solidarity, self-determination, and collective liberation.
1 hr of performances + 1 speaker from the community March at 5:30
Community care note: Masks strongly recommended
-Extreme States Care Group – Every 3rd Saturday of each month / 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. with Brxii (bxrii@proton.me)
Location: Hub Office, 703 Pacific Ave. Enter on Spruce Street near the Bike Church.
Description: Our goal is creating a greater network of peer advocacy and education for people experiencing and supporting extreme emotional states. All are welcome. Please email group host beforehand to verify details of the meetings.
Accessibility: Masks appreciated but not required. Please don’t come if you’re sick.
Community care note: Masks strongly recommended.
-Freeform Loom Weaving – Sunday, June 7th / 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.ish with Mads Spears (madsspears@gmail.com)
Location: Harvey West Park, Evergreen picnic area
Description: We will go out and forage some materials on the land and then creatively weave them into a simple loom made out of a forked branches or some other such base 🙂 (I will also bring some wool yarn to weave).
Materials: Bring yarn or fibers that inspire you!
Accessibility: Class may not be accessible if we go on a hike to forage materials.
-Grass Identification – Tuesday, May 5th / 1:30 p.m. with Willow (soupsalix@proton.me)
Location: Walking along levee, meet on street corner outside SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Come look at grass along the river! All kowledge levels welcome. I will bring some nerdy grass identification resources but also feel free to just come and enjoy the world.
Accessibility: We will be on sidewalk & paved pedestrian area the entire time, including a ramp onto the levee.
-How to Draw: The Human Figure – Tuesday, May 26th / 3:30-5:30 p.m. with Hilary Cervantes (Djdudekzsc@gmail.com)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Learn the basics of figure drawing! After this class you can confidently join live model figure drawing classes, as you will learn that basic tools of gesture, 3D forms, anatomical landmarks, and proportion. This class does not have a live model.
Materials: Mark making utensils like a pencil, pen, charcoal pencil, etc. (excluding wet media like paint) and a drawing pad (preferably 8.5”x 11” or larger).
Community care note: Please do not show up to class if you are sick!
Accessibility: This class is open to all, please contact instructor prior to class for any accommodations you may need!
-Intro To Massage – Sunday, May 3rd / 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. with Andrew Mylko (mylkoa@hotmail.com)
Location: SubRosa courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: This class will focus on talking and learning about about massage and anatomy. After this we we will move towards a demo where people can to try some simple hands-on with each other. Any physical contact would of course be contingent upon consent and will not involve any disrobing. The idea is to give people basic tools and principles so they can go off on their own. The basic breakdown is: 1. brief lecture // 2. questions/discussion // 3. volunteer demo // 4. then invite students to try on each other, if they feel comfortable doing so.
No materials required, but notetaking is encouraged.
Community care note: Do not attend if you are experiencing symptoms of illness (cough, fever, congestion, cough, etc.)
-Introduction to Abolitionist Justice – Saturday, June 27th / 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. with Natalie (distractionist@proton.me)
Location: SubRosa courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: This is a structured discussion-based class that attempts to introduce restorative justice and transformative justice (RJ/TJ) in theoretical and practical contexts. There will be an emphasis on real-world examples and potential challenges of implementing RJ/TJ in radical spaces.
Community care note: Masks required, hosted outdoors (weather permitting).
-Knowledge and Society (Intro to Feminist Epistemology) – Wednesday, July 8th, 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. with Minh-Tú (minhtuv9@gmail.com)
Location: SubRosa Courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: My class introduces the idea that you are a philosopher in virtue of living! This class will go over why philosophy is important and how our identity (or lived experience) shapes the knowledge we encounter, believe, value, and disseminate. This is an important tenant within feminist philosophy, and so this course could also be seen as a short introductory course to feminist epistemology.
The first part of the course will examine why we should care about philosophy in the first place, the aims of this course, and what feminist epistemology is. The second part of the course will go over different cases in which our identity can affect knowledge acquisition and development and how these cases can relate to our own life experiences. Questions that we will address and discuss here include: what is an epistemic injustice and how does our identity affect this? How does emotion relate to knowledge production? How does one’s upbringing and culture inform knowledge production? One thing to note is that as this is a three hour introductory course, we will only be able to briefly cover each of these questions.
Materials: Upon request I can send the readings I have for the class, otherwise nothing unless they want to take notes. 🙂
Community care note: Masks available and encouraged but I will be facilitating the class outside!
-MAKE TOTAL DISTRO – Saturday, June 13th / 5pm with Little Acorn Distro (signal! @littleacornsdistro.01)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: WHO is a distro? YOU are a distro! Or you could be if you take this class and learn about free guerrilla information and supply distribution! we take care of us!!!
Materials: We can bring everything : )
Accessibility: Masked! we will be inside probably.
-Medicinal Plant Walk – Wednesday, May 20th / 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. with Michelle of Santa Cruz Herbal Mutual Aid (michelle.glowa@gmail.com)
Location: De Laveaga Park – at the end of Brookwood Dr (the archery range entrance)
Description: Join Santa Cruz Herbal Mutual Aid for a plant walk where we will explore the medicinal properties of both introduced and native plants in our region. We will talk about the ethics of foraging on stolen land. Along the way you’ll meet plant friends like nettles, bay laurel, false solomon’s seal, and more!
Accessibility: We will be walking on a road up and down a hill.
-OSINT Basics – Tuesday, July 9th / 6 p.m. with Pikachu (osint_class_2026@pm.me)
Location: Zoom (email for info – osint_class_2026@pm.me)
Description: Open source intelligence research, or OSINT, is the process of gathering and verifying information and content found online. This hands-on class will cover how to search deeper, faster, using basic search engines. Booleans search terms are just the start! This class is beginner-friendly but even advanced searchers are likely to learn something new.
Materials: Just a computer. Would be hard to do this class on a phone.
Accessibility: Class will be given in English, there may be an option for simultaneous translation and closed captioning on Zoom? I can confirm this before the calendar is finalized.
-New Zealand Flax Basket Weaving – Thursdays, May 28th and June 4th, in the first session everyone will prepare their own material and then do the weaving on the second date / 5 p.m. with Sophie Haber (hsophie.2013@gmail.com) Location: Westlake Park – 149-111 Bradley Dr
Description: We will weave small baskets using a mixed methods with New Zealand flax leaves. I will talk about my relationship to this plant through my experiences weaving in Chile and New Zealand with traditional weavers there. I will prep the material before the class and have it ready. In the first session everyone will prepare their own material and then do the weaving on the second date. You don’t have to attend both sessions to participate. Please email to confirm you are coming so we have enough materials (hsophie.2013@gmail.com).
Materials: I will gather the materials and all preparations will be done in class.
-Patchwork Poetry – Friday, June 26th / 4 p.m. with Aubrey Vora (aubrey@curiosapiens.com)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Patchwork Poetry takes cut-out words, phrases and sentences from magazines and books to create re-purposed poetic musings. Unlike writing on a blank page, students must work with the words provided, assembling them more like a puzzle, exercising both sides of the brain. Students are welcome to bring additional materials, but there will be plenty of pre-cut words to play with! Facilitated by Aubrey Vora, who has been collecting & remixing words since 2013, and has hosted poetry assemblage workshops in the Bay Area, Spain and the UK.
Materials: Materials are supplied. Students are welcome to bring extra magazines to use or share!
Community care note: All are welcome, masks are encouraged but not required.
-Queer Birding – Saturday, May 2nd / 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. with Nico (IG: @mm_persimmon & signal: @plantagomajor.64)
Location: Neary Lagoon Park – 110 California St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 (36.963420, -122.034452)
Description: Go birding (aka birdwatching) with some queers! All levels of experience welcome.
Required: 1 functional eyeball OR functional ear.
Recommended: The rest of your sensory organs, an extra layer, sun protection, snacks, binoculars, bird field guides. If you have extras of the last three, please consider bringing them to share with anyone who may not have them!
Accessibility: We will be walking about .75 mi over about 2 hours. All paths we walk on are wheelchair accessible, have dispersed benches, and access to restrooms and water fountains at our meeting spot.
Community care note: We will be outside the entire time in large, open spaces the entire time so masks aren’t required but always welcome.
-Queer/Sober DnD Group Building – Saturday, May 9th / 11 a.m. with Sean Crossno (Seancrossno@gmail.com)
Location: TBA (email for more information – Seancrossno@gmail.com)
Description: Are you sober and or queer and looking for a dnd group? Let’s try to make one! Please email me directly so we can pick a good location if interest exists!
Materials: TBA
Accessibility: Will pick an accessible meeting location, Covid protocol left to attendees.
-Really Really Free Market – Every second Sunday, May 10th, June 14th, July 12th / 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. with the Really Really Free Market Crew (SubRosa@riseup.net)
Location: SubRosa courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Tianguis Realmente Gratuito. Todo es gratis. No money. No trades. Everything is free. This gathering is not about the “stuff” we give and take, but more about how we can freely give and receive from each other. This is a form of anti-capitalist mutual aid where everyone is invited to participate and share care. ¡Todo gratis! No intercambio de dinero, no negocios, no trueques. Trae lo que gustes, toma lo que necesites. Este mercado gratuito es basado en una economía de regalar. Learn more about the Santa Cruz Really Really Free Market (RRFM) and RRFMs in general – go to linktree in bio https://instagram.com/rrfm_
-Santa Cruz Apple Wassail! 10th annual! – Saturday May 2nd / 5 p.m. with the orchard fairies and you!
Location: Santa Cruz Community Orchard garden at Mike Fox Park (225 San Lorenzo Boulevard, Santa Cruz, CA 95060)
Description: You are invited to the special May Day Wassail at the Community Orchard. We are holding this special May Day Wassail because it is never too late to celebrate the apple trees and sing for life and liberation (and yeah, May Day on the 1st and the 2nd is close!).
Apple wassailing is an ancient community tradition, originating in southern England, in which we gather to share cider, sing incantations to the trees, and honor the land that nourishes us—all to welcome a good crop this season. Cider, toast, ribbons, trees, song, laughter, noise, celebration!
Materials: Bring your own cider mug and come dressed to please the trees!
-Santa Cruz Trans Potluck – first Saturday of the month / 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. (sctranspotluck.com | sctranspotluck@proton.me)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Share Food. Build Community. Make Trans Friends. This is a dry space; no alcohol– Masks encouraged. Community Announcements at 2pm.
Materials: Bring food and your appetite.
Community care note: Masks encouraged.
-Sew Your Own Bike Frame Bag Workshop – Sunday, May 31st / 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. with Kelly Archer of the Bike Church and joined by a Fábrica collective member (thebikechurch@gmail.com) (CALENDAR HAS RESERVED FROM 10)
Location: The Fábrica Courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Learn how to sew your own bicycle frame bag! Participants will be provided a pattern, sewing machine, instruction, and assistance as you sew your own custom frame bag. You must bring your bike! Sewing machine experience required (you can visit Fabrica ahead of time during their open hours to get an intro).
Limited to 6 people max for sewing machine stations. If we get too many sign ups, we may randomize selection or somehow decide how to whittle it down. We will try to be fair. All materials will be provided. Donations welcome, but not required. Brought to you by The Fábrica and The Bike Church.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/myu3qH7yNHKRnJ3z8
Materials & requirements: A bike with space for a frame bag (e.g., no rear suspension), and experience with a sewing machine (visit Fabrica open hours before event for intro).
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible.
Community care note: The workshop will be outside, masks required inside Fábrica.
–Stop the Bleed: Managing Life-Threatening Bleeding – Wednesday, May 13th and Wednesday, June 10th (2 separate classes) / 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. with Alicia (Alicia@OuterlandsMedics.com)
Location: SubRosa courtyard, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: This hands-on class will cover managing life-threatening bleeding with tourniquet application, wound packing techniques, and hemostatic dressings. There will be opportunities to apply tourniquets and wound pack simulated fake wounds with gauze. This course follows the national Stop the Bleed curriculum and a certification is available upon completion, if desired.
Materials: No materials or prior experience necessary.
Accessibility: ADA accessible, masks encouraged but not required.
-Trash into Fashion DIY – Friday, May 8th and 22nd / 12pm – 4pm with Salem ( IG: arachnephoria)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: Summary: Tips and tricks from a local punk queer wanting to create a supportive creative space to foster self expression in completely free and accessible ways.
First class Friday May 8th will cover intro to hand sewing and patch and pin making.
For the second class, Friday May 22nd, I will teach intro to knitting and embroidery.
I will provide, fabric, needles, thread and other necessary materials. Bring your own materials or come empty handed, I will have materials and tools available during the class.
I want to share tips and tricks I’ve picked up by making my battle gear and textile based art and create an inspiring atmosphere that will aid an individual to learn a new skill, but ideally gain an expressive outlet. Hobbies are so important to understanding ourselves so I want to inspire individual self expression via accessible means with free materials the students either bring themselves and I will be contributing my own stash of materials for each class.
Materials: Please bring materials or tools a student wants for a specific project. Useful to bring because I may not have what they need available.
Community care note: If you are experiencing minor sick symptoms, mask up- any sicker than a cough and sneeze, stay home please!
-What Kind of Anarchist Are You? – Sunday, June 7th / 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. with Hank Hyena (anarchist-utopian@proton.me / text 415 309 3505)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: I recently led this workshop in Oakland at Bay Anarchist Free School – That description was: — What Kind of Anarchist Are You? There’s about 20 different categories of anarchist; which one(s) do you identify with? Many are quite opposite of each other. For example, are you a Platformist or an Anarchist-Without-Adjectives? Anarcho-Primitive or Anarcho-Transhumanist? Anarcho-Passivist or Illegalist or Galleanist advocate of Propaganda of the Deed? Are you actually just a Minarchist, Decentralist, Localist, or Apoist? We’ll explore, share, listen and debate to define our specific ideologies. — //// every attendee gets a 12-page questionaire to answer, that can be viewed here: https://anarchist-utopian.news/what-kind-of-anarchist-are-you (QUESTION ABOUT FRAMEWORK – ESSENTIALIZING? CHECK IN WITH BAY FREE SKOOL FOR THEIR EXPERIENCES)
Materials: I will give each student a 12-page questionnaire – that can be viewed here: https://anarchist-utopian.news/what-kind-of-anarchist-are-you
-What Is Democratic Modernity? – Thursday, May 14th / 6pm with David (@rojavasc1 on instagram or hevalkinch@gmail.com)
Location: SubRosa, 703 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA
Description: The Kurdish Freedom Movement embraces a feminist, democratic, and ecological future and has offered an alternative vision of modernity. As this new future unfolds alongside capitalist modernity we offer this session to discuss the ways we can resist the system materially and ideologically. A short history of Kurdistan will be offered, as the plight of the Kurds and their fight for resistance provides a stark example of the failings of the nation-state system. Please contact us if you would like some optional introductory readings.
Materials: Optional essay to review https://democraticmodernity.com/how-to-live-what-to-do-where-to-start-extract-from-ocalans-4th-manifesto/
Community care note: Covid precautions encouraged.
Share or check out on social media and online – https://instagram.com/freeskoolsantacruz // https://m.facebook.com/freeskoolsantacruz/ // https://linktr.ee/Freeskoolsantacruz (go to our link tree for a collection of useful links)
***Members of the SubRosa collective are involved in this revived and not entirely new, not all too different version of Free Skool Santa Cruz – a project in mutual aid learning and sharing. And SubRosa/the Hub is a site of a significant amount of classes (although not all!). More info about SubRosa at http://www.subrosaproject.org/ and the Hub at http://www.santacruzhub.org/
Free Skool Santa Cruz 