Where creativity and curiosity converge.
Discover carefully curated public lectures, author talks, debates and intellectual events in Los Angeles, USA — selected by The Mindful City editorial team.
Last updated: September 20, 2026
Sarah Parcak · Getty Villa · September 21, 2026
Archaeologist Sarah Parcak presents her work using satellite imagery and remote sensing to identify ancient sites and reinterpret Mediterranean landscapes. The illustrated lecture …
Naomi Klein · PEN America LA (Los Angeles) · September 21, 2026
Naomi Klein examines the interplay between climate journalism, activism, and political strategy in a warming world. She will discuss narrative approaches that mobilize communities …
Roxane Gay · PEN America Los Angeles (Writers Guild Theater) · September 22, 2026
Novelist and critic Roxane Gay reads from her new work and discusses vulnerability, memoir, and the politics of embodiment. The event will include a moderated conversation and audi…
Roxane Gay · Skylight Books · September 22, 2026
Author Roxane Gay reads from her new book and joins a conversation about memoir, criticism, and cultural storytelling. A signing will follow the reading; tickets are limited.
Colson Whitehead · Skylight Books · September 22, 2026
Colson Whitehead reads from his latest novel and reflects on craft, history, and voice. The event concludes with a moderated Q&A and book signing.
Jill Lepore · Los Angeles Public Library (Central Library) · September 22, 2026
Historian and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore explores how history and storytelling shape public memory and civic life. Her talk will be followed by a community discussion and …
Isabel Wilkerson · Los Angeles Public Library - Central Library · September 22, 2026
Pulitzer Prize–winning author Isabel Wilkerson presents themes from her work on social hierarchy and racial history and reflects on civic repair. The program will include readings …
David Wallace-Wells · Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) - Bing Theater · September 22, 2026
Journalist David Wallace-Wells presents a data-driven examination of near-term climate impacts and the policy choices that will determine urban resilience. A moderated discussion w…
Rebecca Solnit · Los Angeles Public Library - Central Library · September 22, 2026
Essayist and activist Rebecca Solnit leads a public conversation about community organizing, urban resilience, and the role of narrative in social change. The program includes audi…
Roxane Gay · UCLA Hammer Museum · September 22, 2026
Roxane Gay reads from her newest collection and discusses craft, identity, and the politics of personal narrative. The event includes a moderated conversation and audience Q&A.
Colson Whitehead · Skylight Books · September 22, 2026
Colson Whitehead reads from his newest novel and discusses influences, craft, and narrative choices with a local moderator. A book signing follows the conversation.
Roxane Gay · PEN America Los Angeles (hosted at The Theatre at Ace Hotel) · September 22, 2026
Writer and cultural critic Roxane Gay discusses the politics of representation, vulnerability, and public debate in contemporary literature. The evening features readings, a modera…
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie · Skylight Books · September 22, 2026
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reads from her forthcoming work and discusses storytelling across cultures and the ethics of representation. The event includes an audience Q&A and book si…
Mary Roach · Skylight Books (Los Feliz) · September 22, 2026
Popular science writer Mary Roach takes listeners on a lively tour of the surprising science behind bodies, death, and outrageous research. Her reading will be followed by audience…
Brian Greene · Royce Hall, UCLA · September 23, 2026
Physicist Brian Greene presents the latest ideas in cosmology and string theory for a general audience, weaving science with big-picture questions. The presentation will include a …
Atul Gawande · UCLA Hammer Museum · September 23, 2026
Surgeon and public-health writer Atul Gawande explores systems thinking in medicine and the ethics of improvement. He will draw on his reporting and books to propose practical refo…
Roxane Gay · Skylight Books · September 23, 2026
Roxane Gay reads from her forthcoming book and joins a conversation about gender, vulnerability, and cultural criticism. Attendees can expect a moderated discussion followed by an …
Elizabeth Kolbert · Getty Center · September 23, 2026
Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Elizabeth Kolbert discusses the role museums can play in public climate education and conservation. The lecture will explore case studies of colle…
Rebecca Solnit · Getty Center · September 24, 2026
Rebecca Solnit examines how museums and archives shape public memory and political action, using case studies from recent exhibitions. The lecture will explore strategies artists a…
Jennifer L. Eberhardt · Royce Hall, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA Public Lecture) · September 24, 2026
Social psychologist Jennifer Eberhardt discusses her research on implicit bias, policing, and strategies institutions can use to reduce racial disparities. This UCLA-hosted lecture…