This Saturday, June 6, Women in Transition (WIT), an organization that provides empowerment counseling and advocacy to women in Philadelphia, is hosting a class on self-defense and safety strategies. The class is part of the WAVE anti-violence education program by WIT and is open to women, girls (ages 14+), transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

WAVE classes teach safety strategies that students can use in situations ranging from verbal harassment to physical assault, including awareness, trusting your instincts, boundary setting, verbal assertiveness, and easy-to-learn physical techniques. Students of all skills, abilities, sizes and body types are strongly encouraged to join.

The workshop will be held at Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave), beginning at 1:30 p.m., and is available on a sliding scale from $5 to $25, to allow for financial hardships. More info and registration is available at www.helpwomen.org.

A great annual tradition that helps bring the community together returns this week to Cedar Park. Live Jazz Fridays, a free and fun outdoor event for the whole family, kicks off at 6 p.m. on June 5 with a performance by Progressive Movement. The event, organized by Cedar Park Neighbors and supported by many local businesses and organizations, is held every Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m., through July 31 (see the performance schedule below). And don’t forget to bring your blanket or chair.

June 5 – Progressive Movement
June 12 – Rich Tucker and the Universal Experience
June 19 – Brent White Group
June 26 – Glenn Bryan and Friends
July 3 – Clef Club Youth Ensemble
July 10 – Gretchen Elise and Friends
July 17 – Dahi Divine and Friends
July 24 – Broke and Blue Band
July 31 – Side by Soul

The “bamboo lot” at 5123-29 Baltimore Avenue (Google Street View).

Greensgrow Farms recently signed a lease for a new garden center on Baltimore Avenue, and now they would like to present their plans to the community and get some feedback. A community meeting will take place on Thursday, June 4 at People’s Baptist Church (5039 Baltimore Ave), from 6 to 8 p.m. The meeting is a great opportunity for neighbors to share ideas about what they want to see at this location.

The new garden center is planned for the overgrown vacant lot (aka “the bamboo lot”) at 5123-29 Baltimore Ave. Some likely features of the new location will be a small farm, nursery, an outdoor classroom space and possibly a farmers’ market. However, Greensgrow is willing to work with the community to figure out what the new space should include.

Greensgrow, which is based in Kensington, is also inviting neighbors to check out their temporary West Philly location at 4912 Baltimore Ave. to meet the staff and learn more about their mission and impact.

The Henry Lea School playground at 47th and Spruce a few of years ago (left) and an artist’s rendering of the Greening Lea plan (right).

It’s not too late to support a neighborhood public school and at the same time beautify the neighborhood. The Greening Lea Naming Campaign, the grassroots effort to turn the vast tarmac playground at The Henry Lea School (47th and Spruce) into an inviting space, has been extended to June 15.

You can buy a brick (also, here is an order form), paver or a cluster of bricks with your name, your business’s name or a name in memory of a loved one online that will be used for the project. The brick and paver campaign is part of a multi-year effort to transform the physical surrounding of the Lea School led by the West Philly Coalition of Neighborhood Schools, a grassroots organization started in 2010. Details on the Greening Lea project are here.

Photo courtesy Neighborhood Bike Works.

Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW), a nonprofit that offers bike education and recreation opportunities to West Philly youth, is seeking adult volunteers to help with their summer camp program. NBW’s Summer Cycling Day Camp, held from June 29 to August 21, offers youth ages 8 through 14 the opportunity to recondition and earn a bike, helmet, and lock in a two-week session. Youth complete our Earn-A-Bike curriculum, participate in fun outdoor activities, go on educational field trips, and learn about safe cycling, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles.

If you enjoy working with youth and want to develop or improve your mechanics or riding skills, this is a great opportunity for you. No experience is necessary – just a willingness to learn and potentially get your hands dirty! The camp will be held at NBW’s headquarters at 40th and Locust Walk from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekdays.

If you’re interested please contact Nadav Carmel at nadav@neighborhoodbikeworks.org or 215-386-0316.

Curio Theatre Company continues its reading series supporting emerging Philadelphia playwrights and invites everyone to tonight’s reading of Candy Candy by Chris Davis. The series is co-produced by Philadelphia Dramatists Center.

The peformance is directed by Liam Castellan and features Curio actors: Andrew Carroll, Joel Guerrero, Diana Rodriguez, Kelly Cova, Rachel Gluck, Brendan Norton, and Steve Carpenter. It will be held in the Curio Theatre Company Second Stage at 4740 Baltimore Avenue, starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, and light refreshments will be provided. And here’s some information about the play from Curio’s website:

“This high octane bilingual comedy follows the televisual fantasies of a young girl named Candy who dreams of escaping her quotidian life in Mexico.”

Visit curiotheatre.org for more information.