Phillips joins Activist Support Circle

Michelle Phillips, the film and TV actress and founding member of The Mamas and the Papas, as well as an outspoken anti-war activist, will be the special guest speaker at the Wednesday, Jan. 31, public gathering of the Activist Support Circle. The gathering will take place at the Friends Meeting Hall, 1440 Harvard St., and begin at 7 p.m.

The Activist Support Circle is an emotional support group for progressive activists. The purpose of the monthly gatherings are to:

- Guard against activist-related burnout.

- Share activist-related frustrations and fears, as well as hopes and aspirations, in a supportive, safe environment.

- Turn feelings of despair into feelings of empowerment.

- Learn helpful coping skills and ideas from other like-minded supportive activists.

The gatherings are free and there is free parking.

For information, call the Activist Support Circle at (310) 399-1000 or on the Web at www.activistsupportcircle.org.

DP



Going to the Fair

Find out how you can make a difference in the new year by contributing your time, energy and expertise to the community. Dozens of local organizations will be on hand at a Community Volunteer Fair to explain their programs and how volunteers can help meet critical community needs. Featuring a wide array of volunteer opportunities in Santa Monica and on the Westside, the fair will take place at the Fairview Branch of the Santa Monica Public Library, 2101 Ocean Park Blvd., from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 27. Refreshments will be served and there will be a prize drawing.

Agencies include those serving the arts, literacy, the environment, social services, emergency preparedness and populations such as at-risk youth, senior adults, women’s shelters and more. The fair is a collaborative effort of the Santa Monica Public Library, the Santa Monica Volunteer Program and WISE Senior Services.

The program is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 450-0443; or on the Web site at www.smpl.org.

DP



Films that sustain

The Santa Monica Public Library presents Sustainable Cinema. The library is showing four films that examine the relationship between humans and planet Earth. The films will be shown monthly from February through May. All films will screen in the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium in the Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

The series begins with a screening of “Who Killed the Electric Car?” on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m.; a panel discussion with environmental experts will follow. In March, the film “Super Size Me” is featured; it will screen at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6. Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” will be shown on Wednesday, April 4, at 7 p.m. The final film in the series, “Fast Food Nation,” will screen on Wednesday, May 16, at 7 p.m. This program series is co-sponsored by the Environmental Programs Division of the City of Santa Monica.

These programs are free and open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first-arrival basis.

For more information, contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600; or on the Web site at www.smpl.org.

DP



New center helps residents navigate legal system

County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky will be on hand today to open the new Self-Help Legal Access Center at the Santa Monica Courthouse during a 10 a.m. ceremony.

The center will assist self-represented residents as they complete court forms, file documents and prepare to appear in court. Trained staff will navigate visitors through legal procedures from family law and housing matters to small claims and name changes.

The Los Angeles Superior Court, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and Neighborhood Legal Services are collaborating to operate the center.

The county-funded legal information facility is located on the second floor of the courthouse at 1725 Main St.

For more information, call (213) 893-0528.

DP