OLLI at UC Berkeley

Well, that was quite a first week of courses. We dove into the brain (in a manner of speaking), Japanese American incarceration, US intervention in the Middle East, SF Opera, sleep, Paul Thomas Anderson, sleep, and California foodways (complete with homemade orange cake).

Thank you to our amazing faculty for lighting up the room with your depth and expertise, and to our members for always, always bringing your A game — aka, curiosity and insights. 👏

What a powerful and moving start to our summer term!

Professor Susan Kamei opened the season with a packed room for the first class of "War, Race and the Constitution: Lessons from the WWII Japanese American Incarceration." So much to be learned.

More new courses start this week and next. There's still time to sign up!
➡️ https://olli.berkeley.edu/courses

Let the countdown begin — summer classes start Monday!

If you've never taken an OLLI course before, you're in for a treat. The welcome will be warm 🫶 and the content engaging, provocative and more than a little eye-opening.

Check out what's on tap and register today ... while there's still time
➡️ https://olli.berkeley.edu/courses

Such a great day on the water ⚓

Yesterday, members toured the USS Potomac — FDR's presidential yacht — docked at Jack London Square in Oakland. Beautifully restored and full of stories.

FDR loved being at sea, and the Potomac was his favorite escape — and a great place to host gatherings, too, with prime ministers (Churchill), royalty (oh so many), and of course his beloved Fala (top dog, literally 🐾).

As one member said: "So special to have this in our backyard!" 💛

We want to give a special shoutout to the wonderful docents who made the history come alive. Thank you one and all!

What a day in Oakland Chinatown! So much depth, history, wonder and heart all wrapped up in one revelatory tour led by guide extraordinaire Lailan Sandra Huen.

Huge thanks to all of the guest speakers who shared their stories and perspectives with us … including Lailan’s mother, Jean Quan, former Mayor of Oakland!

Word of mouth is everything — friends inviting friends. It's still the #1 way people find us.

About 600 new members have joined us this year alone … and summer registration is still underway!

We’re so grateful for our community. Thank you for spreading the word 💛

See you in class.

Such a fantastic day exploring the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond! 💪

Huge thanks to OLLI member and Rosie docent Simone for sharing her expertise, passion, perspective and wit — an absolute treat from start to finish. And to docents Paula and Diane for bringing depth and humanity to the stories of the shipyards and the tragedy of Port Chicago.

Field trips like this represent what we love to do both inside and outside the classroom — bringing people together to learn, connect and grow.

Community in action! 👏

And that's a wrap! The final class of "Behind the Scenes of Bay Area Restaurants" took us into the kitchen of Berkeley's Pizzeria da Laura guided by chef/owner — and pizzza-making award winner! — Laura Meyer.

What a fantastic journey through the ins and outs of owning and operating a restaurant! Thank you, Laura, for sharing your morning and story with us!🍕✨

Downtown Berkeley

“History doesn’t happen in a void — it happens in a place,” says public historian, curator and book dealer Gerard Koskovich.

This June, join Gerard as he leads a workshop that brings LGBTQ+ history to life through Bay Area sites — revealing how everyday spaces hold powerful, often hidden stories. You’ll explore the growing movement to recognize and interpret these places, and come away with practical tools to uncover, document, and share the histories around you.

Come see places you pass every day in a whole new way. 🏳️‍🌈
https://olli.berkeley.edu/course/3039

Mondays, 6/8–6/29 • 1–3 PM • in person only