There are a couple of things I can guarantee if you’re attending Silicon Valley Reads’ kick-off event Thursday night at De Anza College in Cupertino: First, you’ll hear a side of valley history that doesn’t center on men like Bob Noyce, Steve Jobs, Bill Hewlett and David Packard. Second, on a stage of six people, the moderator — that’s me — will be the least brainy of the bunch.
That’s because the stars of the panel discussion are author Julian Guthrie and the four women she profiles in her book, “Alpha Girls: The Women Upstarts Who Took on Silicon Valley’s Male Culture and Made the Deals of a Lifetime.” These entrepreneurial women — Mary Jane Elmore, Theresia Gouw, Sonja Hoel Perkins and Magdalena Yesil –fueled the rise of some of today’s most well-known tech companies while surviving in an environment that was amazingly hostile towards women.
A big crowd is expected for Thursday’s 7:30 p.m. event, so doors to the Visual & Performing Arts Center at De Anza will open at 6:15 p.m. An exhibit on “Women Pathmakers” opens at the adjacent Euphrat Museum of Art will be open that evening for early arrivals, and parking will be free in Lot A starting at 5 p.m. If you miss this one, the whole group will be back together for a closing roundtable April 9 at the Tech Interactive in downtown San Jose.
Thursday’s event is just the start of more than two months of programs for Silicon Valley Reads, the community engagement series that this year is exploring the theme “Women — Making It Happen” and celebrating more than a century of women’s achievements. The other book driving this year’s programs is “The Tenth Muse,” a novel about a mathematician who confronts her own family identity. It’s author, Catherine Chung, will participate in several reading programs at Santa Clara County libraries from Feb. 20 through March 2. Guthrie also will take part in several library and reading events in February and March.
There are two career-oriented events for girls taking place in the next couple of weeks, with the Tech in downtown San Jose hosting “Building Your Brand,” a ticketed workshop aimed at high school girls from 9 a.m. to noon on Jan. 25, and the Santa Clara County Office of Education holding a career fair for students from kindergarten to eighth grade on Feb. 1 at 10 a.m.
Other events include a celebration of women in computing at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View on March 28, film screenings and talks by other authors, as well as programming aimed at younger readers and this year’s companion books, “The Most Magnificent Thing,” a picture book by Ashley Spires; and “Who Says Women Can’t Be Computer Programmers?” and “Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream,” both by Tanya Lee Stone.
You can get more details on all these programs and more at www.silconvalleyreads.org.
PALO ALTO ART CENTER BRANCHES OUT: It should come as no surprise that trees are a big deal in Palo Alto, which was itself named for a 110-foot, 1,100-year old Coastal Redwood. And now the Palo Alto Art Center is turning its attention to the power and beauty of trees with its new exhibition, “Rooted: Trees in Contemporary Art,” which features the work of more than 20 artists from around the world.
The exhibit officially opens Saturday, but visitors can get a preview at this week’s free Friday Night at the Art Center event. There will be tree-themed art activities, live music, specialty drinks and a chance to meet some of the contributing artists from 7 to 9 p.m. The Art Center is at 1313 Newell Road.
DINNER AND A MOVIE: Pruneyard Cinemas in Campbell has announced the lineup for its fourth round of Culinary Cinema, the series that pairs classic flicks with a three-course meal inspired by the movie. The series kicks off with “Casablanca,” a fairly romantic choice for just before Valentine’s Day on Feb. 10 and 11. Other upcoming films include “GoodFellas” (March 16), “My Dinner With Andre” (April 20), and “Tampopo,” a 1985 Japanese comedy on May 11. Get more information and tickets at www.pruneyardcinemas.com.