Medical marijuana

Wednesday, July 23, Ethan Nadelmann, founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, discusses the state of drug-policy reform efforts and San Francisco's critical role in the medical marijuana movement. 5-7 p.m., San Francisco Medical Society, 1409 Sutter, S.F. Free. (415) 921-4987.

Report-back from Venezuela

Thursday, July 24, the Global Women's Strike presents a report-back from Margaret Prescod and a video at "Venezuela: One Year after the Popular Uprising Reversed the Coup." 7-9 p.m., Al Fanous Café, 3170 16th St., S.F. Free. (415) 626-4114.

Ammiano benefit

Friday, July 25, celebrate and contribute to Tom Ammiano's campaign for mayor with cocktails, music, and spoken word at "Our Time Is Now: People's Campaign for Ammiano." The performers include Lipstick Conspiracy, DJ Pusspuss, the Cantankerous Lollies, and others. Cocktail reception 7:30-8:30 p.m., concert 8:30 p.m.-2 a.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $50-$500 sliding scale (concert only, $12-$25 sliding scale). (415) 284-1020.

Activism film festival

Friday, July 25, and Saturday, July 26, in celebration of its new activism and social change degree programs, New College of California offers free admission to its annual Activism and Social Change Summer Film Festival. Covering such disparate subjects as 1999's anti-WTO protest in Seattle and the civil rights movement in the South during the 1950s, the films, from across the activist board, are inspiring. For a complete listing go to www.newcollege.edu. Fri/25, 7-9 p.m.; Sat/26, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., New College of California, 777 Valencia, S.F. Free. (415) 740-8833 or (415) 437-3408.

Bring the biodiesel

Saturday, July 26, help filmmaker and biodiesel expert Joshua Tickell raise money for his upcoming documentary, Fields of Fuel. Tickell, author of From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank: The Complete Guide to Using Vegetable Oil as an Alternative Fuel, is joined by other biodiesel activists at the fundraiser, which also features short films, music, and skits. 7 p.m., CELLspace, 2050 18th St., S.F. Donation requested. (415) 244-3622.

Picnic for Cuba

Saturday, July 26, celebrate Cuba's national holiday with a potluck picnic sponsored by International ANSWER that brings together music and poetry to highlight the continuing struggle of the island nation in the face of U.S. imperialism. 11 a.m., Mosswood Park, West MacArthur at Webster, Oakl. (415) 821-6545.

Prisons and slavery?

Saturday, July 26, lifelong inmate advocate and social justice activist Angela Davis speaks about her new book, Are Prisons Obsolete? Davis, a former member of the Black Panther Party, takes the audience on a journey from the Soledad Brothers in the 1960s to 1998's groundbreaking "Critical Resistance" conference, mapping out how the U.S. prison-industrial complex criminalizes and incarcerates communities of color while privatizing profits. 8 p.m., First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison, Oakl. $12, $10 in advance. (415) 425-3733.

Bad-taste benefit

Sunday, July 27, leave it to the Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane to come up with "Smart Bombs breakfast cereal," "Terrorism for Dummies," and "Republicans Gone Wild" for a good cause. Join the creative protest group for a fundraiser, with proceeds going to the "Wheels of Justice Tour" for the people of Palestine and Iraq, organized by Voices in the Wilderness and the Middle East Children's Alliance. 6-10 p.m., Cat Club, 1190 Folsom, S.F. $5. (415) 385-5956.

Harry Bridges memorial

Sunday, July 27, celebrate deceased labor organizer Harry Bridges's 102nd birthday at a breakfast with others devoted to organized labor, while raising funds for a monument in Bridges's name in front of the Ferry Building, on Harry Bridges Plaza. 8-10 a.m., Crowne Plaza Hotel, 480 Sutter, S.F. $50, $40 in advance. (510) 812-2172.

Third-world debt

Sunday, July 27, as legislation to cancel Iraq's enormous debt makes its way through Congress, join the Bay Area Jubilee Debt Cancellation Coalition and other groups as they discuss the significance of this legislation for other impoverished countries and their debts. 5-7 p.m., Berkeley Friends Church, 1600 Sacramento, Berk. Donation requested. (510) 528-0105.

Civil rights doc

Tuesday, July 29, enjoy a screening of Amy Chen's documentary The Chinatown Files, chronicling the lives of seven people who endured undue persecution during the McCarthy era. As the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International campaign to prevent Patriot Act II from becoming law, this film holds special importance to the times. 7 p.m., Rockridge Library, 5366 College, Oakl. Donation requested. (510) 288-7432.