The Bay Area Hip-Hop Theater Festival kicks off its two-week run of politically-inspired and racially-conscious dramatic and spoken word arts at Berkeley's La Pena Cultural Center at an event featuring the teen poets of Youth Speaks and their Brave New Voices College Tour. $10, 8 p.m., 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley (between Ashby and Alcatraz Aves.) more ›

Remember how years ago, everyone was running around yelling "Free Tibet?" Well, Africa is the Tibet and has been for a while. There's Darfur and the rush of Hollywood celebrities stealing babies and whatever Bono is prattling about but there's also a need for help in the Congo. To help the Congo, local Executive Coach and Keynote Speaker Fran Zone (that's what the bio says) is having World of Good Holiday Auction. It's online and ends Thursday, November 30th. more ›