Happenings

For more events, see Community Listings.

THURSDAY 10

REPRODUCTIVE EQUITY AWARDS Rep. Jessica Farrar will be honored at this benefit for the Lilith Fund for her work toward reproductive freedom in the Legislature. Purchase tickets or learn about volunteer opportunities at www.lilithfund.org. 6:30pm. Mercury Hall, 615 Cardinal, 877/355-1469. $30.

WHAT'S A POLICE MONITOR? Find out at this community meeting about Austin's Office of the Police Monitor, which oversees investigations into police misconduct complaints. 6pm. Thurmond Heights Community Center, 8426 Goldfinch Court, 974-9090.

SATURDAY 12

CLARKSVILLE CONNECTION: THE PEASE ESTATE & THE BIRTH OF A COMMUNITY But wait ... what does Clarksville have to do with the Pease family? All will be revealed! Hear the neighborhood's story at Sweet Home Baptist Church; groove to gospel music by the irresistible Bells of Joy; snack on goodies at the historic Haskell House; and tour Woodlawn, the Pease family's home for more than a hundred years. 1pm. Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church, 1725 W. 11th. Free.

OBSCENITY STATUTE OVERTURNED PARTY No longer is having more than six dildos in your home illegal. Both Forbidden Fruit locations celebrate with music, drinks, and gifts. Noon-6pm. Forbidden Fruit: 512 Neches, 478-8358; 108 E. North Loop, 453-8090. Free. www.forbiddenfruit.com.

RADICAL URBAN SUSTAINABILITY TRAINING Hosted by the Rhizome Collective, this two-day workshop explores ways of building sustainable communities. Topics include bioremediation, rainwater harvesting, worm composting, activism, and more. Registration required. Sat.-Sun., April 12-13. Rhizome Collective, 300 Allen, 385-3695. $150-350 sliding scale. www.rhizomecollective.org/rust.html.

SUNDAY 13

HUTTO: AMERICA'S FAMILY PRISON Bob Libal from Grassroots Leadership and UT filmmaker Matt Gossage screen and discuss Hutto: America's Family Prison. 11:30am-12:30pm. First Unitarian Univer­sal­ist Church, 4700 Grover, 452-6168. Free. www.austinuu.org.

TENTS OF HOPE FOR DARFUR Today's event is part of a yearlong initiative asking people to respond to the crisis in Sudan. Paint a tent, and help shed light on the atrocities in Darfur. Speakers include Reps. Lloyd Doggett and Michael McCaul. The 140-city event culminates in November with a gathering of tents in Washington, D.C. 2pm. Capitol grounds. www.tentsofhopetexas.org.

WEDNESDAY 16

ROBERT KING OF THE ANGOLA 3, a group that formed the prison chapter of the Black Panthers and organized prisoners to better jail conditions, speaks at this UT event. 7pm. UT campus, GEO 2.324. Free. [email protected].

ONGOING

TAX ASSISTANCE AT THE LIBRARY Get tax help from Tax Counseling for the Elderly. Mondays: 11am-3pm (University Hills Library, 4721 Loyola); noon-4pm (Ruiz, 1600 Grove); 10am-2pm (Yarborough, 2200 Hancock). Wednesdays: noon-4pm (Windsor Park, 5833 Westminster). Thursdays: 11:30am-3:30pm (Howson Library, 2500 Exposition); 11am-4pm (North Village Library, 2139 W. Anderson). Fridays: noon-4pm (Ruiz Library, 1600 Grove). Through April 15.

GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP Keep Texas Beautiful is doing its part for this nationwide initiative giving free supplies to participating organizations. Call or go to www.ktb.org/programs/gac, and ask what you can do. Or recommend a cleanup event. Through May 31. 800/CLEAN-TX.

HILL COUNTRY PHOTO CONTEST The Hill Country Alliance is offering cash prizes and inclusion in their Hill Country calendar for photos that best depict the natural beauty of those rolling hills all around Austin. See www.hillcountryphoto.org for all the details. Deadline for entries is May 31.

FREE TAX SERVICES Nine area Community Tax Centers are providing free tax-preparation services to income-qualifying individuals and households this spring, and they're also offering low-fee, refund-anticipation loans. See www.communitytaxcenters.org for participating locations, hours, and details on income qualifications, or just call 211. Foundation Communities, 3036 S. First. For more info about tax assistance at libraries and other locations around town, see the Ongoing events in our Community Listings.