This year's conference theme is "Avenues for Advocacy, Investing in our Future." This hybrid event will have both in-person and virtual options to attend. Registration is free and open to all.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will deliver the 2022 State of the City at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, from the soon-to-open JMA Wireless technology manufacturing plant located on Syracuse’s South Side. The new facility is a central element of Walsh’s Syracuse Surge strategy for inclusive growth in the New Economy. For COVID-19 safety, the address will be open to a limited in-person audience by invitation. It will be broadcast on WCNY Public Broadcasting Channel 24.

The Central New York Political Leadership Institute will launch its 13th annual eight-week program to train individuals how to navigate the political process with a free, virtual information session from 5 to 6 p.m. Jan. 25. The training sessions cover campaign organization and operations, how to get on the ballot, messaging, working with the media, campaign finance, fundraising and how to get out the vote.

In this virtual session, the Central New York Community Foundation will build upon the discussion from its 2019 “Lead Poisoning in CNY” event. Precious time has passed for families who are enduring lead poisoning and now, with the addition of the pandemic, many government, medical and nonprofit organizations are still preoccupied with COVID-19. With two panels featuring government, medical and neighborhood experts, the session will cover the progress that has been made in medical testing and code enforcement, as well as the challenges Central New York may face moving forward.

Join FOCUS Greater Syracuse for a free, virtual public forum at 12:05 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28. FOCUS is seeking community input for future FOCUS forums. The group seeks feedback on topics that residents would like more information about or feel that the community should be more informed on. FOCUS’s “Forum on the Future” will provide a space for conversation, idea-sharing and most importantly, listening to the residents of Central New York. Registration is required to receive a Zoom link. Register at: https://www.focussyracuse.org/focus-forums/

The 2022 Syracuse Pond Hockey Classic, a one-day outdoor hockey tournament on scenic Hiawatha Lake in the city of Syracuse, will take place Saturday, Jan. 29. After a successful inaugural tournament in 2020, the tournament will expand this year to 16 teams competing on six rinks. The 2021 event was canceled due to COVID-19.

Round robin play will begin at 9 a.m. Championship round play is scheduled to start around 3:30 p.m. Upper Onondaga Park has space for a large crowd of spectators on the banks of Hiawatha Lake.  The event also features music, food and beverages. Attendance is free. The contingency date for unfavorable weather conditions is Feb. 5.

For the month of February, live music will be performed each Wednesday to celebrate local Black artists, organized by Syracuse JAMS. Performance by Carter & Brooks will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

A Pocketful of Progress: A Retrospective Look at the Machines Found in our Smartphones opens 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, downtown at the Onondaga Historical Museum. The exhibit displays machines from the past 150 years which performed functions that, today, can be done on a smartphone. The array of machines, many which originated right here in Syracuse, offer a stark juxtaposition to the incredible technological tool you carry every day in your purse or in your pocket. The is a free event. RSVP to ohamuseum@cnyhistory.org. For the safety of all staff and patrons, proof of vaccination is required to attend.

Every Thursday in February, Chef Kuukua will instruct in making a traditional African soup or porridge, in commemoration of Black History Month.