Housing and Development Newsletter
Community members Simone Ruskamp, Chiany Dri and Jordan Killebrew brought a reiteration of Juneteenth back to Santa Barbara as several Black/African American Elders have celebrated in the region in the past.
In 2018, Ruskamp, Dri and Killebrew gathered to celebrate Junteenth at El Centro on Santa Barbara s lower Westside. This first event featured home-cooked soul food, Black-centered programming; and a safe space for the community to come together to celebrate Black culture.
The following year, Juneteenth SB partnered with the Santa Barbara Public Library, where the event grew to 400 people.
In 2020, due to COVID-19, the celebration was a virtual event that had some 13,000 viewers and featured an array of videos of Black community members sharing their stories, showcasing their work, and their collective histories.