El Centro Santa Barbara is an activist-led grassroots community space in Santa Barbara’s lower westside that centers BIPOC, queer and trans people. The space’s committed volunteers and organizers come together out of a commitment to foster connections, critical dialogues and actions for justice and equity. El Centro is engaged in a wide array of activities, including writing and poetry workshops, mutual aid efforts, youth educational programs, and open-mic nights. These efforts are guided by a desire to cultivate an intergenerational community space where knowledge and solidarity are exchanged amongst westside community members.
The Global Latinidades Center has collaborated with El Centro to support these aims, particularly through the Somos Semillas Community Garden. Established by El Centro, the garden is located on unceded Chumash territory at Children’s Park. This culturally-centered sustainable garden aims to address the consequences of the dual economic and ecological crises by building community resiliency and food sovereignty. This project is rooted in cultural self-determination, land justice, regenerative agriculture, and community economic development. Somos Semillas represents a grassroots initiative that endeavors to unite university students with community members in long-term collective efforts to increase energy efficiency and promote social and environmental sustainability while reducing UCSB’s impact on the environment, all by producing good, organic food to eat.
El Centro Contact: valle.josedejesus@gmail.com. For more information, visit El Centro's website!
