The Youth for Justice cohort centered the experiences and contributions of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) LGBTQIA2S+* (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit) and the countless affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify. Centering intersectionality in the program encouraged youth to think about their own identities and the ways in which various systems of oppression privilege and impact all of us. Intersectionality is a framework used to understand how aspects of a person’s social, cultural, and political identities combine to create different sets of privileges and disadvantages which shape their diverse lived experiences.

This summer the Santa Barbara Unified school board will look at renewing the contract with the Sheriff's office for a campus police officer (SRO) at San Marcos High School. Currently the Santa Barbara Unified School District has contracts with police officers at all three high schools, jr. highs, and some elementary schools.

This past Wednesday, former officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts for the murder of George Floyd. What did it take to get to this point? What is going to change after today’s verdict?

Campamento In Lak’ech served as the first ever dual immersion summer camp in Santa Barbara! Just Communities is proud to have been able to offer exciting learning and enrichment opportunities, rooted in social justice, to 75 students and families alongside Adelante Charter School.

After looking at our internal practices and individual biases, we invite the community to combat linguistic oppression and exclusive gender binaries by using “e” in Spanish as a way to be mindful of gender in our language as a whole.

As schools reopened under a hybrid model in March, we were faced with the unprecedented challenge of finding a new location to host the Learning Pods. We are so grateful that Pamela Tanase reached out to Just Communities, who offered a free space for the Learning Pods at Workzones. Through this opportunity, the Learning Pods can continue to operate for families with zero disruption to student learning. Together with educators, families, and community businesses such as Workzones, our efforts have helped boost the morale of students who need an encouraging and safe place to learn. Thank you Workzones and Pamela Tanase.