Healing Justice Santa Barbara - HJSB

Healing Justice Santa Barbara - HJSB Healing Justice Santa Barbara aspires to uplift all Black/African-Americans to affirm that they are deserving of safety, love, equity, respect, and joy.

Our book baby is on display! As community organizers turned community archivists, we wanted our book to be accessible be...
01/15/2026

Our book baby is on display! As community organizers turned community archivists, we wanted our book to be accessible because this is everyone’s knowledge and we are all better when we can look to one another and affirm the histories and futures of Black folks…. Especially in a time when histories are being erased to create space for further displacement and harm

We are so proud to share that you now find our book at the following local shops, libraries museums
📍Santa Barbara Public Library
📍Santa Barbara Historical Museum
📍Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
📍Chaucer’s (coming soon!)

And as always thanks to
Reyna for illustrating
Dr. Michelle Petty for editing
Ana for translating
Frank for the map visual
Leticia, Jazmyn for project management and glossary
Kryslte and all former staff for years of research
The City of SB and UCSB Special Archives
Ms Sojourner for loving us
And Simone for writing

It’s a whole Black illustrator yall! Join us this weekend as we celebrate MLK with a community book signing with Black i...
01/15/2026

It’s a whole Black illustrator yall! Join us this weekend as we celebrate MLK with a community book signing with Black illustrator and creative .iman_ at United Methodist Church in Isla Vista

Continuing to tell the truth in public is just one of the many ways we honor Kings legacy locally. 🙌🏾

She will be available to sign books beginning at 1pm 🎨🎨🎨

Say hey our newly certified Teen Mental Health First Aid crew. If we say we about community than that means staying read...
01/15/2026

Say hey our newly certified Teen Mental Health First Aid crew. If we say we about community than that means staying ready and willing to support each other. Ubuntu, I am because you are

Our thanks to for facilitating this training, and our partners McCune Foundation and

We can't say thank you enough to everyone who supported our 2nd annual Black is Beautiful Gala, and truly made the eveni...
11/22/2025

We can't say thank you enough to everyone who supported our 2nd annual Black is Beautiful Gala, and truly made the evening feel like a love letter to the Black community.

In a year marked by so much uncertainty and fear, coming together in a space rooted in joy, unity, and cultural pride felt especially meaningful. The evening reminded us of the power we hold when we gather to celebrate, to honor our legacies, and to nurture a future where Black lives are valued, protected, and able to thrive.

The night was filled with so much joy, from performances by P Money Experience Dancers , and Lunch Break Band, to our magnetic and hilarious host Vivian Storm , and the powerful keynote from . We honored our Black Legacy Awardees, including Isaac “Ike” Jenkins (In Memoriam), Ms. Wendy Sims-Moten, and Ms. Christine Simms. We also celebrated our student youth scholarship recipients and debuted our children’s book We Were Here, We Are Here.

The love in the room was real and overflowing, ya'll! 🙌🏾 😭 🌹 Thank you, thank you, and stay tuned as we share more recaps from this year's Black is Beautiful Gala.

Our children's book is here, ya'll! 📚✨We Were Here, We Are Here: A Living History of Black Santa Barbara is now availabl...
11/19/2025

Our children's book is here, ya'll! 📚✨We Were Here, We Are Here: A Living History of Black Santa Barbara is now available to the public for purchase.

First shared at the Black Is Beautiful Gala, this book brings Santa Barbara’s Black history to life through the voice of our beloved ancestor and poet laureate Sojourner Kincaid Rolle. Readers follow Mrs. Sojourner and local youth as they explore community stories, ancestral roots, and living history.

Get your copy today through Barnes & Noble bit.ly/WeWereHere-WeAreHere-BN or Amazon amazon.com/dp/B0FVTJ4HY1
———
Written by Simone Akila-Ruskamp
Illustrated by Reyna “Iman” Harris
Edited by Dr. Michelle Petty, Leticia Resch, and Jazmyn Heggins

With Special thanks to Sojourner and Rod Rolle, the City of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara Special Collections, Black Gold Cooperative Library System, Los Angeles Herald, Page & Trumbull, Nicole Hernandez, Frank Rodriguez, Krystle Farmer Sieghart, and HJSB staff past and present.

It’s almost Gala time, and this year’s Black is Beautiful Gala is officially sold out!We can’t wait to gather with you t...
10/31/2025

It’s almost Gala time, and this year’s Black is Beautiful Gala is officially sold out!

We can’t wait to gather with you this Saturday, November 1, for the 2nd Annual Black is Beautiful Gala: Black Excellence Through the Decades. Together we’ll honor the creativity, brilliance, and cultural impact of Black folx through the decades. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a sellout and who continues to show up for Black-led organizations and investments in collective community care.

We’ll see you at the Santa Barbara City College Great Meadow from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. Come ready to celebrate style! Formal attire in your favorite Shades of Red. 💃🏾 ❤️ 🌹

It's almost Gala time, and this year's Black is Beautiful Gala is officially sold out!We can’t wait to gather with you t...
10/31/2025

It's almost Gala time, and this year's Black is Beautiful Gala is officially sold out!

We can’t wait to gather with you this Saturday, November 1, for the 2nd Annual Black is Beautiful Gala: Black Excellence Through the Decades. Together we'll honor the creativity, brilliance, and cultural impact of Black folx through the decades. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a sellout and who continues to show up for Black-led organizations and investments in collective community care.

We’ll see you at the Santa Barbara City College Great Meadow from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. Come ready to celebrate style! Formal attire in your favorite Shades of Red. 💃🏾 ❤️ 🌹

She’s BACK, ya’ll! 🔥 We’re hyped to announce that P Money Experience is returning to tear up the stage at this year’s Bl...
10/25/2025

She’s BACK, ya’ll! 🔥 We’re hyped to announce that P Money Experience is returning to tear up the stage at this year’s Black is Beautiful Gala. Paris brings the energy, the rhythm, and the vibe every single time — a powerhouse dancer, choreographer, and creative director who’s worked with Anderson Paak, Jamie Foxx, Coachella, and more. As the founder of The P Money Experience and P Money Academy, she’s built a movement inspiring confidence, rhythm, and pure Black joy through dance. Most recently, she is the lead teaching artist and Program Manager at SB chapter of .

Don’t miss your chance to catch her live at this year’s Gala. A VERY limited number of tickets are left, grab yours today at bit.ly/BIB25-Tickets

We are proud welcome back the incomparable ✨ Vivian Storm ✨ as this year's Black is Beautiful Gala Host! Vivian is a dy...
10/22/2025

We are proud welcome back the incomparable ✨ Vivian Storm ✨ as this year's Black is Beautiful Gala Host! Vivian is a dynamic drag queen with over 16 years of experience in the drag performance art scene. She has become a beloved figure in the Santa Barbara community, known for her vibrant performances and commitment to joy, inclusivity and connection. Beyond the stage, Vivian is Deejay Johnson, a certified life and health coach, empowering clients through personalized coaching plans, mindfulness practices, and holistic wellness strategies. Vivian seamlessly blends artistry and wellness, creating spaces for both celebration and personal growth.

The Gala is just 10 days away! Don't miss an unforgettable evening celebrating Black Excellence Through the Decades, secure your tickets today at bit.ly/BIB25-Tickets

The Black is Beautiful Gala would not be possible without the support of our amazing volunteers. We hope you’ll join thi...
10/19/2025

The Black is Beautiful Gala would not be possible without the support of our amazing volunteers. We hope you’ll join this year’s volunteer team on Saturday, November 1 at the SBCC Great Meadow to help make this celebration of Black joy and excellence a success.

Volunteers are needed for key areas including event setup, check-in, stage and hospitality support, raffle and merch tables, and tear-down. Choose to volunteer for the full day (2:00–9:30pm) or a partial shift (2:00–6:00pm or 5:30–9:30pm).

All approved volunteers will receive a meal. Submit your interest at bit.ly/BIB-Volunteers, and our team will reach out with next steps. Please note, all volunteers must confirm their availability by Sunday, October 26, 2025. For questions, contact info@hjsb.org.

We are just two weeks away from the Black is Beautiful Gala! To ensure that cost is not a barrier to joining our celebra...
10/18/2025

We are just two weeks away from the Black is Beautiful Gala! To ensure that cost is not a barrier to joining our celebration, a very limited number of Community Access tickets are now available for $175 each (30% off). Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Don't miss out!

To reserve your discounted ticket:
1️⃣ Visit the ticket link at bit.ly/BIB25-Tickets
2️⃣ Click “Add promo code” at the top of the ticket list.
3️⃣ Enter ACCESS25 and click apply.
4️⃣ Select the Community Access ticket option, which will appear at the top of the list for $175.

We hope you will join us in celebrating ✨ Black Excellence, through the Decades ✨ on Saturday, November 1!

Long before the Black is Beautiful Gala, there was The Cotton Club. In 1924, Otto Hopkins, a pioneering Black businessma...
10/15/2025

Long before the Black is Beautiful Gala, there was The Cotton Club. In 1924, Otto Hopkins, a pioneering Black businessman, and his wife Claire opened The Cotton Club on historically Black Haley Street, the “first integrated business on the Central Coast.” During a time when Jim Crow laws and segregation were still widely enforced throughout the country, Hopkins created a space where Black artistry thrived and the community came together to dance, dine, and be free. Operating as a speakeasy until the end of Prohibition in 1933, The Cotton Club became a popular local venue, known for accommodating nine-piece bands and other musical acts. Hopkins later opened The Brown Derby, another vibrant spot for music, food, and connection, carrying forward the tradition of Black joy and creativity that’s always been at the heart of our community.

For generations, Black joy has been our protest and our promise—a way of saying we are still here. On November 1, we continue that legacy with the Black is Beautiful Gala: Black Excellence Through the Decades. Secure your tickets before they are gone! Tickets available at hjsb.org/bib-2025

Images courtesy of Wilbur Hopkins Tate.

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P. O. Box 8628
Goleta, CA
93118

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