06/05/2020
There are two protests in Santa Barbara this weekend. Saturday's is not affiliated with our local Black Lives Matter chapter despite using their logo and branding without their involvement or consent. It was organized last minute without real effort and is being promoted with Instagram ads instead of actual community communication. The 'leaders' it claims to have involved are from our local government and police force who have done absolutely nothing in showing support or solidarity during this time. In a time where everyone should be working together, choose to support the actual organizers in our community who have been doing this work for years this Sunday. As counterproductive as it might seem to discourage any support in these trying times, it's incredibly important to channel public support to the correct protests, organizers and events to make real impact in our community.
Also, if for any reason 'Student-Led' makes you think Sunday's protest is catered only toward a younger group, the reality is that the burden of this activism has been placed on our city's youth and they've been doing the work adults in our community have been neglecting for years. Thank you Black Lives Matter Santa Barbara.
