CommUnify Presents Panel Discussion on Gang Activity from Carpinteria to Goleta

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - CommUnify is inviting the public to a panel discussion entitled
“Community Conversations: Understanding the Gang Ecosystem" on Thursday, May 29th, 2025.

The free event is meant to provide an update on gang activity and youth violence from Carpinteria to Goleta.

From CommUnify:

The South Coast Youth Safety Partnership (SCYSP) is a regional collaborative that includes the County of Santa Barbara, and the cities of Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Carpinteria along with elected officials, local government agencies and executives, law enforcement, education, faith community, philanthropic and community-based organizations, youth and parents.

The mission of the SCYSP is to improve and support the safety and quality of life for youth, families, and community.

This event stems from a shared commitment to honor the memory of a 15-year-old stabbing victim whose tragic death in 2007 brought our community together and sparked this ongoing effort to build a safer, more collaborative effort to address youth violence on the South Coast. The goal of SCYSP is to deepen the understanding of the complex social, environmental, and systemic factors contributing to gang involvement and to explore how to create more effective, compassionate, and coordinated responses.

Meaningful change begins with collective learning, and is sustained through strong partnerships which inform effective strategies which foster safety, opportunity, and hope for the youth in our community.

SCYSP is committed to increasing community safety while addressing the root causes of violence, the lack of economic opportunities, and supporting systems change, as well as eliminating disparities.

As a partnership, the work of SCYSP extends over a decade with a collaborative effort to reduce youth and gang violence and build safe and healthy communities for our youth and their families. In continued partnership with the communities of the Central Coast’s South County region, SCYSP is committed to creating a unified response which allows community voices to be heard and acknowledged. The continue to promote the use of restorative approaches in schools, social justice in the community, and alternatives to incarceration through diversion programs and other community-focused solutions. The public should register here for this free event as space is limited.

Please contact Joni Kelly, Outreach & Communications Manager for CommUnify at 805-886-1869 or via email jkelly@CommUnifySB.org to schedule interviews with the panelists or Partnership members, or to request high- resolution photos.

For more information about the South Coast Youth Safety Partnership Panel Discussion, please visit www.youthsafetypartnership.org.

WHO: South Coast Youth Safety Partnership (SCYSP)
WHAT: Panel Discussion & Keynote Address “Community Conversations: Understanding the Gang Ecosystem”
WHEN: Thursday, May 29, 2025 ~ 11:00am - 3:00 pm
WHERE: Faulkner Gallery in Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 E Anapamu Street, Santa Barbara
WHY: To provide the community with an important update on local violence and gang activity in the South County of Santa Barbara.

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