A Week of Civic Engagement in Santa Barbara

 

 Melinda Palacio  

Kristen Sneddon 

 

When my neighbor, Kristen Sneddon, invited me to read poetry at her Mayoral Campaign Kick-off, I did not hesitate to say Yes. I remember when she was canvassing the neighborhood during her campaign for City Council in 2017. At the time, I didn’t know that she lived next door to my dog’s favorite persimmon tree. Since then, I’ve been impressed by her compassion and leadership. As a geophysicist and city council member, Kristen is a profound listener who cares about our city and the global environment. When she realized she needed a bigger venue for all who had rsvp’d for her kick-off party, she was happy Laura Capps offered her beautiful home.

Two weeks ago, one of my biggest concerns was the continued bombardment of ICE raids on our town and country. Today, thoughts of war occupy my waking hours, as well as ICE and how this is impacting our community and country. As a friend and representative of our city, Kristen has expressed how much she appreciates my poems on immigration and ICE. I brought four poems, but read three. ICE Detention Tornillo, Texas was a poem I wrote in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Friday Morning Before Work in Carpinteria is from last year and Canopy over Milpas and Alphonse is a poem written this year in response to the Fair Trade Exhibit and Patricia Clarke’s photograph of La Super Rica. Even in this ekphrastic poem, I had ICE on my mind. You can read the poem in last month’s column. As I waited to read my poems and took in the diverse crowd in support of Sneddon for Mayor of Santa Barbara, I was impressed by the strong feeling of community. Another highlight of the event was hearing Kristen’s family band entertain the crowd before the speakers. Although they are not usually a band, her daughter, Elsie Sneddon on drums, and son, Harry Sneddon on bass, joined their friend Lucien Dempsey on keys, and formed a very impressive and impromptu house band.

Hannah-Beth Jackson offered the closing remarks and reminded everyone of Santa Barbara’s strong history of electing female mayors. It’s always an honor for me to contribute poetry at important community events. Last Sunday, I read some poems honoring my mother and grandmother at Carpinteria’s International Women’s Day Festival, held at the Carpinteria Children’s Project. Geri Ann Carty who was recognized as Carpinterian of the Year in 2022 was one of the festival’s organizers. The day included a variety of women-owned and women-centered organizations, as well as performances by local singers and dancers, a fun start to Women’s History Month. 

 

*an earlier version of this article appears in the Santa Barbara Independent