Santa Barbara in Black has been meeting every Friday on the corner of Anapamu and State streets for six years. November 14 was no different as the group convened in front of the Museum of Art in response to the new president-elect. “We will be here every Friday from noon to one until inauguration,” said Barbara Parmet, an organizer with the group.
The group is preparing for whatever may come as a result of Trump’s presidency. “No one knows what’s going on or what’s going to happen, but we can help each other,” said Parmet. The group of about 15, all clothed in black, held clipboards, ready to take down information from anyone willing to be an ally for the minority groups most likely to be affected: immigrants, Muslims, women, people of color, and more.
Their mission is to ask communities, “What can we do for you?” and help supply the manpower needed. “We want to channel people into resources in the community,” Parmet elaborated.