“Over the years of being here in Santa Barbara, I was often one of the few blacks in the workplace or at an event,” says Quienna Broadnax. “I wondered if anyone else felt the same and wanted like-minded people to meet.” 

The vibrant, charismatic founder and president of Santa Barbara Young Black Professionals (SBYBP) tells me about the genesis of the organization. “It all started as a mixer in 2016,” she explains. “Six months later, it became a nonprofit.” 

The goal of the organization is to facilitate advancement, networking, and community service amongst the black millennials living and working in the Santa Barbara area. Besides their mixers, SBYBP holds quarterly workshops on varied themes like financial literacy, mental health, and professional development. They also do community service activities like beach clean-ups and site work for Habitat for Humanity.