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Our Committees are how we organize for success. They’re made up of members and volunteers – we encourage all of our members to join a Committee to get connected to our work. If you're thinking about joining a Committee, send the Chair an email or attend one of their meetings to learn more.

For a summary of recent League activities, please click on the following link. 2023 State of the League

Social Policy

Chair, Pamela Flynt Tambo: socialpolicy@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: 4th Thursday of the month, 3:00 pm

Join us to research, learn, and take action on issues such as criminal justice reform, behavioral wellness, access to housing, homelessness, and more. We coordinate with the Sustainable Communities Committee on issues of mutual interest, including local land use and affordable housing. You can help us study, form positions, write letters, and speak at public hearings. We also coordinate with other communiity organizations working on health care, criminal justice, reproductive rights, and other social issues and services.

Criminal Justice Reform

Chair, Gail Osherenko socialpolicy@lwvsantabarbara.org

The Criminal Justice Reform task force is a collaborative effort of our League and the local branch of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE). We work to eliminate injustices in the jail system and law enforcement practices, reduce the number of people in our two county jails with mental illness and provide alternative housing and treatment in the community.

In 2021, our County jails were ordered to comply with terms of a stipulated court order to remodel, reconfigure, renovate, or provide new construction to “ensure the protection of the constitutional and legal rights of people incarcerated in the Santa Barbara CountyJail system and who are qualified individuals with disabilities as defined under relevant federal and state law.” Compliance with the court order has been slow and incomplete, hence the parties agreed in August 2023 to a new timetable to be completed by 2029.

Our task force is tracking the progress of our Sheriff and County in meeting the requirements of this order. We invite you to work withus as we focus on humane treatment and rehabilitation with the goal of addressing human needs in the community and promoting the successful reentry into communities of those who have been incarcerated.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Chair, Open - new Chair needed! If interested, send an email to us at League dei@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: This Committee is a part of the Social Policy Committee and meets at the same time as that Committee (see above) - the 4th Thursday of the month at 4:30 pm

Join our newly formed DEI Committee, which emphasizes self-education and actions grounded in social justice. The League of Women Voters, from the national to local levels, views all our work through a justice lens, upholding diversity, equity, and inclusion. We explore our personal implicit biases by reading, attending webinars, and listening to one another. You can help us build partnerships with other supportive organizations and take action - speaking up individually and collectively on local issues.

Our fall 2020 Community Forum “Confronting Racism” addressed issues in Santa Barbara County. You can watch a recording of it on our YouTube channel. Click on the YouTube icon at the bottom of this page and search for "Confronting Racism." More information on DEI issues is available to all here.

Environmental Action Committee
SusComm@lwvsantabarbara.org

Chair: Sandy Grasso Boyd - SusComm@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: 2nd Friday of each month, 10:30 am

The Sustainable Communities Committee has changed its name to the “Environmental Action Committee” to highlight its focus on significant climate crisis and environmental issues affecting our South Coast communities.

Climate Crisis
The latest scientific assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change again highlighted the urgency to act. The damage of global warming from greenhouse gas emissions is already extensive and caused mainly by human activities. Unless stronger action is taken now to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, it will take many more years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, thus, the adverse impacts and related losses will escalate exponentially.

Environmental Issues
Santa Barbara County is a unique place distinguished not only by tremendous natural beauty, but also its history of effective conservation measures and land and ocean management. However, with the new realities of climate change, along with an increasing population and substantial land use changes, the pressure on natural resources poses serious challenges to California residents and their environment.

The Environmental Action Committee supports the urgency to act to mitigate climate change and the decline of our natural resources. We monitor and advocate for the prevention of climate threats such as extreme heat, wildfires, floods, and coastal problems by California legislative, Santa Barbara area local government, and agency actions. We support creative transportation solutions and efficient use of alternative energy resources. We seek healthy agricultural and land use practices, enhanced water and air quality, and biodiversity stability. In addressing the climate crisis and the health of our natural resources, the goal of our Commitee is to promote the economic wellbeing and resilience of our communities while ensuring environmental justice for all.

Please join us if you are passionate about participating in any of these efforts.

Housing

Email: housing@lwvsantabarbara.org

Chair: Megan Turley

Meetings: 3rd Friday of each month from Noon to 1:00 pm.

This new Committee grew out of a year-long effort to update our goals and strategies related to South County housing. Our unaffordability crisis is substantial but we have a once in a century opportunity to reverse a trend of high rents and low vacancy rate which has led to the loss of families and younger workers. We are ready to advocate for workforce housing for all incomes and will look for opportunities presented by the design charrettes, protect our historic architecture quality, elevate the importance of sustainability, and include housing that supports local workers, many of whom currently commute. Our League is committed to seeing our work through a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion lens so we all look for ways to bring underrepresented voices to the State Street planning table. An inclusive process will ensure that current residents and workers can join tourists in enjoying a variety of activities in our new downtown. Providing our South County population with housing security is vital for our region's health, diversity, and economic vitality.

Book Club - Overbooked

Chair, Elaine Rudin: bookclub@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: Thursdays, every 4 to 6 weeks. Check the Events Calendar for more details.

The purpose of the book club is to help our members keep current on League issues and engage in thoughtful discussions on important topics. All are welcome to attend!

At our next meeting (October 12th at 1:30 pm, we will discuss After the Apocolypse: America's Role in the World by Andrews Bacevich.

Note: When you’re at the library, please check the book bags for books that are appropriate for our book club. That way, we don’t have to pay for books.

Membership

NEW CHAIR NEEDED!: membership@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: Dates and times vary as needed.

This essential Committee manages and builds member engagement. You can help by attending and inviting your friends to our Community Forums, provide them with opportunities to learn more about the League, help host orientation meetings for new members, and plan just-for-fun events so that new and existing members can meet and get to know each other better.

Join us!

Voter Service

Co-Chairs: Revae Moran and Claire Van Blaricum. Contact them at VoterService@lwvsantabarbara.org
vice@lwvsantabarbara.org
Meetings: Dates and times vary as needed.

You can help us make democracy work by joining the Voter Service Team. Here’s where the rubber meets the road - voter education and registration. You are needed for voter registration drives and to distribute copies of the League’s Easy Voter Guides (in both English and Spanish!) prior to each major election.

You also can help us set up Candidate Forums, Pros &Cons Forums where we discuss the state propositions that will appear on everyone's ballot, and contribute to VotersEdge.org - the website with information on candidates running for election. We discuss upcoming elections, Candidate Forums, and voter registration events we are planning.

Observer Corps

Chair, Lindsey Baker: observercorps@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: Dates and times vary depending on the agencies and meetings being observed

Observers serve as the “eyes and ears” of the League at selected government agencies such as the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, City Councils, Planning Commissions, and School Boards. As a member of this Corps, you will report to the Board to keep them alert to possible actions needed to support League positions. Additional volunteers are needed to observe City Council, Board, and Commission meetings in Carpinteria, Goleta, and Santa Barbara.

Communications

Chair, New Chair needed! Send an email to Vicki Allen if you are interested: communications@lwvsantabarbara.orgVPCommunications@lwvsantabarbara.org

Meetings: The Tuesday before each month's Board meeting at 1:00 pm. (Depending on how the dates fall, that means it will be on the 1st or 2nd Tuesday of the month.) The next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 6th.

Join us to spread the word about our mission, our Community Forums and other events, state and national action alerts, and League positions on important issues. You can expand LWVSB’s connections, networks, and communications on social media and contribute articles and photos to our email newsletter and our website. Help us reach out to the wider community.

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