Empowered Voices workshop draws multigenerational turnout in Guadalupe

Organizers described an Empowered Voices community workshop as a cross-generational effort to boost civic engagement and discuss sustaining involvement and mental-health supports.

The workshop drew roughly 20 attendees, organizers said, and included three presenters: a therapist affiliated with the county in Santa Barbara, a former El Toro candidate who described her path from first-generation college student to raising tens of thousands of dollars for a campaign, and a youth engagement speaker focusing on recruiting high‑school students. "It was a really great event," said the community organizer who reported the event to the meeting.

Organizers said the program aimed to show residents how to move from online complaint to in‑person participation and to remove barriers that keep Latino residents and younger people from engaging with local government. Presenters shared practical tips for involvement and discussed balancing activism with self‑care so participation can be sustained over time.

Speakers said the audience ranged from children (about 8 or 9 years old) to people in their late 60s or early 70s, and organizers described several instances of younger attendees describing fundraising and engagement successes. One presenter recounted raising about $50,000 to $60,000 as a student candidate, an example organizers used to encourage youth involvement.

Organizers and meeting participants said the event was planned on short notice—roughly two weeks—and they intend to schedule future events with more lead time to increase outreach and participation.

The workshop was presented as a grassroots effort to broaden the pool of active community volunteers and leaders; organizers said they will try to repeat and expand the program with earlier publicity and stronger outreach to youth.