SAMPLES SOIRÉE
The Isla Vista Food Cooperative will be providing free food samples 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday on the store’s front patio as part of an event that they call “Midweek Munchies Madness.” Some of the foods sampled will be bulk candies and anything with hemp. The Food Co-op will also be hosting a demonstration about how to make a gluten-free, vegan ice cream sandwich from 5 to 7 p.m.

RALLY AGAINST SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Take Back the Night will be hosting its annual sexual violence awareness rally and march from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Anisq’Oyo’ Park. The rally will feature two guest speakers: Kat Alexander, who founded a website called Report It, Girl where sexual assault survivors share their stories, and Chardonnay Madkins, project manager for the nonprofit End Rape on Campus. Attendees can also partake in spaces for succulent pot decorating, adult coloring books and friendship bracelet making. There will also be free food.

LOCAL MATTERS MATTER
The I.V. Community Services District (CSD) will be hosting a special meeting 6 p.m. Thursday in the I.V. Clinic building. At the meeting, board directors will consider taking a position on Measure O — the proposed tax measure to provide additional funding to I.V. parks — and they will consider taking a position on the proposed county budget. The CSD board regularly holds public meetings every Tuesday night in the I.V. Clinic building.

OPEN-MIC
The UCSB Poets’ Club will be hosting an open-mic night 8 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the Coffee Collaborative. Organizers say there will be “hot beverages and even hotter performances,” which includes spoken word and some musical production. The event is open to the community, meaning participants are not required to be registered UCSB students.

EMPATHY THROUGH ART
The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara Rape Crisis Center are working together on an art exhibition for Sexual Assault Awareness Month that will be presented 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at People’s Park. Award-winning artist Tanya Aguiñiga will provide an interactive workshop where participants will be allowed to contribute to a piece of art that represents increasing community awareness of sexual assault issues. The piece of art will be displayed for a month. This event is free, bilingual and open to the public. Lunch will also be provided.

THE WEEKEND STRETCH
The I.V. Food Co-op is hosting a “Beach Brunch Yoga” session on Sunday morning, a free yoga class in the park with free brunch afterward. Organizers ask that participants first meet on the I.V. Food Co-op patio at 10:45 a.m. and then walk over to 6575 Seville Rd. Those interested must bring a mat or towel and must sign up online through Yoga Isla Vista’s website, yogaislavista.com under the tab “Schedule.” Free brunch is only for those who participate in the yoga session.

MEATLESS SUNDAY
A local group called Food Not Bombs will serve free vegan food at 5 p.m. Sunday at Little Acorn Park (next to Bagel Café). Food Not Bombs is a large organization that spans the country and is a form of “franchise activism.” They believe that corporate and government priorities are skewed and allow hunger despite the abundance of food and food waste. Those interested in cooking for Sunday can email organizers at foodnotbombsislavista@gmail.com. The dinner is regularly held every Sunday.

A version of this story appeared on p. 3 of the Thursday, April 20, 2017, edition of the Daily Nexus.

Print