Gateway Educational Services, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit dedicated to creating equity through education, will host the 3rd Annual Black Youth Leadership Summit, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16 at Santa Barbara City College’s West Campus, 721 Cliff Drive.
The 2025 Black Youth Leadership Summit is designed to bring together students who identify as Black or African American for a day of learning, connection, and community-building.
The summit, which is free to attend, is open to parents, students, and educators for grades 5 through 12 countywide and is the largest event in Santa Barbara County for Black Youth with some 150 participants expected to attend this yearʼs event.
The event includes bus transportation for youth from mid- and North County. Advance registration is required to participate using the link https://bit.ly/BYLS2025.
The three key initiatives planned for the day: gaining insights into historical Black leaders; offering support to parents of Black youth through facilitated discussions and collaborative problem-solving; and exploring the artistic expressions of youth.
The Black Youth Leadership Summit was born from the vision and dedication of the Parents of Black Students Advocacy Council (PBSAC), an ad hoc group of parents with children enrolled at Gateway.
PBSACʼs mission is to advocate for underserved students of color by fostering educational equity, cultural affirmation, and community support.
Motivated by a desire to create a space of joy and empowerment for Black youth ahead of the new school year, PBSAC approached Gateway with the idea of a one-day celebration focused on leadership, culture and positivity.
In the face of adverse school climates and anti-blackness, PBSAC said it “sought to host an event that addresses these issues in a constructive and uplifting manner, providing leadership skills and a celebration of Black culture for our youth.”
The result was the inaugural Black Youth Leadership Summit in 2023, a day of leadership development workshops, cultural enrichment, and community dialogue.
The 2025 summit aims to build on that momentum, again offering a place where Black youth from across the county can come together to grow, lead, and be celebrated.
“The Black Youth Leadership Summit creates a welcoming space for all Black/African American-identifying youth and aims to unite students, parents, educators, and community members for a culturally immersive day,” Gateway said.
“We are passionate about creating safe and positive spaces for Black youth in this community to learn and explore their blackness,” said Audrey Gamble, co-founder/co-executive director of Gateway Educational Services.
“This event celebrates the many contributions to academics and culture by African American leaders and creates the opportunity for our youth to participate in leadership development and cultural arts in an intimate and experiential setting,” said Connie Alexander, co-founder/co-executive director of the organization.
This year, cultural arts during the afternoon have been expanded, and students and parents can participate in art, West African drumming, poetry, dance, choral singing, and puppetry.
Thanks to the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, which provided the funding to buy djembe drums for the third year in a row, there are now more than 20 of them for the drum circle.
Gateway Educational Services is providing 100 students with deluxe backpacks, school supplies, and water bottles.
The Black Youth Leadership Summit sponsors include Santa Maria-Lompoc NAACP, Parents of Black Students Advocacy Council, CA Stop the Hate, CA Black Freedom Fund, Santa Barbara Foundation, Santa Barbara NAACP, Fund for Santa Barbara, city of Santa Barbara, Channel Islands YMCA, Santa Maria-Bonita School District and Santa Barbara City College Foundation.