Public Workshops

Attention Santa Barbara community!  SBTHP invites YOU to attend one of two free, upcoming workshops titled, WHAT OUR MONUMENTS SAY ABOUT US. 

WHOSE STATUE IS IT ANYWAY? WHAT DO OUR MONUMENTS SAY
ABOUT US?  

Come learn about Santa Barbara’s King Carlos III statue and its storied past. Hear from an expert panel as they discuss the broader public discourse, and recent national trends & scholarship surrounding historical statues, monuments and memorials in public spaces. 

HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD! 

Become a part of the dialogue and share your opinions and perspectives. Collecting diverse voices is central to the creation of a new, permanent exhibit at the Presidio. Your participation is not only welcomed but strongly encouraged! 

Following the program, join us for a reception in the Presidio Orchard. Enjoy small bites & refreshments as you view the King Carlos III statue, up close.  

SBTHP received funding to produce an exhibit that explores our community’s evolving relationship with this controversial statue, and to help our community investigate the ways we have and will choose to commemorate our city’s history.    

This project was made possible with support from the James S. Bower Foundation and California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

MEET OUR PANELISTS:  

Sarah Case, Ph.D., is the Editor of The Public Historian, the preeminent professional and academic publication for the field of public history, and a continuing lecturer in History at UC Santa Barbara. Her work involves ongoing conversations about the role of historical interpretation in various communities within the United States and abroad. She received her Doctorate in Public History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

MariaElena Lopez is a Board Member of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and founder of The SPACE, an educational organization that celebrates the rich Indigenous culture of the Chumash People through culture, art and education. MariaElena is a Member and Tribal Representative of the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation and is involved in many community-centered projects throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. 

Oscar Guitierrez has served as Santa Barbara’s District 3 City Councilmember since June 2018. He grew up on Santa Barbara’s Westside, and attended San Marcos High and SBCC before going to earn his B.A. in Film from UCLA. Oscar was the first of the millennials generation to be elected to City Council, and as a bilingual councilmember, works to engage more of Santa Barbara’s diverse populations, including those who feel underrepresented.

Anne Petersen, Ph.D., is the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, where she has worked for 25 years. Her academic background is in U.S. History, Ethnic Studies, and Museum Studies. She received her Doctorate in Public History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Petersen specializes in the public interpretation of community history.