Santa Barbara Reads Kicks off at Wylde Works

People poured from State Street into Wylde Works to hear intimate stories and connect with one another for the kickoff to Santa Barbara Reads last week, where attendees shared tales of familial ties, blood, and what family really means. 

Playing host to the collaboration between Backbone Storytelling and the Reads program was the artist and writer Jenna Tico, who welcomed the crowd by encouraging, “I want everyone to hold the intention of being chaotic in all the right ways.” 

The dimly lit room, fishbowl of names for potential storytellers, and colorful display of this year’s chosen title, Isabel Allende’s A Long Petal of the Sea, created the setting for a welcoming, inclusive night. After everyone ordered their drink and empanada from the bar, picked up a free copy of the book, and found a seat, the night began. 

The order of storytellers were based on whose name Tico plucked from the fishbowl, as the willing participants waited in the audience until their name was chosen. When called, storytellers approached the stage — some hesitant and some beaming with confidence. Heeding Tico’s call to provide an “open, moving, living and breathing space,” the audience was supportive and engaging each time. They laughed, they cried, they reacted, they clapped — everyone felt included and present during the event.

There were about nine storytellers with stories ranging from family lineages and chosen families to spoken poetry and past traumas. Each story tied back to the word and meaning of blood, but the different routes and interpretations is what made the night so unique. 

“It’s really hard not to love everyone after you hear a story from their life,” said Tico, who hosts themed Backbone Storytelling events once a month. She noted that blood is the first theme to be repeated. “Blood is such an epic, connective force,” she said. “There are stories of ancestry and belonging, anger, loyalty, and more.” 

As the night continued and energy heightened, people peered in from the street, curious to see where the applause and energy was coming from. After all the speakers had shared, the night came to a close, but it was just the beginning to the latest incarnation of Santa Barbara Reads. 

There are free physical copies at the Santa Barbara Public Library until supplies last, as well as ebooks available in English and Spanish. This title will run until November 17, and readers are encouraged to discuss the book and come to upcoming events surrounding Allende’s work. 

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