“For the love of our children, stop the violence.”
– Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez, Executive Director Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
Civic Leadership & Racial Equality
We fight for what is right through restorative justice and policy refomation initiatives.
SCBU MEDIA COVERAGE
SCBU’s Executive Director, Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez, received the 2021 Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021
“Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos founder and Executive Director Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez was honored on Tuesday December 14, 2021, with the prestigious ACLU of Northern California Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award.
Alejandrez established the violence prevention organization in 1977, in effort to provide opportunities to at-risk youth and to cultivate pathways for people who have been incarcerated back into society.
The Santa Cruz icon joins previous honorees of the award such as Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall and Dolores Huerta.
“After all the years of putting in the work it’s an honor to receive this. It’s heartfelt and it communicates to others in the community that they can also do great things,” Alejandrez said….” (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 12/10/2021)
Daniel “Nane” Alejandrez with his son Joaquin Alejandrez in front of one of his mentors, Cesar Chavez. (Photo by A. Person)
“Fiesta del Barrio” Honors Three Holidays in One on 9.17.2022
Fiesta del Barrio will celebrate Mexican Independence Day (Recognized on Sept. 16), will honor the 45th Anniversary of Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos, and will acknowledge the commencement of Indigenous Heritage Month. Join us at SCBU this Satuday, 9.17.22, from 12 pm until 5 pm, for a day filled will fun! We will have live music and dance performances, food, classic cars, vendors, and cultura! We still have two vendor spots available. To sign up please complete the form here. All ages welcome!
Cinco de Mayo Celebration at SCBU’s The Spot 5.5.2022
We served pozole, aguas frescas, and pan dulces on Cinco de Mayo to our supporters and passers by. Nane reminded us that Cinco de Mayo is not a holiday about drinking…it is an important holiday that our people united and rose up, to remain undefeated.”
“Fiesta de Mayo 2022 & Car Show” Celebration at Woodhouse
Woodhouse Brewing & Blending hosted this year’s Fiesta de Mayo fundraiser on May 12, 2022 to raise funds for SCBU’s The Spot Youth Programs. $1 from each beverage purchase was donated to SCBU for the development of The Spot and its after-school programs for youth. This event had a classic car show, music, cultura, and family fun.
“Cesar Chavez Day Celebration” Continues on Sunday, April 3rd at SCBU
We hosted this event at SCBU, 1817 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA, from 11 am – 5 pm, in honor of Cesar Chavez Day. There were lowrider cars on display, as well as live music bands during a day of Cultura, history, free food, and donation prizes. If you have photos from this event, please send them to aperson.scbu@gmail.com.
“The Fighting in the Fields” Film Screening & Cmmentary on March 30, 2022 at The Spot (SCBU)
We will be honoring and recognizing Cesar Chavez Day with this film screening at The Spot, 1807 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA. The director Ray Telles will be here to answer any questions about this film, and we will have some special guest speakers talking about Cesar Chavez and his importance to the movement and Chicano culture. Please join us. Free admission. Donations accepted. Food, drinks, and music from 7 pm- 9pm.
“Black History Through Jazz” on February 24, 2022 at The Spot (SCBU)
Thank you to all who came out and made this event successful. We honored, celebrated, and recognize Black History Month 2022. We will hosted this event at The Spot, 1807 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA. A special thank you to the SC Mayor Sonja Brunner, Danny Glover, and the City Council representatives who were in the building. If you have any photos from this event, please email them to our media center at aperson.scbu@gmail.com.
This event was held to gain a deeper perspective from formerly incarcerated women of how they dealt with family responsibilities from inside of prison. Thank you to all attendees and to all supporters of this event. Videos and pictures coming soon.
“When I go to Santa Cruz, one of my greatest joys is visiting the Barrios Unidos headquarters and their retreat center in the Santa Cruz mountains,” says award-winning actor and producer Danny Glover. READ MORE->
JULY 8, 2021: Congressman Jimmy Panetta reached out to SCBU to visit our site here in Santa Cruz. Hopefully, after this tour, we will be collaborating more together. Our movement continues…
To preview the trailer for our “Life After Life Documentary,”
CLICK HERE->
This fundraiser helps student-athletes from Santa Cruz and the Central Coast with scholarships to pursue both their athletic and educational goals. CLICK HERE->
Upcoming Events
SCBU's CESAR CHAVEZ CELEBRATION
We will be celebrating Cesar Chavez’s Birthday this year on April 1. There will be special guest speakers, lowriders, custom bikes folklorico dancers, Live Mariachi Music, Food, Games, & more. We will also be doing a fundraiser for those who lost their homes and property in the recent Pajaro Valley Flooding incidents. Join us. All ages welcome. Also, we are accepting donations on our Venmo here.
CULTURAL EDUCATION & HEALING
YOuth & Community Development
We aim to assist with the positive growth of our community through our vocational training programs, our cultural education, our prison and juvenile outreach, and our gang deterrence programs.