Ariana Isabel Duckett
News Editor
On May 21, the Santa Barbara chapter of the Association for Women in Communications (AWC-SB) hosted their annual luncheon at Cabrillo Pavilion. The award recognizes the accomplishments of five local women artists in alignment with this year’s award theme, “Creative Communication: Building Community Through the Arts.” Adriana Arriaga, Teresa Kuskey, Frances Moore, Melinda Palacio, and JoAnne Wasserman were the award recipients.
Dr. Nancy O’Reilly, the founder of Women Connect4Good, spoke at the event and quoted an often referenced proverb of unknown origins: “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”
Women Connect4Good, as well as The Santa Barbara Independent, sponsored the event. The Ladies Social Strumming Club also did an acoustic performance of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” on guitar.
Caroline Feraday, emcee and an audio journalist from KCLU-FM, introduced the backgrounds of the awardees. The Women of Achievement Award recognizes local women leaders in the communications field, in an effort to “empower women,” according to the website.
AWC-SB also hosts professional development events, networking opportunities, and partners on occasion with UC Santa Barbara clubs such as the Communications Association.
The 2025 awardees work in music, dance, and poetry.
The Awardees
Santa Barbara Poet Laureate Melinda Palacio presented spoken and sung work from her poetry collection, “How Fire is a Story, Waiting.” Some of her writing draws inspiration from her grandmother. According to Palacio, her grandmother had wanted to become a mariachi but needed to help take care of her family instead. Palacio’s work is not just for or about herself, but her family as well.
Frances Moore, the co-founder and artistic director of Santa Barbara Ring Shout Project, sang and chanted several ring shouts with several other dancers and singers. A ring shout is a circle dance originating from enslaved African people brought to the United States.
Teresa Kuskey led a final performance with La Boheme Productions, of which she is the founder and artistic director. The dance group centers on “cabaret fusion,” according to their website.
Adriana Arriaga, a visual artist who also uses the alias adriana la artista, provided free stickers of several of her designs, made to empower women, for attendees to take.
One of adriana la artista’s stickers.
JoAnne Wasserman has been the artistic director and conductor of the Santa Barbara Choral Society since 1993. In a pamphlet of the awardees’ biographies given out during the luncheon, Wasserman wrote, “This dream job provides me the opportunity to explore and tap into the power of music and the human voice to connect, comfort, and inspire others.”
O’Reilly also highlighted the importance of community and storytellers. “It’s not about women,” O’Reilly said. “It’s about all of us.”