Photos courtesy of Angelica Glass

After a difficult day at work, Angelica Glass sank into the bathtub, wrapped in steam and the sharp, calming scent of eucalyptus oil. Then, almost out of nowhere, a thought arrived. She turned to her wife, Ellen, and said, “I think I’m going to walk every street in Santa Cruz.”

“City or county?” Ellen asked.

“County,” Angelica replied. “I think I’ll do the whole thing.”

What began as a quiet impulse became an epic journey through the streets, coastlines, neighborhoods, and hidden corners of Santa Cruz County. With each step, memories resurfaced. Forgotten melodies returned. Places like Natural Bridges, West Cliff, Main Beach, Steamer Lane, and the winding roads between them became portals into Angelica’s past.

With no prior photography experience, Angelica also made a second commitment: she would take a photograph on every street she walked. This became a practice of scavenging beauty in the ordinary corners of Santa Cruz, and uncovering landscapes of her own past.

The walk led her not only across geography, but back through family history. It prompted her to reconnect with her siblings and explore how all eight of them had experienced the same childhood in different ways. It also forced her to revisit the complicated legacy of her parents: the tender memories of her mother alongside the more challenging ones marked by violence, fear, and abuse.

As Angelica moved through the county, she found that moving her body also moved her mind. The rhythm of walking gave her space to process what had long been buried, to understand what had shaped her, and to begin to replace outdated messages from childhood with her own self-understanding

2,878 miles later, and Angelica has penciled her experienced to paper. Her book Scavenging Beauty, was released this week on July 7th.

The release was celebrated in a sold out, standing room only, reading at Bookshop Santa Cruz.

The book has already received outstanding praise:

“I’m not sure why Angelica Glass decided to write Scavenging Beauty, but I am certain that it hit home with me. This is a magnificent account of humanity that should prompt all who read it to take a walk through their life and give it the time, credit, and understanding that it and we as individuals deserve. Enjoy the journey.” –David Baldacci, New York Times bestselling author of Nash Falls

“Angelica Glass has written an extraordinary memoir of a harrowing childhood and the healing and transformation she experienced while walking every single street in Santa Cruz County. This is beautiful nature writing, coupled with depth and insight into trauma, forgiveness and especially love. This book inspires as it charms.” –Anne Lamott, New York Times bestselling author of Somehow

If you’ve attended a Santa Cruz Works Monthly New Tech, you may have already encountered Angelica’s work. Her photographs from these walks have appeared in the slideshows before presenters take the stage and during the networking hour.

We’ve added Scavenging Beauty to the top of our recommended books page. It’s a terrific read, and even more meaningful to read as a Santa Cruz Local.

In the Santa Cruz tech world, it’s easy to get pulled into a culture of quotas, margins, deadlines, and long days spent behind screens. Angelica’s story offers a powerful reminder that sometimes the best way to reset the mind is to move the body - and to give ourselves the space to process the thoughts, emotions, and memories we carry.

Read Scavenging Beauty