As many of us mourn the loss of our communities in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, I must express how moved I am by the support from the people of Los Angeles, small and large businesses, the great state of California, and beyond. Los Angeles is a unique city, filled with glitz and grime and a beautiful bouquet of people from all over the U.S. and the world. We may sometimes disagree, but we always come together in times of need. That’s our thick camaraderie. We live in this great city knowing the threats our gorgeous mountains met by civilization pose to us. Like many other parts of the U.S., we are well aware of the natural disasters that are prone to our highly desired State of California. Yet, we still choose to live in this gem. Specifically, our resilient city of Angels, connected by the mountains and the sea, with the desert just a skip away.
From major earthquakes to floods, Santa Ana winds, and many, many fires — I think of all the things I have endured here in Southern California and Los Angeles — as a child, as a teen, as an adult, as a mother, and wife — and I still chose it as my home. But of all the natural disasters I have experienced, none have ever affected me, like the Eaton Canyon fire in Altadena, California.
With Grimy Goods based in Pasadena, CA, and much of our community and friends in Altadena, the Eaton Fire has not only burned our vibrant community, including our daughter’s school, but it has burned a hole in my heart. I’m sure many of you reading this feel the same. I’ve spent the past week prioritizing my daughter’s safety and emotional needs after learning about the loss of her beloved school, which was consumed by the Altadena/ Eaton Canyon fire. While our home just down the hill in Pasadena is safe, many of her classmates and our friends have lost their homes. If you follow me and/or Grimy Goods on Instagram, I’ve been sharing a wealth of resources and vetted GoFundMe pages supporting our friends in the Altadena community, Black and Latine families and individuals, and the folks in our music world. And I’m not the only one. Just about everyone I know, whether in L.A., Orange County, or the I.E., and elsewhere, has selflessly activated to support Los Angeles in their time of need. I see you, and I thank you. These shared resources and Google Docs have been crucial to many in need, especially those that don’t have a family support system.
Altadena is one of L.A.’s best-kept secrets. It is a beautiful community full of diversity and hard-working folks, and it is home to generations of Black families who have built this city into what it is today. It is also home to a large Latine population. For the past eight years, we’ve called the Denas our home. I gave birth to my child here and raised her between the communities of Pasadena and Altadena, watching her grow as we grew into the parents and members of the community that we are today.
Altadena has flourished in the past few years with many new small businesses, coffee shops, bars & restaurants. My family and I have built relationships with this community and created traditions supporting these small businesses that bring happiness to our lives. Whether it be a hot Paco’s Delight at Unincorporated before school, an Italian ice and delicious sammich from Ferrazzani‘s, or a slice at Prime Pizza after my daughter’s ballet — these institutions and more have brought so much joy to our household. While the aforementioned have survived, so many have been taken away by the fires. We’ll miss breakfast at Fox’s, coffee at Café de Leche (where our child played since she was an infant), hiking Eaton Canyon Falls, Girl Scouts at Altadena Community Church, grabbing fresh salmon and bread from the Altadena Farmer’s Market, after-school playdates at Farnsworth Park and Loma Alta Park … this list goes on.
While we are no strangers to wildfires in Los Angeles and California, the Altadena fires were unprecedented. Fueled by a treacherous and historic wind event (and now lawsuits allege power company involvement in LA wildfires), the inferno incinerated neighborhoods. Never had I even considered fires touching down this far in Altadena. I never imagined multiple fires simultaneously across Los Angeles, completely depleting firefighting resources and leaving neighborhoods to burn with no help. The wildfires in our area, except the Kinneloa Fire in ’93, have always remained in the mountains. But none have ever spread to the extent of the Eaton Canyon fire.
But the community is strong and resilient. While I continue to shed tears for this loss, I’m also shedding tears of love and happiness. Seeing the immense support from the people of Los Angeles coming together to get families back on their feet and housed with all the necessities and then some has been absolutely beautiful. It is an affirmation of the kindness and empathy humans are capable of and a stark reminder of why I fcking love L.A.
Our Los Angeles music community has been instrumental in this time of need. Independent concert and event venues immediately dove in to support our community during the Altadena / Eaton and Pallisades fires. Venues like Zebulon, The Regent, Scribble, Junior High, Brain Dead Studios, Vidiots, Bob Baker Marrionette, and Highland Park Bowl not only canceled all their shows but they transformed their spaces into donation and support centers.
Grimy Goods’ longtime partners, the LA Phil (Hollywood Bowl, The Ford, and Walt Disney Concert Hall) and advertiser Live Nation-Hewitt Silva jumped right in sponsoring the LA County Parks and Recreation Care Camps. These kids’ camps throughout various LA County Park locations are crucial for displaced families and children whose schools have burned down. They provide a supportive space for fun and recreation, including music, arts and crafts, sports activities, and field trips to the LA County Natural History Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, Dodger Stadium, and more. They also provide breakfast, snacks, and lunch daily, with teens receiving supper.
There is such a bright light through all this darkness. Let’s keep it shining. In the coming days, weeks, and months, especially while people get back to work and our industry moves ahead, we will see support slow down. I urge you to check in and continue to support those affected by the Los Angeles fires. Show grace for your employees affected, especially those without a home and/or school. This is going to be a long journey back to recovery.
LA Fire Relief Resources
Displaced Black Families GoFund Me Directory
Displaced Latine Families – LA Fires Mutual Aid Directory
Support Immigrant Workers Impacted by the Los Angeles Fires
Donate to Odyssey Charter School South
Pasadena Unified Schools Learning and Meals Resources
LA County Parks and Recreation Care Camps
LA Fires Master Directory For Support & Resources (you can find everything here)
Report Price Gouging (Rental Housing, Hotels, Medical Supplies, Etc.)
Support The Music Community – Fire Loss
MusiCares Disaster Relief Support
The Guitar Center Music Foundation
Just Announced Fire Relief Benefit Concerts in Los Angeles
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