In a cheery cafe in Venice, Melissa Iles comes off the streets weary and hungry after another night trying to find somewhere safe to lay her head. She is greeted by smiling servers, hot coffee and a meal of pancakes, eggs, home fries and watermelon – a “soothing” experience, she says.
A year and a half after the devastation of the Palisades Fire, sparks of green are emerging from the ash thanks to Resilient Palisades, a group of resident-activists dedicated to helping the local community recover and thrive. The community group recently hosted a hands-on bioremediation workshop near Will Rogers Beach to teach fellow residents how they can play a role in critical soil restoration.
Joy Chen already survived one devastating wildfire. Nearly 18 months later, she had a chance to help shape who pays for the next one. The executive director of the Every Fire Survivor’s Network (EFSN), Chen has helped build a community of thousands as they relay their uphill struggle to recover and return home.
For six years, Heavenly Hughes has organized a colorful Juneteenth celebration in Altadena to lift up “light, legacy and liberation” in marking the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas finally received word they were free. But this Juneteenth also marked a sobering moment: the 18-month anniversary of the Eaton Fire, which destroyed 9,400 structures and displaced thousands of residents as it tore through Altadena and Pasadena.
In response to the ongoing warehouse fire in Boyle Heights and the state of emergency declarations issued by both the City of Los Angeles and the State of California, the California Community Foundation (CCF) today announced the activation of the CCF Impact Fund to provide direct, immediate relief to residents affected by the disaster.
Immigrant entrepreneurs, from street vendors to furniture retailers, suffered devastating business losses after the ICE raids drove people to stay off the streets and cut back spending. But Inclusive Action for the City, a nonprofit supported by CCF, helped them turn things around with emergency aid, business loans and retraining into more safe catering services.