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Mountain View News Saturday, January 18, 2025

PASADENA (CNS) - 

A COALITION OF ADVOCATES TODAY URGED 
LOS ANGELES COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS 
FOR A JUST RECOVERY FOR VICTIMS OF THE 
EATON FIRE

 Residents and advocates gathered at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the oldest 
Black congregations of this denomination in Pasadena, to join a rallying cry for equitable restoration. 
The Eaton Fire, which started Jan.7, has so far resulted in the deaths of 17 people and stood

at 65% containment with more than 14,000 acres burned as of Jan. 17th. 

 During the news conference organized by LA Voice, a multi-racial and multi-faith organization, 
Pastor Kerwin Manning of Pasadena Church said this is about their community, ``our flock,'' getting 
everything they need for restoration.

 ``At the beginning of this year, Jan. 1, the whole world's eyes were on us. They were watching the 
beauty of the Rose Parade and the floats, and then they turned their attention to the Rose Bowl 
game,'' Manning said. ``One week later, they were watching the devastation. They were watching 
the destruction -- what the best way we can describe it is as a war zone,'' he added.

 Friday's call to action is a message that Altadena and Pasadena what several speakers affectionately 
referred to as ``Dena'' -- will stand together for all impacted people, including those who are most 
vulnerable. The group outlined four critical pillars for a just recovery of their community:

 -- Ensuring everyone gets help with in-person, in-language support while navigating FEMA, insurance, 
unemployment resources and other services. Non-federal programs must be accessible to 
all impacted residents regardless of status.

 -- Protecting the sanctity of home and community for renters with a countywide rent freeze and 
eviction moratorium to combat rent gouging; for homeowners by establishing rebuilding policies, 
and for small businesses and community centers by providing displacement-prevention measures 
and financial assistance in particular for those in the fire zones;

 -- Economic relief such as cash assistance for residents' whose livelihoods or wages have been 
impacted by the fires regardless of status, and that rebuilding efforts include labor protections, job 
opportunities, as well as improvement of the conditions for incarcerated firefighters; and

 -- Ensuring environmental resilience by incorporating sustainable infrastructure and traditional 
ecological practices during and after the rebuilding.

 Rev. Larry Campbell, a pastor of First AME of Pasadena, noted that 54 congregation members lost 
their homes due to the fire. They've also experienced the overwhelming task of navigating FEMA, 
insurance companies and what he described as ``wolves in sheep's clothing'' ready to take advantage 
of victims under duress.

 Fay Austin, 88, said she has lived in Altadena since 1977. She had to evacuate at 3 a.m. alongside 
neighbors. They drove around for two hours before finding refuge at the Pasadena Convention Center 
with the American Red Cross. Austin expressed her worries about finding temporary housing 
as prices have shot up. But she is not deterred, as she, like so many others, begins the journey toward 
recovery.

 Rosa Salas, a member of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and teacher at St. Mark's, 
which burned down, shared her story as well. ``We grew up in Dena, the home my father chose 
53 years ago when he arrived from Mexico to build a better future for our family,'' Salas said.

``Over time, this hard work and determination... plant(ed) the seeds of generational wealth through 
homeownership.''

 ``A proud Latino-Dena heritage, and people ask me, `Where does that lasting legacy come from?' 
The answer is clear: African American trailblazers broke those systemic barriers like red lining.''

 In the 1960s, Black people moved into Altadena, leading to a flourishing Middle Class by the 1970s 
as a result of the 1968 Fair Housing Act,prohibiting racial discrimination in housing.

 According to Census data, by the 1980s the Black population was at its highest at 43%. In 2020, data 
showed the population of Black residents was at 18% of about 42,000 residents.

 Donald Kincey and his family have lived in Altadena for four generations. He recalled the night of 
the fire. ``I went home thinking that I was okay, looked at the mountain, and I knew I wasn't okay,'' 
Kincey said. His family was elsewhere -- something he was thankful for as his parents are in their 
70s. His father is also compromised from the coronavirus, Kincey noted.

 ``I stayed in the neighborhood and violated the (evacuation) order. I know that people on my 
street were elderly. I wanted to be there for anybody. I kept my house wet until the water ran out and 
I sat there and watched everything burn.'' Kincey cried as he said his home, sister's home, mother's 
home and his business were lost. ``I want to make sure that we fight, we stay, we don't sell out, no

matter what,'' he added.

 L.A. County Supervisor Board Chair Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena, published a letter 
Thursday in which she made a commitment to her constituents. ``There is fear among many 
in the African American community, who have had their homes for generations, that they will not 
be able to rebuild,'' she wrote. ``For some, these homes are more than structures. They are legacies 
passed down through decades -- a symbol of perseverance and family heritage. We cannot allow this 
wildfire to extinguish that legacy.''

 County, state and federal officials are also stepping in to protect fire victims from price gouging. 
They've implemented a crackdown on scammers and urge residents to be wary of potential offers.

 Areli Hernandez, director of executive affairs for CHIRLA, encouraged undocumented immigrants 
or those who may not qualify for federal assistance to seek help through the organization's 
iRelief Fund, among other initiatives on their website. She urged them to seek available resources 
from the state such as CalFresh, too.

 She provided one last bit of advice that could apply to everyone impacted fires: ``If there's somebody 
who comes to you with an offer, whatever it's for -- housing, your home, your property -- just 
double-check it.'' 

 ``If it's too good to be true, always check back with somebody in the community, like an organization, 
to verify if what they're saying is accurate. Reach out for help,'' Hernandez said.


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