The California Fires and A Message from My Family

This columnist has family members who live in North Highland, California—my first cousins, my mother’s nieces and nephews. They’ve called this place home for many years. I spoke to my cousin Andretta last Sunday evening to check on how they were doing amid the devastating fires. Thankfully, they are safe and haven’t been directly affected. I was relieved to hear her voice, but the threat remains: strong winds could carry fire embers across the state, potentially endangering many more areas.

Thousands of homes have been completely destroyed, and tragically, many lives have been lost. Some of the homes affected belong to well-known celebrities, and seeing the images of their properties reduced to ash is heartbreaking. Cadaver dogs have been sent in, and they’ve already found the remains of those who perished in the fires.

Andretta shared with me that many African Americans who were homeowners in places like Altadena felt largely ignored by major media outlets during the early stages of the disaster. However, due to increasing complaints about the lack of coverage, there has recently been more attention given to their plight. Last Sunday, 60 Minutes featured a Black family affected by the fires, and CBS’s morning show aired a special on one of these families who lost everything. Some of these families have lived in their communities since the 1930s and 1940s, passing down properties through generations. If they were fortunate enough to save anything, their family history is preserved in old photographs.

While it’s encouraging that their stories are finally being told, it’s important for African Americans to continue sharing this information and do what we can to help. Many of these families were part of the Great Migration to California dating back to the 1800s. For more information on this, you can visit YouTube and search for “Community Mourns the Loss of Homes in Altadena, which Was Burned to Ashes.” This video covers not only the tragedy but also highlights the inequalities faced by Black communities in California.

The fires have affected thousands, and recovery will take years. The issues of insurance coverage, finding places to stay, and how students will continue their education are significant challenges. My prayers go out to my family and to all those affected by these fires and the strong winds that continue to wreak havoc.