At the heart of all that civilization has meant and developed is ‘community’ – the mutually cooperative and voluntary venture of man to assume a semblance of responsibility for his brother.
Martin Luther King Jr.
From my recent newsletter.
I rushed through my home, heart pounding. I scanned the walls, searching. Outside, a siren shrieked as it raced down the darkened street. It was 4:30 a.m. Only 30 minutes earlier, I woke to the blare of the fire warning signal on my phone. This meant to stand ready—the next signal—evacuation.
I grabbed photos from my childhood and of my family, stuffing them in reusable grocery bags along with other precious heirlooms. My packed suitcase stood by the door.
Running through my place, I triple-checked each room, grabbing the essentials—my passport, birth certificate, important documents, food, and water. After some time, I stepped outside; the night was eerily still. In all my years living here, I had never heard the city so quiet—frozen in time. I raced to my car and shoved the grocery bags into the trunk.
Soon, sunlight appeared on the horizon, and the city came to life. Neighbors appeared calm as they walked their dogs down the street. I texted one of them to see if they received the warning.
“No, I didn’t,” she replied.
I checked online to discover the alarm went off in error.
Exhausted and my nerves shot, I slumped onto my couch and wept. Relief, along with guilt, grief, and overwhelm, filled my body.
With so much loss and devastation, how can I help those in need? After a few deep breaths, I stood up, made a pot of coffee, and got to work.
Reaching Out
I searched my phone and social media for ways to help. What I learned was that communities from near and far leaped into action to assist Los Angeles.
Donation centers and their requests changed rapidly, sometimes within hours. I contacted multiple organizations, but volunteer services had so many people calling to offer support, their calendar was booked for the next two months.
Then I discovered that Bernie’s Coffee Shop was collecting donations, such as cleaning supplies, non-perishable food, and towels. I gathered the requested items and drove to the shop.
Bernie’s Coffee Shop, formerly the iconic 1950s Johnie’s Coffee Shop, is now recognized as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. Filmmakers have used the location for such films as The Big Lebowski and Pulp Fiction.
Upon entering, I saw the restaurant’s orange vinyl booths overflowing with donations—boxes of toys, diapers, and other necessities perched on the windowsills above them. Helpers rushed in and out of the back room, where they sorted through deliveries.
A woman with strawberry curly blonde hair approached me. Her name was Lauren, and I gave her the items that I brought.
“Great, thank you!” she said, grabbing my box. “These will go to families who are now in Airbnbs for the next couple of months.”
She then shared that they have helped over 50 families and are continuing their efforts as requests pour in.
I told her I would put the word out to my circle of friends to bring any donations they may have to Bernie’s.
A Boy Named Grayson
Everyone knows someone who has been affected by the fires, whether directly or indirectly.
GoFundMe campaigns help raise funds to support the recovery of affected families and individuals. One particular story caught my eye—
a 10-year-old boy named Grayson.
Grayson is an inclusivity advocate and an avid drummer who loves to travel. He is also legally blind and has had over 30 operations to restore his eyesight. His family lost their home in the Eaton Fire.
In a video, he shared some items he had lost: his Braille books, musical instruments, and his Legos, but to him, it wasn’t about things; what he missed most were the people and the community he lived in.
When the interviewer asked him, “What is your dream in life?” He responded,
“To make people happy.”
Last year, he shared that he and his mom wrote a grant through the non-profit organization Flight for Sight, which raised enough money to provide 200 walking canes to visually impaired children in Ghana, West Africa.
Children can be so resilient, perhaps more than we realize. I admire Grayson’s verve for life and his optimism. It gives me hope for our future with kids like him in the world.
If you’d like to donate to Grayson’s family, you can do so here.
Community
The unrelenting vigilance of the last couple of weeks has left us all drained. Yet, hope rises in Los Angeles.
The support we received within our community and from around the world has been immense. Thousands of people donated and volunteered—a community rallied together to help one another. It was humbling to witness.
I believe Chef José Andrés, founder of the World Central Kitchen, said it best.
In the worst moments of humanity, the best of humanity shows up.
Thank you for being here with me.
Sending love,
Stacy
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