A year after the Eaton Canyon Fire killed 19 people and destroyed nearly 9,500 structures, Altadena will gather Tuesday to honor the fallen and celebrate resilience. “Under the Stars: Voices of Resilience and Hope Under the Starlight” will bring together writers, artists, filmmakers, historians and community organizers for an hour-long program of poetry, storytelling, photography and reflection.
The January 7 fire, one of California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfires, burned 14,021 acres, making it the fifth deadliest wildfire in California history and the second most destructive by structures lost.
Featured participants include Brandon Lamar, president of the Pasadena NAACP; Sam James, CEO and co-founder of the Altadena Recovery Team; Michele Zack, historian; Pablo Miralles, filmmaker; and LZ Love, singer-songwriter.
Sam James, a sixth-generation Altadena resident, reflected on community-led recovery: “When communities drive their own recovery, healing is possible.”
The event “honors both the losses and the breathtaking resilience that emerged from the Eaton Canyon Fire” while “supporting neighbors who continue to navigate displacement and recovery.”
Filmmaker Pablo Miralles, who lost his home in the fire, exemplifies community determination. “I didn’t know I would cover Pasadena like I have, but when you recognize that you came from a place with a history of struggle, you kind of have to,” Miralles said.
The Altadena Recovery Team pushed for mortgage relief legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom in September.
Under the Stars: Voices of Resilience and Hope Under the Starlight will run on Tuesday, January 20 at 6:30 p.m. Altadena Library District, 600 E. Mariposa St., Altadena. For more information, call (626) 798-0833 or visit https://www.altadenalibrary.org/programs?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D194100452
