LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – A GoFundMe directory of Black families who lost everything in the Eaton Fire is gaining traction online.
The directory was put together by the organization Community Aid Dena. It lists hundreds of Black wildfire victims who share their heartbreaking stories of loss.
“My wife is eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of our first child next month. Unfortunately, during the evacuation, we were only able to gather a few days’ worth of clothing and some essential items for our son,” Redmond Robinson said in his GoFundMe post.
Black families began settling in Altadena during the Great Migration in the 1930s. Black homeowners didn’t obtain mortgages until the 1960s, when California’s Rumford Fair Housing Act of 1963 and the 1968 Fair Housing Act made housing discrimination based on race or ethnicity illegal, weakening the system known as redlining.
The Black homeownership rate in Altadena is around 81%, almost double the national rate.
“There are generations three deep in the homes of Altadena because of the love. I set my roots there to become one of those families. My whole street was destroyed by the Eaton Fire. We are in shock with so much destruction and loss,” Samantha Parker wrote in her GoFundMe post.
“We have volunteers and board members who have lost their homes. The fires have left a profound impact on our community, but we remain hopeful and resilient,” the Altadena Historical Society posted on its website. The non-profit keeps records, along with an oral history of the city and its importance within the Black community.
Community Aid Dena also has links to directories helping Latine (Latino) families, Filipino families and those with disabilities.
When this article was published, almost 700 families had been added to the directory.
Additionally, California’s two largest Black law firms have united to create a fund to help displaced Black victims of the Eaton Fire.
“We launched this fund to stand in solidarity with those who are too often overlooked, ensuring they have the resources, support, and hope they need to start the process to recover and rebuild their lives. Wildfires don’t discriminate, but the systems designed to support recovery often do, leaving Black communities to navigate additional hurdles,” the fund partners said in a statement to KTLA.
Attorney’s James A. Bryant, Rodney S. Diggs, and Brian T. Dunn of The Cochran Firm, Ivie McNeil Wyatt Purcell and Diggs, along with The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons State of California Inc, and communicate advocate, Jasmyne Cannick, are behind the fund. The group has already started dispersing funds.
The group is also cautioning fire victims who start a GoFundMe about rules surrounding FEMA aid. By law, FEMA cannot provide assistance that duplicates benefits received from other sources.
“To avoid complications, it’s best for individuals and families to keep their fundraising efforts general and not specify exactly how the funds will be used. When they apply to FEMA for help with specific needs, the agency won’t be able to reference their GoFundMe page as a reason to deny assistance,” fund partner community advocate, Jasmyne Cannick said.
As of publication, the fund had raised more than $200,000.