The California Catastrophe: A Call To Action
I’m sitting here, still trying to process what’s happening around me, but the words feel heavy and hard to come by. California is burning. It’s not the first time, but this time it feels personal. Entire neighborhoods—entire lives—have been turned to ash. The fires in the Palisades and Eaton Canyon have devastated communities, including Altadena, where so many Black middle-class families have built their lives, their legacies, their homes.
It’s not just homes, though—it’s history. Altadena holds a deep significance for so many. Back in the 1940s, South Pasadena was a sundown town, where non-white workers were forced to leave by curfew. Black families were pushed north, to Altadena, where they created a vibrant, thriving community. Now, so much of what they built has been wiped out by these fires.
I’ve seen houses I’ve been in reduced to rubble. Families I know—friends I went to school with—have lost everything. I graduated from Pasadena High School after transferring there my junior year, and even in that short time, I made lifelong connections. Now, many of those friends are calling me, telling me they escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
One family I know had four generations living under one roof. Four generations. They’ve lost it all. And yet, that’s just one story. There are so many more. It’s overwhelming. It’s devastating. It’s numbing. And yet, in the midst of this heartbreak, there’s something stirring in me—a pull to do something, to help however I can.
If this tragedy has taught me anything, it’s that at the end of the day, all we really have is the clothes on our backs, the air in our lungs, and the love of our community. Everything else is fleeting. It can be taken in an instant. But those three things? They can sustain us, even in the darkest times.
I want to be part of the light that sustains my community. That’s why I’ve created this fund—not just for immediate relief, but to build something lasting.
Here’s the plan:
Emergency Relief Packages: We’re putting together care packages with essentials like non-perishable food, phone chargers, socks, underwear, and clothes. Things people can use right now.
Direct Support Fund: As funds grow, we’ll create an application process so families can request what they truly need—whether that’s cash, specific items, or other forms of support.
We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so every donation is tax-deductible. But more than that, every donation is an act of love.
I’ll admit, this is hard to write. The air is thick with smoke, and the devastation feels endless. But even in this moment, I’m holding onto hope. Hope in our ability to come together. Hope in the strength of our community. Hope in the kindness of strangers who will read these words and feel moved to act.
To anyone reading this, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to hear these stories. Thank you for caring enough to share them or to help in whatever way you can. Every act of kindness matters. Every bit of love makes a difference.
Together, we can help rebuild. Together, we can remind those who’ve lost so much that they’re not alone.
With gratitude and hope,
Iman Europe
Founder, Common Unity
