Friends-
I am writing this at a time when fires continue to ravage Los Angeles, from the Palisades Fire on the Westside to the Eaton Fire uncomfortably close to our home of Eagle Rock. While the power is back on in our neighborhood and our air is starting to get better, our sidewalks, homes, and yards are littered with ash and soot—a lingering reminder of the destruction we have witnessed. Across Los Angeles we are mourning the victims of these devastating wildfires and only beginning to comprehend the effects of this tragedy.
This week, I have spoken with friends and neighbors in Eagle Rock who have had this fire uproot their lives, and I have been grateful for the neighbors who have formed a network to share information about power outages, street access, and air quality. Besides the air and the power outage, the largest impact at our house was several large tree branches downed by the winds. We could not have moved them to clear the sidewalk without the generous help of our neighbors.
All across the city, I am thankful for the first responders who continue to work to keep these fires at bay, for all of those who have provided temporary shelter for those in need, for all those that have volunteered to help at donation sites and emergency shelters, and for all of those that have stepped up to provide support through sites like GoFundMe to the many families who have lost their homes. These wildfires bring with them immense grief and sadness that will be lasting. Our community and responsibility to one another are one of our strongest tools for recovery.
The TERA Board had a retreat scheduled for January 11 to work on our strategic planning for the next year of advocacy. For obvious reasons, we were forced to postpone, but we have set a new meeting for March and will be hard at work over the next months advocating for Eagle Rock and learning how to navigate challenges in this changed city.
In the broader view, I am concerned for our shared future: a world in which the effects of our climate crisis are so plainly seen, where national politicians treat tragedies like this as a game, and where our already broken housing market is further strained. But for now, I am thankful and optimistic in having seen the strength of our community showing up for one another in the face of this disaster. Together, we will welcome in neighbors who have lost their homes, and we will work together to build a more resilient and vibrant community for ourselves and for generations to come. In us, I find hope.
Wishing you and your loved ones a healthy and safe recovery,
Michael MacDonald