CW: This video post contains mention of murder & attempted suicide. If that content is not for you today, please pass.
As you can see, I’ve been thinking a lot about home. Who hasn’t been? It’s hard to ignore when we’re watching millions of homes sizzle to ash. As you may know, we used to live in Los Angeles*, so there is a tender piece of my heart that is aching. My daughter was born there. My marriage was saved there. Many of our closest friends are still there, and they have all been affected. Thankfully, they are all safe. Just working through the upheaval, disruption, and trauma of losing their entire community. (You know, no big deal!)
The TLDR of this video is a meditation on home, our lives, and all we have to be thankful for. Here is the New Yorker article I mention in the video.
Below are the GoFundMe’s of friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Some of them I’ve just seen online via friends. They are for families with kids and those who live alone and couples with pets and single moms and schoolhouses––and if you have one you’d like to share, drop it in the comments. You never know who will see it, who will help, and at a time like this, every ounce of help counts. Also, feel free to share this far and wide if you know of anyone hoping to help on a local level.
I know, it’s overwhelming. But as I mention in my video, I’ve chosen to donate to Go Fund Me because I have experienced how useful direct help can be when we are at our most fragile and overwhelmed.
The Jones Family (+ their Relief Wishlist)
Lily and Her Family and the Sagewood Schoolhouse
Meal Train for Lauren, Jordan, Eloise, Violet and Arcee
Michael, Whitney, and Sunny Chan
The Azcarate Family (Of Altadena Music Theater)
Carly Jo, Jay, & Their 4 Children
Additionally, my friend
tipped me off to The National Domestic Worker’s Alliance.Here is a list of displaced black families who’ve been affected.
If you’re not already tuning into iO Tillet Wright, then I recommend giving him a Follow. iO is a writer, activist, maker, builder, connector, helper, and doer of good things and he’s been sharing invaluable logistical information for those who might need a hand wrapping their heads around “what’s next.”
*In my video, I say that we lived in Los Angeles a long time, which is false. I meant to say “a short time.” Bear with me, one day I’ll figure out how to edit this thing.
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