14 January 2025
I planned to write something welcoming the New Year but then the fires happened and to be honest, I haven’t been able to focus. I am far enough from LA to be safe, but close enough to see the skies and remember the places that are no longer there. My heart is heavy hearing stories of all the people who have lost everything, seeing videos of the total destruction. Los Angeles won’t be the same. But I know LA will rise up.
I am comforted by seeing the outpouring of kindness of people everywhere. At the same time, I hate that despite this tragedy, there are still those who choose to focus on the negative, on politics, on placing blame - instead of figuring out a way to help. Even if it means, simply staying put and offering up prayers. It will take some time for the city to recover, for people to rebuild their lives. And they will need all the help they can get from us.
I know you too want to help, so if you are in the area, here are ways you can donate or volunteer your time.
Many of our kababayans are suffering as well and SoCal Filipinos has done the awesome job of putting together a list of fundraising pages, so if you are able, donate directly to families affected by the wildfires.
Click here to see the spreadsheet of Displaced Filipino Families Affected by LA Fires with GoFundMe links.
Lastly, I want to share these links to stories of hope created by journalists Yong Chavez and Jannelle So.
