1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Cool Media. 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 2: Hello Jamie. Here two quick things before we get started. First, 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 2: before you even start listening to this episode, please go 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 2: check out the link at the very beginning of this 5 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 2: episode of the description to contribute to gofundmes to middle 6 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: and working class families who have lost their homes in 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 2: the recent LA fires. Any amount you're able to give 8 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: is wonderful. I've been giving consistently, and at this time 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 2: I'm hearing that direct. 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 3: Financial aid is what is needed. So go check those out. 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 2: And once you've done that, self plug reminding you that 12 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: I have tickets on sale for our live show with 13 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 2: the Bechdel Cast in San Francisco on next Thursday, January 14 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: twenty third. We still have a couple of tickets in 15 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 2: the description. Our Portland show. 16 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 3: Is sold out. 17 00:00:51,040 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: Sorry, And with that a very special sixteenth Minute. 18 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 3: Six six. 19 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: Hello, Welcome to sixteenth Minute, the podcast where we usually 20 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 2: do other things, but every four episodes or so, something 21 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: of historical consequence happens and so then we talk about 22 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 2: that instead. I'm your host, Jamie Loftus, and usually on 23 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 2: this show we take a look at and often speak 24 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 2: with the internet's characters of the day and see how 25 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: their moment affected them and what it says about us 26 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 2: and the Internet. And this week, originally we were going 27 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: to be talking about Haley Welch, the Hawk to a Girl, 28 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: and we will not today, But I have sixteen thousand 29 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: words and a separate Google doc that guarantees that we 30 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 2: will be talking about her for more than one week, 31 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 2: I promise. But this week in particular, I wasn't sure 32 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 2: if I was going to be able to get an 33 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: episode out in time. I've been sicker than I've been 34 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 2: in years, but there's something important that I would like 35 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 2: to talk to you about this week, and that is 36 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,359 Speaker 2: the fires in southern California, where I've lived for the 37 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 2: last nine years or so. I want to tell you 38 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 2: a little bit about what's going on, and hopefully use 39 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 2: this space to spotlight the people and the efforts that 40 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 2: I feel that some of the present coverage of this 41 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: tragedy is leaving behind. But just to be clear of 42 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: what I'm trying to do here, I am so grateful 43 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 2: to the on the ground reporters who are collecting these 44 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:15,359 Speaker 2: crucial accounts of families who have lost their home, their histories. 45 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 2: But what I'm trying to do here is zoom ount 46 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: a little bit and take a look at some of 47 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 2: the underemphasized elements that will, I think help continue to 48 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:29,239 Speaker 2: liberate displaced communities. I'm talking about mutual aid organizers, local 49 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: investigative reporters, advocates for the unhoused community, and advocates for 50 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 2: crucial public gathering spaces like our public libraries. So if 51 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 2: you're not totally familiar with the situation, or you are 52 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: and you're not sure how best to get involved, I 53 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: hope this is a place to start. But first Jamie's 54 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 2: little monologue. Last week, the first week of twenty twenty 55 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: five wildfires tour across southern California, burning through thousands and 56 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:05,119 Speaker 2: thousands of acres and counting. As I write this, these 57 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 2: fires are nowhere close to being completely contained and have 58 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: at present claimed twenty four lives, with seventeen people still 59 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 2: missing and not accounted for. 60 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 3: And it's not just one fire. 61 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: The largest was in the Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica 62 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 2: areas south of where I live, while other fires burned 63 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:29,359 Speaker 2: north in Altadena and Pasadena and in the San Gabriel Valley. 64 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: So there was a moment this past Wednesday where there 65 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 2: were fires within ten miles in every direction that our 66 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 2: city was just not able to combat fast enough to 67 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:43,160 Speaker 2: save people. What hasn't been discussed very much is that 68 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 2: while many wealthy neighborhoods have burned, like the Pacific Palisades 69 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,080 Speaker 2: and Santa Monica, there are also middle class and working 70 00:04:53,120 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 2: class neighborhoods that have burned, mainly Alta, Dina, and Pasadena. 71 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: And we'll get into that later, but it is important. 72 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 2: But first I want to share the names of the 73 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 2: people who were lost in these fires. Palisade senior Annette Rosalie, 74 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,840 Speaker 2: who stayed behind with her four pets in her home. 75 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 2: Anthony and Justin Mitchell, a father and son in Altadena, 76 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: Anthony being in a wheelchair, and Justin who had cerebral palsy. 77 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 2: Anthony's body was found at the foot of his son's bed. 78 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 2: There's Arlene Kelly, and Altadena senior who didn't want to 79 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 2: abandon her home of more than forty years. There's Victor Shaw, 80 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 2: an Altadena resident who died fighting the flames in his 81 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 2: home with a garden hose. There's Altadena resident Rodney Nickerson, 82 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 2: who'd lived in the neighborhood for over fifty years. There's 83 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 2: Rory Sykes, who also had cerebral palsy and whose mother 84 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: was not able to evacuate him to safety. He was 85 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: my age. There's Randy Meod, who died in his Malibu 86 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 2: home fighting the fire. Delise Curry, a nine five year 87 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 2: old Alta Dina resident. She was a known figure in 88 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 2: Old Black Hollywood and an extra in Ladies Sings the Blues. 89 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 2: There's longtime Alta Dina resident Evelyn McLendon, who died in 90 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 2: her bedroom. There's Arthur Seminu, who died in the Tapanga 91 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 2: home he'd built with his own hands. The majority of 92 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 2: the people lost in these fires were seniors, they were disabled, 93 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 2: or they were longtime black homeowners in the middle class 94 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 2: neighborhood of Altadena, California. The people that we have lost 95 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 2: were valuable and many were vulnerable, and many who have 96 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:41,919 Speaker 2: survived these fires are valuable and vulnerable. In short, I 97 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 2: am tremendously lucky because as I record this, I'm in 98 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 2: my apartment with air purifiers wailing, And even as a 99 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 2: tremendously lucky person, last week was really scary because, as 100 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 2: I said, I was really sick. As the air quality 101 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,799 Speaker 2: worsened in and in my area, a large fire started 102 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 2: in an area we could see from our neighborhood. I 103 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 2: felt that we had to leave if I was going 104 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: to be any use to anyone in the long term. 105 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 2: So we went to Long Beach, about thirty miles south 106 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: until the smoke blew far enough south that it made 107 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 2: more sense to try to buy the last air purifier 108 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: on Earth and drive back home. And I'll add in 109 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 2: case this is funny, because I was extremely sick and 110 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 2: my boyfriend was not sick at all. 111 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 3: We slept in separate twin. 112 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 2: Beds in n ninety five masks in this hotel room, 113 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: like if Lucy and Ricky has survived. 114 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 3: An atomic bomb. 115 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 2: But as I sit recording this Monday night, the city 116 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 2: is in for two more days of wind advisories and 117 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 2: quote unquote particularly dangerous conditions. According to the government, there's 118 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 2: families losing everything on a scale like this. 119 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 3: Do you know anything about your house? 120 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 4: Known? 121 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 5: Everything, my kids, school, our community, our neighbors, houses, everything's 122 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 5: just pronowned, everything's gone. 123 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 3: We were having dinner. 124 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 5: I told my three year old my one year old 125 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 5: that I told them that we're having a fancy candleg 126 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 5: dinnerhistled power went out, and then we looked outside. We 127 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 5: saw a huge fire and we just packed whatever we 128 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 5: can and we ran out. 129 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 6: It was chaos, but. 130 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 3: They you know, to me, it's just it's sad to 131 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 3: say everything that we work for, everything that. 132 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,560 Speaker 7: We built here to just be gone in hours. 133 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 8: We want here for today, So we know what happened. 134 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 8: And now's our chimney. We're Santa comes in. It's gone. 135 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 8: Now we can't get presents here anymore. 136 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 2: I know a dozen people whose homes and belongings and 137 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 2: memories are just gone. And many of these people have 138 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 2: young kids, and these kids have lost their schools, their libraries, 139 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 2: their parks, everything that they remember. We weren't ready for this, 140 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: and the most vulnerable communities that are so often treated 141 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 2: as afterthoughts, are always the first to suffer. It's not 142 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 2: fair that I get to sit here with my dumb, 143 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,959 Speaker 2: fucking stuff and they have to start over. 144 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 3: It's not fair. But that's not how. 145 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: I have seen this talked about online, and this is 146 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 2: an internet culture show. So I will say that I 147 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 2: noticed that many people were kind of clowning on houses, 148 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 2: particularly in the Pacific Palisades, burning, and you know, my 149 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 2: Boston instinct is to say to those people, kill yourself. 150 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:52,840 Speaker 2: But rationally. It's hard to get too angry at any 151 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:56,199 Speaker 2: one person when the way that these tragedies are represented 152 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 2: on national news lead with the tremendous privileged each and 153 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 2: every time. To make sure I wasn't losing my mind, 154 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 2: I asked my family in Massachusetts, who were checking in 155 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 2: with me, what they had seen on the news, And 156 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 2: it was only these very privileged neighborhoods that they saw spotlighted. 157 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: Zan this being the home of Hollywood, of course, it's 158 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: everyday Californians. But they are not only every day Californians 159 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: that are the victims. Along a fire scarred stretch of Malibu, 160 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: we met up with Milo vent Emilia, a forty seven 161 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: year old father to. 162 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 9: Be for Miles Teller, who played a firefighter in Only 163 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 9: the Brave. This is all the remains of his Palisades home, 164 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 9: the top Gun. Maverick Star and his wife bought the 165 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 9: Cape cod style villa in twenty twenty three for seven 166 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 9: and a half million dollars. Behind me, what is left 167 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 9: of Billy Crystal's house. This is the place where he 168 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 9: raised his children and grandchildren, and now it's gone. But 169 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 9: this is also about more than just celebrity. It is 170 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 9: about everyday. 171 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 2: People, and it is cruel to mock anyone who has 172 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 2: lost their memories and all of their possessions. But with 173 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,560 Speaker 2: class disparity the way it is in the US, I 174 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: get that leading with people who are very likely to 175 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 2: be able to rebuild with their own money. It's a 176 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,599 Speaker 2: hard cell to empathize for people who are really struggling. 177 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 3: But I can't emphasize enough. 178 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 2: Most of my friends who lost their homes were regular people. 179 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 2: They didn't live in the Palisades. They lived in the 180 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 2: middle class town of Altadena up in the Valley, a 181 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 2: place that has a lot of history and is known 182 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 2: as one of the only places in the area where 183 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 2: middle class families have even a shot at owning a home. 184 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 2: Now to mention that Altadena is a very diverse area 185 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 2: due to horrifically racist redlining practices in the mid century, 186 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 2: making Altadena a rare oasis where black and brown families 187 00:11:56,240 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 2: could buy their own property and build generational wealth, and 188 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 2: so much of that is gone. But if you're seeing 189 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 2: gleeful posts that the homes of the rich are burning, 190 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 2: you're missing the forest for the trees in a huge way. 191 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 2: And that's stupid, because the forest and the trees burned down. 192 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 2: I would ask you to consider how widespread the effects 193 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,840 Speaker 2: of a climate catastrophe event like this will cause. Even 194 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 2: in the Pacific Palisades, We're sure many of the wealthy 195 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 2: will be able to afford to rebuild. I have not 196 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 2: seen a lot of consideration of who cleans these people's 197 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:37,079 Speaker 2: homes and is now out of either a job, lodging, 198 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 2: or both. 199 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 3: Who are the. 200 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: Nannies who care for their children that are now out 201 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 2: of work. Who are the weight staff at their favorite restaurants. 202 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 2: Who are the Amazon delivery drivers that recently allege they've 203 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 2: been kept on twenty hour shifts in spite of the 204 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 2: danger that these fires present. It's a situation where, even 205 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 2: if you're lucky enough to still have your home, if 206 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 2: your job burned to the ground, what are you supposed 207 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,320 Speaker 2: to do? I'd ask you to consider who is fighting 208 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 2: these fires. One piece of information I have seen breakthrough 209 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 2: to the mainstream this week is that over thirty percent 210 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,080 Speaker 2: of the firefighters combating this nightmare are incarcerated, people who 211 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 2: make no more than ten dollars a day, risking their 212 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 2: lives to keep the rest of us safe. 213 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 3: And many of them are young. I hope. 214 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 2: I don't need to tell you what a racket American 215 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: incarceration is and how brutally it targets men of color. 216 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 2: And this in a state where California quite literally voted 217 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 2: to keep slave labor policies present in prisons just a 218 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 2: couple months ago. And what's worse, because of how felony 219 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: laws work in California, these same incarcerated firefighters will not 220 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 2: be eligible to be hired as firefighters professionally upon their release. 221 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 2: Twitch streamer Hassan Piker was able to interview some of 222 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 2: these firefighters the other night. 223 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 10: Here's a clip cal fires kind of just a cover 224 00:13:57,280 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 10: up for it, you know, And we get out there 225 00:13:59,040 --> 00:13:59,439 Speaker 10: and we do. 226 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 6: The hard work. Yeah, but shout out to those people. 227 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,079 Speaker 6: Those people do work too, you know, but we get 228 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 6: the rough and tough and of the state. 229 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 11: Yeah. 230 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 12: If you heard of the word institutionalized, right, it's the 231 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 12: word institutionalized. I've heard that work before, institutionalized. Like so 232 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 12: now I've been I've only did it for like twelve 233 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 12: years and thirteen years. But the point is, I'm about 234 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 12: to get home. 235 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 4: Home next month. 236 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 12: So you go from the cell to this right here, 237 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,400 Speaker 12: it's like it's culture shocking. So now I guess like 238 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 12: the fire camp, bringing back lights to the fire camp, right, 239 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 12: it does help you because now you start like like 240 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 12: get mingling with the public, with you guys, the civilians, right, 241 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 12: which is I feel foreign with you guys because it 242 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 12: feels like I'm part of the prison. 243 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 9: That's who I was. 244 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 12: So they allotted me to be, right, Yeah, so they 245 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 12: wanted me to be so like now they want you 246 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 12: to get out here and then go to a fire 247 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 12: camp and then act like if you're a firefighter when 248 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 12: we do get like minimum training, right, So how is 249 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 12: it that you do that? How can I become a 250 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 12: better civilian? 251 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 13: A citizens? 252 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 12: And you're coming from prison to this, Like maybe you 253 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 12: guys know something about that. 254 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 2: If you're interested in learning more, or you can also 255 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 2: send money directly to commissary for these firefighters at the 256 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: link in the description. But I can't emphasize enough we 257 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 2: have teenage prisoners fighting fires at slave wages. Consider the 258 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 2: air something that I can say for a fact people 259 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 2: are really confused about because I'm really fucking confused about it. 260 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 2: If I look at my phone right now, Apple says the. 261 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 3: Air quality is good. 262 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: But Apple doesn't take into consideration the kind of chemicals 263 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 2: that are released into the air when over ten thousand buildings, 264 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 2: some of which are very old, burn nearby. 265 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 3: My phone is like, go outside, queen. 266 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 2: But when I go outside, the confetti that we released 267 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 2: on New Year's Eve is on our neighbor's porch covered 268 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 2: in ash. Consider how unregulated our housing market is. There's 269 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 2: a number of thankfully eagle eyed people tracking how reeltors 270 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: and landlords have been increasing rent prices by a lot 271 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 2: overnight in order to take advantage of these displays families. 272 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 2: And if these aren't reported and there aren't rent and 273 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 2: eviction moratoriums put in place, this will inevitably displace renters 274 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 2: who are priced out of their longtime neighborhoods to be 275 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 2: replaced by these families. And while we have heard so 276 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 2: many devastating accounts of families who are newly unhoused or 277 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 2: housing insecure, there has been little to no consideration or 278 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 2: conversation about people who have lived on the streets of 279 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 2: Los Angeles for years. Many unhoused people in the area 280 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 2: now have access to n ninety five masks, but in 281 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: a polluted environment that no one quite understands. Yet, unhoused 282 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: people are as always on the front lines of the 283 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 2: climate crisis, living in a city that is always hostile 284 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 2: to them. A climate scientist at UCLA named Daniel Swam, 285 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 2: who is a very respected local source, said that a 286 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,680 Speaker 2: tragedy like this was inevitable at this stage of climate crisis. 287 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 2: He says, when you have bone dry, critically dry vegetation, 288 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 2: fifty to ninety mile an hour winds with highly flammable 289 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,680 Speaker 2: structures densely intermixed with vegetation, there isn't a lot to 290 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 2: stop the aggressive chemical reaction that is the combustion process 291 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 2: of an intense wind driven fire, and so to some 292 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,840 Speaker 2: degree there's only so much the city and state can do. 293 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 2: But this city is historically hostile to the unhoused. It's 294 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 2: a place where the forty one to eighteen code states 295 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 2: that the unhoused are prohibited from quote sitting, lying or sleeping, 296 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 2: or storing, using, maintaining, or placing personal property in the 297 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:39,879 Speaker 2: public right. 298 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 3: Of way unquote. 299 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 2: Basically, it's illegal to be unhoused, and this has continued 300 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 2: now at a national level. Last summer, the Supreme Court 301 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 2: passed the Grant's past decision one that makes it quite 302 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 2: literally an arrestable offense to be unhoused, and what tragedies 303 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 2: like these fires demonstrate is a time I'm honored truth. 304 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 2: You can do everything right, but if something unprecedented happens, 305 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 2: if something happens to your home, if you get sick 306 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 2: and your insurance won't cover something, it is very possible 307 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: that you would find yourself unhoused and subject a nationally 308 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 2: sanctioned brutality. It is all legal, every climate catastrophe, and 309 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 2: they will continue lay bare the ways in which systems 310 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 2: have failed us and encouraged us to turn against one another. 311 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 2: Isn't this episode fun? Are we having fun? 312 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 3: Okay? 313 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 2: One last thing, even in the middle of this scary time, 314 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 2: I do think that there is still a lot to 315 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 2: be grateful for. Something I've been thinking about a lot 316 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 2: is I read a book a few years ago, at 317 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 2: the recommendation of one Robert Evans, called A Paradise Built 318 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,440 Speaker 2: in Hell by Rebecca Solnet, one that takes a look 319 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 2: at some of the most devastating no disasters in the 320 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 2: last century plus of North American history, and its central 321 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 2: thesis is that when disaster strikes, it's inhuman nature, across class, racial, 322 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: gender boundaries, to be there for your community. Even though 323 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 2: plenty of media would have us believe that normal people 324 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 2: go Lord of the flies and turn against each other, 325 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 2: we don't, soul Net illustrates. She uses examples ranging from 326 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 2: the San Francisco earthquake of nineteen oh six to Hurricane 327 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 2: Katrina in New Orleans in two thousand and five in 328 00:19:33,640 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 2: great detail to show that mutual aid and wanting to 329 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 2: help our neighbors during a disaster appears to be a 330 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:44,919 Speaker 2: natural instinct. This inherent desire to help others is so 331 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 2: much of what I've seen in the last four days. 332 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 2: My point is not to go full Randy on you, 333 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 2: but I love la, I love it. I just wanted 334 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 2: to share a passage from a paradise built in house 335 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:06,159 Speaker 2: that frames disaster as a devastating and painful opportunity to 336 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 2: view the world differently. Disasters provide an extraordinary window into 337 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 2: social desire and possibility and what manifests their matters elsewhere. 338 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 2: In ordinary times and in other extraordinary times, in the 339 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 2: wake of an earthquake, a bombing, or a major storm, 340 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 2: most people are altruistic, urgently engaged in caring for themselves 341 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 2: and those around them, strangers and neighbors, as well as 342 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 2: friends and loved ones. The image of the selfish, panicky, 343 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 2: or regressively savage human being in times of disaster has 344 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 2: little truth to it. Decades of meticulous sociological research on 345 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 2: behavior and disasters have demonstrated this, but belief lacks behind, 346 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,840 Speaker 2: and often the worst behavior in the wake of a 347 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 2: calamity is on the part of those who believe that 348 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 2: others will behave savagely and that they themselves are taking 349 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:03,120 Speaker 2: defensive measures against barbarism. Disaster doesn't sort us out by preferences. 350 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 2: It drags us into emergencies that require we act or 351 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 2: act altruistically, bravely, and with initiative in order to survive 352 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 2: or save the neighbors. No matter how we vote or 353 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:16,399 Speaker 2: what we do for a living, the positive emotions that 354 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 2: arise in those unpromising circumstances demonstrate that social ties and 355 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 2: meaningful work are deeply desired, readily improvised, and intensely rewarding. 356 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 2: Horrible in itself, disaster is sometimes a back door into paradise, 357 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:34,879 Speaker 2: the paradise at least in which we are who we 358 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,680 Speaker 2: hope to be, do the work we desire, and are 359 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 2: each our sisters and brothers keeper, and when we come 360 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:43,320 Speaker 2: back a few talks with the people who have been 361 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 2: shedding light on their forgotten. 362 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 3: People of these disasters. See you after these scary ads. 363 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 2: Welcome back to sixteenth minute, No little jokes today. It's 364 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 2: a serious one. One of the many things that I 365 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 2: believe I can turn any innocuous conversation into is a 366 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 2: belabored point about the desperate need for local journalism, and. 367 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 3: This episode is no exception. 368 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,399 Speaker 2: It's the local reporters who know the city like the 369 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 2: back of their hand, who know the massive diversity and 370 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 2: richness of experience and problems that exist within it, that 371 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 2: can really get to the heart of the issues that 372 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:32,120 Speaker 2: the average. 373 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,400 Speaker 3: Angelina is facing right now. 374 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 2: And I cannot overstate how much I admire our first 375 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 2: interviewee today. 376 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 3: Alissa Walker. 377 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 2: It was the podcast that she co hosts, LA podcast 378 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,719 Speaker 2: about local issues that really woke me up to the 379 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,919 Speaker 2: inner machinations of our city and had a big part 380 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,200 Speaker 2: in activating me as a part of my own community. 381 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 2: She is an amazing reporter who has long written about 382 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 2: public transportation. She's written for Curbed and most recently launched 383 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 2: her own own newsletter, Torched. Here's Alyssa Walker. 384 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 14: My name's Alyssa Walker. 385 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 15: I'm a journalist who writes the newsletter Torch, which has 386 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 15: a rather appropriate name, which is covering LA's mega event era, 387 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 15: including the twenty twenty eight Olympic and Paralympic Games. 388 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,200 Speaker 7: There's so many things I want to talk to you about. 389 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 2: I know you've been reporting on the LA area for 390 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 2: such a long time now, and particularly I mean you 391 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 2: might go to in terms of transportation in particular, and 392 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 2: that you lived in the area. You're a parent, There's 393 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 2: all of these intersecting issues in your life. When it 394 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 2: became clear these fires were going to have a serious 395 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 2: impact on our area. What was your first instinct as 396 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 2: a parent, and what was your first instinct as a journalist. 397 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 15: I put a story out last week, a few days 398 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 15: after the fires began, and the first thing that was 399 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 15: wild was after the first really bad night, LAUSD hadn't 400 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 15: canceled schools. 401 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 14: They have really big. 402 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:58,280 Speaker 15: Aversion to, you know, telling parents who you know, of 403 00:23:58,280 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 15: course rely on the school to be able to go 404 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 15: to work, that they're going to cancel school. So you 405 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 15: have you see all this real hesitation about why an't 406 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 15: we going to close them? How do we provide services 407 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 15: like meals to kids, you know, who rely on them. 408 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 15: And then of course, like we have staff members who 409 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 15: are impacted, you know, evacuating or maybe you know, having 410 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 15: to travel far distances on dangerous roads. So that first morning, 411 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 15: actually school was not canceled. We went to school. And 412 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,440 Speaker 15: one of the reasons I took my kids in school 413 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 15: was because the smell of smoke was so strong inside 414 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 15: our house. 415 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:33,159 Speaker 14: And I know that their. 416 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:37,840 Speaker 15: School building got upgraded filtration systems during growing. 417 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 2: Right, Right, that didn't even accorded to me, but like 418 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 2: that makes total sense that. 419 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 7: It might be safe for there. 420 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 15: Right, they just messaged that, you know, they would try 421 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 15: to keep the kids inside and we should bring them. 422 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 15: And you know, for a lot of people, I think 423 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 15: that sounded like a better deal than being in their well. Me, 424 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 15: I have this like leaky, drafty house. So we took 425 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,120 Speaker 15: them a and then within a few hours, I think 426 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 15: it was very clear how bad the situation was and 427 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 15: we had to go scoop them up and they went back. 428 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 15: Today today's Monday. 429 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 14: I'm glad they're back. 430 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,040 Speaker 15: You know, a lot of schools, some schools burned to 431 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 15: the ground, Some schools are really close to evacuation zones. 432 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 15: Some have extenuating circumstances, and I'm sure a lot of 433 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:21,959 Speaker 15: parents don't feel good about sending kids back, especially when 434 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 15: we have this second windstorm coming through. But for the meantime, 435 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 15: you know, that was my biggest concern, was, you know, 436 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 15: worrying about a lot of people have to travel through 437 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,919 Speaker 15: the region to get to places, and I think lausd 438 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:39,439 Speaker 15: offers a good signal that people should stay home and 439 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 15: get prepared and take care of their families and check 440 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,119 Speaker 15: in on loved ones. So I was glad that the 441 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 15: schools were closed because at least it sends that message 442 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 15: that's very powerful. 443 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 2: And I think that this ties into a larger point 444 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 2: you made in your most recent piece, where there was 445 00:25:54,400 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 2: just very clunky communication on the city's part on the whole, 446 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,719 Speaker 2: because I've seen so much black and white debate of 447 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,639 Speaker 2: like is this a failure of city officials or is 448 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 2: it just the inevitable consequence of climate change? And I 449 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 2: feel sure the answer is somewhere in the gray area. 450 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 2: As such a close observer of city politics, what could 451 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 2: have been done better here? 452 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 15: So this is where I'll turn to the scientists first 453 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 15: instead of that, instead of the politicians. I've been watching 454 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 15: the live streams of Daniel swayin cla climate scientists and 455 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 15: like a climate messenger, kind of like studies about how 456 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:37,639 Speaker 15: we do communication related to these types of disasters. Always 457 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 15: a fascinating person to talk to someone I always call when. 458 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,480 Speaker 14: I have a question. And that's basically what he said. 459 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 15: The second part, you know of your thought that this 460 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 15: is an unprecedented situation because of the situations we have created, 461 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 15: because we worship fossil fuels in the city and this 462 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 15: society and this country and this planet, and there's really 463 00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 15: at a certain point nothing you can do when you're 464 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 15: faced with these types of conditions. They kept calling it 465 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 15: the perfect storm. That being said, there are a lot 466 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 15: of things that we could do. The Palisades fire started 467 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 15: in a neighborhood that is in the city of la 468 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:22,120 Speaker 15: but it's like tucked up into the mountains of Malibu. 469 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 15: We can talk about why it started later. I'm sure 470 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 15: they're figuring that out. There's a lot of things to 471 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,159 Speaker 15: discuss there. But the fact that we are building in 472 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:34,880 Speaker 15: areas that need to burn, continue to burn have burned traditionally, 473 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 15: creates a catastrophic and dangerous situation for everyone else that 474 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 15: lives in the city. And until we want to confront 475 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 15: that this. 476 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:45,720 Speaker 14: Is going to keep happening. 477 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 2: What if the Olympics were happening right now? You ask 478 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:50,400 Speaker 2: yourself this every day, as you say. 479 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 14: Like I said, it terrifies me. 480 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 15: I literally walk around the city every single day and 481 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 15: think that I think about it on one hundred and 482 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,960 Speaker 15: ten degree days when we have like pout major power. 483 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 15: You know, I'm at a loss for words right now 484 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 15: because it's like, this is kind of the worst thing 485 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 15: I ever considered happening while it was happening. But in 486 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 15: a way, the thing I'm worried the most about is 487 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 15: more people being here. It doesn't sound very considerate of 488 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 15: the residents, but like adding millions of tourists to the evacuations, 489 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:25,919 Speaker 15: people who don't understand how those alerts come through on 490 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 15: their phones, Like do we are we gonna tell people 491 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 15: when they land in lax to lax to like download 492 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 15: all the different warning systems and the earthquake early warning system. 493 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 2: Right, and like introducing more language barriers and just oh 494 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 2: my gosh, such a good point. 495 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 15: And people staying in hotels that don't have access to cars, 496 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 15: and that's the instinct to getting your car and evaccuat. 497 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 14: Even though it might not be the best idea. 498 00:28:49,920 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 15: You might need to get out a different way. So actually, 499 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 15: what you know, what terrifies me the most is having 500 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 15: people who aren't familiar with the city here. That was 501 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 15: always in my mind. This is still look for the 502 00:29:00,440 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 15: worst case scenario though. Yeah, I wrote a story for 503 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 15: Curved after the Woldy fire with those it's the same 504 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 15: images we see every time, just the cars backed up 505 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 15: on the pch of people trying. 506 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 7: To get out. 507 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 15: And that was during the same time as the campfire, 508 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,080 Speaker 15: which is you remember in Paradise, which is the deadliest 509 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,640 Speaker 15: fire in Califerni history. Hopefully we do not get close 510 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 15: to those numbers here. Many of those deaths were caused 511 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 15: by people who were trying to evacuate in their car, 512 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 15: who got stuck in traffic trying to get out as 513 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 15: the flames were kind of coming too fast. Again a 514 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 15: situation where you can't drive fast enough in some of 515 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:42,200 Speaker 15: these cases to outrun these fire, these new fires that 516 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 15: we've created, and to talk to experts, especially after that fire, 517 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 15: saying in the wolseyfire in LA just saying, like, you know, 518 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 15: have a bike in your garage, like have another way 519 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 15: to get out. 520 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 14: Just come up with it. 521 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 15: One one alternate that's not a car, because all sorts 522 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 15: of things can prevent you from getting out in a car. 523 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 15: And when there was evacuation, the evacuation of Hollywood the 524 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,400 Speaker 15: other night there was the sunset fire that was in 525 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:07,240 Speaker 15: Running Canyon. 526 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 16: You know, the. 527 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 15: Fastest way to get out, we'd have probably been walking 528 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 15: down to the Hollywood Highland Metro Station. Trains were running, 529 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 15: trains were free, and just put yourself to safety, like 530 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,800 Speaker 15: just yeah, yet far away as far away as you can. 531 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:27,400 Speaker 15: That was not something that our city leaders were promoting. 532 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 7: Without the laboring the point. 533 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,560 Speaker 2: I mean, I think about how as you've written about 534 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: quite a bit that the La Olympics in twenty twenty 535 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 2: eight are predicated on, will be a Carliss city by then. 536 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 15: What is the likelihood is that actually every venue is 537 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 15: actually every venue? Yeah, I mean, it's it's a funny that, 538 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 15: Like I said, that was the first thing I thought 539 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 15: of when the fire started, when it was very small 540 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 15: and you had Steve Gutenberg, you know, out there telling 541 00:30:52,880 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 15: people not to leave their keys in their car when 542 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 15: they were abandoning their vehicles because and then they come 543 00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 15: through with the they came through the bouldo or to 544 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 15: move like all these like Porsches and Teslas and Mercedes 545 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,320 Speaker 15: like get out. I mean, it was very comical in 546 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 15: the early moments of the fire, because this is this 547 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 15: is our this is how the life we've chosen is. 548 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 15: You might have to leave your car behind as you're 549 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 15: getting out because you get stuck in traffic. But it's 550 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 15: the same issue when I go back to the way 551 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 15: we've decided to design our communities right, like, you do 552 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:26,959 Speaker 15: need two different ways out. 553 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:28,440 Speaker 14: You do need to be able to. 554 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 15: Walk to a place where maybe a shuttle can come 555 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 15: pick you up and evacuate you safely if you don't 556 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 15: have a car. In Altadena, there was there are multiple 557 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 15: instances of people who were disabled or who were elderly 558 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:48,280 Speaker 15: who were left behind. This is usually what happens in 559 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 15: these types of disasters. I believe in the campfire three 560 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 15: fourths of the victims where elderly or disabled. In the 561 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 15: median age was something like seventy five or something like that. 562 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,040 Speaker 15: So we have not done a good job with that 563 00:32:03,160 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 15: aspect of our evacuation plan. I mean, yes, we say 564 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 15: chicken on your neighbors, get yourself ready, we always say 565 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 15: pack the car, But like if you look at other 566 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 15: cities that have been through these types of disasters, like 567 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 15: New Orleans, they do have like a public evacuation system 568 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:20,360 Speaker 15: in place where you're making sure that everyone can get out. 569 00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 15: And that's I mean, that's what shouldn't happen in a 570 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 15: place like Pacific Palisades, right. You just don't imagine that 571 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 15: that a wealthy community like that would have deaths because 572 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 15: people got left behind. 573 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:36,840 Speaker 2: As a journalist, what stories are not being looked at 574 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:40,080 Speaker 2: that should be looked at in the mainstream coverage of 575 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 2: this event. Who are releading behind? What stories are releading behind? 576 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 15: I would love to see more about why people were 577 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:50,680 Speaker 15: physically left behind. But really the story they said this 578 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 15: morning on the news on Monday morning, I think they 579 00:32:52,560 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 15: said seventeen people were still missing. I hope we won't 580 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:00,760 Speaker 15: reach these very high numbers where we have this massive 581 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 15: loss of life. But for the most part, we do 582 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 15: do an okay job, you know, getting people to safety, 583 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:10,640 Speaker 15: but there are these big gaps, and not just you know, 584 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:13,520 Speaker 15: the physical of you know, being able to transport people, 585 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 15: but the messaging systems. I'm seeing so many different ways 586 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,840 Speaker 15: that people were told to leave and who told them 587 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 15: to leave and who they listened to, and even the 588 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 15: risk that people know about when they buy a home, 589 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 15: and that many people had moved into places that they 590 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 15: didn't fully understand had burned recently. So how can we 591 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:40,880 Speaker 15: continue to explain to people how dangerous this is. I 592 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 15: think people get earthquake drilled into their head a lot 593 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:46,720 Speaker 15: and they think about that a lot. But these are 594 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 15: fires that are coming down into neighborhoods sometimes that aren't burning, 595 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 15: haven't burned before. So we really need to have a 596 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 15: deeper conversation about messaging and disclosures. I guess is in 597 00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:01,640 Speaker 15: one sense, if you rent to the place, would you 598 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:04,840 Speaker 15: know the same way that a homeowner? Did you know 599 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:06,320 Speaker 15: what kind of what kind of risk? 600 00:34:06,360 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 3: You read? 601 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 15: All these questions I have? Yeah, maybe just like situational 602 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,319 Speaker 15: awareness about your neighborhood, your particular home. You know, we 603 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 15: shouldn't be forced to learn all these things. 604 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 14: But this is kind of a new. 605 00:34:20,800 --> 00:34:23,960 Speaker 15: Reality we all need to face together. If a fire 606 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 15: starts tonight, you know, during the second windstorm event, it 607 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,320 Speaker 15: doesn't really matter where you are in the city. It's 608 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 15: not going to be put out right away because the 609 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:36,279 Speaker 15: resources are a stretch thin and everything could go up 610 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:40,000 Speaker 15: in flance. But just being prepared, talking to your neighbors, 611 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 15: getting everything packed up, even if you're going on foot, 612 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 15: this is what we have to do. Yeah, well, thank 613 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 15: you so much, Thank you, Jamie, Thank you. 614 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 2: So much to Alissa, and particularly if you're a local, 615 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 2: I highly encourage you to subscribe to her newsletter torched 616 00:34:58,560 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 2: in the description. So my next conversation is with a 617 00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:06,600 Speaker 2: close colleague and friend of mine named Theo Henderson. And 618 00:35:06,640 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 2: if you don't listen to his show on iHeart Podcasts, 619 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 2: you have to get your act together. It's called We 620 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:16,000 Speaker 2: the Unhoused, and it began back in twenty nineteen when 621 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:19,280 Speaker 2: THEO himself was living on the streets of Los Angeles. 622 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,799 Speaker 2: These days, he's brought the show to iHeart and continues 623 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 2: to be one of the only major platforms where stories 624 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:30,000 Speaker 2: about and that concern the unhoused are told and centered 625 00:35:30,160 --> 00:35:32,759 Speaker 2: around the unhoused. And I was really eager to hear 626 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 2: what Theo had been hearing within the unhoused community and 627 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,600 Speaker 2: how he felt about the media cycle around this climate disaster. 628 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 7: Theo Henderson, Hello. 629 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:44,919 Speaker 4: Hello, thank you for having me on your show. It's 630 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:46,320 Speaker 4: like turn about as by a play. 631 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:48,800 Speaker 7: I know the tables have turned. 632 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 2: I'm so glad that you're doing all right. This, I mean, 633 00:35:54,560 --> 00:35:59,919 Speaker 2: just observationally, is another huge example of the mainstream media 634 00:36:00,200 --> 00:36:03,640 Speaker 2: kind of wing it. So I'm curious, as you've been 635 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 2: observing how the coverage of this has been versus the 636 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 2: lived reality, what's been on your mind. 637 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:13,400 Speaker 4: I've seen some misfires in the communication about the newly 638 00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 4: displaced and the existing displays of unhoused community members, and 639 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 4: how the narrative has been framed. In the beginning, the 640 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:25,440 Speaker 4: narrative was framed as they were looking at rich people's homes, 641 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 4: which brought out a response where there was a lot 642 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 4: of cynicism and sarcasm and a lot of Gallows type 643 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 4: of humor, which people took umbrage with because of the 644 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,239 Speaker 4: fact that anybody can lose, no matter what kind of 645 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 4: economic status that they have, can lose things and can 646 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 4: feel things. And I think the point was made on 647 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,040 Speaker 4: the moment was missed is because of the fact that 648 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:54,319 Speaker 4: media does what media does, mainstream media in particular, they 649 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:58,319 Speaker 4: always try to reach out for the elite or the 650 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:01,799 Speaker 4: oligard in the ways we have to feel empathy and 651 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:04,880 Speaker 4: sympathy for them. But we missed the point where the 652 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,239 Speaker 4: people the rich people that are being displaced, there were 653 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:11,279 Speaker 4: people that work for rich people that are being displaced. 654 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,520 Speaker 4: There were rich people, There are people working class people 655 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 4: that have to survive, provide the services and all of 656 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:21,320 Speaker 4: the accouterments that are necessary for the wealthy to upkeep 657 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:25,080 Speaker 4: their lives. But we also miss out on another major 658 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:29,680 Speaker 4: incident that when we talk about how marabas Has does 659 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:33,960 Speaker 4: a duplicious type of service, is that during the cars, 660 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 4: during all of the panic and the chaos and the 661 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:40,279 Speaker 4: pandemonium was going, they were sweet still being held. There 662 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 4: were sweeps being on simultaneously and the same day on 663 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,839 Speaker 4: the same time, where people were being asked to move. 664 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 4: Whether it's spot clean or whether it was a deep 665 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 4: intensive or whether it was the way of just forcibly 666 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:57,080 Speaker 4: removing on house people from areas when a such a 667 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:00,640 Speaker 4: volatile situation was occurring. They're still coming at every Thursday. 668 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,239 Speaker 4: They come sweep on house people every Thursday. It's just 669 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:07,279 Speaker 4: so much that many unhoused people's self ef thatt it 670 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:10,359 Speaker 4: is when I was on housed, I briefly stay here, 671 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:14,400 Speaker 4: but the antipathy against unhoused people here is so strong, 672 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:18,840 Speaker 4: and they hide it with political correctness, and they don't 673 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,760 Speaker 4: really you don't really see the veil come off unless 674 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,719 Speaker 4: you are really entrenched in it and you are impacted. 675 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:28,280 Speaker 2: All of the immediate coverage went to these wealthy people, 676 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:31,400 Speaker 2: which is the media's tendency, and also just like those 677 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 2: discordant any solidarity to the working class that makes LA work. 678 00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:40,719 Speaker 2: I haven't seen anything about, you know, the domestic workers 679 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 2: in the palis Ades. I haven't seen anything about you know, 680 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 2: the weaighte staff that works in this area, people who 681 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:49,880 Speaker 2: may not have lost their homes but definitely lost their jobs. 682 00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 2: And I mean there's just such a wide gradient in 683 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:55,000 Speaker 2: a way that I feel like minimizes the issue and 684 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:58,160 Speaker 2: makes it seem like, oh good, these rich people lost 685 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:01,960 Speaker 2: their homes, Because are all of these people, I mean 686 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 2: thousands of people who are either newly housing, insecure or 687 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 2: unhoused themselves now overnight. I feel like it really just 688 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:15,319 Speaker 2: further demonstrates that this could happen to anyone. Everyone is 689 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:20,040 Speaker 2: far closer to being unhoused than they think. But in 690 00:39:20,080 --> 00:39:24,239 Speaker 2: the media, I've noticed that there's a clear delineation between well, 691 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:26,320 Speaker 2: they were housed last week, so we don't need to 692 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:29,400 Speaker 2: treat them like we do unhoused people in the media. 693 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:33,640 Speaker 4: That's the agual conversation point that we have is that 694 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:37,560 Speaker 4: for example, the worthy un housed and the unworthy on house. 695 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:40,360 Speaker 4: You see, the narrative has been always put out because 696 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:46,000 Speaker 4: which is why the unintended consequences always is. I guess 697 00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:48,919 Speaker 4: it is oxymoronic if you want to be being really clear, 698 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 4: is the fact that the narrative has always been pushed 699 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:56,319 Speaker 4: about unhoused people are drug addicted, mentally ill, they don't 700 00:39:56,360 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 4: want help. It's it's effective because it turns the working 701 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 4: class that could be an ally to you against you. 702 00:40:03,680 --> 00:40:06,959 Speaker 4: Now we have to sift through all of the misinformation, 703 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:11,360 Speaker 4: but also sift through what the apparatus that's in place 704 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:14,240 Speaker 4: that when we talk about houselessness, when we talk about 705 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:18,120 Speaker 4: housing insecurity, we must be honest with our communities and 706 00:40:18,239 --> 00:40:21,880 Speaker 4: what are different walks of life to understand that this 707 00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,960 Speaker 4: is a declear example of climate exchange. I want to 708 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:27,719 Speaker 4: point out one more thing about climate change as well. 709 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,720 Speaker 4: Climate injustice is what is going on and the first 710 00:40:31,760 --> 00:40:35,520 Speaker 4: line of defensive people that are affected, the frontline workers 711 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 4: are unhoused people. You know, many people could put on 712 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:42,760 Speaker 4: a mask, But the mask is still not necessarily effective 713 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:46,160 Speaker 4: enough if you're sitting in a stationery position outside on 714 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:50,120 Speaker 4: the street, where there's debris, where there's falling ash, where 715 00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 4: there's breathing metals and all of the other things that 716 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:57,400 Speaker 4: are going on. It only gives you a certain rescipite 717 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:00,680 Speaker 4: if you're going into maybe another layer of protection, like 718 00:41:00,719 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 4: you can go into a building, close the door and 719 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:06,680 Speaker 4: not be able to ingest that for it maybe a 720 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:09,880 Speaker 4: temporary period of time. But can unhouse people do that 721 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:13,080 Speaker 4: on a sustaining level. No, not particularly. There are not 722 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:16,040 Speaker 4: enough shelters. There are not enough places where they can 723 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:19,000 Speaker 4: be able to find a respite. On the weekend, like Sunday, 724 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:21,560 Speaker 4: the libraries are closed, so where they're going to go. 725 00:41:22,000 --> 00:41:22,239 Speaker 16: You know? 726 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:26,160 Speaker 4: So I think we there is so much of the 727 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:31,080 Speaker 4: environmental issues to be considered. I personally, it affects me, 728 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:33,240 Speaker 4: like but I got affected with all of the asking 729 00:41:33,320 --> 00:41:38,879 Speaker 4: my damn. I But yeah, like the breathing quality, It's 730 00:41:38,920 --> 00:41:41,840 Speaker 4: like when I was out living when they have brush fires, 731 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,239 Speaker 4: it is very difficult to try to sleep, and it's 732 00:41:44,360 --> 00:41:46,720 Speaker 4: very difficulty if you have health issues. I have health issues. 733 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 4: It affects my my chart. It affects my breathing. So 734 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:52,839 Speaker 4: I know I'm not the only one. I know I'm 735 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:55,640 Speaker 4: not the only unhused person that has other medical issues 736 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:58,880 Speaker 4: that have to contend with where there maybe having people 737 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:02,239 Speaker 4: that may have medical issues and other issues that they're 738 00:42:02,280 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 4: in a house environment to be able to get the 739 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,880 Speaker 4: appropriate medical care. Many in house people missed that they 740 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:09,440 Speaker 4: still state type of services. 741 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:14,360 Speaker 2: I know you speak to this every week on Webian House, 742 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:17,680 Speaker 2: which I'm going to plug the hell out of throughout 743 00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:18,160 Speaker 2: this show. 744 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:20,239 Speaker 7: How you know this is a. 745 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 2: California example of the of a house people being on 746 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:25,320 Speaker 2: the front lines of climate injustice. 747 00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:27,120 Speaker 7: But you cover stories like this all the time. 748 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:30,080 Speaker 2: I mean, you've talked about Florida and North Carolina and 749 00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:33,760 Speaker 2: these are problems that aren't going to go away. 750 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:38,440 Speaker 4: Well also too that climate change affects us maybe a 751 00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 4: little bit a different lead. They have a different recipe 752 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:43,000 Speaker 4: because we're dealing with brush fires. But I also want 753 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:45,480 Speaker 4: to point out the climate changes that are going on 754 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:48,239 Speaker 4: in the Midwest and the colder places where there are 755 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:53,160 Speaker 4: migrant on house families are living out in in elements 756 00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:55,440 Speaker 4: it's very cold. We're going to get a cold snap 757 00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:58,879 Speaker 4: coming up very soon. So on house people here are 758 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:01,879 Speaker 4: going to be dealing with that issue. But I also 759 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:04,799 Speaker 4: want to point out most hypothermic depths are usually here 760 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:08,759 Speaker 4: in California, but particularly because I believe most when I 761 00:43:08,800 --> 00:43:11,840 Speaker 4: was in the house in Chicago and those Midwest places, 762 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,120 Speaker 4: they do have places where warming centers and things, and 763 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:18,879 Speaker 4: California does, and Los Angeles in particular does a very 764 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:23,239 Speaker 4: piss for job and getting the word out creating services 765 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:26,480 Speaker 4: to get vans or trolleys or things of that nature 766 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:30,279 Speaker 4: to get unhouse people to and fro places and have 767 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:32,600 Speaker 4: it may be a commiss you kind of are kind 768 00:43:32,600 --> 00:43:36,719 Speaker 4: of warming centers where there's not stringent requirements for them 769 00:43:36,760 --> 00:43:40,480 Speaker 4: to be in places that I think that's where one 770 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 4: of the things that many of the things that Los 771 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:46,560 Speaker 4: Angeles misses demark on during the season, there are various 772 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:50,520 Speaker 4: stages of climate injustice and incidents that are happening to 773 00:43:50,640 --> 00:43:51,360 Speaker 4: unhouse people. 774 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:53,680 Speaker 2: The answers to this, I know will be fairly obvious, 775 00:43:53,760 --> 00:43:57,520 Speaker 2: but for the sake of asking it, what is the 776 00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 2: City of Los Angeles and the state, by extension, what 777 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:04,520 Speaker 2: should they be doing for unhoused and housing insecure folks 778 00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:05,800 Speaker 2: right now that they are not doing? 779 00:44:06,239 --> 00:44:10,000 Speaker 4: We need another eviction and rent more moratorium. The second 780 00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:14,799 Speaker 4: thing is that we need is another facilities opened up 781 00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:17,920 Speaker 4: that are extended for unhoused people to have a sustained 782 00:44:17,920 --> 00:44:22,279 Speaker 4: place to live, may hotels, but also places where we 783 00:44:22,360 --> 00:44:25,040 Speaker 4: can be able to get unhoused people inside. And in 784 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:29,040 Speaker 4: two we need to upgrade our medical facilities because again 785 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:32,440 Speaker 4: unhoused people, you're going to see many more. It's going 786 00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:35,719 Speaker 4: to be an uptick of medical emergencies, particularly probably from 787 00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:40,000 Speaker 4: unhoused people, because they're going to be in sustained environmentively 788 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 4: disastrous kind of areas. There was an unhoused person that 789 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 4: I was in contact with that was impacted. They voluntarily 790 00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:51,160 Speaker 4: evacuated because the area that they were at was starting 791 00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 4: to burn and so they had to leave because they 792 00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:56,680 Speaker 4: were in hiding. And why were they in hiding. It's 793 00:44:56,719 --> 00:45:00,200 Speaker 4: because of the aggressiveness of the Grands past that and 794 00:45:00,239 --> 00:45:02,759 Speaker 4: then the forty one eighteen kind of things. 795 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:06,319 Speaker 2: Just for listener clarity, I know we talk about this 796 00:45:06,440 --> 00:45:10,080 Speaker 2: every single day. What is Grant's past for those who 797 00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:10,719 Speaker 2: are not in the. 798 00:45:10,719 --> 00:45:13,640 Speaker 4: Know, Yes, well, you know, as you know, Jay, I 799 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:16,560 Speaker 4: know it exasperates everybody, but I've been on the book box. 800 00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:19,480 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, No get back on the subdox. 801 00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:20,239 Speaker 7: This is the time. 802 00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:25,960 Speaker 4: So well, I'm going to do a very quick synopsis 803 00:45:26,000 --> 00:45:27,719 Speaker 4: because I can go in on and on on like 804 00:45:27,760 --> 00:45:30,400 Speaker 4: I'm on a pool pill. So the launch. In short 805 00:45:30,400 --> 00:45:32,840 Speaker 4: of it, what Grant's Past is done is given the 806 00:45:32,920 --> 00:45:38,160 Speaker 4: right for state city workers and leaders to criminalize unhoused 807 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:42,600 Speaker 4: people without any solutions, without any kind of appropriate follow 808 00:45:42,680 --> 00:45:45,360 Speaker 4: up to get them off the streets. In short, it 809 00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:47,960 Speaker 4: is basically they have to write it they see an 810 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:51,319 Speaker 4: unhoused person to put them in jail or do other 811 00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:56,799 Speaker 4: criminalized ticket them, or make themselves evict or evict them 812 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 4: from the area. Because many of the cities would use 813 00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:03,640 Speaker 4: that as the rallying cry or the whipping poles to 814 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 4: justify that. They claim that they couldn't do anything because 815 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:09,840 Speaker 4: the state is giving the and how so many rights 816 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:12,920 Speaker 4: or you hear Heaven forbid that on house people between 817 00:46:13,120 --> 00:46:15,759 Speaker 4: like human beings instead of the detriatis that they want 818 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:19,480 Speaker 4: to treat them as. So Grant's Past is the vehicle 819 00:46:20,080 --> 00:46:24,920 Speaker 4: that is used to justify different horristic examples. One of 820 00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:27,120 Speaker 4: the things that I do think too, we were making 821 00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:29,959 Speaker 4: a very good point too about with COVID about where 822 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:32,520 Speaker 4: one shelter had one hundred percent of the entire staff 823 00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:35,240 Speaker 4: and residents had COVID because they were bunched in together. 824 00:46:35,680 --> 00:46:38,640 Speaker 4: But also one of the improving things that I think 825 00:46:38,840 --> 00:46:42,120 Speaker 4: encouraging is that and this is not from the city, 826 00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:46,880 Speaker 4: but I noticed from our citizenry the mutual aid response. 827 00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:50,040 Speaker 4: I think that was the perfect proving ground or the 828 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 4: perfect testing ground and case and a point that I 829 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:54,840 Speaker 4: want to point out, and I've been interviewing some of 830 00:46:54,880 --> 00:46:58,799 Speaker 4: the neutral eight groups myself that stating some of the 831 00:46:58,840 --> 00:47:03,240 Speaker 4: city leaders are asked for resources from the mutual groups. 832 00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:05,759 Speaker 4: We've been asking for the assistance the city is what 833 00:47:05,800 --> 00:47:09,000 Speaker 4: they always do is throw money at the problem for 834 00:47:09,080 --> 00:47:16,920 Speaker 4: criminalization or propaganda propaganda campaign to delineate or to blame 835 00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:19,600 Speaker 4: the victims for their problems, but in the same on 836 00:47:19,719 --> 00:47:22,239 Speaker 4: the certain turf token that they want service this from us. 837 00:47:23,280 --> 00:47:26,879 Speaker 2: That is I think one of the major positive takeaways 838 00:47:26,960 --> 00:47:29,960 Speaker 2: of the last week is I feel like it's proven 839 00:47:30,000 --> 00:47:32,279 Speaker 2: time and time again, and I think we saw this 840 00:47:32,400 --> 00:47:38,880 Speaker 2: during COVID as well, is when times are horrible, it 841 00:47:38,960 --> 00:47:42,320 Speaker 2: is human instinct to come together and want to provide support. 842 00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:45,879 Speaker 2: I'm curious how you have seen the mutual aids sort 843 00:47:45,920 --> 00:47:48,799 Speaker 2: of roll out, but how do we sustain it? You know, 844 00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:51,920 Speaker 2: I mean I worry about flashing the pan moments and 845 00:47:51,960 --> 00:47:53,160 Speaker 2: then and then I'll fall off. 846 00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:56,320 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, that's one of the legitimate concern One of 847 00:47:56,400 --> 00:47:58,799 Speaker 4: the things that I noticed when I first started my 848 00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:03,560 Speaker 4: podcast during the time hy pandemic, everyone was concerned. Everyone 849 00:48:04,040 --> 00:48:08,200 Speaker 4: wanted to dial in to understand about houselessness and housing 850 00:48:08,239 --> 00:48:12,440 Speaker 4: and security because they realized on that clear example that 851 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:14,399 Speaker 4: they were on their way out on the street, there 852 00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:16,960 Speaker 4: were some that were on this way on street. But 853 00:48:17,080 --> 00:48:20,480 Speaker 4: also it also created a sense of bond hominge or 854 00:48:20,520 --> 00:48:24,040 Speaker 4: a sense of empathy that is fleeting. And one of 855 00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:27,360 Speaker 4: the things that I've noticed on what really irritates is 856 00:48:27,400 --> 00:48:30,440 Speaker 4: why there was such a generation of gallows humor and 857 00:48:30,520 --> 00:48:34,440 Speaker 4: starcasm about this current situation is because of the flashing 858 00:48:34,480 --> 00:48:38,839 Speaker 4: the plan or the spotty kind of empathy that it is. 859 00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:41,720 Speaker 4: It's like, one of the things that we need is frankly, 860 00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:45,799 Speaker 4: most mutual aids need now is money, because this is 861 00:48:45,920 --> 00:48:50,000 Speaker 4: a problem that's going to have unintended consequences. There was 862 00:48:50,040 --> 00:48:53,680 Speaker 4: a recent article that was talking about people are competing 863 00:48:53,719 --> 00:48:58,000 Speaker 4: now that had would recently house and trying to find housing. Now, 864 00:48:58,120 --> 00:49:00,359 Speaker 4: I want you to consider for a moment, looking into 865 00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:03,040 Speaker 4: the vista on what this is going to look like 866 00:49:03,120 --> 00:49:05,560 Speaker 4: for the newly unhoused. They are now going to be 867 00:49:05,640 --> 00:49:08,879 Speaker 4: susceptible to Grant's pass. They're now going to be susceptible 868 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:11,759 Speaker 4: to being swept. They're now going to be susceptible to 869 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:14,319 Speaker 4: forty one eighteen. Because the money is going to only 870 00:49:14,320 --> 00:49:17,359 Speaker 4: sustain terminal one that lived on the house and had 871 00:49:17,400 --> 00:49:20,360 Speaker 4: to go through the steps before I became completely unhoused. 872 00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 4: You're going to be on this hamster wheel that you 873 00:49:23,840 --> 00:49:26,080 Speaker 4: won't be able to get off unless you have some 874 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:29,879 Speaker 4: kind of community organized support to be able to get 875 00:49:29,920 --> 00:49:31,960 Speaker 4: you out of that and to sustain you when you 876 00:49:32,080 --> 00:49:35,759 Speaker 4: are not financially at the best place, or you're going 877 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:38,080 Speaker 4: to end up falling through the cracks like many of 878 00:49:38,080 --> 00:49:40,600 Speaker 4: the young house currently are. And you're going to see 879 00:49:40,640 --> 00:49:45,480 Speaker 4: the effects on how the city has very limited empathy 880 00:49:45,560 --> 00:49:48,800 Speaker 4: or sympathy towards your condition, even though you've gone through 881 00:49:49,920 --> 00:49:53,759 Speaker 4: the pandemic or you've gone through the fires. We're going 882 00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:56,040 Speaker 4: to see more of that. We're going to see more 883 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:58,319 Speaker 4: of the politician is going to come in and look 884 00:49:58,360 --> 00:50:01,480 Speaker 4: at unhoused trying to hope with the stresses and traumas 885 00:50:01,480 --> 00:50:04,680 Speaker 4: of losing everything and trying to use the coping mechanisms 886 00:50:04,680 --> 00:50:06,760 Speaker 4: that they can, and they're going to make a video 887 00:50:06,920 --> 00:50:08,560 Speaker 4: and make it sound like this is where your money 888 00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,239 Speaker 4: is going. They're coddling on house people they don't want 889 00:50:11,280 --> 00:50:13,440 Speaker 4: help and things like that, and then now we're going 890 00:50:13,520 --> 00:50:17,640 Speaker 4: to be faced in the same hostile kinds of response 891 00:50:17,719 --> 00:50:19,120 Speaker 4: to the houseless crisis. 892 00:50:19,600 --> 00:50:21,319 Speaker 7: Is there anything I didn't ask that you wanted to 893 00:50:21,320 --> 00:50:21,640 Speaker 7: touch on? 894 00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:26,960 Speaker 4: Also to really lean into the mutual aids start financially 895 00:50:27,320 --> 00:50:32,640 Speaker 4: being much more sustainable in helping the unhoused currently as 896 00:50:32,719 --> 00:50:36,200 Speaker 4: well as the enduring on housed as well as well 897 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:38,680 Speaker 4: as looking at TO and both of our podcasts and 898 00:50:38,800 --> 00:50:41,719 Speaker 4: learning more of the matter because I'm going to be 899 00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:44,560 Speaker 4: covering the fires as well and the multitude of different 900 00:50:44,640 --> 00:50:48,040 Speaker 4: responses that I've heard, and I wanted to be able 901 00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:50,480 Speaker 4: to say that thank you, thank. 902 00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:53,280 Speaker 2: You so much to the amazing THEO Henderson, and please 903 00:50:53,640 --> 00:50:57,880 Speaker 2: subscribe to be the Unhoused as you will continue to 904 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:01,600 Speaker 2: cover the fallout of the fires in the unhoused community, 905 00:51:01,640 --> 00:51:04,600 Speaker 2: which is definitely something to keep your eye on. And 906 00:51:04,640 --> 00:51:07,839 Speaker 2: we will be right back with mutual aid and organizational 907 00:51:07,880 --> 00:51:18,800 Speaker 2: tips with three pros. See you after all these ads. 908 00:51:27,120 --> 00:51:30,640 Speaker 2: Welcome back to sixteenth minute with more interviews with the 909 00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:33,000 Speaker 2: folks who are shedding light on those who aren't being 910 00:51:33,040 --> 00:51:37,080 Speaker 2: centered in these conversations about the Southern California fires. My 911 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:41,680 Speaker 2: next conversation is with the executive director, operations manager, and 912 00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:46,239 Speaker 2: volunteer coordinator with an unhoused nonprofit coalition in my neighborhood 913 00:51:46,400 --> 00:51:50,880 Speaker 2: called SILA. Sarah Maybe and Rachel are such wonderful people, 914 00:51:51,000 --> 00:51:54,080 Speaker 2: and as they are very experienced organizers, I wanted to 915 00:51:54,160 --> 00:51:56,640 Speaker 2: ask them what this week has been like with increased 916 00:51:56,680 --> 00:52:00,440 Speaker 2: demand for services and how they would advise new organizers 917 00:52:00,600 --> 00:52:02,839 Speaker 2: who want to get involved. Here's our talk. 918 00:52:03,600 --> 00:52:08,080 Speaker 10: Hey, everybody, my name is Maybe, the operations manager for CELA, 919 00:52:08,200 --> 00:52:10,120 Speaker 10: and my pronouns are she her, and they them. 920 00:52:10,520 --> 00:52:10,680 Speaker 16: Hi. 921 00:52:10,760 --> 00:52:12,920 Speaker 13: My name is Sarah Mayis. I'm the executive director of 922 00:52:12,920 --> 00:52:15,719 Speaker 13: sela neighborhood homeless coalition, and my pronouns are she her. 923 00:52:16,040 --> 00:52:20,840 Speaker 2: We're recording this interview on the afternoon of Monday the thirteenth, 924 00:52:20,880 --> 00:52:24,319 Speaker 2: and I know it has been a very heartening and 925 00:52:24,360 --> 00:52:29,360 Speaker 2: also chaotic weekend over at CELA. How's everybody doing. 926 00:52:33,200 --> 00:52:33,439 Speaker 3: Good? 927 00:52:33,520 --> 00:52:38,000 Speaker 13: Can you tell by our silence we're good. I'll let 928 00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:41,320 Speaker 13: I'll let everyone else speak to about to their mental 929 00:52:41,360 --> 00:52:44,840 Speaker 13: health and energy. But I think we are. We're overwhelmed 930 00:52:44,920 --> 00:52:48,799 Speaker 13: and in all the best possible ways. But yeah, overall good, Yeah, 931 00:52:49,040 --> 00:52:49,279 Speaker 13: do it. 932 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:53,320 Speaker 10: All right, both physically and emotionally, recovering from the past 933 00:52:53,320 --> 00:52:54,120 Speaker 10: few days. 934 00:52:54,560 --> 00:52:56,239 Speaker 14: I definitely feel similarly. 935 00:52:56,360 --> 00:52:59,520 Speaker 17: Something that I know all of us are feeling that 936 00:52:59,560 --> 00:53:02,919 Speaker 17: I think speaks to how much I love everybody here 937 00:53:03,080 --> 00:53:05,520 Speaker 17: is that we all are dealing with our own personal 938 00:53:05,600 --> 00:53:08,480 Speaker 17: anxieties with fire and our own homes and our friends' homes, 939 00:53:08,480 --> 00:53:11,759 Speaker 17: and that we're all still able to come together and 940 00:53:11,960 --> 00:53:15,640 Speaker 17: focus on each other is beautiful and also of course tiring. 941 00:53:15,680 --> 00:53:17,520 Speaker 14: But we all have so much support. 942 00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:21,440 Speaker 2: For those listening who are uninitiated. What does a normal 943 00:53:21,520 --> 00:53:25,239 Speaker 2: week look like at CELA in terms of mission and programs, 944 00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:27,719 Speaker 2: and then we'll talk about what has been adjusted and 945 00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:29,320 Speaker 2: expanded in the past week. 946 00:53:29,560 --> 00:53:35,320 Speaker 13: Absolutely so. Our vision statement at SELA Neighborhood Homeless Coalition 947 00:53:35,400 --> 00:53:37,759 Speaker 13: is a community where every neighbor thrives. That's sort of 948 00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:42,120 Speaker 13: what we're working towards, is this ideal community where homelessness 949 00:53:42,160 --> 00:53:44,960 Speaker 13: is not something that we're confronting, because everyone has a 950 00:53:45,000 --> 00:53:47,239 Speaker 13: home and the resources they need to thrive in their 951 00:53:47,280 --> 00:53:51,720 Speaker 13: world in their lives. We do that by activating a 952 00:53:51,719 --> 00:53:58,480 Speaker 13: coalition of participants and sister organizations and working in lockstep 953 00:53:58,560 --> 00:54:03,160 Speaker 13: with social services and city services to host a couple 954 00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:05,480 Speaker 13: of different program types. So first and foremost, we have 955 00:54:05,640 --> 00:54:09,600 Speaker 13: our drop in programs at the Silver Lake in Silver 956 00:54:09,680 --> 00:54:12,279 Speaker 13: Lake in Hollywood and in Echo Park. Those drop in 957 00:54:12,320 --> 00:54:15,359 Speaker 13: programs are every single week, and they provide things like 958 00:54:15,760 --> 00:54:20,160 Speaker 13: bike repair and ID support and meals, and some of 959 00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:22,759 Speaker 13: them have movie screenings. But really fundamentally, what they are 960 00:54:22,920 --> 00:54:25,359 Speaker 13: is a place for people to come and be in 961 00:54:25,440 --> 00:54:30,440 Speaker 13: community and know that just because they are existing without 962 00:54:30,440 --> 00:54:33,120 Speaker 13: homes at this moment, that does not make them anything 963 00:54:33,120 --> 00:54:35,600 Speaker 13: other than our neighbors and valued members of our community. 964 00:54:35,880 --> 00:54:39,160 Speaker 13: And those are our drop in programs. Our outreach programs 965 00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:41,759 Speaker 13: run in tandem with many of our drop in programs. Again, 966 00:54:41,800 --> 00:54:45,640 Speaker 13: those happen multiple times every single week across Northeast LA, 967 00:54:45,719 --> 00:54:48,239 Speaker 13: and we do things by starting with material aid, like 968 00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:51,920 Speaker 13: handing out water bottles at encampments. Right now, we're doing masks. 969 00:54:52,320 --> 00:54:54,719 Speaker 13: We can talk about some of our emergency response a 970 00:54:54,760 --> 00:54:57,279 Speaker 13: little bit later, but handing out meals handing out harm 971 00:54:57,280 --> 00:55:00,480 Speaker 13: reduction supplies and getting to know people and really truly 972 00:55:00,480 --> 00:55:02,880 Speaker 13: fundamentally listening to what is the experience of our neighbors 973 00:55:02,880 --> 00:55:04,160 Speaker 13: who are living on the street and what is it 974 00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:09,000 Speaker 13: that they need, and educating our house neighbors and elevating 975 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:10,960 Speaker 13: the voices of our unhoused neighbors to make sure that 976 00:55:10,960 --> 00:55:13,879 Speaker 13: we're all working in unison to create that community where 977 00:55:13,880 --> 00:55:15,080 Speaker 13: every neighbor thrives. 978 00:55:15,440 --> 00:55:18,640 Speaker 2: You're such a well oiled machine of being able to 979 00:55:18,920 --> 00:55:21,840 Speaker 2: show up, not to show up for your own house neighbors, 980 00:55:21,840 --> 00:55:26,319 Speaker 2: but also build sustaining relationships, build connections in the neighborhood 981 00:55:26,320 --> 00:55:29,520 Speaker 2: that can assist your unhoused neighbors, whether that be medical 982 00:55:29,840 --> 00:55:33,880 Speaker 2: or veterinary services, whether that be social services, whether that 983 00:55:33,920 --> 00:55:38,560 Speaker 2: be connecting with transportation or caseworkers, or whatever. 984 00:55:38,280 --> 00:55:39,360 Speaker 7: The need may be. 985 00:55:39,840 --> 00:55:43,279 Speaker 2: In a situation like this last week, where all of 986 00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:47,040 Speaker 2: a sudden there is a new population of people who 987 00:55:47,120 --> 00:55:51,759 Speaker 2: are either housing insecure or houseless, what was it like 988 00:55:52,160 --> 00:55:54,640 Speaker 2: as sort of the leaders of this organization of figuring 989 00:55:54,640 --> 00:55:57,160 Speaker 2: out how do we respond to this and how do 990 00:55:57,200 --> 00:56:00,360 Speaker 2: we expand on the programs and systems we arelready have 991 00:56:00,440 --> 00:56:00,880 Speaker 2: in place. 992 00:56:01,320 --> 00:56:03,160 Speaker 10: You know, I think one of the things that helped 993 00:56:03,239 --> 00:56:07,120 Speaker 10: us to be prepared for something that was not necessarily 994 00:56:07,200 --> 00:56:09,919 Speaker 10: immediately foreseeable is the fact that we do this week 995 00:56:09,960 --> 00:56:13,920 Speaker 10: in week out, year round, year after year. So our 996 00:56:14,040 --> 00:56:18,279 Speaker 10: organization exists to respond to people in crisis. And so 997 00:56:18,760 --> 00:56:21,640 Speaker 10: given that, you know, I feel like we were just 998 00:56:21,719 --> 00:56:24,720 Speaker 10: a little more prepared than you know, somebody who doesn't 999 00:56:24,719 --> 00:56:28,839 Speaker 10: work with a volunteer organization or is not immediately familiar with, 1000 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:32,480 Speaker 10: you know, working with people who are neighbors in crisis. 1001 00:56:32,960 --> 00:56:35,840 Speaker 10: So because we already had our programs in place, we 1002 00:56:35,960 --> 00:56:39,880 Speaker 10: basically had to adapt our existing programs to meet the 1003 00:56:39,880 --> 00:56:43,120 Speaker 10: conditions of the day. And so, you know, we had 1004 00:56:43,160 --> 00:56:46,000 Speaker 10: our Wednesday program. At first, we thought about canceling the 1005 00:56:46,040 --> 00:56:49,560 Speaker 10: program because you know, we were nervous about having our 1006 00:56:49,680 --> 00:56:53,160 Speaker 10: volunteers have to be outside, nervous about our participants having 1007 00:56:53,160 --> 00:56:56,680 Speaker 10: to be outside during these you know, this these smoky conditions. 1008 00:56:57,239 --> 00:56:59,839 Speaker 10: So basically we ended up adapting the program. We brought 1009 00:56:59,880 --> 00:57:03,000 Speaker 10: it inside, and we open it up to the entire community. 1010 00:57:03,000 --> 00:57:06,280 Speaker 10: Anybody that needed to come in to charge their devices 1011 00:57:06,320 --> 00:57:08,960 Speaker 10: if their power was out, if they're housed, or if 1012 00:57:09,040 --> 00:57:11,160 Speaker 10: they needed to just get out of the smoky air, 1013 00:57:11,360 --> 00:57:14,000 Speaker 10: basically just opening it up to everybody. So a lot 1014 00:57:14,040 --> 00:57:17,800 Speaker 10: of adaptation, but because we already have systems in place, 1015 00:57:18,000 --> 00:57:20,480 Speaker 10: it was we were able to adapt to the situation. 1016 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:21,920 Speaker 9: You know. 1017 00:57:21,960 --> 00:57:24,800 Speaker 10: One of the other things is, you know, we've been 1018 00:57:25,040 --> 00:57:27,800 Speaker 10: overwhelmed in such a positive way, with so many people 1019 00:57:27,800 --> 00:57:30,080 Speaker 10: wanting to help in so many different kinds of ways, 1020 00:57:30,080 --> 00:57:34,840 Speaker 10: whether that be through material donations or through volunteering, and 1021 00:57:34,920 --> 00:57:38,080 Speaker 10: so I think even just you know, having to figure 1022 00:57:38,080 --> 00:57:41,680 Speaker 10: out how to utilize in a very quick manner, how 1023 00:57:41,720 --> 00:57:47,160 Speaker 10: to effectively take in these donations and you know, empower 1024 00:57:47,240 --> 00:57:49,920 Speaker 10: volunteers to be able to take action, which I think 1025 00:57:50,000 --> 00:57:52,200 Speaker 10: Rachel you can probably speak about that. 1026 00:57:52,720 --> 00:57:55,160 Speaker 2: I know that there was already sort of a huge 1027 00:57:55,200 --> 00:57:58,960 Speaker 2: influx of volunteers late in the year, and now I 1028 00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:01,400 Speaker 2: would imagine that there's no other wave of volunteers. How 1029 00:58:01,520 --> 00:58:04,640 Speaker 2: as a volunteer coordinator do you make that work with 1030 00:58:05,160 --> 00:58:07,880 Speaker 2: I mean, I think, like the beautiful problem of so 1031 00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:09,160 Speaker 2: many people who want to help. 1032 00:58:09,280 --> 00:58:13,400 Speaker 17: Yes, the energy is so it feels so monumental, and 1033 00:58:13,600 --> 00:58:17,280 Speaker 17: I think everybody feels how important this moment is. Of course, 1034 00:58:17,720 --> 00:58:21,120 Speaker 17: we've all been working with our neighbors in this capacity, 1035 00:58:21,160 --> 00:58:24,560 Speaker 17: like maybe just said, but you can feel the the 1036 00:58:25,160 --> 00:58:28,080 Speaker 17: it's just everything so compounded. You can feel the urgency 1037 00:58:28,160 --> 00:58:30,360 Speaker 17: that people have. And so one of the things that 1038 00:58:30,400 --> 00:58:32,720 Speaker 17: we had to figure out right away is you spoke 1039 00:58:32,760 --> 00:58:36,840 Speaker 17: to the well oiled machine nature of everything. And part 1040 00:58:36,840 --> 00:58:38,960 Speaker 17: of that has been, like there's a sign up process. 1041 00:58:39,440 --> 00:58:40,320 Speaker 14: We've figured out. 1042 00:58:40,240 --> 00:58:42,920 Speaker 17: Roles that are very specifically needed, and we make sure 1043 00:58:42,960 --> 00:58:45,080 Speaker 17: there's shifts for those roles. And we kind of had 1044 00:58:45,120 --> 00:58:47,920 Speaker 17: to change that in the moment where it was just 1045 00:58:48,400 --> 00:58:51,400 Speaker 17: our doors are open, if you can help, come here. 1046 00:58:51,600 --> 00:58:54,240 Speaker 17: We'll figure out what that help looks like when you're here. 1047 00:58:54,720 --> 00:58:58,200 Speaker 17: And so it was sending out a lot of mass 1048 00:58:58,200 --> 00:59:03,920 Speaker 17: communication by our emails, via our Instagram, texting people I know, 1049 00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:06,439 Speaker 17: maybe brought some friends to join that they can speak 1050 00:59:06,480 --> 00:59:10,960 Speaker 17: more to. And it was literally things as specific as 1051 00:59:11,000 --> 00:59:14,000 Speaker 17: figuring out what is inaccessible on our website because I 1052 00:59:14,040 --> 00:59:15,560 Speaker 17: know so many people are on the website, and it 1053 00:59:15,640 --> 00:59:18,760 Speaker 17: was just making it so that anybody knew that they 1054 00:59:18,800 --> 00:59:20,880 Speaker 17: could just show up. And then part of that in 1055 00:59:20,920 --> 00:59:24,320 Speaker 17: real time, when you're welcoming people to join you, you 1056 00:59:24,440 --> 00:59:28,400 Speaker 17: have to give them everybody space in the communication and 1057 00:59:28,440 --> 00:59:30,920 Speaker 17: the guidance to figure out what being on site looks 1058 00:59:30,960 --> 00:59:32,040 Speaker 17: like in this emergency. 1059 00:59:32,120 --> 00:59:33,680 Speaker 14: So that was letting. 1060 00:59:33,480 --> 00:59:35,800 Speaker 17: People know when they got here, Hey, we just had 1061 00:59:35,840 --> 00:59:38,919 Speaker 17: a bunch of people come to move these supplies. We're 1062 00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:40,960 Speaker 17: kind of figuring out our next move. We don't know 1063 00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:42,920 Speaker 17: what it is yet, can you just be here? And 1064 00:59:42,960 --> 00:59:45,720 Speaker 17: people were so willing to just be there and figure 1065 00:59:45,720 --> 00:59:50,360 Speaker 17: out what the next steps were, and our volunteers, our participants, 1066 00:59:50,360 --> 00:59:54,440 Speaker 17: our community decides how this organization moves forward. And so 1067 00:59:54,520 --> 00:59:56,880 Speaker 17: I think it was a really important opportunity for us 1068 00:59:56,880 --> 00:59:59,960 Speaker 17: all to be in a physical space with our usual 1069 01:00:00,120 --> 01:00:02,680 Speaker 17: volunteer base and all of our neighbors and folks who 1070 01:00:02,680 --> 01:00:05,040 Speaker 17: are coming from all over LA to figure out together 1071 01:00:05,240 --> 01:00:08,200 Speaker 17: what does that look like. So that looks like putting 1072 01:00:08,280 --> 01:00:11,040 Speaker 17: on Instagram, Hey, we need to find somewhere that can 1073 01:00:11,040 --> 01:00:13,600 Speaker 17: take these supplies because we don't have the space or 1074 01:00:13,680 --> 01:00:17,120 Speaker 17: we can't distribute it efficiently. And giving people space to 1075 01:00:17,560 --> 01:00:20,040 Speaker 17: come into our community and tell us what needs to 1076 01:00:20,120 --> 01:00:22,120 Speaker 17: be done and where things need to go. Between the 1077 01:00:22,160 --> 01:00:24,640 Speaker 17: three of us, I think we've all spoken to like 1078 01:00:24,800 --> 01:00:27,360 Speaker 17: hundreds of people in the last few days, and so 1079 01:00:27,440 --> 01:00:31,160 Speaker 17: there's the really logical part of responding to every message 1080 01:00:31,240 --> 01:00:34,520 Speaker 17: as much as we can, putting out mass communications as 1081 01:00:34,600 --> 01:00:36,919 Speaker 17: much as we can, and just letting people know that 1082 01:00:37,640 --> 01:00:41,280 Speaker 17: even if they're not able to sign up for a 1083 01:00:41,360 --> 01:00:44,400 Speaker 17: specific sealer shift right away. For example, we opened up 1084 01:00:44,680 --> 01:00:47,840 Speaker 17: shifts into February and March, which we normally wouldn't do yet, 1085 01:00:47,880 --> 01:00:49,960 Speaker 17: just to welcome this influx of people and let them 1086 01:00:50,000 --> 01:00:52,360 Speaker 17: know that this is going to be an ongoing need. 1087 01:00:52,400 --> 01:00:54,040 Speaker 17: We've been here for a long time, We're going to 1088 01:00:54,040 --> 01:00:58,880 Speaker 17: continue to be here, and letting them know that we 1089 01:00:58,920 --> 01:01:01,600 Speaker 17: want them here. This isn't the only way for them 1090 01:01:01,640 --> 01:01:04,800 Speaker 17: to support their neighbors. Yes, of course we want them 1091 01:01:04,800 --> 01:01:07,160 Speaker 17: out a shift where they're distributing water bottles and masks, 1092 01:01:07,200 --> 01:01:09,560 Speaker 17: like Sarah said, but they could also go outside and 1093 01:01:09,600 --> 01:01:11,400 Speaker 17: do that right now if they have the resources and 1094 01:01:11,440 --> 01:01:16,320 Speaker 17: feel safe to. And so just creating a place where 1095 01:01:17,280 --> 01:01:21,840 Speaker 17: we let people know that this feeling of community support 1096 01:01:22,000 --> 01:01:24,520 Speaker 17: that they are feeling and that they know. I think 1097 01:01:24,560 --> 01:01:26,520 Speaker 17: it's so amazing that they knew to come to Sila, 1098 01:01:26,600 --> 01:01:28,600 Speaker 17: that we've been able to build that community. They know 1099 01:01:28,640 --> 01:01:31,360 Speaker 17: we're here, but reminding them that this is happening all 1100 01:01:31,400 --> 01:01:33,680 Speaker 17: the time, and so that energy they feel there's always 1101 01:01:33,720 --> 01:01:35,600 Speaker 17: going to be a place for them to plug into 1102 01:01:35,600 --> 01:01:39,640 Speaker 17: their community, and just creating as much of an open 1103 01:01:39,680 --> 01:01:41,680 Speaker 17: door and as much of a space for education as 1104 01:01:41,720 --> 01:01:42,040 Speaker 17: we can. 1105 01:01:42,600 --> 01:01:45,920 Speaker 2: How do we kind of harness this energy, this inherent 1106 01:01:46,000 --> 01:01:50,200 Speaker 2: goodness to people and you know, extend it to educate 1107 01:01:50,280 --> 01:01:54,400 Speaker 2: them on these issues are ongoing and turn it into 1108 01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:56,040 Speaker 2: sustained work. 1109 01:01:56,360 --> 01:01:58,200 Speaker 10: You Know, something that I've been thinking about a lot, 1110 01:01:58,320 --> 01:02:01,040 Speaker 10: a lot over the past few days is it's been 1111 01:02:01,080 --> 01:02:05,240 Speaker 10: really empowering to see so many community members, folks who 1112 01:02:05,280 --> 01:02:08,919 Speaker 10: may have never volunteered for anything at all previously, they 1113 01:02:08,960 --> 01:02:13,480 Speaker 10: see this crisis very prominently happening in their community, and 1114 01:02:13,520 --> 01:02:16,840 Speaker 10: it's neighbors saying I need to take action. I want 1115 01:02:16,880 --> 01:02:21,320 Speaker 10: to do something to contribute to relieving the suffering of 1116 01:02:21,360 --> 01:02:23,400 Speaker 10: my fellow neighbors. And that's really what this is about. 1117 01:02:23,480 --> 01:02:25,640 Speaker 10: And that's what gives me a lot of hope and 1118 01:02:25,720 --> 01:02:30,480 Speaker 10: humanity throughout this crisis. Like it's a horrible, awful situation, 1119 01:02:31,040 --> 01:02:33,479 Speaker 10: but you know, this beautiful silver lining of actually seeing 1120 01:02:33,560 --> 01:02:39,080 Speaker 10: people come together, and I just hope that people recognize 1121 01:02:39,120 --> 01:02:41,480 Speaker 10: and I've been trying to share the message that this 1122 01:02:41,560 --> 01:02:45,080 Speaker 10: isn't just about dropping off bottles of water. This isn't 1123 01:02:45,160 --> 01:02:49,320 Speaker 10: just about dropping off snacks or you know, cleaning out 1124 01:02:49,360 --> 01:02:52,400 Speaker 10: your closet to drop off for folks. This is something 1125 01:02:52,400 --> 01:02:55,480 Speaker 10: that's going to be an ongoing need. It's going to 1126 01:02:55,520 --> 01:02:57,560 Speaker 10: be an ongoing need in the short term and in 1127 01:02:57,600 --> 01:03:00,520 Speaker 10: the long term, just in terms of the kinds of 1128 01:03:00,560 --> 01:03:03,720 Speaker 10: resources that people are going to need who have been 1129 01:03:03,760 --> 01:03:07,480 Speaker 10: immediately impacted by the fires, and people who were already 1130 01:03:07,480 --> 01:03:10,880 Speaker 10: experiencing homelessness and who are also being impacted by the 1131 01:03:10,920 --> 01:03:13,800 Speaker 10: fires in an environmental manner. So I just hope that 1132 01:03:13,840 --> 01:03:16,680 Speaker 10: the energy keeps up, and I hope that you know, 1133 01:03:16,760 --> 01:03:19,640 Speaker 10: people who have signed up to volunteer or you know, 1134 01:03:19,720 --> 01:03:22,360 Speaker 10: want to be at a drop in shelter or want 1135 01:03:22,400 --> 01:03:25,960 Speaker 10: to be at a donation center. I just want everyone 1136 01:03:26,000 --> 01:03:27,720 Speaker 10: to know that that is going to be something that 1137 01:03:27,880 --> 01:03:29,880 Speaker 10: there is going to be a need for for the 1138 01:03:29,920 --> 01:03:33,240 Speaker 10: foreseeable future. You know, we were talking to one of 1139 01:03:33,280 --> 01:03:36,880 Speaker 10: our program directors, you might know him Jamie. His name's Grant. 1140 01:03:37,760 --> 01:03:39,920 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, I'm going to carry that guy. 1141 01:03:41,480 --> 01:03:42,800 Speaker 10: And one of the things that you know, he brought 1142 01:03:42,840 --> 01:03:45,440 Speaker 10: up this great point that you know, people who have 1143 01:03:45,600 --> 01:03:48,280 Speaker 10: just lost their homes, they don't need a new wardrobe 1144 01:03:48,360 --> 01:03:50,320 Speaker 10: right now. That's something that they're going to be needing 1145 01:03:50,800 --> 01:03:53,880 Speaker 10: months down the road as they're beginning to resecure their housing. 1146 01:03:54,320 --> 01:03:56,480 Speaker 10: So just keeping in mind the kinds of donations that 1147 01:03:56,480 --> 01:03:59,560 Speaker 10: you're donating, and also just keeping in mind that you 1148 01:03:59,600 --> 01:04:01,960 Speaker 10: can help as a volunteer at a lot of these 1149 01:04:02,080 --> 01:04:05,800 Speaker 10: organizations such as CELA, but certainly not limited to CELA 1150 01:04:06,680 --> 01:04:11,120 Speaker 10: for the foreseeable future, and even once this disaster is 1151 01:04:11,160 --> 01:04:14,520 Speaker 10: totally recovered from, there's still going to be a need 1152 01:04:14,560 --> 01:04:16,880 Speaker 10: to help your neighbors. So there's always a way that 1153 01:04:16,920 --> 01:04:19,640 Speaker 10: you can make your community better just by bringing other 1154 01:04:19,680 --> 01:04:21,320 Speaker 10: people into community with you. 1155 01:04:21,840 --> 01:04:25,440 Speaker 13: My hope too, is that people see in this the 1156 01:04:25,560 --> 01:04:29,280 Speaker 13: power that they have. Right you talk about Cela's response, 1157 01:04:29,320 --> 01:04:32,200 Speaker 13: and the best part about CELA is that we have 1158 01:04:32,280 --> 01:04:35,640 Speaker 13: almost six hundred volunteers. Like, when you're talking about Cela's response, 1159 01:04:35,720 --> 01:04:39,280 Speaker 13: this is not a coordinated response of a large government 1160 01:04:39,440 --> 01:04:42,800 Speaker 13: entity or service provider, right, Like, what you're talking about 1161 01:04:42,840 --> 01:04:45,680 Speaker 13: is the fact that basically SEALA is just a conduit. 1162 01:04:45,960 --> 01:04:49,439 Speaker 13: SELA is just a place for everyday neighbors to hit 1163 01:04:49,480 --> 01:04:51,560 Speaker 13: their ceiling. What is it you're willing to do, What 1164 01:04:51,640 --> 01:04:53,880 Speaker 13: is it you want to do? How much would you 1165 01:04:54,000 --> 01:04:56,160 Speaker 13: like to have an impact on your community? We are 1166 01:04:56,200 --> 01:04:58,280 Speaker 13: a tool through which you can do that. But really 1167 01:04:58,360 --> 01:05:00,880 Speaker 13: it's like what makes CELA sealas the fact that Cela 1168 01:05:00,960 --> 01:05:02,960 Speaker 13: is just a bunch of neighbors who are getting together, 1169 01:05:03,040 --> 01:05:07,360 Speaker 13: housed and unhoused, to make a difference. And my hope 1170 01:05:07,400 --> 01:05:09,919 Speaker 13: would be that when we talk about that long term 1171 01:05:10,000 --> 01:05:13,680 Speaker 13: energy that people look at, people can come to SELA 1172 01:05:13,760 --> 01:05:16,960 Speaker 13: to volunteer and they don't just see, oh I helped 1173 01:05:17,000 --> 01:05:20,480 Speaker 13: out right. What they see is how much power they 1174 01:05:20,560 --> 01:05:25,400 Speaker 13: have to influence someone else's life permanently. And I think 1175 01:05:25,400 --> 01:05:27,320 Speaker 13: that's something they can take out into their every single 1176 01:05:27,400 --> 01:05:28,120 Speaker 13: day that. 1177 01:05:28,120 --> 01:05:30,320 Speaker 10: Actually reminds me of a story. I'd love to share 1178 01:05:30,760 --> 01:05:32,720 Speaker 10: something that happened this weekend that I feel like is 1179 01:05:32,760 --> 01:05:36,840 Speaker 10: just a prime example of that. A lot of my friends, 1180 01:05:36,960 --> 01:05:39,160 Speaker 10: you know, know that I work for CELA. They've been 1181 01:05:39,200 --> 01:05:41,760 Speaker 10: interested in what I do, but it really wasn't until 1182 01:05:41,880 --> 01:05:45,000 Speaker 10: this immediate crisis that a lot of them specifically reached 1183 01:05:45,040 --> 01:05:47,040 Speaker 10: out to me and said, Hey, I want to volunteer 1184 01:05:47,040 --> 01:05:49,960 Speaker 10: for CELA. I'm available these days. Let me know how 1185 01:05:49,960 --> 01:05:52,200 Speaker 10: I can help. You know, they want to be mobilized, 1186 01:05:52,240 --> 01:05:53,720 Speaker 10: and so part of what we do at CELA is 1187 01:05:53,760 --> 01:05:57,000 Speaker 10: really empower them to take action in the moments within 1188 01:05:57,040 --> 01:05:59,439 Speaker 10: the structure of CELA, but as you mentioned, like take 1189 01:05:59,480 --> 01:06:02,000 Speaker 10: that into their own hands and into their own neighborhoods, 1190 01:06:02,040 --> 01:06:06,240 Speaker 10: their own communities. Specifically a few of my friends, they 1191 01:06:06,240 --> 01:06:11,120 Speaker 10: came and we were able to on the fly totally 1192 01:06:11,200 --> 01:06:15,440 Speaker 10: organize a new shared warehouse space that Sela's Fortunes to 1193 01:06:15,480 --> 01:06:19,400 Speaker 10: be a part of. We're in partnership with Everyday Action, 1194 01:06:19,480 --> 01:06:25,080 Speaker 10: which is a wonderful food reallocation organization. They have basically 1195 01:06:25,160 --> 01:06:29,120 Speaker 10: allowed us to be in partnership in this warehouse and 1196 01:06:28,800 --> 01:06:32,240 Speaker 10: it's all nonprofits that are focused on food in security, 1197 01:06:32,320 --> 01:06:35,040 Speaker 10: housing and security, and we were able to organize a 1198 01:06:35,080 --> 01:06:38,920 Speaker 10: lot of these donations that came in and also donate 1199 01:06:39,000 --> 01:06:41,320 Speaker 10: forward donations that we knew were not going to be 1200 01:06:41,400 --> 01:06:43,680 Speaker 10: right for the kind of work that we do. After 1201 01:06:43,760 --> 01:06:46,600 Speaker 10: we did all of this organizing on Saturday, we ended 1202 01:06:46,640 --> 01:06:51,840 Speaker 10: up going out afterwards and we encountered a young queer person, 1203 01:06:52,040 --> 01:06:53,680 Speaker 10: probably in their early twenties. 1204 01:06:53,760 --> 01:06:54,720 Speaker 6: They were unhoused. 1205 01:06:54,840 --> 01:06:57,400 Speaker 10: Talking with them, you know, first of all, as they are, 1206 01:06:57,480 --> 01:06:59,680 Speaker 10: as they are a human being, they're one of our neighbors, 1207 01:07:00,040 --> 01:07:02,280 Speaker 10: and sort of destigmatizing the fact that this is a 1208 01:07:02,320 --> 01:07:06,320 Speaker 10: neighbor experiencing homelessness, but also engaging in the challenges that 1209 01:07:06,320 --> 01:07:09,880 Speaker 10: they've experienced over the past few days with the fires. 1210 01:07:10,040 --> 01:07:13,439 Speaker 10: And I watched as my friends decided on their own 1211 01:07:13,520 --> 01:07:17,640 Speaker 10: to try to find temporary housing for this complete stranger 1212 01:07:17,680 --> 01:07:21,080 Speaker 10: that they had just met, and it was so beautiful 1213 01:07:21,080 --> 01:07:24,240 Speaker 10: to watch, but it was also very disheartening to watch 1214 01:07:24,720 --> 01:07:28,680 Speaker 10: in real time somebody see how even when they want 1215 01:07:28,720 --> 01:07:32,080 Speaker 10: to help, how it can be very difficult to acquire 1216 01:07:32,120 --> 01:07:35,920 Speaker 10: temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness. Just sort of watching 1217 01:07:36,040 --> 01:07:38,920 Speaker 10: you know, them being excited to help, to then watching 1218 01:07:38,960 --> 01:07:42,640 Speaker 10: them realize how difficult the system is to work with 1219 01:07:43,200 --> 01:07:46,000 Speaker 10: to then taking action into their own hands and getting 1220 01:07:46,000 --> 01:07:48,080 Speaker 10: this person a hotel room for the night, to be 1221 01:07:48,080 --> 01:07:50,840 Speaker 10: able to relieve them from the you know, the smoky environment. 1222 01:07:51,120 --> 01:07:53,160 Speaker 10: And it was just a really beautiful thing to watch, 1223 01:07:53,280 --> 01:07:56,400 Speaker 10: just people coming together in community to take immediate action 1224 01:07:56,520 --> 01:07:59,720 Speaker 10: for community members. And I think that oftentimes the role 1225 01:07:59,720 --> 01:08:04,080 Speaker 10: of going governments can really create a bystander effect amongst 1226 01:08:04,080 --> 01:08:06,680 Speaker 10: neighbors where people are kind of always just waiting for 1227 01:08:06,720 --> 01:08:09,840 Speaker 10: somebody else to take action, waiting for somebody else to 1228 01:08:10,120 --> 01:08:13,440 Speaker 10: solve the problem, when we all know that, you know 1229 01:08:13,640 --> 01:08:16,080 Speaker 10: it takes a long time for governments to do things, 1230 01:08:16,120 --> 01:08:21,000 Speaker 10: like governmental agencies bureaucracy intentionally designed to work very slow. 1231 01:08:21,400 --> 01:08:23,920 Speaker 10: But when you pull together a few neighbors, you can 1232 01:08:23,960 --> 01:08:25,520 Speaker 10: make anything happen immediately. 1233 01:08:25,960 --> 01:08:28,920 Speaker 2: If you are someone in the LA area or outside 1234 01:08:28,920 --> 01:08:34,040 Speaker 2: of the LA Area that wants to immediately have a 1235 01:08:34,080 --> 01:08:37,960 Speaker 2: pragmatic and helpful affect the unhoused community, those who are 1236 01:08:38,000 --> 01:08:42,560 Speaker 2: recently displaced by the fires. What would you all recommend 1237 01:08:42,680 --> 01:08:45,479 Speaker 2: for those that are a little unsure of what to 1238 01:08:45,560 --> 01:08:46,160 Speaker 2: do right now? 1239 01:08:46,520 --> 01:08:49,000 Speaker 13: You know, we've been getting an influx of people who 1240 01:08:49,040 --> 01:08:51,880 Speaker 13: are interested in helping, and it's been it's been very 1241 01:08:51,880 --> 01:08:56,400 Speaker 13: interesting to see how people perceive help, right, how people 1242 01:08:56,800 --> 01:09:01,120 Speaker 13: perceive their own help. We had someone who had driven 1243 01:09:01,160 --> 01:09:04,640 Speaker 13: down with a truck full of clothes from Oregon and 1244 01:09:04,760 --> 01:09:09,680 Speaker 13: called us and was really dismayed and very upset to 1245 01:09:09,760 --> 01:09:10,960 Speaker 13: learn that that was not going to be the most 1246 01:09:11,040 --> 01:09:13,760 Speaker 13: useful thing at this moment for good reason. Right, that's 1247 01:09:13,760 --> 01:09:16,200 Speaker 13: someone who has put a lot of time and energy 1248 01:09:16,240 --> 01:09:19,160 Speaker 13: and thoughtfulness into what they have to offer and what 1249 01:09:19,160 --> 01:09:21,760 Speaker 13: they're able to do, and to be told this is 1250 01:09:21,760 --> 01:09:24,839 Speaker 13: not what we need is a challenge, right, Like it's 1251 01:09:24,920 --> 01:09:28,200 Speaker 13: all this like untapped energy. And so one of the 1252 01:09:28,200 --> 01:09:30,680 Speaker 13: things that we are really encouraging, and I say we 1253 01:09:30,880 --> 01:09:33,800 Speaker 13: as in the community based organizations right now that we 1254 01:09:33,840 --> 01:09:37,439 Speaker 13: are in partnership with, are really encouraging people to give 1255 01:09:37,800 --> 01:09:41,400 Speaker 13: monetarily if possible at this point, whether that's to SILA, 1256 01:09:41,479 --> 01:09:44,559 Speaker 13: whether that's to another organization. The two things that we 1257 01:09:44,600 --> 01:09:47,040 Speaker 13: have as humans in the society that we live in 1258 01:09:47,800 --> 01:09:51,360 Speaker 13: that are the most valuable resources our time and money. 1259 01:09:51,640 --> 01:09:54,040 Speaker 13: Those are the things we have. Where you decide to 1260 01:09:54,040 --> 01:09:55,720 Speaker 13: spend your time and where you decide to spend your 1261 01:09:55,720 --> 01:09:58,200 Speaker 13: money is going to have the greatest impact on your neighbors. 1262 01:09:58,520 --> 01:10:01,200 Speaker 13: So we, as Rachel, We'll mentioned have a bunch of 1263 01:10:01,280 --> 01:10:04,479 Speaker 13: volunteer opportunities. If you go to CELA, NHC dot org, 1264 01:10:04,520 --> 01:10:07,000 Speaker 13: forward slash volunteer, you can sign up to volunteer with us. 1265 01:10:07,280 --> 01:10:11,040 Speaker 13: Lots of other organizations are also looking for volunteers. Pick point, 1266 01:10:11,120 --> 01:10:13,559 Speaker 13: close your eyes, and point to an organization in Los Angeles. 1267 01:10:13,560 --> 01:10:15,599 Speaker 13: Sign up to be a volunteer, learn more about them. 1268 01:10:16,000 --> 01:10:18,000 Speaker 13: If you think that they are an organization that is 1269 01:10:18,040 --> 01:10:20,479 Speaker 13: having a direct impact on the community in a way 1270 01:10:20,520 --> 01:10:25,080 Speaker 13: that you would like to support, give them money because 1271 01:10:25,200 --> 01:10:28,400 Speaker 13: money gives them autonomy. It gives them the ability to 1272 01:10:28,400 --> 01:10:31,200 Speaker 13: be adaptive to what maybe spoke to about us adapting 1273 01:10:31,200 --> 01:10:34,120 Speaker 13: our programs. We are not able to adapt our programming 1274 01:10:34,760 --> 01:10:38,200 Speaker 13: with cartloads of clothing. We are able to adapt our 1275 01:10:38,240 --> 01:10:42,680 Speaker 13: programming as needed with money. Money is power. Money is 1276 01:10:42,720 --> 01:10:44,720 Speaker 13: also going to be what helps people recover. In the 1277 01:10:44,760 --> 01:10:48,080 Speaker 13: long term. There are going to be all sorts of 1278 01:10:48,080 --> 01:10:51,800 Speaker 13: side effects to this that we haven't begun to see. Right, So, 1279 01:10:52,280 --> 01:10:55,040 Speaker 13: temporary housing is going to be necessary when all of 1280 01:10:55,080 --> 01:10:57,920 Speaker 13: these emergency shelters close. All that temporary housing is going 1281 01:10:57,960 --> 01:11:01,160 Speaker 13: to take money. When all of this is quote unquote 1282 01:11:01,160 --> 01:11:03,640 Speaker 13: over and we're trying to rebuild, rents in LA are 1283 01:11:03,640 --> 01:11:07,719 Speaker 13: going to skyrocket. There are tons of people who were 1284 01:11:07,760 --> 01:11:11,599 Speaker 13: not housing secure when they lost their home. They don't 1285 01:11:11,640 --> 01:11:14,519 Speaker 13: have the opportunity to just buy or rent a new home. 1286 01:11:14,560 --> 01:11:17,439 Speaker 13: They're going to be facing homelessness for the very first time. 1287 01:11:18,040 --> 01:11:21,880 Speaker 13: Money can help that long term healthcare effect. The side 1288 01:11:21,880 --> 01:11:24,400 Speaker 13: effects of all of this the physical ones, for one, 1289 01:11:24,479 --> 01:11:26,880 Speaker 13: because of everything that people are inhaling, especially people who 1290 01:11:26,880 --> 01:11:30,240 Speaker 13: are housed and out in this smoke. Long term, that's 1291 01:11:30,240 --> 01:11:32,479 Speaker 13: going to be long term illness. We're going to have 1292 01:11:32,560 --> 01:11:35,120 Speaker 13: all sorts of healthcare needs that's going to take money. 1293 01:11:35,240 --> 01:11:37,320 Speaker 13: There's also going to be psychological needs that people are 1294 01:11:37,320 --> 01:11:39,800 Speaker 13: going to have. Mental health is really suffering. We're seeing 1295 01:11:39,840 --> 01:11:41,800 Speaker 13: this in our volunteer community with people who've now been 1296 01:11:41,840 --> 01:11:44,759 Speaker 13: displaced three or four times because of the different fires. 1297 01:11:44,880 --> 01:11:47,400 Speaker 13: Money is something like that, people have lost their cars, 1298 01:11:47,400 --> 01:11:49,880 Speaker 13: they don't have transportation. Money can help with that. Like 1299 01:11:50,280 --> 01:11:53,040 Speaker 13: it's I know people don't it's taboo to talk about money, 1300 01:11:53,680 --> 01:11:55,320 Speaker 13: and people tend to feel like it's not meaningful and 1301 01:11:55,320 --> 01:11:58,320 Speaker 13: they're not getting their hands in. But like, truly, money 1302 01:11:58,439 --> 01:12:00,880 Speaker 13: is love in a situation like this, and I just 1303 01:12:01,000 --> 01:12:05,080 Speaker 13: encourage people to take the resources that you've collected, host 1304 01:12:05,120 --> 01:12:07,640 Speaker 13: a yard sale, donate that money to an organization that 1305 01:12:07,680 --> 01:12:10,160 Speaker 13: you think is doing good. If you know someone who's 1306 01:12:10,200 --> 01:12:13,559 Speaker 13: directly impacted, they've lost their home, they've moved, they've been 1307 01:12:13,880 --> 01:12:16,519 Speaker 13: displaced three or four times, send them money. 1308 01:12:17,479 --> 01:12:17,719 Speaker 14: Yeah. 1309 01:12:17,760 --> 01:12:19,839 Speaker 13: I think that's that's really what we're encouraging. 1310 01:12:19,880 --> 01:12:20,160 Speaker 14: People. 1311 01:12:20,200 --> 01:12:22,400 Speaker 13: Give your time and give your money, and then if 1312 01:12:22,400 --> 01:12:24,160 Speaker 13: you're not sure what to do, reach out and ask 1313 01:12:24,200 --> 01:12:26,840 Speaker 13: and instead of saying I'm bringing you something, if there's 1314 01:12:26,840 --> 01:12:30,320 Speaker 13: an organization or an individual that you know you would 1315 01:12:30,439 --> 01:12:32,120 Speaker 13: like to have an impact on reach out and say 1316 01:12:32,120 --> 01:12:34,439 Speaker 13: what do you need and then listen to that. Right, 1317 01:12:34,600 --> 01:12:37,759 Speaker 13: that's I think we all really we jumped to help, 1318 01:12:37,960 --> 01:12:40,280 Speaker 13: and then just like that man who drove down with 1319 01:12:40,320 --> 01:12:43,240 Speaker 13: that cart load, the car load of clothing, he jumped 1320 01:12:43,240 --> 01:12:45,240 Speaker 13: to help without asking what was needed, and then was 1321 01:12:45,600 --> 01:12:49,240 Speaker 13: pretty hurt by the response that he wasn't helping in 1322 01:12:49,240 --> 01:12:51,559 Speaker 13: the way that he thought. So, yeah, ask people what 1323 01:12:51,640 --> 01:12:52,080 Speaker 13: they need. 1324 01:12:52,560 --> 01:12:54,280 Speaker 14: None of this is unusual. 1325 01:12:54,400 --> 01:12:56,920 Speaker 17: We see the center volunteers all the time, but it 1326 01:12:57,040 --> 01:12:59,080 Speaker 17: was in just these last couple of days just became 1327 01:12:59,160 --> 01:13:02,680 Speaker 17: so clear how so everybody, everybody lives the way they 1328 01:13:02,720 --> 01:13:04,640 Speaker 17: live as a SEALA volunteer all the time. Like the 1329 01:13:04,720 --> 01:13:08,960 Speaker 17: number of people who have connected us with other organizations, 1330 01:13:09,040 --> 01:13:12,560 Speaker 17: emails I've gotten from volunteers connecting me with the volunteer. 1331 01:13:12,280 --> 01:13:13,960 Speaker 14: Who might be able to help the specific need. 1332 01:13:14,080 --> 01:13:18,360 Speaker 17: It's just really beautiful to see how everybody is activated 1333 01:13:18,400 --> 01:13:21,320 Speaker 17: all the time, and I think it's just very This 1334 01:13:21,479 --> 01:13:24,000 Speaker 17: just shows how crucial it is to kind of find 1335 01:13:24,040 --> 01:13:26,240 Speaker 17: your community and figure out how to be a part 1336 01:13:26,280 --> 01:13:26,519 Speaker 17: of it. 1337 01:13:26,840 --> 01:13:29,240 Speaker 2: Thank you so much again to Rachel Sarah, and maybe 1338 01:13:29,479 --> 01:13:32,679 Speaker 2: you can contribute to cila's ongoing efforts in the description 1339 01:13:32,760 --> 01:13:37,720 Speaker 2: of this episode. I particularly love their laundry program, so 1340 01:13:38,479 --> 01:13:40,719 Speaker 2: I hope this was helpful if you didn't know much 1341 01:13:40,840 --> 01:13:44,040 Speaker 2: about what is happening in this area, or you wanted 1342 01:13:44,040 --> 01:13:46,280 Speaker 2: to do more and didn't know where to start, or 1343 01:13:46,400 --> 01:13:48,799 Speaker 2: maybe you live here and you wanted to be reminded 1344 01:13:48,840 --> 01:13:53,080 Speaker 2: that there's hope and still a paradise of some kind 1345 01:13:53,240 --> 01:13:57,360 Speaker 2: to be built. There has been such tremendous loss, and 1346 01:13:57,400 --> 01:14:00,800 Speaker 2: I think a lot of organizers have smartly and directly 1347 01:14:00,840 --> 01:14:04,719 Speaker 2: connected it to the fact that the US is funding 1348 01:14:04,800 --> 01:14:10,160 Speaker 2: a genocide, willfully causing losses in Palestine every single day. 1349 01:14:10,400 --> 01:14:13,479 Speaker 2: The way that our systems are failing us are often 1350 01:14:13,680 --> 01:14:17,719 Speaker 2: to prop up violence elsewhere that is oppressing other people. 1351 01:14:17,840 --> 01:14:18,840 Speaker 3: Free Palestine. 1352 01:14:19,600 --> 01:14:22,559 Speaker 2: One of the moments that really made me emotional this 1353 01:14:22,640 --> 01:14:28,200 Speaker 2: week was seeing that a library in Pasadena had burned down. 1354 01:14:28,479 --> 01:14:31,200 Speaker 3: This beautiful historic library. 1355 01:14:31,560 --> 01:14:34,840 Speaker 2: And maybe I'm a hooked on Phonic's dork, but seeing 1356 01:14:34,880 --> 01:14:36,960 Speaker 2: a burned down library made me cry. 1357 01:14:37,320 --> 01:14:38,559 Speaker 3: It's such a loss. 1358 01:14:39,840 --> 01:14:43,920 Speaker 2: And the day after I saw that, I learned that 1359 01:14:44,040 --> 01:14:48,760 Speaker 2: there was a library that had made it, the Altadena 1360 01:14:49,040 --> 01:14:52,400 Speaker 2: Main Library. I first saw it in a friend's Instagram 1361 01:14:52,439 --> 01:14:55,320 Speaker 2: story from someone who lived in Altadena, and it was 1362 01:14:55,400 --> 01:14:58,800 Speaker 2: such a relief for them and then for me, even 1363 01:14:58,840 --> 01:15:02,639 Speaker 2: though I'd never been there, but everything I've been thinking about, 1364 01:15:02,760 --> 01:15:04,800 Speaker 2: everything that's been on my mind, all of these people 1365 01:15:04,800 --> 01:15:08,519 Speaker 2: who are left behind in these discussions around climate change 1366 01:15:08,560 --> 01:15:13,600 Speaker 2: and disasters like this are welcome in a library, everyone is, 1367 01:15:14,320 --> 01:15:17,559 Speaker 2: and seeing a space like that still standing around so 1368 01:15:17,760 --> 01:15:19,320 Speaker 2: much devastation. 1369 01:15:19,439 --> 01:15:20,559 Speaker 3: Was really special. 1370 01:15:21,000 --> 01:15:25,000 Speaker 2: And so as a bonus treat I reached out to 1371 01:15:25,200 --> 01:15:29,120 Speaker 2: one of my favorite presences in all of Internet history, 1372 01:15:29,560 --> 01:15:34,280 Speaker 2: Michael Threats, the librarian TikTok guy. So, I hope you 1373 01:15:34,400 --> 01:15:38,640 Speaker 2: enjoy our brief conversation, and yes, sixteenth Minute will be 1374 01:15:38,640 --> 01:15:42,639 Speaker 2: back next week with I promise a truly punishing three 1375 01:15:42,720 --> 01:15:45,799 Speaker 2: part TALKTUA series. So please enjoy my talk with Michael. 1376 01:15:46,040 --> 01:15:50,040 Speaker 2: And I'm pretty sure my cats were fighting through a 1377 01:15:50,080 --> 01:15:51,040 Speaker 2: lot of this recording. 1378 01:15:51,160 --> 01:15:52,400 Speaker 3: It's just been a hard week. 1379 01:15:53,479 --> 01:15:55,040 Speaker 6: Sure, my name is Michael Threets. 1380 01:15:55,320 --> 01:15:58,040 Speaker 16: More people know me as Michael Librarian, and far more 1381 01:15:58,040 --> 01:16:00,640 Speaker 16: people know me as the librarian Orbry Guys. So many 1382 01:16:00,680 --> 01:16:02,640 Speaker 16: people I meet you do not know that I have 1383 01:16:02,720 --> 01:16:06,439 Speaker 16: an actual name. I've been a librarian for close to 1384 01:16:06,520 --> 01:16:09,080 Speaker 16: eleven years. I'm no longer practicing librarian. But I'm still 1385 01:16:09,200 --> 01:16:12,880 Speaker 16: very much a huge supporter of libraries. I'm still paying 1386 01:16:12,920 --> 01:16:15,960 Speaker 16: suit loans, so I very much see myself as a librarian. 1387 01:16:16,640 --> 01:16:19,479 Speaker 16: I'm a library advocate, I'm a literacy advocate, a mental 1388 01:16:19,520 --> 01:16:21,640 Speaker 16: health advocate, and so much more. But I think I 1389 01:16:21,720 --> 01:16:24,080 Speaker 16: just really used the big library's biggest fan. I'm there's 1390 01:16:24,080 --> 01:16:26,760 Speaker 16: a person who's trying to cheerlead for human beings and 1391 01:16:26,840 --> 01:16:28,600 Speaker 16: co mids them that they should make it make it 1392 01:16:28,640 --> 01:16:31,479 Speaker 16: to tomorrow for hours at time. 1393 01:16:31,760 --> 01:16:34,080 Speaker 7: I mean, and are you currently based in California as well? 1394 01:16:34,439 --> 01:16:35,920 Speaker 6: I am, I'm in the Bay Area. 1395 01:16:36,040 --> 01:16:39,479 Speaker 2: Your work so clearly demonstrates not just the importance of 1396 01:16:39,560 --> 01:16:42,760 Speaker 2: libraries and keeping them funded, but the importance of libraries 1397 01:16:42,880 --> 01:16:47,360 Speaker 2: as communal spaces and community building tools. But I wanted 1398 01:16:47,400 --> 01:16:51,320 Speaker 2: to get started with you recently posted to Instagram sort 1399 01:16:51,320 --> 01:16:56,240 Speaker 2: of a list of books to explain wildfires and wildfire 1400 01:16:56,280 --> 01:16:58,880 Speaker 2: consequences to children. Could you tell me a little bit 1401 01:16:58,880 --> 01:17:00,240 Speaker 2: more about how you source that? 1402 01:17:00,520 --> 01:17:04,800 Speaker 16: So I shared recommending books for children and teens and 1403 01:17:04,840 --> 01:17:07,240 Speaker 16: for library able to talk with their kids and teens 1404 01:17:07,880 --> 01:17:11,360 Speaker 16: about this tragedy of the California wildfires. It was built 1405 01:17:11,360 --> 01:17:14,920 Speaker 16: from other various libraries from scenes around posts from people 1406 01:17:14,960 --> 01:17:16,400 Speaker 16: like the book Wrangler. 1407 01:17:16,040 --> 01:17:17,559 Speaker 6: And saying okay that here are some books. 1408 01:17:17,640 --> 01:17:20,120 Speaker 16: Let's let's broaden the Let's broaden it just a little bit, 1409 01:17:20,960 --> 01:17:22,640 Speaker 16: because I wanted to make sure that the list was 1410 01:17:22,680 --> 01:17:23,519 Speaker 16: able to it was a book. 1411 01:17:23,640 --> 01:17:25,320 Speaker 6: Was a booklist that was good. 1412 01:17:25,160 --> 01:17:28,280 Speaker 16: For kids, teens, and also for grunk so they could 1413 01:17:28,280 --> 01:17:30,920 Speaker 16: help their own their family, but also so that they 1414 01:17:30,920 --> 01:17:34,719 Speaker 16: could help themselves. It's a compilation of picture books, chapter 1415 01:17:34,800 --> 01:17:39,080 Speaker 16: of books for kids, graphic novels by a books, and 1416 01:17:39,120 --> 01:17:41,920 Speaker 16: even some books that adults would also really appreciate as well. 1417 01:17:42,280 --> 01:17:44,360 Speaker 2: Libraries are sort of this first line of defense on 1418 01:17:44,840 --> 01:17:48,240 Speaker 2: educating about climate change and about climate catastrophe, especially for 1419 01:17:48,400 --> 01:17:49,120 Speaker 2: younger people. 1420 01:17:50,080 --> 01:17:53,320 Speaker 16: Unfortunately, I've had my own experience with wildfires being a 1421 01:17:53,360 --> 01:17:57,400 Speaker 16: California native, to be prepared to seeking to seek a 1422 01:17:57,400 --> 01:18:02,000 Speaker 16: list like this the infamous wildfires in California. Even though 1423 01:18:02,040 --> 01:18:03,880 Speaker 16: I'm on the other side of California, We're still very 1424 01:18:03,960 --> 01:18:07,400 Speaker 16: much in support of you all in southern California. We're 1425 01:18:07,400 --> 01:18:11,120 Speaker 16: trying to seek ways to provide resources to help. I 1426 01:18:11,240 --> 01:18:15,920 Speaker 16: myself working currently with various people to provide books to 1427 01:18:16,000 --> 01:18:20,960 Speaker 16: increase the presence of literacy and with the loss of houses, 1428 01:18:21,000 --> 01:18:25,479 Speaker 16: with the loss of one major library in Pasadena. I 1429 01:18:25,479 --> 01:18:27,680 Speaker 16: think that was a big part of where I was 1430 01:18:27,720 --> 01:18:30,759 Speaker 16: coming from. And that's my experience as librarian and various 1431 01:18:30,800 --> 01:18:36,959 Speaker 16: mental health crisises COVID nineteen of that major California wildfire. 1432 01:18:37,000 --> 01:18:39,480 Speaker 16: But as California also know that we have these wildfires, 1433 01:18:39,760 --> 01:18:43,240 Speaker 16: what it feels like every single year, and also in 1434 01:18:43,280 --> 01:18:47,080 Speaker 16: response to all the areas disasters across the nation, and 1435 01:18:47,200 --> 01:18:51,920 Speaker 16: be at the various shootings that occur, be it the hurricanes, 1436 01:18:52,040 --> 01:18:56,080 Speaker 16: be at the earthquakes, tsunamis, with the Sudan whatever I may, 1437 01:18:56,240 --> 01:18:58,479 Speaker 16: these are things I'm trying to find resources to share 1438 01:18:58,479 --> 01:19:01,320 Speaker 16: with people. This is how we yeah that are as neighbors. 1439 01:19:01,320 --> 01:19:04,200 Speaker 16: I'm a person alway talks about mister Rogers. This is 1440 01:19:04,200 --> 01:19:06,680 Speaker 16: what mister Rogers would have encouraged us to do. So 1441 01:19:07,520 --> 01:19:10,320 Speaker 16: how do we build resources to get towards the journey 1442 01:19:10,320 --> 01:19:12,160 Speaker 16: towards recovery. 1443 01:19:11,880 --> 01:19:14,960 Speaker 2: You know, being a local of just seeing a library 1444 01:19:15,040 --> 01:19:18,559 Speaker 2: gone and not and seeing all of these community space 1445 01:19:18,600 --> 01:19:22,400 Speaker 2: has gone, these schools, these places that you don't really 1446 01:19:22,439 --> 01:19:25,960 Speaker 2: consider what life would be like without. One of the 1447 01:19:26,000 --> 01:19:29,120 Speaker 2: most emotional responses I've had all week is learning that 1448 01:19:29,160 --> 01:19:33,599 Speaker 2: the Altadna main branch somehow survived at the fires, and 1449 01:19:33,880 --> 01:19:37,960 Speaker 2: that their staff is already organizing to make sure that 1450 01:19:38,120 --> 01:19:40,080 Speaker 2: you know, even though the air quality isn't safe at 1451 01:19:40,080 --> 01:19:42,759 Speaker 2: the main branch, what are programs we can do for kids? 1452 01:19:42,880 --> 01:19:47,920 Speaker 2: And the importance of libraries as community spaces where all 1453 01:19:48,080 --> 01:19:49,400 Speaker 2: are welcome. 1454 01:19:49,680 --> 01:19:51,559 Speaker 6: Absolutely No, I'm still so shocking. 1455 01:19:51,640 --> 01:19:54,000 Speaker 16: I've been on social media talking about libraries and literacy 1456 01:19:54,040 --> 01:19:56,360 Speaker 16: and so much more for it feels like years now, 1457 01:19:56,400 --> 01:19:58,160 Speaker 16: but there's still so many people who don't know about 1458 01:19:58,160 --> 01:20:01,360 Speaker 16: the joys and the resources that the local libraries offer, 1459 01:20:01,479 --> 01:20:05,559 Speaker 16: especially in tough times, unprecedented times like these that were 1460 01:20:05,600 --> 01:20:07,559 Speaker 16: living in. There's so much money. The libraries are always 1461 01:20:07,560 --> 01:20:09,439 Speaker 16: going to be about books. We're always going to push books. 1462 01:20:09,479 --> 01:20:13,800 Speaker 16: But now there's Libby, There's Hoopa Digital for audiobooks and ebooks. 1463 01:20:14,400 --> 01:20:18,040 Speaker 16: There's Canopy for TV shows and movies. There's Mango languages 1464 01:20:18,120 --> 01:20:20,280 Speaker 16: to learn a new language. For the various people who 1465 01:20:20,280 --> 01:20:22,479 Speaker 16: are displaced and trying to figure out how do I 1466 01:20:22,520 --> 01:20:26,679 Speaker 16: find these tools amongst amongst these disasters, there's tools, there's 1467 01:20:26,720 --> 01:20:31,479 Speaker 16: tooling libraries, there's big break collections, there's Tredio printers, there's 1468 01:20:31,520 --> 01:20:34,280 Speaker 16: there truly is something for everybody at the library. And 1469 01:20:34,320 --> 01:20:36,320 Speaker 16: that's in a response to saying, yes, the library is 1470 01:20:36,400 --> 01:20:39,320 Speaker 16: very much a community hub. It's all about there's something 1471 01:20:39,360 --> 01:20:42,240 Speaker 16: for everybody, for every single neighbor, every single person who 1472 01:20:42,280 --> 01:20:45,080 Speaker 16: lived in your community got to his library exists for 1473 01:20:45,240 --> 01:20:48,000 Speaker 16: and that's what I've loved it. I've scoured social media 1474 01:20:48,040 --> 01:20:51,759 Speaker 16: for resources, seeking ways to help. I love the immediate 1475 01:20:51,800 --> 01:20:55,800 Speaker 16: aftermath after the California wild Fighters, the most recent ones 1476 01:20:55,880 --> 01:20:56,599 Speaker 16: first started. 1477 01:20:57,360 --> 01:20:59,040 Speaker 6: I didn't love it, but it was so like for me, 1478 01:20:59,080 --> 01:20:59,799 Speaker 6: it was so refreshing. 1479 01:20:59,800 --> 01:21:05,120 Speaker 16: This author friends and various friends in southern California at 1480 01:21:05,160 --> 01:21:05,759 Speaker 16: the library. 1481 01:21:05,800 --> 01:21:07,200 Speaker 6: The library was still standing. 1482 01:21:07,640 --> 01:21:09,880 Speaker 16: That's where they get out of the air, of the 1483 01:21:09,880 --> 01:21:13,800 Speaker 16: bad quality air. They were in the library. I believe 1484 01:21:13,840 --> 01:21:17,080 Speaker 16: the La the La County Library is currently offering n 1485 01:21:17,160 --> 01:21:20,040 Speaker 16: ninety five masks. So I saw some friends just charging 1486 01:21:20,040 --> 01:21:24,000 Speaker 16: their devices, charging their their chargers, their their their phones, 1487 01:21:24,080 --> 01:21:27,920 Speaker 16: their childlets, whatever may be at the local library. And 1488 01:21:27,960 --> 01:21:29,880 Speaker 16: that's that's why the library is always going to be 1489 01:21:29,920 --> 01:21:32,000 Speaker 16: a third space. You don't have to have a library 1490 01:21:32,000 --> 01:21:34,040 Speaker 16: car to do that. You can just be You can 1491 01:21:34,080 --> 01:21:36,960 Speaker 16: just ask for help at the local library. A library 1492 01:21:37,000 --> 01:21:40,559 Speaker 16: card is not required. To seek help, seek services. 1493 01:21:40,280 --> 01:21:40,920 Speaker 7: As a library. 1494 01:21:40,920 --> 01:21:43,040 Speaker 2: And I mean in terms of just bringing people together 1495 01:21:43,160 --> 01:21:46,479 Speaker 2: housed on house of all classes, what if you sort 1496 01:21:46,479 --> 01:21:49,160 Speaker 2: of noticed over the years in terms of bringing folks together. 1497 01:21:49,600 --> 01:21:51,000 Speaker 6: I mean, I think this is so much of what 1498 01:21:51,040 --> 01:21:51,519 Speaker 6: you just said. 1499 01:21:51,520 --> 01:21:54,400 Speaker 16: There's so much, so much as possible for every person, 1500 01:21:54,720 --> 01:21:58,439 Speaker 16: regardless of their background, regardless of their financial situation, where 1501 01:21:58,439 --> 01:22:00,759 Speaker 16: they can benefit from local library. 1502 01:22:00,760 --> 01:22:02,439 Speaker 6: That's the beauty of it. I mean, that's like so 1503 01:22:02,479 --> 01:22:02,880 Speaker 6: many of you. 1504 01:22:03,080 --> 01:22:05,599 Speaker 16: So many of the Southern California libraries are still standing, 1505 01:22:06,360 --> 01:22:08,680 Speaker 16: and goodness, but they are ones there are lost, and 1506 01:22:08,680 --> 01:22:11,880 Speaker 16: there are so many people who are coming together to 1507 01:22:11,920 --> 01:22:15,040 Speaker 16: support these libraries. There's so many schools that have been lost, 1508 01:22:15,120 --> 01:22:18,080 Speaker 16: there are so many classes that have been temporarily put 1509 01:22:18,120 --> 01:22:21,080 Speaker 16: on Paul because of the situation where students are not 1510 01:22:21,160 --> 01:22:24,360 Speaker 16: allowed are not able to imagine and grow as much 1511 01:22:24,360 --> 01:22:25,960 Speaker 16: as they should be able to. And that's why I 1512 01:22:26,000 --> 01:22:29,000 Speaker 16: love it that are campaigns by people like author have 1513 01:22:29,240 --> 01:22:32,080 Speaker 16: on a combine who's trying to trying to gather various 1514 01:22:32,080 --> 01:22:35,519 Speaker 16: funds to gather books in various forms of literacy to 1515 01:22:35,560 --> 01:22:39,800 Speaker 16: donate and gift to local schools and local libraries and 1516 01:22:39,920 --> 01:22:42,600 Speaker 16: all these people are coming together to collect books, to 1517 01:22:42,640 --> 01:22:45,840 Speaker 16: collect so many, so many resources for these schools and 1518 01:22:45,960 --> 01:22:49,479 Speaker 16: these libraries. And I think that's why I've learned over 1519 01:22:49,520 --> 01:22:52,280 Speaker 16: the years being a library library loving persons. There's so 1520 01:22:52,280 --> 01:22:55,320 Speaker 16: many people who are willing to support libraries to go 1521 01:22:55,400 --> 01:22:58,040 Speaker 16: to back for the community because of what the library 1522 01:22:58,120 --> 01:23:01,599 Speaker 16: means to them. That libraries are still on offering these programs. 1523 01:23:01,680 --> 01:23:05,719 Speaker 16: We're offering story times, we're offering homework help, We're offering 1524 01:23:05,720 --> 01:23:09,880 Speaker 16: a space for you to go to be to learn something, 1525 01:23:10,080 --> 01:23:13,519 Speaker 16: to take your tests, to apply for jobs. And it's 1526 01:23:13,520 --> 01:23:16,160 Speaker 16: so amazing to see. I think, I I I believe 1527 01:23:16,840 --> 01:23:19,360 Speaker 16: I love the un housed community most most of all, 1528 01:23:19,680 --> 01:23:21,920 Speaker 16: so very, so very much. I think since leaving the 1529 01:23:21,960 --> 01:23:23,920 Speaker 16: library full. 1530 01:23:23,680 --> 01:23:26,560 Speaker 4: Time, I love that I go to my local library. 1531 01:23:26,240 --> 01:23:29,720 Speaker 16: I see my former my former run house friends I 1532 01:23:29,800 --> 01:23:31,080 Speaker 16: used to see all the time. 1533 01:23:31,200 --> 01:23:34,360 Speaker 6: They're like, oh man, good to see you back, and sell. 1534 01:23:34,200 --> 01:23:36,519 Speaker 16: You down at the other at these other institutions. Are 1535 01:23:36,560 --> 01:23:39,720 Speaker 16: you helping people with them with housing full time now? 1536 01:23:39,760 --> 01:23:41,599 Speaker 16: And I'm like, no, I just happen to be there. 1537 01:23:42,840 --> 01:23:43,240 Speaker 6: I love it. 1538 01:23:43,280 --> 01:23:45,200 Speaker 16: That's what they bring up because that's what the library 1539 01:23:45,200 --> 01:23:47,640 Speaker 16: should be. It should be a place that welcomes the 1540 01:23:47,920 --> 01:23:51,320 Speaker 16: house that tries to find them resources. It says, yes, 1541 01:23:51,560 --> 01:23:53,240 Speaker 16: we may not be able to do everything for you, 1542 01:23:53,280 --> 01:23:55,479 Speaker 16: but we're going to help you to the best of 1543 01:23:55,520 --> 01:23:58,479 Speaker 16: our abilities. I think that's why That's why I discovered 1544 01:23:58,520 --> 01:24:01,640 Speaker 16: most of all in the last stud years, from the community, 1545 01:24:01,760 --> 01:24:05,120 Speaker 16: from the neighbors, from people across the world. Honestly, if 1546 01:24:05,120 --> 01:24:10,439 Speaker 16: they love having a library card, they really appreciate their library. 1547 01:24:09,600 --> 01:24:13,320 Speaker 16: They recognize how powerful books have been in their lives. 1548 01:24:13,560 --> 01:24:16,479 Speaker 16: But most of them, they recognize the presidence of the 1549 01:24:16,520 --> 01:24:19,920 Speaker 16: library always being there, being there for them even they 1550 01:24:19,920 --> 01:24:23,120 Speaker 16: didn't remember the library there yes on a Tuesday five 1551 01:24:23,160 --> 01:24:24,840 Speaker 16: years from now. People could say, oh, yeah, I didn't 1552 01:24:24,880 --> 01:24:27,120 Speaker 16: realize I need this library at the time, but now 1553 01:24:27,160 --> 01:24:30,240 Speaker 16: I really need it, and I'm so surprised that even 1554 01:24:30,240 --> 01:24:32,840 Speaker 16: though I haven't used it all the time, it's still there. 1555 01:24:32,880 --> 01:24:33,800 Speaker 6: It's still there for me. 1556 01:24:33,880 --> 01:24:36,960 Speaker 16: I think that is the lasting legacy of the library, 1557 01:24:37,000 --> 01:24:39,360 Speaker 16: that the library is always going to be there for you. 1558 01:24:39,720 --> 01:24:42,040 Speaker 2: For the average person, what is the best way to 1559 01:24:42,080 --> 01:24:43,880 Speaker 2: support your local library. 1560 01:24:43,560 --> 01:24:46,080 Speaker 16: Shouldn't I talk about social media This morning. I was 1561 01:24:46,200 --> 01:24:49,599 Speaker 16: offering anybody who loves libraries or who wants to love libraries, 1562 01:24:49,640 --> 01:24:53,080 Speaker 16: far ways to support, to support them and keep them going. 1563 01:24:53,600 --> 01:24:56,000 Speaker 16: And I think number one is to get just to 1564 01:24:56,000 --> 01:24:58,720 Speaker 16: get a library card. You don't have to you don't 1565 01:24:58,840 --> 01:25:01,280 Speaker 16: have to use that library card. Just get a library card. 1566 01:25:01,360 --> 01:25:03,440 Speaker 16: You do that library card every single. 1567 01:25:03,160 --> 01:25:04,559 Speaker 7: You probably will end uf using. 1568 01:25:04,760 --> 01:25:08,760 Speaker 16: Yeah, exactly at number two, which is to visit the 1569 01:25:08,800 --> 01:25:13,120 Speaker 16: library to typtically use that library card to borrow the materials. 1570 01:25:13,479 --> 01:25:14,160 Speaker 4: It's totally fine. 1571 01:25:14,200 --> 01:25:17,240 Speaker 6: If you're a digital library user. You are helping the library. 1572 01:25:16,920 --> 01:25:20,840 Speaker 16: By using Libby and Hoopla, using audio books and ebooks. 1573 01:25:21,200 --> 01:25:24,120 Speaker 16: It helps libraries more than you know with funding, with 1574 01:25:24,520 --> 01:25:28,599 Speaker 16: making libraries better for the community. Borrow those tools from 1575 01:25:28,600 --> 01:25:31,960 Speaker 16: the tooling library, the bakewere supplies from the bakewere collection 1576 01:25:32,600 --> 01:25:37,160 Speaker 16: borrow the manga, got his novels, comic books, anything. Library 1577 01:25:37,200 --> 01:25:39,920 Speaker 16: has something for everybody. At least once a year. Use 1578 01:25:39,920 --> 01:25:42,800 Speaker 16: that library card. See what's all about. And then number 1579 01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:45,479 Speaker 16: three is to not only visit the library, but to 1580 01:25:45,600 --> 01:25:50,400 Speaker 16: use the library and specifically the programs. Attend library programs, 1581 01:25:50,920 --> 01:25:54,400 Speaker 16: the art programs, the history programs, the author talks whenever 1582 01:25:54,439 --> 01:25:56,919 Speaker 16: you see it. Try to go as often as possible. 1583 01:25:57,120 --> 01:25:59,639 Speaker 16: The last one, number four is just tell everyone about 1584 01:25:59,640 --> 01:26:01,479 Speaker 16: the libry, and I think that's the best way to 1585 01:26:01,560 --> 01:26:04,960 Speaker 16: keep libraries going. Libraries, as much as we're under attack, 1586 01:26:05,040 --> 01:26:09,080 Speaker 16: as much as we're facing a lot of problems, we're 1587 01:26:09,160 --> 01:26:12,280 Speaker 16: still there. People are showing up more than ever four libraries, 1588 01:26:12,760 --> 01:26:14,280 Speaker 16: and we just want to keep it going so that 1589 01:26:14,320 --> 01:26:17,800 Speaker 16: we can keep on offering everything for the community and 1590 01:26:17,920 --> 01:26:21,200 Speaker 16: show people liberation through literacy. 1591 01:26:25,000 --> 01:26:27,680 Speaker 11: Sixteenth Minute is a production of fool Zone Media and 1592 01:26:27,760 --> 01:26:28,759 Speaker 11: Iheardware Apps. 1593 01:26:29,120 --> 01:26:32,439 Speaker 2: It is written, hosted, and produced by me Jamie Loftus. 1594 01:26:32,640 --> 01:26:36,320 Speaker 11: Our executive producers are Sophie Lickterman and Robert Evans Hemas 1595 01:26:36,360 --> 01:26:40,000 Speaker 11: with Ian Johnson is our supervising producer and our editor. 1596 01:26:40,600 --> 01:26:42,920 Speaker 11: Our theme song is by Sad thirteen. 1597 01:26:43,479 --> 01:26:46,400 Speaker 3: Voice acting is from Grant, creator and Pet. 1598 01:26:46,439 --> 01:26:49,320 Speaker 11: Shout outs to our dog producer Anderson, my Kats Flee 1599 01:26:49,360 --> 01:26:52,120 Speaker 11: and Casper and my pet Rockberg, who will outlive us 1600 01:26:52,160 --> 01:26:53,120 Speaker 11: all Bye.