The LA fires burned down a thriving Black community. Residents are afraid of being ‘erased’

Feb 19, 2025 Story by: Editor

A memorial service held earlier this month for three Black victims of the Eaton fire was overshadowed by growing frustration over Donald Trump’s decision not to visit Altadena, a historically Black community that suffered significant damage from the disaster.

Residents of Altadena, a diverse suburb of Los Angeles, are increasingly concerned about potential political and financial neglect in the fire’s aftermath. The Eaton fire ravaged the area, destroying or damaging nearly half of the Black households in Altadena, leveling more than 9,400 homes and businesses, and claiming 17 lives.

As California’s governor and Democratic leaders work to ensure federal emergency aid continues for wildfire victims, many Black Americans in Altadena worry their community may be overlooked. They are still seeking answers on whether Black neighborhoods in west Altadena received the same emergency response as other areas during the historic fire.

“We don’t want three-fifths’ justice,” said Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney, addressing mourners at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Pasadena during the memorial service on February 6. “We don’t want half-justice for those Black families who lost so much. We want whole justice. The same justice you will give the Palisades and Hollywood Hills, we want to make sure we get it for Altadena.”

During the service, Crump, along with veteran civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton and local Black ministers, criticized Trump for visiting wildfire-stricken Pacific Palisades—a predominantly white and affluent area—while bypassing Altadena, a more racially and economically diverse neighborhood.

Frustration over Trump’s actions was palpable among those in attendance, especially as his administration continues rolling back “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives across the federal government.

“We were confused as to why he didn’t come to Altadena, one of the hard-hit affected areas,” Crump told attendees. “We don’t know his reasons why he didn’t come to Altadena … ”

“You know why!” someone in the pews interjected.

Sharpton also criticized Trump for discussing a U.S. takeover of Gaza while ignoring wildfire victims in Altadena.

“You’re the president of the United States. You ain’t the president of Gaza!” Sharpton said. “You got a whole community burned down that needs to be investigated. What happened? What started it and why did it expand, and why did some folk get notice seven hours before other folks got notice? I’ve got stuff for you to do!”

Local Black leaders vowed to advocate for fair treatment at every stage of recovery, ensuring homes in Altadena are rebuilt with modern fire-resistant technology—just as they expect in wealthier areas like Pacific Palisades.

“We will not rest until every man, every woman, every boy and girl is treated fairly by insurance companies, contractors, real estate agents, government agencies, and provided equal opportunity to make intelligent decisions to be able to continue to live here in this community,” said Rev. Larry Campbell, minister of Pasadena’s First AME Church.

Investigations following the fire have raised concerns about why west Altadena, home to many Black residents, received emergency evacuation orders after 3 a.m.—several hours later than nearby neighborhoods. This delay led to chaotic nighttime evacuations, and, according to a Los Angeles Times investigation, all 17 people who perished in the fire lived west of Lake Avenue in Altadena. In response, local officials have ordered an external review of the emergency alert system used during the disaster.

For weeks, residents have questioned whether Altadena received the same level of firefighting resources as Pacific Palisades, where a wildfire had been burning uncontrollably for nearly eight hours before the Eaton fire ignited more than 30 miles away.

Experts and community members fear that Altadena—being a mixed-income area—is at risk of post-disaster gentrification and displacement, similar to what happened in Maui after the devastating 2023 wildfires.

Altadena has a long history of Black homeownership, shaped by decades of discriminatory policies. In the 1930s, west Altadena was redlined, and thousands of Black residents in Pasadena were displaced when officials planned a freeway extension through a predominantly Black neighborhood. Nearby areas like South Pasadena and Glendale were once “sundown towns,” where Black people were barred from owning property or being present after dark.

“It’s very difficult to look away from the legacies of racial discrimination,” said Lorrie Frasure, a political science professor and co-author of a University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) report examining how Altadena’s history contributed to the disproportionate destruction of Black homes in January’s fires.

In recent years, Altadena has undergone significant gentrification, with rising housing costs contributing to a steady decline in its Black population, which once made up 43% of the city. If this trend continues, the Black community in Altadena could eventually disappear, the UCLA report warned.

Despite these challenges, Altadena remains a resilient, tight-knit community with deep-rooted resources, according to Melina Abdullah, a professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. The area has been home to prominent Black figures, including Black Panther organizer Eldridge Cleaver, Academy Award-winning actor Sidney Poitier, and visionary science-fiction writer Octavia Butler.

“Altadena is also a very well-educated Black community, in formal as well as informal education. You have teachers and engineers and community organizers and firefighters,” Abdullah said. “Almost immediately, there was a consciousness around: ‘We don’t want to lose our community, we don’t want to be gentrified, bring [Alta]Dena back Black’ … Even in the midst of their crisis they’re already organizing to make sure they’re not gentrified.”

Several Black-led organizations, including BET Media and the NAACP, have stepped up to support fire survivors. They have launched a grant program to assist affected residents, recognizing that the fire “stripped generations of Black families of not just their homes, but the sanctuaries and pillars of generational wealth they built,” said NAACP CEO Derrick Johnson.

In the wake of the disaster, Altadena’s community spirit has been on full display. Residents have staged multiple protests under the slogan “Altadena is not for sale” and incorporated art and music into their demonstrations.

Emeka Chukwurah, whose family-owned business and cultural center, Rhythms of the Village, was destroyed in the fire, has been hosting a free boutique for survivors while working to share Altadena’s story with a broader audience—including at the Grammy Awards.

Though grateful for the national attention, Chukwurah fears that the focus and support may be short-lived, even as residents continue to deal with “a very harsh reality.”

“We haven’t even had a chance to grieve the loss of our store,” he said. “We’ve been doing our best to keep the spotlight, so we don’t become yesterday’s news.”

Although his home was spared, Chukwurah’s family has temporarily relocated due to concerns over unsafe tap water and lingering “toxic air” from the fire’s burn zones, especially for children.

“This thing is not going to go away in a couple months. This is going to be a five-years-to-a-decade issue,” said Michael Williams, a Pasadena-based Black Lives Matter organizer who knows at least 30 people who lost homes in the fire. “We are going to need people to pay attention and be locked in.” Source: The Guardian