The Fires, Ancestor Octavia Butler & Ancestor Ruth “Lib” Wright

First, I’m thinking of everyone in Los Angeles right now. And, no kidding, as I started writing this, I got a text from a dear loved one who I’ve been checking on since the fires began.

We knew that the failure to address climate change, militarism, and the capitalist greed that drives it would lead us here eventually*. But that doesn’t make it any less heavy or heartbreaking especially knowing that in every disaster we have experienced, the most vulnerable are hit first and hardest.

While the LAPD is busy investigating the cause of the fires (aside from climate change???) and arresting people on suspicion of looting, and political mud is being slung from right to left, mutual aid networks are busy organizing material support for working class LA as coverage of burning mansions dominate legacy media. (See Mutual Aid Network Los Angeles, a connector and information hub for mutual aid efforts, people and resources across LA and Displaced Black Families GoFund Me Directory for ways to help as you are able.)