I kicked off the new year by marrying my best friend on January 4th, 2025. For months, John and I dreamed of our future and the home we could build together once we were married. Little did we know, the night we returned from our honeymoon we would be evacuated from our new apartment and flee to safety from the Eaton fires in Los Angeles.
This was the year my husband and I were going to build a home together. Now we keep receiving report after report of yet another family that completely lost their home to the flames.
Our local mosque is gone. The city’s Jewish center burned down too. As of now my home congregation is still standing, but at least twenty families from our church have completely lost their homes. Some of the most hospitable people I know, the ones who would be first in line to offer their house to those in need, are now victims of these devastating fires.
I’m struggling to comprehend how much we’ve lost. Entire neighborhoods are gone and will never be the same. Who knows what the future of Los Angeles will hold.
During these difficult times, I’m also experiencing the importance of community.
Because of my faith community I have people checking in on me and offering help. I’m plugged into a network of communication that allows me to hear stories from my neighbors. I also have people that will sit by my side and grieve with me.
Community is the best tool we have during a disaster, but we also need our communities to speak up against climate change and prevent these disasters from ever happening. That’s why I’m grateful to be working together with you and California Interfaith Power & Light.
Even in the midst of this disaster I have hope because of you, your involvement in CIPL, and your commitment to fighting for just and equitable solutions to climate change. This work is challenging but we can’t give up. Together we can prevent the next disaster from happening.
If you’d like to learn more about what you can do to help people in Los Angeles, click here for some suggestions and a list of recommended relief agencies from the Los Angeles Times.
If you live in Southern California and need access to disaster relief and resources, CLICK HERE. We also posted instructions for building a cost effective, DIY air filter on the CIPL website.
Faithfully,
Bekah Estrada (she/her)
Sacred Solidarity: Supporting LA Fire Victims 