This story was originally published online with Word In Black, a collaboration of the nation’s leading Black news publishers (of which The Informer is a member).
Living and practicing medicine in the Los Angeles area for over 20 years, I have been shaken to the core by the velocity of the loss to our community. The Eaton Fire has had a devastating impact on the historically Black community of Altadena, California.
This enclave, a stronghold of the Black middle class, resilience, and generational wealth, has faced profound losses, with over 1,000 structures destroyed and countless residents displaced. The fires not only obliterated homes but also profoundly affected the cultural and emotional fabric of the community, which has a unique legacy tied to the civil rights movement and Black home ownership.
Altadena, with its historically high Black ownership rate (81.5% before the fire), has long been a refuge for African Americans fleeing discrimination. For generations, families have built wealth and stability here, but the wildfires have devastated much of this progress.
Residents like Danny Bakewell Jr., president of the Bakewell company, which owns the Los Angeles Sentinel, stated that both his girlfriend and son lost their homes and “the devastation is unreal for so many families.”
The psychological and financial toll is further compounded by the fear of “disaster gentrification,” in which developers capitalize on such tragedies to acquire land at discounted rates, potentially displacing long-term residents. This has become a common practice in multiple communities of color throughout the United States.
Disaster gentrification further magnifies the climate and equity challenges facing marginalized communities and communities of color after disasters. The destruction underscores broader issues of environmental justice.
Climate change has intensified, and fire conditions, such as the rapid alternation between extreme drought and heavy rains, have made areas like Altadena increasingly vulnerable. Black communities, statistically, are more susceptible to climate disasters and often lack the safety nets and resources needed for recovery. This disparity is starkly evident in Altadena’s struggle to rebuild.
Despite the devastation, community mobilization with local activists and organizations is providing relief. Crowdfunding campaigns, including GoFundMe platforms, have been set up for multiple families. Major initiatives by local leaders aim to preserve the community’s legacy and resist displacement.
The emotional and cultural loss these fires have inflicted on the community leaves behind significant emotional pain, which some have termed “solastalgia,” the grief over environmental destruction.
Families are mourning not only the loss of physical homes but also Altadena’s natural spaces, and its residents’ profound connection to the land. This cultural loss resonates deeply in a community that has historically overcome systemic barriers to establish its foothold in the region.
Altadena’s recovery will require equitable rebuilding policies, robust community support, and sustained advocacy to ensure this historically Black community retains its identity and continues its vital legacy.
Alfred L. Glover, DPM, FACFAS, is a Board-Certified Podiatrist in Foot and Ankle Surgery. He was a 2023 Climate Health Equity Fellow with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, and a 2024-5 Policy Experience in Equity, Climate & Health Fellow.