GRACE CEO Shimica Gaskins Sits Down with Sojourners Magazine
Like many who lost homes in the Los Angeles fires, our President and CEO Shimica Gaskins has a lot to think about when it comes to rebuilding and moving forward. But for Gaskins and other Altadena residents, the question of rebuilding carries considerable weight. Altadena’s history as a place of black financial mobility and strong cultural community is at risk of erasure as families struggle to hold on to what they have left. Earlier this month Gaskins was profiled for Sojourners magazine and in the article, “The LA Fires Devastated The Best Defense Against Child Poverty” she states about the devastation in Altadena, “It’s the sense of safety, acceptance, and love that was taken away instantly.”
The Eaton fire in Aladena destroyed over 9,000 structures, schools, churches and homes and claimed the lives of 17 members of the Altadena community. Gaskins wants to ensure the families are prioritized in the recovery in the spirit of how Altadena has always operated.
In Altadena, entire family groups had their houses burned down, destabilizing entire networks of care. That’s why Gaskins wants to prioritize the infrastructure of existing social networks like churches, schools, and affordable homes in addition to rebuilding physical structures.
Delivering aid in Altadena would be different than many might expect, in part because of the strong social networks, middle class professionals, and presence of advocates like Gaskins among the affected. Displaced residents were clear about their needs: They needed cash, not boxes of clothes that would crowd the hotel rooms where they were housed. They needed legal clinics as they prepared to wrangle insurance payouts.
At the end of the day, says Gaskins, “the neighborhood is an example of how children thrive when their parents, neighbors, and classmates are not hounded by poverty.” While many in Altadena lost their homes, they did not lose their community. Gaskins, End Child Poverty and individuals and organizations across California will continue to protect, preserve and rebuild Altadena.