Several hundred protesters gathered at Fair Oaks Avenue on Altadena’s west side on Sunday, March 29, to echo a mantra that has blanketed the town since the Eaton fire broke out on Jan. 7: “Altadena is Not For Sale.”
The rally, amid the the hustles and bustle of a farmer’s market at nearby Fair Oaks Burger, drew more than 500 people, said organizers with My TRIBE Rise, a Black-led organization, started in 2019, that focuses on promoting social welfare and social justice, said co-founder Heavenly Hughes.
“When this catastrophe happened, we stepped right in to provide what we have already been providing, which is housing and food, and focusing on insecurities that happen in our community,” Hughes said.
Since the early aftermath of the fire, “Altadena is Not For Sale” has been a rallying cry that echoes throughout the neighborhood, whether on yard signs, t-shirts, fliers, or social media.
The slogan is a response to opportunistic developers from outside of Altadena offering pennies on the dollar for burned-down properties, and an affirmation that Altadena residents will come back and rebuild their homes.
“We want to be sure that the buying and selling is happening within the community,” Hughes explained. “So that’s what start it out, is being able to let the community know we’re here if you want to buy, we’re here if you want to sell,” said Hughes.
The mammoth fire destroyed more than 9,400 residences and consumed 14,000 acres. Weeks later, first vacant lot sold for $550,000 cash, $100,000 above the asking price.
More than a dozen more sites would also sell, several of them reportedly to developers or investors, including several from outside the U.S., according to reports.
There’s concern that amid the frenzy to buy up property, longtime owners in the area will get pushed out, drastically changing the character of the area, long known for its relatively high Black homeownership rate.
My Tribe Rise also invited those affected by the Eaton fire to share stories about their neighborhood and print pictures of what they lost.
Organized by Los Angeles-based photographer Sam Comen, a digital archive of the photos will be accessible to residents in the coming weeks.
“Altadenians don’t feel like we left Altadena because we feel like we take Altadena with us,” said Hughes. “We have to evacuate, but we are Altadena.”
“Altadena!” Hughes cried out. “Not for sale!”, the crowd chanted back.
The rally featured an eclectic mix of local artists including Bredman & HashMo and okay coleman! as well as surprise big-named artist Aloe Blacc, who preformed his hit song “The Man.”
Local pastors LaKeith Kenebrew, of Hillside Tabernacle of Faith, and Anthony McFarland, of Abundant Harvest LIFT, led rally attendees in a fiery prayer as they continue to “rise from the ashes.”
“We will help one another, we will strengthen one another, we will encourage one another, and we will build back better because the creator God is inside of us, and we see your creative miracle working power,” said Pastor Kenebrew.
“It’s important that we understand it is necessary that we not only come together and unify, but strategize, especially those of us that are leaders, in coming up with the resources and the solutions that we will face as a community over the next several years,” said Pastor McFarland.
Pastor McFarland stressed the importance of preserving the heritage, legacy and wealth of the Black and brown communities of Altadena, a neighborhood that once served as a haven for Black families to own property in the 1960s and 1970s when redlining laws prevented them from building elsewhere.
Since the first free community farmer’s market at Fair Oaks Burger, which opened on March 7, several local vendors have showed up to support wildfire victims by providing food, clothing and household items. Local Altadena-Pasadena nonprofit, Side Street Project, invited youth to make their own “zines” about Altadena and what they love about their community.
Now, as residents prepare to move through phases of rebuilding, vendors are also providing logistical information on debris removal, contractors, and mortgage loans.
Together We Rebuild encouraged rally attendees to go to their Eaton Fire Recover event on May 10, where they can learn more from specialists on navigating the rebuilding process.