Bakersfield Black Magazine
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Black Media
  • Celebrity
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Fashion
  • Beauty & Hair
  • Events
  • Love
  • Recipe
  • Travel
Bakersfield Black Magazine
  • Home
  • Black Media
  • Celebrity
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Fashion
  • Beauty & Hair
  • Events
  • Love
  • Recipe
  • Travel
No Result
View All Result
Bakersfield Black Magazine
No Result
View All Result

California wildfires could be leaving deeper inequality in their wake

January 13, 2025
in Black Media
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
0
Home Black Media
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


By Terry Tang, Jennifer Sinco Kelleher and Jae HongThe Related Press

ALTADENA, Calif. (AP) — The sight of celeb mansions and film landmarks lowered to ashes could make it look like the wildfires roaring by means of the Los Angeles space affected a constellation of film stars.

However a drive by means of the charred neighborhoods round Altadena reveals that the fires additionally burned by means of a outstanding haven for generations of Black households avoiding discriminatory housing practices elsewhere. They’ve been communities of racial and financial range, the place many individuals personal their very own houses.

Some now concern probably the most damaging fires in California’s historical past have altered that for good. Restoration and rebuilding could also be out of attain for a lot of, and pressures of gentrification may very well be renewed.

A resident sprays their property with a backyard hose because the Eaton Fireplace engulfs constructions throughout the road, Jan. 8, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. (AP Picture/Ethan Swope, File)

Samantha Santoro, 22, a first-generation school scholar at Cal Poly Pomona, remembered being aggravated when the preliminary information protection of the wildfires centered extra on celebrities. She and her sister, who attends UC Berkeley, fear how their Mexican immigrant dad and mom and working-class neighbors who misplaced their houses in Altadena will transfer ahead.

“We don’t have like, ‘Oh, I’ll simply go to my second residence and keep there,’” Santoro stated.

The owner of their household’s two-bedroom home with a pool had by no means elevated the $1,650 hire, making it attainable for the Santoros to affordably elevate their daughters. Now, they’re quickly staying with a relative in Pasadena. The household has renters insurance coverage however not a lot else.

“I feel it’s onerous to consider that you don’t have anything,” Santoro stated, by means of tears, considering of her dad and mom. “All the things that they ever labored for was in that home.”

Altadena had been a mixture of tiny bungalows and sumptuous mansions. The group of 42,000 contains blue-collar households, artists, leisure business employees and white-collar ones. About 58 % of residents are non-White, with one-fourth of them Hispanic and almost a fifth Black, based on Census information.

In the course of the Civil Rights period, Altadena grew to become a uncommon land of alternative for Black Individuals to achieve the center class with out the discriminatory practices of denying them entry to credit score. They saved houses throughout the household and helped others to flourish. Right now, the Black residence possession price there’s at 81.5 %, nearly double the nationwide price.

That’s spectacular contemplating 92 % of the 15,000 residences in Altadena are single-family houses, based on the 2023 Census American Group Survey. The median earnings is over $129,000. Simply over 7 % of residents stay in poverty.

Victoria Knapp, chair of the Altadena City Council, worries that the fires have irreparably modified the panorama for these households.

“Somebody goes to purchase it and develop who is aware of what on it. And that’s going to alter the character of Altadena,” Knapp stated, including that these with fewer assets will probably be disproportionately damage.

Kenneth Snowden, left, surveys the harm to his fire-ravaged property together with his brother Kim, heart, and Ronnie within the aftermath of the Eaton Fireplace on Jan. 10, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Picture/Jae C. Hong, File)

The household of Kenneth Snowden, 57, was one of many Black households in a position to buy a house in 1962. That home, in addition to the one Snowden purchased nearly 20 years in the past, are each gone.

He’s difficult state and federal officers to assist all fire-affected communities pretty as a result of “your $40 million residence is not any completely different than my $2 million residence.”

Snowden needs the power to accumulate residence loans with 0 % curiosity. “Give us the power to rebuild, restart our lives,” he stated. “Should you can spend billions of {dollars} preventing a battle, you’ll be able to spend a billion {dollars} to assist us get again the place we have been at.”

Shawn Brown misplaced not solely her residence but in addition the general public constitution faculty she based in Altadena. She had a message for fellow Black owners who may be tempted with affords for his or her property: “I might inform them to face robust, rebuild, proceed the generational progress of African-Individuals.”

She and different employees at Pasadena Rosebud Academy try to lift cash to rebuild whereas non permanent websites in church buildings.

However even some church buildings have burned. At Altadena Baptist Church, the bell tower is just about the one factor nonetheless standing.

The Rev. George Van Alstine and others try to assist greater than 10 church members who misplaced houses with wants like navigating insurance coverage and federal assist. The pastor is apprehensive the fires will result in gentrification, with Black parishioners, who make up half the congregation, paying the worth.

“We’re seeing a lot of households who’re most likely going to have to maneuver out of the world as a result of rebuilding in Altadena will probably be too costly for them,” he stated.

Thirty-two-year-old photographer Daniela Dawson, who had been working two jobs to satisfy the $2,200 hire for her studio condominium, fled the wildfires along with her Hyundai SUV and her cat, Lola. She misplaced nearly every little thing else, together with hundreds of {dollars} of pictures gear.

She didn’t have renter’s insurance coverage. 

“Clearly now I’m fascinated about it. Want I had it,” she stated.

Dawson plans to return to Arizona, the place she lived beforehand, and regroup. However she seemingly gained’t be returning to Altadena.

___ 

Tang reported from Sunnyvale, California. Kelleher reported from Honolulu. Related Press deputy director Kim Johnson in Chicago and information reporter Angeliki Kastanis in Los Angeles contributed to this report.



Source link

Tags: Californiadeeperinequalityleavingwakewildfires
Previous Post

Meghan Markle Delays Netflix Show ‘With Love, Meghan’ Amid L.A. Fires

Next Post

Rport Finds 1921 Tulsa Massacre ‘Coordinated, Systematic Attack’

Related Posts

Mental health and addiction in the Black community
Black Media

Mental health and addiction in the Black community

July 8, 2025
AI Gorillas Mimicking a Certain Type of Black Women Cause a Stir Online, Some Compare Character In Videos to Megan Thee Stallion
Black Media

AI Gorillas Mimicking a Certain Type of Black Women Cause a Stir Online, Some Compare Character In Videos to Megan Thee Stallion

July 8, 2025
The Big Beautiful Bill Is Bad for Climate Justice Too
Black Media

The Big Beautiful Bill Is Bad for Climate Justice Too

July 8, 2025
‘Alice in Borderland’ Season 3 Sets September Premiere on Netflix
Black Media

‘Alice in Borderland’ Season 3 Sets September Premiere on Netflix

July 8, 2025
Trump’s trade war threats reshape global markets
Black Media

Trump’s trade war threats reshape global markets

July 7, 2025
Police clash with protesters in capital
Black Media

Police clash with protesters in capital

July 7, 2025
Next Post
Rport Finds 1921 Tulsa Massacre ‘Coordinated, Systematic Attack’

Rport Finds 1921 Tulsa Massacre 'Coordinated, Systematic Attack'

California wildfires decimate state’s historic Altadena community

California wildfires decimate state’s historic Altadena community

Famous Actresses In Delta Sigma Theta

Famous Actresses In Delta Sigma Theta

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Pamela Anderson The Latest Cover Girl For Elle Magazine

Pamela Anderson The Latest Cover Girl For Elle Magazine

January 26, 2025
Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson Recall 12-hr, 17-Woman Orgy

Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson Recall 12-hr, 17-Woman Orgy

November 19, 2023
Older White Women Seeking Young Black Men

Older White Women Seeking Young Black Men

February 12, 2024
Zoe Saldana Talks “Elio” On Live Kelly and Mark

Zoe Saldana Talks “Elio” On Live Kelly and Mark

June 5, 2025
70-Year-Old Black Grandpa With 11 Grandchildren, “I Saved My Life Without Surgery”

70-Year-Old Black Grandpa With 11 Grandchildren, “I Saved My Life Without Surgery”

March 21, 2024
What TikTok gets wrong about pores

What TikTok gets wrong about pores

June 15, 2025
Mental health and addiction in the Black community

Mental health and addiction in the Black community

July 8, 2025
Lawsuit: Kennedy’s Anti-Vax Stance is an “Existential Threat”

Lawsuit: Kennedy’s Anti-Vax Stance is an “Existential Threat”

July 7, 2025
AI Gorillas Mimicking a Certain Type of Black Women Cause a Stir Online, Some Compare Character In Videos to Megan Thee Stallion

AI Gorillas Mimicking a Certain Type of Black Women Cause a Stir Online, Some Compare Character In Videos to Megan Thee Stallion

July 8, 2025
TYJO network is the new wave for raw real content

TYJO network is the new wave for raw real content

July 8, 2025
J Money Recalls Meeting His “Korean Twin” Andrew Lee

J Money Recalls Meeting His “Korean Twin” Andrew Lee

July 8, 2025
Target partners with Kai Cenat but continues to sidestep demands for justice from the Black community

Target partners with Kai Cenat but continues to sidestep demands for justice from the Black community

July 7, 2025

Popular Story

  • Suki & Rollie Get Into Heated Fight In ‘Baddies East’ Teaser

    Suki & Rollie Get Into Heated Fight In ‘Baddies East’ Teaser

    593 shares
    Share 237 Tweet 148
  • Scents of Power: The Best Fragrances for Black Men and Women This National Fragrance Day

    592 shares
    Share 237 Tweet 148
  • PulteGroup’s Jim Zeumer Responds to Black Employees’ Lawsuit and “Noose Meeting”

    592 shares
    Share 237 Tweet 148
  • Pamela Anderson The Latest Cover Girl For Elle Magazine

    591 shares
    Share 236 Tweet 148
  • Angela Rye and Jalen Rose Step Out As A Verified Couple

    591 shares
    Share 236 Tweet 148
Bakersfield Black Magazine

Brows the Latest Black News on Bakersfield Black Magazine. Beauty & Hair, Black Media, Celebrity, Events, Fashion, Health, Lifestyle and More News.

Categories

  • Beauty & Hair
  • Black Media
  • Celebrity
  • Events
  • Fashion
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Love
  • Recipe
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Recent News

  • Mental health and addiction in the Black community
  • Lawsuit: Kennedy’s Anti-Vax Stance is an “Existential Threat”
  • AI Gorillas Mimicking a Certain Type of Black Women Cause a Stir Online, Some Compare Character In Videos to Megan Thee Stallion
  • DMCA
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us

Copyright © 2023 Bakersfield Black Magazine.
Bakersfield Black Magazine is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Black Media
  • Celebrity
  • Lifestyle
  • Health
  • Fashion
  • Beauty & Hair
  • Events
  • Love
  • Recipe
  • Travel

Copyright © 2023 Bakersfield Black Magazine.
Bakersfield Black Magazine is not responsible for the content of external sites.