The Fire(s) THIS Time

Feb. 8th Fund Raising Show & Fire Relief Resource List

Peace, just popping in real quick to invite you on Feburary 8th to support ‘listen to music outside in the daylight under a tree’ at montecillo de leo politi, located within Elysian Park. I’ll be playing a set as a part of a fundraiser for artists affected by the fires (its me, artist affected by the fires). The bill is incredible and sounds will be shared from noon - sunset! $20 suggested donation. I really hope to see & hug you there.

First of all it has been weirdly difficult to admit that I have been impacted by the Eaton fires as a resident of Pasadena for two years, while many have lost their homes, businesses at this time, and lives to these fires. We are navigating communal loss. It's beyond property loss, the Black community of Altadena especially have lost their archives, heirlooms and gathering spaces. This is unquantifiable loss. We are witnessing, grieving, and navigating being climate refugees in real-time. Just because you have survived doesn't mean you aren't affected. Competitive suffering is not something I am interested in. I am grounded in gratitude and I am counting my blessings but I'm not sure if its pride, survivors guilt, or overwhelment that have kept me from sharing even with myself where I'm at with things. I have friends whose families have lost everything. Truth is there is always someone doing worse than you but that doesn't mean you don’t need help or that you are "okay".

What we have normalized as "okay" isn't okay. I haven't slept in my own space since January 6th. So yea, I am currently displaced and the support of everyone who is tapping in with me via my Patreon is helping more than you could ever know! It is beginning to sink in just how percarious living in America during a climate crisis has become, and the gut-wrenching knowledge that we will never be the same post these fires. I'm not sure how we will alchemize this moment, but I am alive and safe. Currently the air quality in my area has become intolerable due to persistent smoke and ash, making it unsafe to stay indoors for extended periods or even step outside. Remember the AQI doesn’t measure lead, asbestos, chromium, dioxin because it is expensive to measure. All these toxins are floating in our air and you can’t smell or see most of them. The burn sites are still letting them off. If we get rain that may help, but just know is the AQI says “good” still stay N95 masked up its not measuring everything. Also, note that more people died from breathing the air after 9/11 than the people who passed because of the attacks. Compounding this issue, the tap water in my crib is currently unusable, preventing me from showering, washing dishes, or brushing my teeth. So yea, I am not able to return to my home yet. I am fortunate to have a community of folkx that love me and are willing to house me at this time as the Eaton fire is currently at 81% containment and the Palisades is at 52%. It is important to know these fires are raging because the land is so dry and the climate crisis is so dire that even when the fire has been put out at the surface the root systems continue to burn under the soil.

Its heart breaking to know this was all preventable, and thats why landback is the ONLY way forward. It’s time for indigenous stewardship and care for this earth.

~ Also, I wanted to share some resources to pass along to folkx you may know that need assistence at this time.

~ HERE is an extensive list of EMERGENCY & DISASTER FUNDS/GRANTS FOR ARTISTS of all kinds. Listed alphabetically.

~ Relief Support for Artists Impacted by the Altadena Fires by FORTHEFUTURE Relief Fund.

~ Also I released new music with Contour as a part of a mutual aid fundraiser Staying: Leaving Records Aid to Artists Impacted by the Los Angeles Wildfires

~ Lastly, HERE is a link 2 GoFundMe's To Help Families Rebuild.

Much love, see ya'll Feb 8th.

-d