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A grandmother's love
Impacts of wildfires on Black women and families, and preserving our grandmothers' stories
Aaricka Washington
April 18, 2025
For several years, I have known that I was born exactly 40 years after my paternal grandparents got married. A couple weeks ago, a cousin shared with me that my maternal grandmother married her husband on the same date as my paternal grandparents, 20 years before I was born.
I truly believe that it's not a mere coincidence that I was born to their children years after their special days. I wish more than anything that I could ask my grandmother what was on her mind when she got married when it was probably cold and snowy in Indianapolis.
She passed away in August 2024. I share so many fond memories of her, and I'm glad I have several voicemail messages saved to keep her here in my heart. There are several ways I take after my grandmother: I am fearless. I am a go-getter. I am competitive. She was one tough Spades player that you didn't want to cross, and she also loved her grand babies (especially me!) fiercely. I will always credit her for introducing me to JET Magazine, which she religiously collected month after month along with Ebony and Essence magazines. Her collection of Black magazines inspired to write about the unsung stories of Black lives.
A picture of me (cutie in the front), my maternal great grandmother (left, in white), my maternal grandmother and cousin. (Courtesy Aaricka Washington)
That brings me to YOU, my dear reader. Narratives and perspectives as Black people and people of color are becoming increasingly important as we race to archive their stories and history.
Mother’s Day is coming up and AfroLA wants to do a special project focused on Black grandmothers and what makes them so special. We want (and need) to hear from you!
We want this to be a multimedia project that includes audio, photography, videography and the written word. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, May 2.
COMING UP…
In the coming weeks, AfroLA is launching a new Instagram Live series featuring children’s book authors who highlight Afro Latine characters. Tune in on our account, @afrolanews, for a chance to get to know these authors, learn about their books, hear how they got started, what inspires their writing, and why Afro Latine representation is central to their work.
We’re excited to kick things off with our first guest, Alyssa Reynoso-Morris—a queer Afro Latine Dominican and Puerto Rican mom and author. Her children’s books include Plátanos Are Love, The Bronx Is My Home, and Gloria, Presente: A First Day of School Story.
Communities reporter Marina Peña will speak with Reynoso-Morris on Instagram Live (@afrolanews) on Tuesday, April 22 at 1:00 pm PDT.
Alyssa Reynoso-Morris
What would you like to see from us? |
Please let us know what you think. Email me at [email protected].
FEATURED STORY
Wei-Lin Chong-Cuatt already lived a busy life raising and homeschooling her four young boys with her husband.
Their lives changed forever after the Eaton Fire in January. They've already moved twice since the fires and they fear the environmental risks that come with moving back even though their home was only partially burned.
“We don't want them to have any breathing problems or any issues like that later on in life,” she said. "We're trying to figure out how careful we want to be, how safe we want it to be. It’s a little overwhelming to be honest.”
Now, three months later, Chong-Cuatt and thousands of other Black Altadena families are navigating the "in-between period" as they wrestle with insurance companies, long wait times for debris cleanups and soil testing, and finding mental health support.
Brian James's father lost his home in the Eaton Fire. On Jan. 18, when the wildfire was mostly contained, James’s father passed away from dementia. He feels as though there has been a lack of mental health resources for survivors.
Lynnelle and Charles Bryant lost nearly everything on their two-acre plus land. They hope to rebuild and help other Black Altadeneans with the process.
Not only is Jamelle Peck caring for her husband who has cancer, she, along with so many others, has been navigating itemizing her things for insurance companies to pay out.
AfroLA spoke in-depth with these four families who are committed to rebuilding their homes in Altadena. But how do you rebuild when there are financial, physical and emotional challenges before you lay the first brick? Read my story.
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THE ROUNDUP
By Brandon Tensley and Janell Ross (Capital B)
With the recent illegal deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia and others, legal scholars are sounding the alarm. A constitutional crisis is knocking on Americans’ door right now. I know we have readers that may be scared of what our federal government could do in these times, so I want to share this Capital B article that has guidelines on how you can safely protect you and others who may be migrants. Please read and share with others.
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By Cierra Chenier (Essence)
If I told you that it has been 20 years since Hurricane Katrina, would you believe me? I know! I can’t believe it either. The historic tragedy that impacted so many Black lives undoubtedly changed the fabric of the city. While Black communities in New Orleans have lost family photos, videos, art and other treasured items, they were resilient in their fight to continue to exist in a city with historical Black roots. Cierra Chenier wrote this excellent piece that examines where Black New Orleans stands 20 years after one of the most deadliest hurricanes in the U.S.
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By Kailyn Brown (Los Angeles Times Image Magazine)
Indoor roller-skating truly sets my heart and soul free. It’s how I escape from the pressures of the world. Since I was a small child, skating rinks like the legendary, now-closed World on Wheels, have been my safe spaces. So you can only imagine how I felt reading my good friend Kailyn Brown’s piece all about the history of L.A.’s Black indoor roller-skating scene. Brown interviewed several skaters around L.A. to understand why skating is so important to them. Whether you’re an OG skater who knows every tip and trick or holding onto the walls for dear life, you will appreciate this article.
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Other stories I’m reading:
For these dancers, the pole is a portal for anyone curious to step into it by Darian Symoné Harvin (Los Angeles Times Image Magazine)
On Being a Modern Dandy by Jeremy O. Harris (Vogue)
‘We don’t have an option not to fight’: How Black women are resisting now by Errin Haines (The 19th)
Trump team eyes politically connected startup to overhaul $700 billion government payments program by Christopher Bing and Avi Asher-Schapiro (ProPublica)
This professor studies dictatorships. He helped convince Harvard to stand up to Trump. by Kate Linthicum (Los Angeles Times)
Photojournalist Fatima Hassona killed in Gaza day after documentary selected for Cannes by Clara Nabaa
MORE STORIES
(Illustration by Tara James/AfroLA)
Due to the lead burned off of old homes, businesses and cars during the L.A. wildfires, Black women now have an increased risk for lead absorption.
Why?
Black women already have the highest percentage of anemia than any other racial or ethnic group. “If you are iron deficient, you'll have four times more uptake [of lead] than someone who has the proper amount of iron in their body,” said Aaron Specht, a professor at Purdue University. He studies how people get exposed to heavy metals like lead.
During the L.A. wildfires, lead levels detected in the air increased 110 times, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because of the history of redlining, communities like Altadena tend to be located near pollutants. These redlined neighborhoods are also more likely to have houses built before 1978, the year lead was banned from paint. Black households also have more lead-based paint than white households, according to a 2011 survey from the Environmental Protection Agency. Read Elizabeth Moss's story to learn more about why Black women face unique risks of lead absorption after the L.A. wildfires.
WEEKEND WATCH
We’ve been ON POINT when it comes to producing social media videos! AfroLA videographer William Jenkins has a few recent videos that you should check out this weekend.
AfriKicks is an L.A.-based organization that provides shoes, food, and other necessities to countries around the world. In the past decade, they have donated more than a million items to nine different countries including Belize, Cuba, and Ghana. AfriKicks founder Omarou Idrissa believes that helping others is a blessing, "Growing up, I never had a pair of sneakers. I started by giving pairs of shoes to my family and friends while driving Uber in LA. Any way you can help somebody, just do it. Don't worry about what people say."
Watch the video on Instagram to learn more.
Take 5 profile series zooms in Jessabelle Thunder
We’ve added a new installment of our Black in L.A. profile series, Take 5. Take a little break from what you’re doing and get to know Burlesque performer Jessabelle Thunder (IG handle @jessthndr)
Jessabelle doesn’t practice in a dance studio.
“I’ll just do it in my bedroom or wherever I have space. Majority of the time I’m in the car because I drive everywhere, that’s where I have the most time to think. I’m always picturing myself on a big stage, so all my movements in my head have to be big.”
Watch the video on Instagram to learn more.
Recap: Inaugural Crenshaw Mile
I also produced a video about the inaugural Crenshaw Mile. Check it out!
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