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What does the future look like for Black communities?
Impacts of wildfires on Black women and families, and preserving our grandmothers' stories
Aaricka Washington
May 02, 2025
What do Black communities look like in the future? Will they be respected after years of media harm? Will they be highlighted by their triumphs instead of all of their traumas?
Only time will tell. You may think that I have a slightly negative outlook on our future. After reading Octavia Butler’s apocalyptic, dystopian Afrofuturistic Parable of the Sower, I honestly did…at first.
But one thing I appreciated from the book is the hope of a better future that I felt with the main character Lauren Olamina.
That hope, along with the actions of my ancestors who were willing to fight and dream of a better world is what keeps me motivated to see myself and my future children in a brighter, more equitable future than where we are right now.
With that said, TODAY (and for one day only) the Free Press’s Media 2070 Initiative is hosting a Black Futures Newsstand event open to the public.
Project organizers say they aim to showcase a future where Black communities are fully represented and valued in the media.
The one-day L.A. popup event is presented in collaboration with USC’s Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab, ZEAL, MediaJustice, Borealis Philanthropy's Racial Equity in Journalism Fund, axle impact studio and Black River Life.
Black Future Newsstand installation in Harlem. (Courtesy Media 2070)
The event includes:
- USC student interviews with local Angelenos about the post-George Floyd era.
- A “newsstand” experience featuring works and zines from local Black news outlets (including AfroLA!!) to showcase Black stories
- Workshops and panels with media experts on media harms and solutions
- A zine-making workshop
- A 15-minute soundscape
As a Black-owned news organization that cares deeply about highlighting Black communities and repairing harm from the news media industry, AfroLA is happy to feature our work centering Black stories. Read more about it here.
It’s not too late to register!! RSVP here. (Location details provided with RSVP confirmation.)
Help us report the news
Do you work with an organization that prevents children from entering foster care, or are a former youth who was at risk of foster care? Elizabeth Moss is reporting a story about a federal law that provides additional funding to keep children at risk of foster care with their families. She is looking to talk to people who done prevention work with grassroots organizations, or former youth who were served by organizations because they were eligible for foster care. You can reach Elizabeth via email at [email protected].
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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.
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 9.
COMING UP…
In the coming weeks, AfroLA launched 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.
Our next guest in our IG Live series spotlighting these authors is Keaira Faña-Ruiz. She is the author of The Afro-Latino Alphabet and Papi, Saturdays are for Cleaning, among other books. Keaira is a native of Wilmington, Delaware. She is both a middle school teacher and a college professor, committed to creating inclusive spaces in and out of the classroom. Her childhood dream was to become a published author and a voice for children of color.
AfroLA communities reporter Marina Peña will be chatting with Keaira on Instagram Live (@afrolanews) on May 8 at 11:30 am PDT.
Keaira Faña-Ruiz
What would you like to see from us? |
Please let us know what you think. Email me at [email protected].
FEATURED STORY
By Corinne Ruff
Steve Lewis stands near his side yard fence, which was scorched during the Eaton Fire. His home sustained smoke damage. (William Jenkins/AfroLA)
Three months after the fires, Steve Lewis hasn’t been able to move back into his 1929 Spanish mission-style home. While it didn’t burn down, it sustained smoke damage. He and his wife have been living between a friend’s Airbnb in Glendale and Detroit, where he also works and their daughter lives. Lewis has been an architect and Altadenean since the early 80s, when the Black population peaked at 43%.
As costs rose and original Black residents were priced out, the Black population dropped to 18%. But Lewis said it never felt that way. “The presence and culture here has existed in such a strong way that it remains prevalent,” he said. “It’s just – family.” Steve Lewis is one of many Black architects, engineers, contractors and other building professionals who have joined forces in the wake of what is likely the costliest wildfire disaster in U.S. history.
This coalition was launched by members of the National Organization of Minority Architects's Southern California chapter, who snapped into action after the fires. They hope to rebuild Altadena with the same cultural fabric that made it into an epicenter of Black homeownership, economic vitality and culture.
Read Corinne Ruff's story to learn more about the people who are trying to work with their community and rebuild Altadena from the ground up.
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What better way to bloom after the winter gloom than a spring campaign?
Introducing the Spring Into Action: Unapologetically Black & Blooming Campaign. We will be sharing all the reasons why you should become a lifelong supporter of AfroLA throughout these next couple of months.
First up, listen to some of our AfroLA reporters share some reasons why donations are important to the work we do. (Click the image below to play the video.)
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THE ROUNDUP
By Aallyah Wright (Capital B)
Did you know that Clarksdale, Mississippi, where ‘Sinners’ is based, doesn’t have a movie theater?
This is a story that went viral overnight on social media. My innocent tweet telling people what I had just learned from reading Aallyah’s story went viral and eventually landed on the Shaderoom.
One of Aallyah’s Clarksdale sources for the story traveled nearly 80 miles to see the hit blockbuster movie that still has people talking. But in a majority Black rural town where the median income is $35,000, most residents aren’t able to afford travel that far. Tyler Yarbrough is now petitioning for a screening. He hopes that Ryan Coogler and his team see it and will come out to Clarksdale.
Read the rest of her story here.
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By Mariel Padilla (The 19th)
Mariel Padilla writes about the impact of the first 100 days of Trump’s second term through one Black family that includes a nuclear physicist, a nonprofit executive, an academic, a construction company owner, a Marine veteran and a data engineer. Their stories are not uncommon in our current America as the Trump Administration continues to push for a smaller federal government. You should definitely read her story.
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By Elizabeth Chou (Los Angeles Public Press)
As a Los Angeles city resident it is super important to stay up-to-date about what our government officials are doing. The Los Angeles Public Press put together this helpful resource about the 1,600 layoffs and service cuts that may be coming to the city. Read more about it here.
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MORE STORIES
by Corinne Ruff
Ciressa Henderson wore the same clothes and earrings she had on when she evacuated her home from the Eaton Fire. (William Jenkins/AfroLA)
Ciressa Henderson and her sister have moved seven times since the Eaton Fire burned down their home.
She alleges that's because State Farm, her insurance carrier, said it won't continue providing payouts for her $16,000 renters policy if she signs even a short-term lease.
So they continue to migrate from Airbnb to Airbnb and call the company incessantly about reimbursements. She said she’s received $1,000 here and there adding up to $8,000 in the past three months.
Henderson, who lost $16,000 worth of lupus medication in the fire, said the stress of not knowing when, or even if, she’ll receive insurance money causes her lupus symptoms to flare up – she gets achey, experiences migraines and needs to lay down.
“It’s the uncertainty of not knowing where you’re gonna go. Are we gonna be living in our car? It’s the uncertainty of them not helping because the receipts don’t look right. It’s been calling on the phone and not being able to get anybody,” she said. “It’s just like being in limbo – you don’t know what’s gonna happen.”
Henderson is one of more than 330 Eaton Fire survivors with State Farm insurance who have signed a public letter calling on California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to launch a formal investigation into State Farm’s handling of fire claims, expedite fire claims payouts and block a proposed rate hike.
AfroLA's Corinne Ruff spoke with Eaton Fire impacted insurance holders, advocates and watchdogs about the delays and denials from their insurance carriers that leaving survivors in limbo.
Ko-Trinidad (left) and DeMarkus (right) Williams started Soul Food Candles in their apartment in 2021. (William Jenkins/AfroLA)
Since 2021, Black Market Flea has been a local gem, not just for Black entrepreneurs, but as a showcase and celebration of Black culture and community. But now, the organization faces a significant financial hardship that is all too common with Black businesses. Black-owned businesses accounted for about 3% of all firms in 2022 despite making up about 14% of the U.S. population.
Even with an $84 billion increase in revenue from 2017 to 2022, Black firms only accounted for 1% of gross revenue (among firms whose owners were classifiable by race or ethnicity), reported Pew Research Center. Financial capital like business loans and government contracts are least likely to be awarded to Black-owned firms. In a recent survey of more than 1,000 Americans, 77% of Black respondents said they worry about how the Trump administration’s new tariffs would affect them financially.
“I think it’s more important to be even louder about who we are and what we bring to this country,” Soul Food Candle Company co-founder Ko Trinidad-Williams said. A Black and Latine-owned company, Williams shares ownership with his husband and business partner, DeMarkus Williams. “It’s important to have Black Market Flea here so people know that their identities are valued and they can shop brands made by them.”
Fallon Brannon spoke with Black Market Flea vendors and attendees about their perspective on what's currently facing the popular microfestival.
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