Altadena Girls helps teenagers who lost their homes in the fires

Teenagers lined up with their parents at a Boyle Heights department store this week looking for a little bit of familiarity: a Squishmallow stuffed toy, lipstick, a T-shirt, a little eye shadow, a cute hair accessory.

A 15-year-old girl, who evacuated with only a change of clothes before her home was destroyed in the Eaton fire, collected toiletries and socks, underwear, pants and shirts. A 16-year-old girl, whose family only had time to grab their cats before evacuating and losing their home, looked for things she hoped would make her feel more like herself.

Across Los Angeles, residents have quickly mobilized to gather and distribute blankets, clothing, first aid kits and other supplies in response to the destruction from the Eaton and Palisades fires. Avery Colvert, a 14-year-old Pasadena resident, wanted to do something special for the many teenage girls, like her schoolmates at Eliot Arts Magnet Academy in Altadena, whose lives were upended by the fires.

The eighth-grader took to Instagram on Friday and created a handle and logo with the help of her stepfather, Matt Chait, 44, who has a background in design.

Together, they launched Altadena Girls to collect donations that included beauty and hair products (fragrances, makeup, pimple patches, straightening tools, and diffusers) and new clothes. They also asked stylists for help.

“I started this to help girls specifically affected by the Eaton Canyon Fire who lost their homes feel like themselves and feel safe again,” Avery said. “They've lost everything and I want them to feel a sense of normality when nothing else in their life is normal.”

The effort quickly gained momentum and reached almost 32,000 followers within a few days. It also caught the attention of celebrities like Paris Hilton and Mindy Kaling, who shared the project on social media. Avery was excited to hear responses from high-profile brands like Huda Beauty and artists like Charli XCX, who also wanted to participate.

Naohmi Ruiz, 13, who goes to school with Avery, lost everything in the fire: her favorite clothes, her baby and promotional photos. At the donation center on Monday, she picked out sweaters, T-shirts and perfumes that had been carefully sorted into sections.

“I want to rebuild a new wardrobe,” he said.

“Although it breaks our hearts and we feel bad when we found out we lost our house, we are trying to get over it and stay positive,” she said.

Being on the road, among their peers, brought them a little joy, Nahmi said.

A line waits to enter a Boyle Heights warehouse where Altadena Girls was distributing makeup, hair items and other items to teenage victims of the Eaton fire.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Longtime Altadena resident Elizabeth Gonzalez and her 15-year-old daughter, Ananda Shiffman, arrived at the distribution Sunday afternoon. They also lost their home in the Eaton Fire and evacuated with very little.

“The Santa Ana winds come every year. “We’ve had fires before,” Gonzalez said. But on Tuesday night “my son called me on the phone. [around] At 6 in the afternoon he told me: 'Mom, the mountains are on fire.' I ran out and couldn't believe it. It seemed like he was in our house.”

They filled a garbage bag with important papers, a change of clothes, pillows and blankets and fled to their mother's house in a nearby neighborhood. Later, they fled again when the fire moved there.

“Now we are just getting our bearings,” González said. “I brought my daughter here [today] because I am very happy that they have a space for girls.”

Ananda's cousin, who also had to evacuate but did not lose her home, took a nail kit when she fled. The girls have been spending time getting their nails done.

“I know it seems frivolous and ridiculous, but they are having fun and finding some sense of normalcy,” Gonzalez said.

Aurora Patlan, 16, a student at Blair High School in Pasadena, lost her home west of Lake Avenue. She went to the distribution in search of clothing and feminine hygiene products.

“Many people lost everything in the fire. I didn't think I'd make it to our house that night, so I didn't take anything. “I only took the cats,” he said.

His school administration and students' parents have also been a source of support, he said.

“We are going through it together,” added Aurora's mother, Gabriela Flores. For now, they are staying in an Airbnb while she tries to find a permanent place to rent.

“I'm just overwhelmed,” Flores said. “We need to find relief.”

Amor Dionicio, 15, who attends John Muir High School in Pasadena, saw Avery's post on Instagram and asked her mother to take her to the distribution. Her block was destroyed and she and her family are now staying with a family friend.

“A total loss of everything,” he said. “It's been really difficult.”

Pasadena resident Jada Tarvin Abu-Bekr works with programs serving youth in Pasadena and Altadena. The social worker says many of her students were affected by the Eaton fire. She volunteered to handle parts of the community outreach for Altadena Girls, allowing her to talk to her students and make sure their needs are met.

“I'm like the connector, the bridge,” he said as he saw familiar faces and exchanged hugs.

This initiative is valuable for several reasons, he said. It is about “restoring dignity and humanity directly to people, which is incredibly important.”

The Altadena Girls distribution site in Boyle Heights.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

It is also helping to highlight the needs of Altadena's diverse and close-knit community.

“When people see Pasadena, they see 'rich Pasadena,' but they don't see Altadena,” Abu-Bekr said, “they don't see the working class, they don't see the people above 210 [Freeway]. And when you get over 210, it's a very different world.

“These are the people who work in their businesses. These are the people in the school districts who work with your children. …And so, I think there are a lot of important things about this. [drive].”

Altadena has long been home to a distinctive community that includes many Black and Brown creative people, artists, and working-class families. The Altadena School of the Arts, which Avery attends, has a student population that is more than half Latino, according to the Pasadena Education Network.

For González, who lost his home, Altadena is a special place in the foothills with a rich history that now struggles to know how to move forward.

“A lot of us don't know how to deal with this,” he said. “But we are doing the best we can, one day at a time.

“I knew our community was special, but now I see it all coming together. “It's incredible.”

Sarah Quiñones Wolfson is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles.