How the Latino community in Los Angeles is mobilizing to help support fire victims
The Latino community is stepping into action to help support victims of the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County.
A multitude of Latino-owned businesses, organizations and community leaders throughout LA are offering resources, collecting donations for distribution and raising funds to provide relief for victims of several wildfires.
There were four ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area as of Sunday: the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades area, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, the Kenneth Fire that's straddling Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and the Hurst Fire in Sylmar, northwest of San Fernando.
According to county officials, the Palisades Fire has destroyed more than 5,000 structures, while the Eaton Fire has damaged or destroyed an estimated 7,000 structures. More than 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes as the Santa Ana winds further exacerbate the situation. At least 16 fire-related deaths are being investigated by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, and many people are injured.
In Los Angeles County, more than 4.8 million people are Hispanic or Latino, the latest U.S. Census data shows. With deep roots in the region, many Latinos have taken initiatives to mobilize the community and provide support.
"A friend of mine texted me telling me her house had burned down," Corissa Hernandez, a small business owner, told ABC News. "I can't even imagine losing everything I've worked for in my personal space, so I immediately went to social media and just put out a call for action."
After learning from local city leaders of the need for food, water and masks, Hernandez announced on social media that she was helping collect these items at Nativo HLP, the Mexican food restaurant she owns in Highland Park.
That initial endeavor expanded tremendously because of the Latino community, according to Hernandez.
"It's such an honor and a humbling experience to see us all rally together for the most vulnerable amongst us, and it's just one of those moments where you just feel so proud to be part of LA and this community," she said.
Hernandez is a board member of the Independent Hospitality Coalition, an advocacy group for bars and restaurants in Los Angeles. She said several restaurants and chefs who are part of that network responded to her call and began connecting her to shelters and evacuation centers in need of resources.
Hernandez ultimately partnered with Guerilla Tacos DTLA and Guelaguetza, two other Mexican restaurants, to gather donations and deliver meals to people in need, she said. Together, they have created a central hub for all their operations and donations.
"I cannot take credit for what has evolved," Hernandez said. "Since then, we've distributed collectively over 1,500 warm meals to evacuation centers and fire departments, hundreds of donations have gone out, and this has been in collaboration with my network."
Latino community members in LA have gotten creative with their efforts to help provide mutual aid. Several taquerias are offering free tacos to first responders, L.A. Taco first reported, and Latinx Therapy, a mental health resource hub for Latinos, is organizing pro-bono providers to offer free therapy to Latino families impacted by the wildfires.
Support from the Latino community is also coming from around the world. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Friday that firefighters from Mexico were arriving to join the "more than 10,000 personnel already on the ground."
"California is deeply grateful for President @ClaudiaShein's support as we work to suppress the Los Angeles wildfires," Newsom posted on X.
A spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, told ABC News a total of 70 firefighters from Mexico, including three information officers, arrived Saturday afternoon.
Meanwhile, in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, Las Fotos Project, a nonprofit organization that mentors teenage girls and gender-expansive youth through photography, has created a bulletin-style database on its website where fire victims can describe their current needs and directly connect with people who can help them.
"We always say we find power in our stories and we find power in our communities. I really hope that this database can sustain people [and] support in the long term," Helen Alonzo Hurtado, social enterprise director for Las Fotos Project, told ABC News. "Two to three weeks from now, as folks are getting settled in their temporary housing and they're realizing what it is that they need, they can put that there and then community members can respond."
Alonzo Hurtado said that despite hosting community wellness days, Las Fotos Project is not an emergency response nonprofit and is not equipped to mobilize in such a capacity. Even so, she said, the group was motivated to help victims, including some of their own members who lost their homes and were displaced in the Eaton Fire.
"We're starting to see how many Latino families and Black families in Altadena were impacted," she said. "When you think about that community, it's been home to a lot of working-class folks who have been able to build generational wealth, and that was just lost overnight."
The Latino-led group hopes to make an impact with its database and further rally the community to help those in need.
"In our culture, we have the kermeses [parties to fundraise for low-income community members, usually for funerals], and we have these initiatives to come together to support one another." Alonzo Hurtado said. "We're seeing so many people impacted and we're not just mobilizing for the Latino community, but for all the people affected."
