The three people who died in the Eton Fire were remembered at a service ceremony Thursday, celebrating the resilience of the Southern California community.
Pasadena’s first AME church service provided moments for those who were united by tragedy to honor the lives of 84-year-old Evelyn McClendon (59) 82-year-old Evelyn McClendon, the beloved ones they lived in. I recognized the community – Altadena.
Seventeen people died in Etonfire.
“The strength of our community is evident in these moments and we continue to stick to our commitment to supporting each other as we navigate the challenges ahead.”
As the family remembers their loved ones, they also expressed concern about the future of their beloved San Gabriel Valley community.
“We are grateful for the fact that God has put us on the forefront and blessed us to be seen,” said Zaire Calvin, brother of Evelyn McClendon. “We want to be perfect. Black people will always be the last. I’m going to say that now. We will always be the last. Can we line up first for this?”
Altadena has long stood as a heaven for black families who established urban life and generational wealth when discriminatory housing laws were commonplace elsewhere.
“We owned five generations,” said Trevor Kelly, son of Ellien Kelly. “But I want to convey this to America. I have two granddaughters who live in the same house. My mother loses her life and they can raise great grandchildren. We I won’t go anywhere.
“Altadena is a complete community and I love them all, so I want the whole community, Jews, whites, Asians, Koreans, everyone to be a whole in my community.”
Altadena’s neighbors gathered to discuss how they could move forward and rebuild. It can be made clear that their town is not for sale. And as a community, they’re coming back even stronger. Tracey Leong is reporting NBC4 News on February 5, 2025 at 11pm.
Rev. Al Sharpton was one of the mourners present. Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, is joined by Ben Crump, a national civil rights lawyer who represents the families of some of the people who died in the fire.
“The wildfires searching around Los Angeles for the past few weeks have been a catastrophic humanitarian and natural disaster,” Sharpton said in a statement. “People lost their lives in the homes, their memories and ultimately this devastation, but they tried to use this horrible event to score political points. This Thursday, I worked with my lawyer, Crump. And we will bring together the communities that grieve for those we have lost, gals them for recovery, restoration and reconstruction.”
A UCLA survey released last week found that black Altadena residents were disproportionately affected by Eton Fire.
The survey found that 61% of black households in Altadena are located at the fire boundary, compared to 50% of non-black households. Approximately 48% of black households have been destructed or significantly damaged, compared to 37% of non-black households.
The authors of the report suggested that “historical redlining practices” led to a concentration of black families in the Altadena area, the area that was most affected by the fire. They also said that over half of Altadena’s black homeowners are over 65 years old, and many could face additional issues such as a lack of insurance and “risks of financial exploitation.” .
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