After the Eaton and Palisades fires, many people were left without homes, jobs and resources. The results of how families and communities were impacted may have come from a lack of accessibility to information and services including educating residents on strategies for handling unexpected situations.

That is why Stevie Ruiz, a Chicana/o Studies professor at California State University, Northridge, will host, “After The Fires: A Retreat On Environment and Regeneration.”

The event will take place on Saturday, May 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. located at the Audubon Center at Debs Park, at 4700 N Griffin Ave., Los Angeles.

The retreat will begin with a strategy session, from 9:15 to 10:30 a.m. The conversation will focus on what those affected would like to have known during the fires and what they know now. The session will discuss what assets or resources should be advocated for to ensure that people are not harmed, as well as addressing the climate crisis, water usage and the consumption of resources.

“One of the concerning things is the lack of addressing the things that contributed to the fires,” Ruiz said. “We need to reassess where we are and look at things we can control.”

“It is important to address the need for services and educate people on them,” Ruiz said. “Many of the people who passed away due to the fires were people who were trapped, elders and disabled people who did not have access to services. We need to make sure they are prioritized because they need accessibility.”

The discussion will address other groups who were impacted, such as those who were employed in their homes and in the area, as well as the renters who did not receive any financial coverage.

“Renters make up the majority of Los Angeles. Something we want to approach is how community-based solutions are going to have to be locally driven,” Ruiz said. “We need to discuss prioritizing things that make us safer, and relocating funds to elders, disabled, those without homes and laborers, who are the first responders.”

These are the people that are not talked about in the media, so these are people who we are inviting. We want to have a community dialogue where their expertise is taken seriously.”

The Arts Convening will take place from 10:45 a.m. to noon. It will include film screenings, including “Heat in the Barrio.” The director, Robin Takao D’Oench and actor, Bobby Soto Jr., will be present. “Fireline,” will also be screened, with the director, Jose Ubaya, present. Poetry, art workshops and other activities will take place for families to enjoy.

Lunch will be held from noon to 1 p.m., and feature a special performance by Los Rebeldes Románticos.

The Regenerative Ecological Knowledge session will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. Keynote speaker Kimberly Moreno Johnson will talk about the importance of centering indigenous knowledge as communities take on the climate crisis. It will be focused on how native groups have knowledge and expertise of the environment and how people can learn from them.

The retreat will end with the Action Assembly from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/after-the-fires-a-retreat-on-environment-and-regeneration-tickets-1325772744969?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl

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