Staci Mitchell

Staci Mitchell has lived in Altadena all her life, but in this conversation she explains that it wasn't until the media coverage of the recent fires that she understood she and her family are at the center of the historic Black community there. Staci is a semi-retired professor of Pan-African Studies at CalState LA, as well as a playwright, yoga instructor, and all-around creative force. She talks about her and her husband's ancestors who came to Altadena during the Great Migration and how many of their extended family and their children still live in the area. So when Staci lost her home, many of her family members were also displaced. But she was quickly reminded of just how resilient her community is and how supported it has been by the larger Black community, as well as the global human community, who showed up with tangible support and action.

We talked about her teenage son's reaction to the fires and how she navigated supporting him as well as herself and her whole family. I was struck by Staci's responses to the fires: The way she stayed calm as the fires raged and focused on figuring out what's next, once she understood her house was gone. Everyone responds to trauma and loss differently, but I loved Staci's immediate focus on recovery, centering, and healing.

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Special thanks to Josephine Wiggs for the song "Time Does Not Bring Relief" from her album "We Fall."

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