August 2, 2025 • 15 mins
We are still trying to bring Altadena back after the devastation that took place in such a historic and beautiful town. Zaire Calvin is the owner of Xtreme Athletics, a community leader, and an advocate for justice and rebuilding in Altadena. Take a listen to how you can help.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for joining us today. Now, not only did and
correct me if I'm wrong here, not only did you
lose your home, but did you lose a family member
as well?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yes, I lost my first there.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I can't even imagine. I mean, with all with it,
let's just say it how it is. There was a
lot of issues that it could be. It sucks to
look backwards on this could have prevented you know this,
and so you know, life and death happens. We all
(00:42):
know that. Some of the first lessons we learn is
that you know our time is limited. But man, when
you look back on something like this, and I know
you do and are like, you know, it's got to
be frustrating and is I'm assuming and that's the fuel
that pushes you forward on what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
You hit it right on the nose, you know, it's
all it pain, a purpose or pain the power at
this point and you're just fighting for for your whole
community and everybody to have a chance to come back
and have some type of normalcy. You know.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I was taught many years ago that when people experience
intense pain that they either go to the hero or
villain state. They either become a villain and say I
want everybody to feel the pain that I felt, or
they go the hero route and say I don't want
(01:45):
anybody to feel the pain that I felt. And I'm
proud to hear when someone like you, Zaiah takes it
upon themselves to be a leader in your area. So,
in the Altadena area, what are you doing, what are
you working towards? How can listeners help or participate in
(02:08):
in what you're doing as well?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, I was able to put together a plan with
the community. And when I say, I speak for the
community in the thousands in Altadena. We're able to put
together a plan the outs in the native rebuild, where
we're able to build back together is the plan and
to be able to fool our resources so we can
(02:33):
lower cost and avoid the predatory things that are going
to happen with construction that's coming up, because that's the
next stage that people aren't talking about, is how predatory
construction is. And I've met with everyone from the Woesy fire,
the Coffee fire, the Lahaina fires, and different and all
the other fires that I did not mention. I think
(02:54):
all the people who who've been sitting down and teaching
through this whole six months to give me a crash
course on what to do with the good things that
came out of their experiences and then the bad things
where they weren't able to rebuild, and for us to
have a different plan of action with leadership and with
(03:18):
a voice that is pushing that leadership.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Talking with us right now. As my guest, Yer Calvin
referred to as Coach Z also known as the unofficial
Altadena Mayor. He's a community leader, coach trying to get
things done in Altadena. You know, there's a you know
something called writer's block, and of course artists block, and
that's when you're staring at either a blank canvas or
(03:45):
a blank page and trying to, you know, put things
together for the first time. I can't imagine in a
place where you had lives, mature lives, generational lives, and
then it's now a blank canvas. What as someone who
lost their not ovenly, their home, but your sister, that
(04:10):
canvas isn't blank, it's got years on it. But where
where do you even start? Was there someone that came
around and said these are the first things you need
to do, or have you become that person?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Honestly, I think I've become that person because a lot
of this is unpresident So the first call to action
was addressed in the African American community who's always disproportionately
taken advantage of through tragedies and through mishats. So the
(04:44):
first call to action was for their voice to be heard,
our voice to be heard as African American community, to
know that they get marginalized and we get taken advantage of.
That was the first step was to put that called
action so we would be seen. Then the next step
was for the whole community, because I love my whole community,
(05:09):
my Jewish neighbors, Asian, every single race, Hispanic, It's my
whole community and we're all family. So the next call
to action was just to make sure that the whole
community as a whole gets all the resources and is
being seen through this whole tragedy. Also because there's so
(05:31):
much loss and anybody who hasn't been through a fire,
they don't know the pain. Like right now, Christmas and
Thanksgiving and all these holidays are coming up, which you're
going to be the most painful time because you lost
the security of your home. I've experienced death before, even
my brother being murdered. This type of chain and being
(05:56):
being disconnected to where you usually heal. Your home is
where you heals, where you go to to rejuvenate, to recleinish,
to go through pain. Home is where you go to
to mourn. Now all these places are gone. And even
(06:17):
with the safe spaces that you had to leave to
your neighbors and to your friends and to your cousin's
house that we're in the neighborhood, they're all gone. So
it is a different type of pain that I try
to get the world to understand of a hard working,
bootstrapping collective people who are doctors, lawyers, and every other
(06:41):
type of people who have worked really hard and don't
want to lose this generational wealth for the black community
and don't want to lose the community for the overall
community of a black community that includes all races.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
That's the voice of zay Er Calvin you're hearing. He
is a community leader who's advocating for the justice and
rebuilding in Altadena right now. They refer to him lovingly
as coach Z as well. It's community driven when you
think that we are the ones that go out and support,
you know, mom and pop places. I've said this many
(07:16):
times on the program. One of the reasons why we
started the show over well over a decade ago was
to remind you that the economy locally rises and falls
on hospitality. I'm going out to eat and supporting local businesses.
It just does, and that that's part of what we
(07:37):
talk about. And we had some devastation, to say the
very least in January with the fires that took place
in Altadena and in the Palisades and right now where
we're talking with Zaier Calvin. He's the owner of Extreme
Athletics with an ex Extreme Athletics. He's a community leader
(08:00):
advocate for justice and rebuilding in Altadena. They refer to
them as coach Z. Before we got some news there
as there, we were talking about the community there, whether
it's you know, systemic racism, whether it is you know,
(08:20):
voices not being heard because they don't you know, minority
voice is not getting the same attention. Whatever it might be,
it is where we are unfortunately, and to make sure
that there is a voice. This is one of the
reasons why you're with us today. The message you want
to get out is that there's a lot to be done.
(08:42):
It sounds like there isn't one single place outside of
people like you getting people focused. I mean you think
there was like a kit or something where local you know,
politicians come and say, okay, this is first steps because
(09:03):
part of Altadena is still standing, but it's a ghost
town in the other sense, and people can't you know,
all those regulars at restaurants, at mom and pop places,
at grocery stores, they're not there anymore. And the people
that are there are like, well, things aren't the same yet.
(09:24):
So what could we the people surrounding you in other
neighborhoods do, How do we help? What do you need
from us?
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yes, supporting the local restaurants that have gone through all
that is devastation there was the biggest one who supported
the whole community through this whole time period would be Faroksburger.
They literally and their story, which is very interesting, is
(09:54):
because the owners of fair Olksburger actually on my street
and they did this through their heart and passion while
they lost everything also, so they it's not like they
weren't in the community. They actually live on my street.
They lost everything and through this they showed their pain
(10:18):
and power and was given back to the whole community
during this whole time and staying open since their business,
you know, survived and they were literally donating their time
and they worked really really hard, and so they just
had a grand reopening. And to support them would be
(10:41):
huge because they supported the community during this time period
and they worked. I'm talking about it's sisters, it's moms,
it's a whole family that have have tiresly worked through
this whole time period for the last six months and
they just reopened. So visiting places like fair Oaksburger. There's
(11:04):
also business businesses that you know, were so small that
they wouldn't even be seen, like Yardbird Chicken and they
would do chicken strips and to support them, they lost
their location which was on Lake and now they're on Lincoln. Yes,
(11:29):
and it's those local businesses like that grocery outlet, the
store for people to still go to the local store
that still exists and they have been a hub also.
But the smaller businesses, like I said, like Yardbird Chicken
and UH and fair Oaksburger. And there's another one I'm
(11:51):
trying to get the name off the top of my head.
It's a brother who sells cookies with the Yardbird. His
name is Devin. He sells cookies along with that and desserts.
But to to basically patronize these people and these local
businesses in our community because they're still there and they're
(12:14):
still trying to survive. There's another one, the two ten
Taco truck, which gave vegetarian chacos and options. That was different. Also,
they are another local business that needs to be patronized.
So these are a few and important ones that need
(12:38):
to be held together. The other ones have actually lost
their businesses and you know, like the Little Red hen
which we need them to come back, and that's that's
family and you know, we're all connected.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
And they've been around for a long time, yes.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
And they've been a pillar in the community so well.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
It's a very very special community. And from the age
of the homes to what you talked about, generational wealth
or having something passed on like a home is huge
and the neighborhood still has so much more mending to do.
(13:20):
We appreciate you, Zaia Calvin for coming on the program.
Continue to do what you do and you send us
anything like it. You know there's places you couldn't remember.
Whatever you want us to give shout outs, you just
send it to Kyla and we'll make sure that we're
given love to these places, absolutely, to make sure that
(13:41):
people know where to go and experience. But get out there.
You can go to out to Dina, you can drive around.
You can see the places that are open. If you're
looking for gift shops, if you're looking for food, check
and see if these places are open. It's you know,
not only it's the foothills or and those areas are
beautiful their own right, but to be able to keep
(14:01):
them alive during this I'm sorry for your loss, not
only your home of course, but more importantly your sister
in the eat and fire, and it just I don't know,
even though we were all affixed to radio and television
and our phones, I don't know unless you live there
(14:22):
that you'll will ever really know the loss. But people
like you speaking up is at least a start in
helping us understand that. So thanks for taking the time today.
We appreciate you, and I.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Want to thank you guys for being a platform and
a voice for us, because without you, our voices are
not heard. So you are a blessing and know that
it means everything. So the work you're doing, even though
you guys are you know in the radio waves as
we say, it means everything to us and for us
to be heard. So I want to give that shout
(14:57):
out and thanks to you guys, and please can you
to do what you're doing and don't change because we
have a long road but a short road ahead and
we need your support.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Hell, We're here for it. Kayla Producer, Kayla and Tiffany
Hobbs and I have talked about this that we will
continue to find ways to get folks like you on
to make sure that it doesn't get shuffled aside or
the next whatever craziness goes on that takes our eyes
and ears in the news. So just know that Kayla's
(15:28):
looking out all the time finding people like you, and
we will make sure that we get you on the air.
God bless you. We will keep you in our prayers
for sure and do everything we can on the air.
Thanks Coach, We appreciate you.
Thanks for joining us today. Now, not only did and
correct me if I'm wrong here, not only did you
lose your home, but did you lose a family member
as well?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Yes, I lost my first there.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
I can't even imagine. I mean, with all with it,
let's just say it how it is. There was a
lot of issues that it could be. It sucks to
look backwards on this could have prevented you know this,
and so you know, life and death happens. We all
(00:42):
know that. Some of the first lessons we learn is
that you know our time is limited. But man, when
you look back on something like this, and I know
you do and are like, you know, it's got to
be frustrating and is I'm assuming and that's the fuel
that pushes you forward on what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
You hit it right on the nose, you know, it's
all it pain, a purpose or pain the power at
this point and you're just fighting for for your whole
community and everybody to have a chance to come back
and have some type of normalcy. You know.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
I was taught many years ago that when people experience
intense pain that they either go to the hero or
villain state. They either become a villain and say I
want everybody to feel the pain that I felt, or
they go the hero route and say I don't want
(01:45):
anybody to feel the pain that I felt. And I'm
proud to hear when someone like you, Zaiah takes it
upon themselves to be a leader in your area. So,
in the Altadena area, what are you doing, what are
you working towards? How can listeners help or participate in
(02:08):
in what you're doing as well?
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, I was able to put together a plan with
the community. And when I say, I speak for the
community in the thousands in Altadena. We're able to put
together a plan the outs in the native rebuild, where
we're able to build back together is the plan and
to be able to fool our resources so we can
(02:33):
lower cost and avoid the predatory things that are going
to happen with construction that's coming up, because that's the
next stage that people aren't talking about, is how predatory
construction is. And I've met with everyone from the Woesy fire,
the Coffee fire, the Lahaina fires, and different and all
the other fires that I did not mention. I think
(02:54):
all the people who who've been sitting down and teaching
through this whole six months to give me a crash
course on what to do with the good things that
came out of their experiences and then the bad things
where they weren't able to rebuild, and for us to
have a different plan of action with leadership and with
(03:18):
a voice that is pushing that leadership.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Talking with us right now. As my guest, Yer Calvin
referred to as Coach Z also known as the unofficial
Altadena Mayor. He's a community leader, coach trying to get
things done in Altadena. You know, there's a you know
something called writer's block, and of course artists block, and
that's when you're staring at either a blank canvas or
(03:45):
a blank page and trying to, you know, put things
together for the first time. I can't imagine in a
place where you had lives, mature lives, generational lives, and
then it's now a blank canvas. What as someone who
lost their not ovenly, their home, but your sister, that
(04:10):
canvas isn't blank, it's got years on it. But where
where do you even start? Was there someone that came
around and said these are the first things you need
to do, or have you become that person?
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Honestly, I think I've become that person because a lot
of this is unpresident So the first call to action
was addressed in the African American community who's always disproportionately
taken advantage of through tragedies and through mishats. So the
(04:44):
first call to action was for their voice to be heard,
our voice to be heard as African American community, to
know that they get marginalized and we get taken advantage of.
That was the first step was to put that called
action so we would be seen. Then the next step
was for the whole community, because I love my whole community,
(05:09):
my Jewish neighbors, Asian, every single race, Hispanic, It's my
whole community and we're all family. So the next call
to action was just to make sure that the whole
community as a whole gets all the resources and is
being seen through this whole tragedy. Also because there's so
(05:31):
much loss and anybody who hasn't been through a fire,
they don't know the pain. Like right now, Christmas and
Thanksgiving and all these holidays are coming up, which you're
going to be the most painful time because you lost
the security of your home. I've experienced death before, even
my brother being murdered. This type of chain and being
(05:56):
being disconnected to where you usually heal. Your home is
where you heals, where you go to to rejuvenate, to recleinish,
to go through pain. Home is where you go to
to mourn. Now all these places are gone. And even
(06:17):
with the safe spaces that you had to leave to
your neighbors and to your friends and to your cousin's
house that we're in the neighborhood, they're all gone. So
it is a different type of pain that I try
to get the world to understand of a hard working,
bootstrapping collective people who are doctors, lawyers, and every other
(06:41):
type of people who have worked really hard and don't
want to lose this generational wealth for the black community
and don't want to lose the community for the overall
community of a black community that includes all races.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
That's the voice of zay Er Calvin you're hearing. He
is a community leader who's advocating for the justice and
rebuilding in Altadena right now. They refer to him lovingly
as coach Z as well. It's community driven when you
think that we are the ones that go out and support,
you know, mom and pop places. I've said this many
(07:16):
times on the program. One of the reasons why we
started the show over well over a decade ago was
to remind you that the economy locally rises and falls
on hospitality. I'm going out to eat and supporting local businesses.
It just does, and that that's part of what we
(07:37):
talk about. And we had some devastation, to say the
very least in January with the fires that took place
in Altadena and in the Palisades and right now where
we're talking with Zaier Calvin. He's the owner of Extreme
Athletics with an ex Extreme Athletics. He's a community leader
(08:00):
advocate for justice and rebuilding in Altadena. They refer to
them as coach Z. Before we got some news there
as there, we were talking about the community there, whether
it's you know, systemic racism, whether it is you know,
(08:20):
voices not being heard because they don't you know, minority
voice is not getting the same attention. Whatever it might be,
it is where we are unfortunately, and to make sure
that there is a voice. This is one of the
reasons why you're with us today. The message you want
to get out is that there's a lot to be done.
(08:42):
It sounds like there isn't one single place outside of
people like you getting people focused. I mean you think
there was like a kit or something where local you know,
politicians come and say, okay, this is first steps because
(09:03):
part of Altadena is still standing, but it's a ghost
town in the other sense, and people can't you know,
all those regulars at restaurants, at mom and pop places,
at grocery stores, they're not there anymore. And the people
that are there are like, well, things aren't the same yet.
(09:24):
So what could we the people surrounding you in other
neighborhoods do, How do we help? What do you need
from us?
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yes, supporting the local restaurants that have gone through all
that is devastation there was the biggest one who supported
the whole community through this whole time period would be Faroksburger.
They literally and their story, which is very interesting, is
(09:54):
because the owners of fair Olksburger actually on my street
and they did this through their heart and passion while
they lost everything also, so they it's not like they
weren't in the community. They actually live on my street.
They lost everything and through this they showed their pain
(10:18):
and power and was given back to the whole community
during this whole time and staying open since their business,
you know, survived and they were literally donating their time
and they worked really really hard, and so they just
had a grand reopening. And to support them would be
(10:41):
huge because they supported the community during this time period
and they worked. I'm talking about it's sisters, it's moms,
it's a whole family that have have tiresly worked through
this whole time period for the last six months and
they just reopened. So visiting places like fair Oaksburger. There's
(11:04):
also business businesses that you know, were so small that
they wouldn't even be seen, like Yardbird Chicken and they
would do chicken strips and to support them, they lost
their location which was on Lake and now they're on Lincoln. Yes,
(11:29):
and it's those local businesses like that grocery outlet, the
store for people to still go to the local store
that still exists and they have been a hub also.
But the smaller businesses, like I said, like Yardbird Chicken
and UH and fair Oaksburger. And there's another one I'm
(11:51):
trying to get the name off the top of my head.
It's a brother who sells cookies with the Yardbird. His
name is Devin. He sells cookies along with that and desserts.
But to to basically patronize these people and these local
businesses in our community because they're still there and they're
(12:14):
still trying to survive. There's another one, the two ten
Taco truck, which gave vegetarian chacos and options. That was different. Also,
they are another local business that needs to be patronized.
So these are a few and important ones that need
(12:38):
to be held together. The other ones have actually lost
their businesses and you know, like the Little Red hen
which we need them to come back, and that's that's
family and you know, we're all connected.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
And they've been around for a long time, yes.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
And they've been a pillar in the community so well.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
It's a very very special community. And from the age
of the homes to what you talked about, generational wealth
or having something passed on like a home is huge
and the neighborhood still has so much more mending to do.
(13:20):
We appreciate you, Zaia Calvin for coming on the program.
Continue to do what you do and you send us
anything like it. You know there's places you couldn't remember.
Whatever you want us to give shout outs, you just
send it to Kyla and we'll make sure that we're
given love to these places, absolutely, to make sure that
(13:41):
people know where to go and experience. But get out there.
You can go to out to Dina, you can drive around.
You can see the places that are open. If you're
looking for gift shops, if you're looking for food, check
and see if these places are open. It's you know,
not only it's the foothills or and those areas are
beautiful their own right, but to be able to keep
(14:01):
them alive during this I'm sorry for your loss, not
only your home of course, but more importantly your sister
in the eat and fire, and it just I don't know,
even though we were all affixed to radio and television
and our phones, I don't know unless you live there
(14:22):
that you'll will ever really know the loss. But people
like you speaking up is at least a start in
helping us understand that. So thanks for taking the time today.
We appreciate you, and I.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Want to thank you guys for being a platform and
a voice for us, because without you, our voices are
not heard. So you are a blessing and know that
it means everything. So the work you're doing, even though
you guys are you know in the radio waves as
we say, it means everything to us and for us
to be heard. So I want to give that shout
(14:57):
out and thanks to you guys, and please can you
to do what you're doing and don't change because we
have a long road but a short road ahead and
we need your support.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Hell, We're here for it. Kayla Producer, Kayla and Tiffany
Hobbs and I have talked about this that we will
continue to find ways to get folks like you on
to make sure that it doesn't get shuffled aside or
the next whatever craziness goes on that takes our eyes
and ears in the news. So just know that Kayla's
(15:28):
looking out all the time finding people like you, and
we will make sure that we get you on the air.
God bless you. We will keep you in our prayers
for sure and do everything we can on the air.
Thanks Coach, We appreciate you.
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