LA wildfires: Ms. Grace on the importance of resources and resilience
By Hugo M.
The wildfires that ravaged Pacific Palisades and Altadena have left physical and emotional scars on communities around the country. Both communities that were directly affected by the fire and those who weren’t directly affected have changed significantly because of this disaster.
Government teacher and UTLA chapter chair Grace Mccullough shared her personal experience on how the wildfires have affected her, as well as the community around the school. Furthermore, she shares what students should learn and take from this experience.
Q: How did you first feel when you heard about the fires?
“I felt really worried, scared, and then coming to school I think I felt upset because it didn’t seem safe for us to be here based on what I saw in the air and what I smelled.”
Q: “As a Government teacher, what do you think is the most important thing for students to learn/consider from this experience?
“I think for me what comes to mind is actually the impacts of climate change and how that has been creating an increase in natural disasters in our recent history. And government wise, I guess how different city policies and procedures can contribute to these type of disasters, for example budgeting policy and procedures, like with the cutting of fire department resources.”
Q: How do you think this fire affected communities that weren’t directly affected by the fire?
“Yeah, unfortunately there’s been air quality issues in South LA for a very long time and maybe this is calling some more attention toward it. I know Ms. Suarez did a survey of her students and a majority of her students don’t have air purifiers in their homes and that’s a big advice we’re getting from LA Counties to use air purifiers, but if we don’t have them, how do we use them? So I think distributing resources to South LA families to make sure we have quality air to breathe.”
Q: Why do you think it’s important to stay resilient as a community in times like this?
“I recently learned a new definition to resilient and it was kind of joyful, so when I think about resilience and trying to be joyful, I recognize it would be really hard for some people to do that in this time. I think it’s hard for me, but any little moments where I can give gratitude to what I have, or who I have and who is safe in my life,I want to enjoy those moments as much as I can.”
Q: How do you think this will change Los Angeles for the better or worse?
“Yeah, I wonder about the families rebuilding their homes, will they rebuild, will they want to leave somewhere else, um will they sell their plot of land, who will buy it? Will it be big business developers? Will it be the government? So I wonder if this will change the demographics of our city, who will live here and where.”
Q: What do you think students should learn about the government during crises like these?
“I guess one tip is just to pay attention, to listen, to read to check your sources, to double check your sources and to ask questions and to demand high quality services from the people in leadership.”
Q: What do you think students could do to help?
“We’re so lucky to have some explicit resources shared from Ms. Lopez, and she is asking for donations here, and from here teachers are going to take them from where they need to go. If you can’t give goods, or products, you can maybe give of your time, and that can look like going to a place to volunteer, but it could also look like writing letters. I think that’s a beautiful idea, so if students can give either of their resources or of their time it could be a really beautiful thing right now”.
