Support Ali as she rebuilds after losing her home

Making A Neighborhood co-founder, Ali Rachel Pearl has lost her home in the Eaton Fire.

With heavy hearts we report that our dear friend and collaborator Ali Rachel Pearl and her husband Jason Ezzy have lost their home as a result of the Eaton Fire.

They were evacuated on Tuesday evening and on Wednesday learned that their home and everything in it was gone.

Moving away from Virgil Village was an incredibly difficult decision for Ali, but as she wrote in August, she carried the neighborhood with her as she made a new home with her partner in Altadena.

Ali and Jason worked to make their new house a home, to get to know their neighbors and set down roots in their new neighborhood. They planted a garden, and welcomed loved ones for meals and warmth.

Ali deeply cares about the places she inhabits and honoring their histories, always making an effort to help neighbors and organize to fight for a better life for those around her. During her time in East Hollywood, she witnessed first hand many of her beloved friends in the neighborhood be displaced or have their belongings thrown away by encampment clearings. And she always stepped up to help through mutual aid by replacing lost items and connecting folks to resources. Through her writing and storytelling, she celebrates the beauty and messiness of what it means to live in this city, to make a home in our neighborhoods despite histories of displacement and oppression.

As Ali and Jason move through this incredibly difficult time and rebuild a home, they’ll need our support. One way to help is to donate to this GoFundMe that her student set up. Any amount or even just sharing the link will go a long way to helping our dear friend and Making A Neighborhood co-founder get back on her feet.

Thank you for your ongoing support through these difficult times.

With gratitude,

Samanta and J.T.