sarahcalavera.bsky.social
Chicana. Author of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT DEATH š Helping people live & die better at orderofthegooddeath.com, Ask a Mortician, & radicaldeathstudies.com š Death + food, ritual, folklore, horror, film, culture & society
šø https://msha.ke/sarahcalavera
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@annelisebaer.bsky.social &
@anatomicalcat.bsky.social
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While I canāt recommend specific board books myself, here are a couple bookstores that may have good options
storieslikeme.com/collections/...
tia-chuchas.myshopify.com/search?q=Boa...
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Yes, it looks incredible! Would love to visit some day
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Displaced from Eaton fire-lucky that rental home still standing but full of ash, soot, reeks of smoke. In limbo, & overwhelmed with navigating info, no official guidance on clean up or safety (& I live with someone whose job is safety & environmental). Many concerns about health issues
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thank you! š¤
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Ty!
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How: The Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition is asking supporters to sign a petition urging congressman Jamie Raskin to make a formal statement condemning the desecration of the cemetery. Read & sign here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
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Activists & direct descendants of this burial site used for formerly enslaved people have been fighting to protect it from desecration & further development. The cemetery is partially buried by an apartment complex & parking lot www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024...
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2/2
The couple combined Bettyās love of books and Orkney by converting a cottage into a reading room with the hope of encouraging reading and providing shelter for passengers waiting to catch the ferry. The reading room honors Betty using what she loved mostābooks.
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Hereās some info about what the recovery process looks like
www.kqed.org/news/1164093...
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š
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Simple kindness and checking in: I canāt emphasize how much a kind word from strangers, to friends quickly checking in on your safety means, TRULY. Check in on your friends that are single or live aloneāitās hard navigating all of this by yourself.
Please feel free to add ideas š¤
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Share wealth: it goes without saying but if you have more than you need please take care of people who donāt. Can you afford an Airbnb with several rooms to house other friends? Give or lend money for housing, food, etc.
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Laundry: if youāre local and can offer to wash clothing, not just now, but also weeks from now when people will need to wash smoke & soot from pretty much everything
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Kids: parents, maybe you can chime in with your needs and ideas, but if they have something like a Nintendo switch, enjoy playing games on the phone, $10 for a new game may be a helpful distraction for everyone (obviously, board games etc. too), books, coloring stuff, etc.
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Another thing Iām hearing is people are terrified to leave their pets alone out of fear that no one will rescue them if another fire starts. So offering to watch them, check on them in weeks/months to come may help to alleviate that anxiety for some folks
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Pets: If local, offer to watch pets or walk them while person runs errands.
Evacuees that are lucky enough to have a home to return to at some point, however much of whatās in that home has smoke damage, dangerous ash & soot, so things like pet beds, some toys, cat trees etc will need replacing.
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Toiletries & essentials: Gift cards for pharmacies, Target, etc. people need medical supplies, masks, toiletries, underwear & socks.
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Food: Many places are offering food but it may be challenging to get. some ppl donāt have transportation, have kids & scared animals, are disabled, food allergies, etc. Gift cards for groceries, Postmates (yes, I know they have unethical practices so, do what you feel is best!) are helpful
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There are many volunteer efforts, go-fund-mes, etc going on, but here are some immediate more 1-on-1 type things you can do directly if you have fam or a friend you want to help out that could be helpful from what Iām seeing here:
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While well meaning, grievers/people experiencing loss usually donāt have the capacity to think beyond the immediate pain, so offering something specific or taking concrete action can be incredibly helpful
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Hereās the practical info: When someoneās grieving we often advise folks to refrain from saying āLet me know what I can do!ā
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I know it can be v hard to ask for or accept help but active participation & contribution allows us all to be in community with one anotherāI think we all need that, so leave room for the helpers, too
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Even those who werenāt displaced or still have a home standing, are experiencing a type of survivors guilt.
In my community we say āTu lucha es mi lucha,ā your fight or struggle is my struggle - and that right there is the true spirit of Los Angeles.
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Thank you! ā¤ļø