This is it the last citizen story and the week of citizen ing, at least for now. And I want to start it with quote that John Alexander shared with me and that he is using in his post for this story. It's from Rebecca Solnet in her two thousand and nine book A Paradise Built in Hell. In the wake of an earthquake, a bombing, or a major storm, most people are altruistic, urgently engaged in caring for themselves and those around them, strangers and neighbors, as well as
friends and loved ones. The image of the selfish, panicky, or regressively savage human being in times of disaster as little truth to it. Decades of meticulous sociological research on behavior and disasters, from the bombings of World War II, the floods, tornadoes, earthquakes and storms across the North American
continent and around the world have demonstrated this. When all the ordinary divides and patterns are shattered, people step up, not all, but the great preponderance, to become their brothers keepers. And that purposefulness and connectedness brings joy even in its death, chaos, fear, and loss. So this strides the point home completely. We are in a disaster like daily there's some kind of climate disaster playing out, but we're clearly in a socio
political economic disaster as well. On everything we have learned from dealing with physical disaster comes to bear right now in this moral disaster. This lack of leadership, this callousness, this selective self destruction being inflicted upon us by a few for their tiny, tiny benefit. So this is when the lessons from the floods and the tornadoes and the fires is most poignant and most clear that we have each other's back, that this is what citizen ing is
all about. A few weeks ago, I got a chance to reconnect with Collett pishon Battle from Tap Root Earth. She is a Louisiana native. She has done so much work since Katrina, and she tells the story of Katrina in a beautiful way. You should find her telling it. She did it on the Bioneer stage, She's done on other stages. But you know, when the power is out, when there's literally no money, all that's left is people, And that's the situation we're in. We have to have
each other. So thank you for being with us on this journey. We'll probably do a little bit of a rap thing. But today's story is literally close to homes. It is based in Los Angeles, in the Altadina neighborhood, which was struck very very hard by the Eating fires just a few months ago. And my friend, my homie, my brother, Mike Dela Rocha, he's telling me about what they've done since those fires. Dina Heels, that's the name of the organization that's popped up. It's multi racial, it
is multi economic. It is all kinds of people coming together to trade skills, to meet each other's needs, and to spread love and to heal physically and emotionally. That's what we need now, and at a national level, even at a global level, we're going to need some healing from the moral assault that we are experiencing right now. You don't need me to lay out the details. Whatever's on your general screen and news feed is telling you
a different story. But the preponderance, as Solent puts it, is in situations like Dina Heels, is in activations and citizen ing like that. So please keep that in mind. It is hard. I am tired, maybe you hear in my voice, and I'm fired up, and I'm ready to go and this is what we train for. So takes Alice in this story. Find and support this organization. Find
us at stories that howdositizen dot com. If there are more stories Happy Earth Day, it's it's I couldn't think of a better way to send us off into Earth Day, knowing the assaults from the US federal government that are underway, but also knowing the grassroots, the people, and the planet that are going to work together to heal. Especially with your help.
In the shadow of the most devastating fire Los Angeles, something magical happen. Neighbors, organizers, business owners, and relatives who lost so much came together to create something more powerful than a disaster. Community. Dina Heels was born from this moment, a mutual aid, marketplace and wellness center, but not just as a response, but as a vision for what's possible
when we lead with love, care, and collective action. Rooted in the wisdom of those who came before us, from indigenous regenerative practices to the Black Panther Ten Point program, Dina Heels is a living model of what liberation can look. In just three months, we've supported over thirty five hundred people in more than five hundred families directly impacted by the Eating fire in Altadena, Pasadena a trusted hub for safety, community, and healing. Dina Heels reminds us that our liberation is
not a solo act. It is shared. It lives on through our relationships with each other, with the land, and just as importantly, with ourselves. This is not charity, This is not a temporary fix. This is a blueprint. By staying hyper localized, partnering with values, align individuals, companies, and organizations, we created something sacred. Our future depends on how we care for each other, each and every one of us,
regardless of our experiences, our identities, or our backgrounds. Our way forward is intimately connected and interdependent on each other. This is how we're going to rebuild. This is how we rise, This is how we will heal. Dina Hughes, you see what I mean.
That story is perfect. Mike Dela Rocha, thank you so much for putting that video together. Revolve Impact, thank you so much for putting that video together. Of course, Dina Heels and I'm just popping in at the end one last time to reinforce the pillars of how to citizen show up and participate, understand power to the collective, invest in relationships with yourself, with others and the planet around you.
This one story encapsulates all of those things. I hope this whole mini series has reminded you of what principles look like in practice, and I hope you have found more places in community yourself to practice these things. Amidst the chaos and the onslaught and the fire. We know what to do with fire, and it can be very destructive, but it can also be cleansing, create space. We turn those ashes into something else. We grow something more beautiful.
So thank you for being with us on this journey. I might be back sooner than expected, but for this little sprint experience. This was story eight in the Week of citizen Ing and a special special shout out Shira Abramowitz who ran point on this. Thank you John Alexander, who has had the vision to do this for a long time. Thank you Elizabeth Stewart partner and everything. Thank you alright, Peace,