September 14
It’s hard to cry when your lungs are burning and compromised from exposure to off the charts hazardous air quality. My chest heaves raggedly and its hard to breathe but I honestly cannot stop crying. I can’t sleep bc I’m grieving for my community, the displaced who have always been marginalized. With every undocumented person/family I help there are more and more coming my way. I’m crying for all of them bc everyone deserves and NEEDS so much more. There is literally no government support. There are only a few of us individuals and one church getting cash in the hands of a few while the need is an ocean. I’m crying for the man (of many) who has cried with me when I gave him cash bc he learned the hotel whose company he works for was going to charge him over $700 for his stay he thought they offered him for free. I cry for the teen who has literally no concern for herself but deep pain and tears at seeing her parents struggle and lose everything and feel so helpless to help them. I cry even though right now I can barely breathe, for the families who are sleeping in trailers or camping in the TOXIC smoke just so they can stay together and/or close to work, so the 8yo special needs child who clings to his overwhelmed yet so strong mama, won’t have to separate from his grandparents, cousins, siblings. She holds him in her arms while she is holding too much, more than anyone should bear, standing in a parking lot or field after losing everything. I can’t stop crying and I can’t sleep because of the hundreds who are searching for items in food banks or still having to work in fields, WITHOUT masks in air that is damaging MY lungs and I’m wearing a mask. (And I only keep mine bc I want to keep helping) They have experienced harrowing danger as they got their children out of trailers in the nick of time, drove through fire and they are STILL in danger trying to put their hard earned life back together in this grey haze with apocalyptic red sun, while carrying the shock and trauma of it all. The long term health effects are so scary but no one has time (nor masks) to care. I’m the mom who protects her children at all costs and I let my teen volunteer while worrying about her all day. There is no way we cannot help right now. I’m crying bc so many cannot cry, won’t cry until they can rest. Right now there is no rest.
PLEASE SHARE and help me keep getting money into the hands of those who need it most. I don’t have many pics bc I’m not going to exploit my people in any way and there is plenty of media coverage. But read my page, check in with my friends. Everything I receive goes directly into the hands of those who NEED and DESERVE it so much. There are over 500 familias. Cash is needed bc they cannot get to donation centers if they don’t have gas, centers don’t have specific things, they cannot access much of the govt resources (whenever that comes) but above all, its just human and direct aid that supports autonomy and dignity. (Please see my page for background and updates. We are in Southern Oregon, the Phoenix/Talent fires)
To Donate:
Go Fund Me: www.gofundme.com/f/almedafireslatinxrelief
Venmo: @sylvia-Poareo
Note:
I’ve been sharing my experience of the Almeda Fire in southern Oregon on my Facebook page, but I want to share it here so you can all walk with me on this journey. Click the “Almeda Fire” tag at the bottom of this post to read the entire series.