Hi, my name is Amanda, a born and raised California Girl.

I’m reaching out for help after being displaced from home in Altadena because of the contamination caused by the Eaton Fire on January 7, 2025. The house didn’t burn, but the lingering toxins made it unsafe. That night, even with a torn rotator cuff, I managed to get my housemate’s dogs and myself to safety. Most of my belongings had to be left behind.

Since then, I’ve been displaced 20 times, staying on couches and in borrowed rooms while searching for a safe place to live.

FEMA denied my claims. My disability benefits have run out. I receive only twenty dollars a month in CalFresh and have no family to turn to. When I tried to retrieve my remaining belongings, I was told I wasn’t allowed on the property. I was able to recover a few boxes that held drawings from my children and small reminders of better days, but I reinjured my shoulder and back in the process. I later learned that some of the paperwork I kept asking for didn’t exist, and no one told me the truth.

Now I’m trying to rebuild. This fundraiser will help me:

Updated note on trailer - it needs an overhaul of the walls, which are all water-damaged, and it needs insulation.

As a filmmaker and photographer, I’ve spent my life telling other people’s stories. Now I’m asking for help writing a new chapter of my own.

If you’re able to donate or share this post, I’m grateful. Every bit of support, whether a contribution, a kind message, or a repost, helps me take one more step forward.