Beloved artist, educator, and arts advocate Niku Kashef has suffered an unimaginable loss. The Palisades Fire claimed her family home and her studio, destroying 30 years of her life's work - including photographic art, research, cameras, artist book archives, and equipment.

This home, designed and built by Niku's parents over 50 years ago, wasn't just a residence. It was a creative haven for generations of artists, scientists, and scholars—a space filled with warmth, inspiration, and community. For all who visited, it was a place where everyone felt welcome and a part of something greater.

Niku has dedicated over 20 years to nurturing the arts community as a faculty member at CSUN, an educator at Woodbury University, and a fierce advocate for artist-caregivers and artist-parents. Since 2020, she has continued to serve through an online meditation and mindfulness community, offering connection and care to artists and beyond.

My name is Samantha Fields. I have known Niku since 2006 when she was my student at CSUN, and she has since become a beloved colleague and friend. All donations will go directly to Niku and her daughter. Funds will be used to help with unforeseen costs and unmet needs that are not covered by disaster relief so that Niku can continue to create and inspire as she always has.