Support Gaskins Perez Family Wildfire Recovery

Dear Friends, Family, Community, and Kind-Hearted Strangers,

On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, our friend and colleague Shimica Gaskins lost her Altadena home in the Eaton Fire. We are immensely grateful and relieved that Shimica, her husband James Perez, their children Mila and Micah, and their beloved dog Dolphy are safe. But they had only minutes to evacuate their home and could only grab a few essentials on their way out. The next day, they received confirmation that their house and everything inside were gone.

We are organizing this fundraiser because the Gaskins Perez Family is beloved. Our community is coming together to support their mental, emotional, and financial health. We work with Shimica. We know many of you reading this will have worked with Shimica or James and know their passion and dedication to justice and joy. Many of you are family, long-time friends, fellow advocates, school families, and others who their light has touched.

The loss of their home and all the love and dreams they put into it is heartbreaking. This is the loss of more than just property – but memories, stability, security, and the foundation for future generations. This tragedy is even more profound given Altadena's historical significance as California's first middle-class Black community. During the Great Migration, Altadena became a sanctuary for Black Americans fleeing the Jim Crow South—a place where Black families could acquire land, build homes, and create generational wealth despite systemic oppression. Shimica and her family decided to build their roots in Altadena because the neighborhood has been a beacon of opportunity and refuge for Black families.

We are leaning into our beloved community for support. Contributions of any size will fund the family’s healing and recovery. Your prayers and sharing of this campaign are also deeply appreciated. Additionally, if you would like to give to Shimica’s family directly, without GoFundMe fees, please use Venmo: @Shimica-Gaskins

Through all of this, though, we are reminded of the countless times Shimica and James have shown up for others. As they were evacuating, James and Shimica leaned on neighbors to help them leave and then turned around and did the same for others–a true reflection of their brave spirits and dedication to the community.

Thank you for your compassion, generosity, and care in showing up for this family now.

With gratitude,

Stephanie Liem, Yesenia Jimenez, Emmerald Evans, Andrew Cheyne, Sam Wilkinson, Linda Swank