A Reflection for Linked Arms

Queens, A Story of Resilience from Altadena

Dear Beautiful Queens,

As Early Learning Educators, we know what it means to pour ourselves out for others. Week after week, we give our hours, our energy, and our love so freely that by the time the evening comes, we are too tired to do much more than close our eyes. For many of us, weekends are the time we try to find solace — a nap, a call with family, a moment with friends, or even binge-watching the shows we missed.

This past weekend, while flipping through the TV, I landed on America’s Got Talent. What caught me wasn’t just the performance — it was the story of the Benn family from Altadena, CA, who had lost their home in the recent fire. As I watched, I leaned in. I cried. Their testimony was not just television, it was truth — intrinsic, raw, and real. It left me with questions, but more than that, it left me with conviction.

You can watch their story here: Benn Family on America’s Got Talent

Like many of us, when something touches me deeply, I go down the rabbit hole — because seeking to understand and to know more is one of my love languages for community.

What I found was this:

The Black community of Altadena has a history unlike most. Generations of families, beginning in the 1960s, overcame redlining, displacement, and racism to become some of the highest Black homeowners in the nation. By 2023, nearly 80% of Black households in Altadena owned their homes — a rare and powerful achievement in America. These weren’t just houses. They were sacred homes, built by grandmothers and grandfathers, passed down to children and grandchildren, forming a community of wealth, dignity, and belonging.

That is what makes the fire’s devastation so heavy. Nearly half of those homes were lost, entire families scattered, and developers now circling to buy what remains. Yet, even in the ashes, the people of Altadena are showing us what resilience looks like. The NAACP, local leaders, and community organizations are standing together to rebuild, to protect their legacy, and to keep their land in Black hands.

Queens, I share this not as just a history lesson, but as a life lesson. Altadena’s story is our story. It is about resilience. It is about holding on to what our ancestors built. It is about refusing to be erased. And it is about remembering that together — in unity, in love, and with linked arms — we are stronger than fire, stronger than loss, and stronger than anything that tries to uproot us.

With Linked Arms,

Mary Curry