They say it was a wildfire—but what burned down in Altadena was more than just land. It was legacy. The Benn family, one of the first Black families to build wealth in that area since the 1950s, watched their 20 homes go up in smoke during the Eaton Fire this year. Now the city calls it a tragedy, but developers are already circling like vultures.
The Benns survived Jim Crow, redlining, and decades of systemic racism—but now, with land values skyrocketing, it seems nature gave gentrification the perfect cover. These fires didn’t just destroy homes; they opened the door for outsiders to steal what’s left.
And while our people are displaced, the culture we built is repackaged and sold. We created the sound. We shaped the style. We fed the soul of this country. But somehow, they wear it, sing it, sell it—and leave us out the profits. Just like they want our neighborhoods without us, now they want our culture without credit.
This isn’t just about housing. It’s about theft—land theft, culture theft, identity theft. The question isn’t if it’s happening. The question is—what are we gonna do about it?
