Jhené Aiko and Bozoma Saint John both lose their homes in devastating Los Angeles wildfires
The two women’s stories echo those of thousands impacted by the tragedy, who dealt with tremendous loss while praying for the safety and security of the entire community.
The wildfires in the Los Angeles area continue to rage, and more and more people are sharing about the devastation and personal losses that continue to pile up. First responders and emergency personnel are doing all they can to contain the fires as families continue to evacuate.
Since the first fires popped up on Tuesday, north of 10,000 structures have been burned, according to news reports. Each passing day comes with news from more people about the loss of homes, while praying for the safety of all and anybody impacted by the calamity.
Singer Jhené Aiko shared via her Instagram account that her home was burned to the ground.
“Me and my children’s home is gone … burned to the ground with all of our things inside. Lord have mercy. Thankful we still have each other…starting from scratch…My heart is so heavy.”
Businesswoman and executive Bozoma Saint John shared a moving post about the loss of her home, and what that home meant to her, her daughter and her village:
“This is the house I wanted. The house I prayed for. The house I worked in blood, sweat and tears for. The house that I put a key pad instead of a key hole in the front door because I wanted all my family and friends to have a code and use the house whenever they wanted. This is the house where I found peace after battling with racist neighbors and a community that made me have to buy it in a trust within a trust so no one would know that widowed, single Black woman with a teenager was buying on the exclusively-held beach. This was my EFF YOU I’m here house. The house that I built a movie room dedicated to my sister so she could see her films in her own sanctuary. This is the house where I finally felt like I could choose to spend time… when I wanted to and how I wanted to.
It is gone.
This is an unimaginable loss. I grieve with the rest of Los Angeles as it burns… and even though I’ve found even words to write here, there’s nothing that I could say in this moment to describe this feeling.”
Ms. Saint John’s message is a reminder that a person’s home can be more than just shelter, but the literal center of their peace and community. It is a common refrain that you can replace things, but “things” can mean very different things for very different people.
In the midst of so much destruction, of which their stories are two among thousands, their ultimate message is one of prayer and compassion during this time.
Jhene shared what can be considered an enduring message for all those currently being impacted and those witnessing from afar, “Praying for everyone…those who lost their home, those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. Praying for my city. Praying for the wild life and lost pets. Praying for the world. Let suffering be a gift; a lesson in compassion.”
Panama Jackson is a columnist at theGrio and host of the award-winning podcast, “Dear Culture” on theGrio Black Podcast Network. He writes very Black things, drinks very brown liquors, and is pretty fly for a light guy. His biggest accomplishment to date coincides with his Blackest accomplishment to date in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after she read one of his pieces (biggest) but he didn’t answer the phone because the caller ID said “Unknown” (Blackest).
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