A documentary premiere examines Altadena’s legacy as a rare Black homeownership haven threatened by fire, delayed evacuation warnings, and corporate land acquisition

On February 1, “Beneath the Ashes: The Past Reimagined” will premiere, posing the uncomfortable question defining Altadena’s moment: Can a community built as a rare haven for Black homeownership survive the fire that destroyed nearly half its Black homes and killed 18 of 19 victims in predominantly Black neighborhoods?

Directed by Pasadena-based filmmaker Hrag Yedalian and produced by Brandon D. Lamar, President of the NAACP Pasadena Branch, the documentary arrives one year after the Eaton Fire claimed 19 lives, destroyed 9,414 structures and burned 14,000 acres. Today, 59 percent of all Altadena home purchases since the fire were made by corporate entities, while 80 percent of residents remain displaced.

The film features voices from across the community: community artist Keni Arts, whose 40 years of paintings were incinerated; Pastor Thomas Bereal, whose church was destroyed; former Assemblymember Chris Holden; Pasadena Unified School District School Board Member Patrice Marshall McKenzie; fire survivors Dawn Moore and Rand Vance; and Rose and Dennis Robinson, descendants of Olympic legends Mack and Jackie Robinson.

A UCLA study revealed that 61 percent of Black households were in the fire’s path, compared with 50 percent of non-Black households. Forty-eight percent of Black households were destroyed or damaged, versus 37 percent of non-Black households. All but one of the 19 deaths occurred west of Lake Avenue—where evacuation alerts were delayed nearly nine hours compared to east Altadena.

“Beneath the Ashes: The Past Reimagined” will run on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. AGBU Vatche & Tamar Manoukian Cultural Center, 2495 East Mountain Street, Pasadena, CA 91104. For more information, call (626) 794-7942 or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beneath-the-ashes-the-past-reimagined-tickets-1976654104637.