Friday, July 11, 2025

In Fire-Scarred Dena, a Joyful Choice: Let’s Pause

Neighbors who became friends through disaster will gather Saturday for what organizers call ‘joy as resistance’

Near where emergency shelters once distributed blankets to wildfire evacuees, a DJ will spin records on Saturday afternoon. Six months after flames destroyed thousands of homes here, community groups are betting that Pasadena needs a pause, if only for a day.

“There were so many things going on, where people had to go get new clothes, get food, get this, get that, and it was very overwhelming, but there was no space to pause,” said Florence Annang, who helped organize the seven-hour Memorial Park celebration.

“In February, I had a conversation with Councilmember Tyron Hampton, and I said, ‘we need some joy.'”

The “Communities in Unity” event, running from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., was originally scheduled for June. It was postponed it when federal immigration agents began conducting raids in the neighborhood that week.

“Pasadena, you can shake it for a little minute, but we going to bounce back,” Annang said.

The Jan. 7 Eaton Fire led to the unexpected when neighbors who had lived side by side for years without finding time to speak suddenly found themselves forming bonds that held up during the crisis.

“I know neighbors that didn’t talk to one another and now are almost like best friends,” said Councilmember Tyron Hampton. “They’re talking to each other regularly and they’re getting through this process together.”

Saturday’s lineup deliberately merges celebration with social consciousness.

Utopia Tribe, a DJ collective born during pandemic isolation, will share the bill with Los Jornaleros del Norte, a band formed after a 1995 immigration raid.

A food truck from Hutch’s Barbecue will service great food.

Armory arts will support an Art and Crafts Journey through music and art. Xavier Marcellus will be showing his pieces (@xavier_marcellus_ ) as well as local artist Ms Heather (@hhbarts).

When ICE began operations in June, planners faced a choice: proceed as scheduled or acknowledge that celebration felt wrong while community members hid from federal agents. They chose postponement and solidarity.

“The reason why it is joy as resistance [because] is love conquers all,” Hampton said. “And what we’ve seen has been a tremendous amount of love from our neighbors and also from the greater community.”

For Annang, who co-founded Pasadenans Organizing for Progress, the event represents something larger.

“The healing and joy has to come together. You have to be in spaces with community where you heal and cry and you let go. There’s a journey of this yet to go on.”

She frames Saturday’s gathering as both respite and preparation.

“On Monday we’ll get back on a different fight, but on Saturday we’ll be strong together.”

The event is free. Memorial Park is located in Old Pasadena along N. Raymond Avenue between Holly Street and Walnut Street.