Writer Emily Witt (<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/718547/health-and-safety-by-emily-witt/">&ldquo;Health and Safety: A Breakdown&rdquo;</a>) has spent the past two weeks on the ground covering the Los Angeles wildfires for The New Yorker. Her latest story centers around the Benns (7:00), a multigenerational Black family with deep ties to Altadena (9:30), where they&rsquo;ve raised children in homes they&rsquo;ve owned dating back to the late 1950s (16:00). We discuss how they&rsquo;re managing as the Eaton fire continues to rage (17:00), the value of community in crisis (19:00), and the measures the city was urged to take to mitigate this disaster (23:00). On the back half, Witt reflects on her 2023 interview with Mayor Karen Bass (30:00), the prophetic work of Altadena author Octavia Butler (37:00), how on-the-ground reporting offers a chance to &ldquo;write a first draft of history&rdquo; (45:00), and where Los Angeles goes from here (55:00). To help support the Benn family, visit their <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-the-benn-family-rebuild-after-devastating-wildfire">GoFundMe</a> or text &ldquo;Talk&rdquo; to 858-358-5881.&nbsp; And special thanks to Weyes Blood.See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

Podurama

Home

Trending

Personal

Your Podcasts

New Episodes

My Files

Favourite Episodes

Tags (Folders)

Recently Played

Bookmarks

Followed Playlists

The Week That Changed Los Angeles

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

AI Chapters

AI Insights

Reviews