Step by Step, Page by Page: Why I’m Hiking for Fire Recovery
Wildfires can erase buildings, but they can’t erase hope.
Every year, California communities face the devastating reality of fires that take homes, schools, libraries, and the sense of normalcy we too often take for granted. For students and teachers, the loss is especially heavy. It’s not just about classrooms destroyed — it’s about books missing from shelves, supplies vanished, safe spaces gone. And yet, somehow, those same students and teachers keep showing up. They keep walking forward.
That resilience is why I’m taking on my own challenge this fall: a three-day, 27-mile hike over my birthday weekend. I’ll be carrying a 20-pound pack step by step, not for myself, but for LA’s students, schools, teachers, and libraries impacted by this year’s fires. My goal is to raise $$ for seven education-focused nonprofits that are on the ground providing recovery support.
Endurance on the Trail = Endurance in Recovery
Training for this hike has shown me something important: endurance is about more than strength. It’s about persistence, patience, and faith that the next step matters, even when the trail is steep or the weight feels heavy.
Isn’t that the same lesson fire-impacted families and educators live every day? They wake up, carry burdens no child or teacher should have to, and still keep moving. Their endurance is measured not in miles, but in courage — showing up to teach, to learn, and to restore normalcy.
My hike is symbolic of that journey. Every step is a reminder that recovery is not fast or easy — but it is possible.
Page by Page: Journals for Resilience
This hike is also fueling something new: the creation of a Recovery Journal. As a writing teacher, I’ve seen how powerful a blank page can be. It’s a safe space — a place to process, to imagine, to be fully yourself when the outside world feels uncertain.
When students return to school after fire devastation, they deserve more than just supplies. They deserve tools for resilience and hope. These journals will give kids, teens, and teachers a place to capture their stories, build confidence, and heal through creativity.
I think of girls like Avery, the 9th grader starting at a new high school, who founded Altadena Girls, creating a back-to-school shopping event for peers impacted by the Eaton and Palisades fires. Or Elciana, a 13-year-old from Northern California who lost her own home to wildfire five years ago, yet donated handmade care packages and heartfelt notes to help others. Their voices remind me that resilience doesn’t just rebuild communities, it inspires them to grow stronger.
The journal project is my way of making sure every student, teacher, or community member has a creative outlet. Because recovery isn’t only about bricks and bookshelves; it’s about rebuilding the inner world, too.
Join Me: Step by Step, Page by Page
From September 29 to October 1, I’ll put my endurance to the test. Twenty-seven miles. Three days. One purpose: helping restore what was lost.
You can walk with me — not on the trail, but in spirit. By pledging per mile, donating, or preordering a Recovery Journal, you’ll help transform steps into supplies, and pages into resilience.
👉 Text **NEWNORMAL4LA** to 707070 or visit pledge.to/la-fire-relief-for-kids-teens-teachers-schools to donate.
Together, step by step and page by page, we can make sure hope is never erased.
