Rev. Al Sharpton
Wave Staff Report
PASADENA — Rev. Al Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, will lead a memorial service and rally Feb. 6 for victims of the devastating wildfires throughout greater Los Angeles, in an appearance with attorney Ben Crump, who represents relatives of several Southern Californians killed in the blazes.
The service will be held at noon at the First AME Church of Pasadena, 1700 N. Raymond Ave. Doors will open at 11 a.m.
“The wildfires scourging Los Angeles these last few weeks have been a devastating humanitarian and natural disaster,” Sharpton said. “People have lost their homes, their memories, and ultimately their lives to this devastation, while some have sought to use this horrific event to score political points.
“I will join with attorney Crump to bring the community together to mourn those we have lost and galvanize them to recover, restore and rebuild.”
Family members of people who lost their lives in the fire, including Evelyn McClendon, Erliene Kelley and Rodney Nickerson, have been invited to take part in the service. Also taking part in the service will be Pastor Larry Campbell.
At least 29 people died from the Eaton and Palisades fires, which began Jan. 7 during a freak windstorm and destroyed more than 6,000 homes as it raged across tens of thousands of acres.
Sharpton’s organization cited a recent UCLA study that said Black residents in Altadena were disproportionately affected by home losses in the Eaton Fire.
The 14,000-acre Eaton Fire devastated the predominantly Black area of Altadena — disrupting an aging community that has since lost a significant amount of its generational wealth.
