Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Michelson.
Hi Melissa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been an advocate for the little guy. It’s just within my nature. About 10 years ago, I started doing community organizing in my free time because I know there is power in numbers when fighting for a cause and protecting our community.
Altadena has been one of my communities in the San Gabriel Valley. I have spent time there with friends and always felt it was a home away from home with the mature trees and cooler climate. My friends in the low-lands of the San Gabriel Valley joked that it was the Wild West up there because it felt like almost anything was possible as people went about their business living in truly diverse community, out of the limelight of Pasadena.
When the fire ravaged Altadena and it was left to burn, I couldn’t just stand back. I’ve never been so close to a massive tragedy like this. At first, I didn’t know what I could do to help. Right after the fire, I started driving around and recording the addresses of homes that burned because those who were displaced were desperate to know what had happened to their property. I’d put the information on social media until I learned looters were making the rounds, so I quickly stopped reporting.
While I was up there assessing the scale of the destruction, about a week after the fire, I saw a truck driving around with “Altadena Not for Sale” written on it. Of course everyone had it in their head that Altadena would be up for grabs by vulture investors to capitalize on this disaster, snap up properties from the vulnerable, and build mega-developments, so when I saw the truck, I knew that was going to be my next move.
I followed the truck, we pulled over and I started talking to the driver. She had lost everything and also wanted to protect her community. She started to make t-shirts and other merch that said, “Altadena Not for Sale,” and I coordinated the yard-sign project, getting signs made, growing the cadre of like-minded residents, and making sure everyone who wants a sign for their yard, gets a sign. There are about 300 members of the group now. Residents can order a sign online, and I will deliver and post it in their front yard so they don’t have to. The residents are temporarily displaced and may not be in the area to do that, or it may be too traumatic for them to return to their rubble, so it’s the least I can do.
I also started a sign patrol service, where our volunteers will remove unauthorized signs that contractors have put on their property to advertise their services. It distresses the residents who feel exploited and who already feel their community is threatened as they are bombarded with unsolicited calls, texts and mail from relator-developers.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I work full time as an educator and am also active throughout the San Gabriel Valley, so managing my time and knowing my boundaries is important.
Also, when working with volunteers and people with different personalities, there have been instances where people won’t come through with promises, or they’re thinking more about their own egos or sensibilities than the cause. It’s complex to navigate, but I will keep going until there’s no more work to do to protect and restore lovely Altadena.
I often voice my concerns about how West Altadena was left to burn and how people feel abandoned by the authorities for not alerting them to the fire and/or not putting out fires the morning after the windstorm. Some on social media go on the attack complaining I don’t live in Altadena, but I know and I’m also told by many Altadenans, that what I’m doing is needed and appreciated. Stones cannot be cast in times of mass tragedy. We need to stick together and stay the course, otherwise we’ll be divided as a community and won’t be effective.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The mission of Altadena Not for Sale is to help the under- and non-insured be able to stay where they are after the devastating Eaton Fire and not fall prey to predatory land speculators, and to keep the community whole through education, advocacy and empowerment.
I’m happy to apply my skillset and energy toward post-fire Altadena, and I’m proud that we have about 400 signs out and are still going; people get excited by the message and are proud to post our signs on their lots or in their businesses. We are also starting to collaborate with local legislators to draft legislation that will put the mission of our group into practice and make it a tangible reality. Altadena Strong!
I’m most proud when people see me with a sign and ask me where I got it because they want one, too, and when I get messages of thanks from Altadenans. When I do the deliveries, sometimes the homeowners will be there, and they are so glad to see their sign arriving. One woman in her white clean up suit took a break from going through her rubble, gave me a hug and said she’s never been so happy to see a stranger.
Sometimes I’ll drive around and offer signs to people on their lots. Not once has someone said ‘no’ to a sign. Engaging with the residents is such a personal and touching experience. Many have angst about what will become of their neighborhood if neighbors start to sell the land off. I try to console them and give them hope, too. As an outsider who doesn’t know what it’s like to lose everything, it’s an awkward place to be in and sometimes I’ll just cry with them. The reality is, we just need to support each other, and that’s what I’m hoping to do with Altadena Not for Sale. I want them to know that we’ve got their backs and they’re not alone.
To get the word out to Altadenans about their rights as property owners during times of disaster, and also to tell them about alternatives to selling, I started producing informational, but also entertaining, videos. I’m proud to say those have gotten over 15k view each.
Community organizing can be thankless volunteer work. When you’re a leader, you’re the first person that gets attacked by opposition, and because a lot of it is behind the scenes, you often don’t get recognition. It’s not for everyone because it requires dedication, focus and stamina; not self-promotion, a weak personality, or scattered energy. On top of that, it requires work-life balance, self-care and financial stability, which is getting harder and harder to come by for many well-meaning people who want to make a difference. Advocating for my community in a meaningful way balances me as an individual.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I don’t see community organizing in general expanding, especially not in the current political climate. Social media, computer activists that are too shy to leave the security of their screens, the intensely fast news cycle and making ends meet are hurdles for this kind of work. Plus there’s no money in this. Dissent or speaking truth to power is now being rewarded with deportation and/or incarceration, or at the very least, cancellation, so the culture of fear will deter future movements and people from sticking their necks out. A lack of independent media doesn’t allow for unique stories and perspectives to shine through the buzz, and shadow-banning and throttling on social media platforms hinders independent, local community organizers and activists to share the work they’re doing. Unfortunately, it often takes a mass tragedy like this for the media to notice community organizing efforts.
In terms of Altadena, the Not for Sale movement is strong. There have been at least three other groups or individuals who’ve made their own t-shirt or yard signs designs that say Altadena Not for Sale, but ours are by far the most supported. Of course signs alone won’t stop properties from being sold to for-profit developers, but the signs give the community hope and determination as it shows outside developers, “We love Altadena, and we’re not leaving!”
Pricing:
- $10 per sign, if resident can afford it; otherwise $0
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/altanot4sale
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altanot4sale/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573000672527
- Other: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRg4pvpcxuSw7FnVch0Aben_AzGVf1E_9x8gfjD0xcDySIYbVPAESO_ME08pDbYYUULMiWQl-fBmqws/pub
