Guest Essay | The Matriarch: Honoring the Women Who Built, Protected, and Are Rebuilding Our Communities

I have always believed that when a community faces its greatest challenges, it is often women who lead the way. I know this because I grew up surrounded by a line of strong women. Born in Mexico and raised in a California farmworker community, I watched my mother work tirelessly to build a better future for our family. Her strength, sacrifice, and determination shaped my life and ultimately inspired my career advocating for others.

Today, I see that same strength in the women who survived the Eaton Fire. Mothers, grandmothers, business owners, and community leaders have stepped forward to protect their neighbors, preserve their history, and fight for the future of their communities.

I have heard stories of La Virgencita, the Virgin Mary, left standing in Altadena amid the ashes of the Eaton Fire. For so many families, she became a symbol of faith, protection, and endurance when everything around them was lost. In her honor, artist Lalo Alcaraz created a beautiful piece celebrating La Virgencita and the spirit of a community that refused to be erased. As Maya Angelou said, “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.”

On Tuesday, November 10, at 6 p.m., LA Fire Justice will host The Matriarch, an evening celebrating these extraordinary women through inspiring stories, community, and music.

But this evening is also about something I have spent my career fighting for: justice. Resilience should never be an excuse to let those responsible off the hook. Fire survivors should not have to choose between rebuilding their lives and demanding accountability. They deserve both.

Together, we will hear from local leaders and Eaton Fire survivors, discuss residents’ legal rights, and recognize what is at stake before the January 7, 2027 deadline to file a case against Southern California Edison.

Rebuilding our communities means ensuring that the families who made these neighborhoods what they are can continue to call them home.

I invite you to register for free at luma.com/LAFJMatriarch and to bring your community.-Maribel S. Medina, Attorney, LA Fire Justice