On the first day of the spring semester, the Cal State LA community gathered to comfort and support one another following the wildfires that have greatly impacted Los Angeles County since Jan. 7.

About 100 people, mostly faculty and staff, attended the Golden Eagles Rise Healing Session at the Golden Eagle Ballrooms on Jan. 21. The event served as a check-in for those in attendance, many of whom had not seen their colleagues since the start of the winter break, prior to the wildfires.

“We gather in the spirit of unity and compassion, acknowledging the profound impact of the recent fires have had on our beloved Los Angeles community,” President Berenecea Johnson Eanes said during her welcoming address. “Each of us has felt the weight of this tragedy. It is essential that we come together to support one another.”

Eanes said about 60 families from the Cal State LA community have either lost their homes or have been displaced long term by the fires. A zip code analysis estimates that about 600 people from the university, both students and employees, were impacted by evacuations.

Eanes encouraged attendees to gather in healing circles to share their experiences over the events of the past two weeks.

“Healing circles are vital during this time of crisis,” she said. “They offer us space to share our thoughts and feelings, to listen and to heal. I encourage everyone to express themselves openly. Together we can foster resilience in our community.”

Isis Stansberry, associate dean of community care, said the first questions at her healing circle usually were: How are you? How’s your family? Are you in a safe area?

“It’s very important for the university to do something like this because it provides an opportunity for the campus community to engage, to reconnect,” Stansberry said. “This is the first day of the spring semester, and for many of us this is the first chance we’re able to check in with each other and just be in community.”

The event also provided reminders of the resources available to those affected by the wildfires. Cal State LA formed the Golden Eagle LA Fires Recovery Fund to support the immediate needs of students, faculty, and staff impacted by the wildfires. The university has also been vigilant in sharing information about where campus members and surrounding community members can find additional support.

Frangelo Ayran, senior associate dean, said nearly 100 students have reached out for assistance via email, phone calls, and grant applications to the Office of the Dean of Students. Their needs ranged from financial support to emergency housing, from food to Wi-Fi access.

“We have a clear understanding of how we can support students,” Ayran said.

In attendance at the Healing Session were representatives from the university’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Human Resources Management.

CAPS is offering drop-in counseling sessions, either in-person or hybrid in-person/Zoom, to current students. CAPS services are covered by student health service fees, meaning there are no additional fees for the drop-in sessions.

Human Resources Management was on hand to inform university employees of their eligibility for catastrophic leave, which is available to those affected by a natural disaster.

To address the need, eligible employees will be allowed to donate accrued paid vacation and sick leave credits to co-workers in need of additional time off. Participation in the program is voluntary.

The entire Cal State LA community, including students, was encouraged via email to attend and participate in the healing session.

Earlier in the day, President Eanes sent a separate email message to welcome everyone to the new semester. She reiterated the university’s commitment to serving every student to the best of its ability.

“A great work of care is before us,” she said. “We will need to meet our students and our community in grief, fear, and uncertainty—not with an offer of false hope or assurances that are not in our power, but rather with the offer to do our best as a university determined to face the future alongside our LA community.”