Rose Parade Float Will Honor Fire Victims and Survivors
Wildfire survivors and community leaders from Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena, and Pasadena will be riding on the “Rising Together” float in the Jan. 1 Rose Parade, which begins at 8 a.m.
The float, sponsored by the California Community Foundation and the Black Freedom Fund, will feature a phoenix rising, according to the organizers. Pacific Palisades Community Council President Sue Kohl, who lost her home in the Palisades Fire, will be one of the affected people on the float.
“It’s an incredible honor to ride on the Rose Parade float representing wildfire survivors,” Kohl said in an article from the organizer. “Losing my home and my town in the Palisades Fire was devastating, but … I ride to celebrate resilience, renewal and the unbreakable spirit of a community that refuses to be defined by loss.”
A few volunteer slots are available for people who would like to decorate the float on Dec. 28 or 29. Visit Float Decorating to participate.
No funds designated to support wildfire survivors were used in constructing the 55-foot long float, according to the organizers. The float is a tribute to the 31 people who lost their lives in the fires and the more than 13,000 families who lost their homes.
The float will feature California native plants and depictions of the San Gabriel Mountains, where the Eaton Fire burned, along with waves and shoreline elements honoring the coastal communities of Pacific Palisades and Malibu. To honor the lives lost, 31 sunflowers will be included as symbols of remembrance and resilience.
According to the organizer, those riding and walking alongside the float will include:
Families who lost their homes
Older adults who are facing uncertainty about their future
Community volunteers and grassroots leaders who organized food drives, resource sharing and emotional support networks in the fires’ aftermath
Survivors representing the diverse communities impacted, many of whom are experiencing disproportionate displacement and recovery barriers.
