Dear Friend,

California is no stranger to the devastation of wildfires, and we are terribly saddened at the Maui fire that has so far claimed the lives of 93 people and decimated the historic town of Lahaina.

Thousands of people have lost their homes, and shelters are overflowing with those seeking a place to stay and food to eat.

You can help. On-the-ground groups including Our Hawai’i, Kāko ‘o Maui, and Maui Mutual Aid has created the Maui Just Recovery fund to house, feed, and support displaced families, now and in the future.

Will you donate to help those affected by the Maui fire? 100% of your donation will go to the Maui Just Recovery Fund.

The loss of Lahaina is especially significant to the indigenous people of Maui, as it was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. A heritage museum with artifacts hundreds of years old burned to the ground, as well as nearly 1,000 other buildings.(1)

Unfortunately, Maui is an island whose inhabitants were already struggling to preserve their heritage and their livelihoods in their own land. The island lives on tourism, but tourism is simultaneously killing the island.

Foreign-owned hotels house 3 million visitors annually who decimate the resources of the island — draining the drinkable water, wrecking the roads, littering, and harming sacred monuments and wilderness areas.(2)

It’s incredibly important that as Lahaina and the rest of Maui tries to rebuild, the indigenous Hawaiians make the decisions of what that looks like, and what is best for them.

That’s why the Maui Just Recovery Fund is not focusing only on immediate needs from the fire, but also providing resources dedicated to ensuring that the voice of the people of Maui are heard loudest during the recovery.

Please help those affected by the Maui fire today and in the future.

–Irene, along with Angela, Annie, Isidra, Jen, and Lindsay (the Courage team) 

Donations go to support all of Courage California's work for a more progressive California and country. Follow us now on Facebook or Twitter!

Footnotes:
1. https://slate.com/business/2023/08/maui-fire-hawaii-lahaina-climate-change.html
2. https://www.sfgate.com/hawaii/article/should-hawaii-visitors-stop-traveling-to-maui-18140407.php

Courage California (formerly Courage Campaign) makes sure our democracy works for ALL of us by fighting corruption in California politics. We believe the solution lies in exposing and solving systemic problems through strategic organizing, enhancing coordination between progressive organizations, and mobilizing civic engagement from our communities, particularly voters of color, young voters, and self-identified progressives. The Courage California Institute is the educational arm of the Courage California family of organizations. Our mission is to defend and extend human rights through innovative leadership development, training, strategic research, and public education.

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