herbal mutual aid
in response to the LA fires - originally written and shared on January 13, 2025
Hi, folks. Long time, no inbox.
Writing to you from the Mid-City region of Los Angeles, which is currently banding together through a state of emergency due to the windswept fires that have completely devoured historic neighborhoods and beautiful nature reprieves.
The family-oriented neighborhoods in Pasadena, the historically black neighborhoods of Altadena and the beautiful nature of the East side is deeply affected. At the time of writing this email, the west side fires, in the idyllic oceanside Pacific Palisades, have consumed 23,713 acres of canyons and mountain lands, Pacific Coast Highway, neighborhoods and human-made structures galore.
It’s a bizarre start to the new year, to 2025.
There is an enmeshment of many feelings here - the feelings of the Earth reminding us of her power - we literally live on her body. Nature does not discriminate, it is something I love about her, and what makes her terrifying. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you have, when she comes, she comes strong. Perhaps she is screaming at humanity for the deep ways we have been exploiting and expunging her resources.
The bombs dropped creating humanitarian crises beyond comprehension, the water misused and mismanaged and disrespected as our core need, the earth drilled into for reserves of oil, with little regard for the humans and non-human beings that it hurts. The surge of AI alone, so much energy that it eats up per search. It is normal to feel angry and cynical in moments like this. I feel the animosity and aggression towards the “System”, with a devout awareness that the System is made up of individuals that MAKE THESE CHOICES, with awareness of consequence, the rich become richer. There are many big wig Oil companies and executives to hate on for this, and trust me, I do - it is opportunity to learn who we support with our often hard-earned money.
I also see the immense value in community at times like this. We move into a space where what is mine is OURS. What matters is immediate care and needs being met. People have completely lost all of their earthly possessions in these fires. People who are artists, creatives, who have had positive influence on the world.
It is a bizarre time. And again, we weave community. I felt the need to call in herbalism (no surprise there) for this dilemma, so we created an LA Herbal Fire Initiative. This is a project that I am spearheading with the devoted energy and diligence of my dear friends and colleagues Cita of Ancestral Arts and Brett of The Yummy Heart. I have highlighted that, alongside a few other things down below.
I see herbalists here in LA forming as a collective like I have not seen in my 3 years here. With every trajedy, there comes grace. I feel good about this silver lining.
We’re not out in the clear yet, we have more wind warnings, so keep LA (and the rest of the world) in your prayers, and let’s be better to the Earth my friends.
LA Fire Herbal Mutual Aid Coalition
how to help our mission:
We are collecting:
Bulk herbs
Solvents / alcohol, glycerin, oils
1 oz and 2 oz bottles
1 oz and 2 oz jars
Tea bags for loose leaf tea
Ready made medicines - Tinctures / Hydrosols / Infused Oils / Tea blends
Mission:
To distribute these kits to fire shelters, firefighters, volunteers on the ground, unhoused community members, and those directly affected by the fires.
Special attention will be given to those who are not online or unable to easily access resources. Our goal is to provide holistic relief and comfort to any and all who are needing it, asking for support, during this time (and ultimately… beyond).
If you are an herbalist and would like to support this initiative by providing materials for medicine making or ready made medicines, please visit this Google Doc and fill in.
If you would like to monetarily support, we are receiving donations for buying materials, for shipping costs and for travel costs in making these kits! You many Venmo Sophia-Avra or Paypal Avraveda@gmail.com.
If you would like to support by sharing your time, sign up on the sheet to volunteer for the creation and distribution of these kits!
other updates + ways to support
ironic happenings + offerings
I also have another announcement to make, and this one has quite a bit of irony in it. I recently re-branded my website (go check it out, I think it looks beautiful), and I re-opened the shop to include one of my favorite offerings.
This is where the irony comes in. I recently, for the holidays, had created three new smoking blends, for my friends who love to:
1. smoke tobacco and are looking for a healthier alternative to wean off the nicotine
2. smoke weed and are looking to not get high off of THC and want to feel relaxed from CBD
3. smoke in ceremony, with intentional and harmonious herbal allies guiding their way.
It is ironic because we are dealing with fires, which ultimately is the element needed in order for these smoking blends to work - and because we are creating respiratory kits to help folks from smoke inhalation and damage. All that to say, I’ve gotten immense feedback that these blends have been especially helpful for friends who are on the ground here because the hemp flower CBD is delightfully calming to the nervous system and reduces feelings of anxiety and fear.
This is my announcement that my Venus Smoke Blend, Lunar Smoke Blend, and Mercury Smoke Blend are all now available via my website.
To be rolled up with care and inhaled and exhaled with intention and appreciation for the lungs, the air, and the relationship between the two. And to be, most importantly, smoked mindfully and responsibly in areas that are NOT PRONE TO FIRE.
In addition, I’ve added the Saturns Blessings balm to the website. It’s a more refined version of the beloved Rainbow Salve I’ve made so many times. With Lifter flowers and many herbal allies great for skin conditions and nourishing skin in dry, cold, or rough wind areas. )
50% of any sales that I make on my brand new webshop (after closing it for the past 8 months), I will take to turn into resources for our LA Fire Herbal Initiative.
We have been hosting more events at the house lately. Just a few days before the fires ran rampant hosted a 25-person clothing swap that generated the gift economy that i believe many of us are seeking these days. The “I have an abundance of this, and I’d like to share it with you” mindset. The “we don’t need to spend money to feel connected and have a good time” mindset. That mindset exists deeply in the farming community, in the community of people who grow their own gardens and food. And It’s important to create that in whatever community you find yourself in. We all have gifts we can share - in the form of knowledge, wisdom, humor, skill sets, storytelling, or literal physical + material possessions, money, food, shelter.
I’ve also been running a monthly circuit that is called Poetea, that infuses poetry with an herbal tea ceremony. It is both rooted and esoteric, and we are scheduled to have another session in a week and a half, given that everything is safe.
If you are in LA and would like to connect, please email me to get on the events invitation circuits.
as always, a thank you and an “i-don’t-take-you-for-granted” for all the folks on this newsletter, for all the herbalists growing and collecting and sharing the plants, and for mother nature for providing us with these healing plants in the first place.
It is 100000% in my mission and integrity to make sure all the donations, herbal, monetary, and time / energy / love / prayers etc. are utilized to their UTMOST, and OPTIMAL value. I thank you alll for being here and am excited to update as the work continues on.
With love, Sophia Avramides of Avraveda