Hundreds of Bruins attended UCLA First Thursdays in Carnesale Commons Feb. 6 to write postcards thanking first responders, sign up to support community recovery efforts and build connections in the wake of the fires that devastated the Los Angeles region.
The “Bruins Love LA”–themed event, which was moved from Westwood Village to the Hill due to the rain, gave students and the community an opportunity to come together to support each other and those who have suffered so much loss.
“First Thursdays has always been about bringing people together, and at this moment in time, connections to each other and our community are more important than ever,” said Mary Osako, UCLA’s vice chancellor for strategic communications. “We are expressing our love and gratitude for our first responders and learning about opportunities to help with recovery and to support one another.”
Among other activities at First Thursdays, students were able to write postcards to first responders, as well as organizations that provided relief and support as people were evacuated from homes during the fires.
About three dozen police, fire and other emergency personnel traveled from sister campuses to UCLA to offer mutual aid reinforcements during the critical days when fires were not contained and spreading quickly.
How UCLA is helping Bruins and the L.A. community
UCLA alumnus Darrel Scott, a volunteer at First Thursdays postcard-writing station, said, like many people, he was traumatized by how close and sudden the fires felt.
“Community is important. Embracing the people that are always here to help is important,” he said. “The more that the people that help us know that they’re wanted, needed and appreciated, the more able they’ll be to do their jobs.”
The UCLA Volunteer Center was at the event to recruit Bruins for community-led relief operations. UCLA alumnus and program coordinator Jeffrey Hwang said the center is working with nonprofits to sign up volunteers for relief efforts throughout the winter and spring quarters. The center provides transportation and gives volunteers a chance to build connections while helping others.
“There were so many people wanting to help when the wildfires first started,” Hwang said. “I think that’s really instilled something in us where we want to come together as a community with this tragedy. We’re just trying to keep up that enthusiasm — and hopefully have the community coming out to help out these wildfire relief companies.”
Staff was also on hand to ask for support for the Bruin Wildfire Relief Funds, which help employee and students impacted by the fires. Numerous staff, faculty, students and other members of the Bruin community have suffered tremendous losses, Hwang noted.
The importance of connections among the Bruin community
“This has been a great opportunity for us to all come together, no matter which part of UCLA that we’re affiliated with,” said Dima Zarook, UCLA alumna and assistant director of annual giving. “It’s great to connect with the Bruin community in this time of tragedy, to give back and support one another, and offer each other some comfort during these difficult times.”
Rhea Gill, a Student Committee for the Arts member and a second-year public affairs and dance major, was busy writing poems with the UCLA Poetry Bureau. Seated at typewriters, the poets were ready to craft poems for attendees based on their responses to questions. Gill said everyone in the organization is artistic — and excited to write and give out pieces of poetry because they are both physical and personal.
“It’s obviously a very tough time for L.A., which is such a wonderful melting pot for not just people, but art in general,” she said. “There’s a lot of healing through storytelling in all sorts of art forms.”
Other activities of the event included button and bracelet making, henna art, knitting, live portraits, therapy dogs, a photo booth and a Bruin clothing donation drive.
The spring edition of UCLA First Thursdays is set to take place May 1 in Westwood Village.
More photos of the event (David Esquivel/UCLA):
