Hello from LA

By now, you've seen or heard of the wildfires that have ravaged (and at the point of writing this, are still ravaging) Los Angeles. And maybe the people who have the most to say about how "LA won't be the same" have a point— we won't be the same after this; we'll be stronger. 🤝

I haven't seen a community, from all walks of life and all races, rally together in unison as quickly as those in LA have. Because what a lot of people who don't live here don't see is that LA isn't made up of just Hollywood stars and A-list celebrities; it's also families who are trying to survive, stuffing three generations into a one bedroom apartment. It's dreamers and doers and creatives and working class people who clock in at three jobs for the potential to go after their ambitions once they clock out.

Our thoughts and prayers are for everyone impacted by the fires, for those who are displaced, being forced to rebuild, or those who feel survivor's guilt for not being able to offer even more to a city (and its people) that have given us so much in return.

To be completely honest with y'all, it still doesn't feel totally right to get back to the regular scheduled programming that is content and newsletters and brand collaborations, so today's message is all about how we can move forward as a community and a nation with more compassion in our hearts. We love you, Los Angeles, and we always will. 🙏

A Message from Los Angeles🏙I owe it to this incredible city that’s given me and everyone who chases their dreams here SO much, my absolute best effort of support back. Say what you want about LA from the outside of it. I was in Altadena today, which got absolutely scorched, and there are people up and down the road for blocks, helping their neighbors clean their homes, people making donations, free food and clothes everywhere. People of every color, class, political views aside, came together to help rebuild immediately.🤞 It was an emotional & beautiful sight to see.

With the link in my bio, you can find a list of every resource you can help whether you are in LA or not. You will also find links to some people who I hold very close to my heart that have lost their homes. If a donation isn’t possible, even a simple share, which is free to do, is very appreciated. I also encourage you to please share in the comments more fundraisers for individuals and small businesses that need help rebuilding, as I will do everything within my capacity to help. This platform we’ve got built isn’t just for me, it’s for us. Thank you, and I love u all -AP

For any crisis you may be going through in your life, sometimes the best thing you can do is to take a step back and refrain from ruminating. Try not to make things for the sake of simply making something because creating should never come from a place of force, but flow.😌 It should feel right; purposeful, like you were meant to share this piece of you, not because you had to but because you wanted to.

January is off to a crazy start but I still have high hopes for the rest of the year. We, not just us Angelenos but as a collective, will continue to stick together and push through every adversity that comes our way.💪I have no doubt whatsoever that the creative community will be kicking ass in 2025 and I'm still looking forward to seeing how y'all transmute your pain into your passions. Happy creating y'all, I'll see you on a lighter note for next week's Creator Spotlight! ✌️

Have a question about cameras/editing/technical skills? Ask Adrian here! Your question may be featured and answered in depth on the following week’s newsletter.