A tragedy with the breadth and scope of last year’s wildfires leaves lasting impacts upon communities, and as the one-year anniversary of the Redwood Complex fires approaches, staff and volunteers at the Ukiah Library are creating a mechanism for community members to memorialize their experience through stories and art.
Jannah Minnix is the Children’s Librarian for the Ukiah Branch of the Mendocino County Library. She is heading up the Mendo Fire Story Book project, which has been funded through a grant facilitated by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County.
The idea for the project evolved organically, as library staff provided support for fire survivors and others affected by the incident. Minnix recalls her own experience as she was returning to the Bay Area from Europe as the fires erupted.
“When the fire was starting, I was on a plane returning from London. My partner was in Redwood Valley where we live. He did not get an evacuation text. I was in the air for nine hours, with no connection to my family or my home. On the plane, I drew a picture of myself staring out the window, clutching a stuffed animal I’d purchased for a gift. I remember thinking, if the plane never lands, I don’t have to find out what happened.”
A former 911 dispatcher, Minnix knew the drill. She stopped at Walmart in Santa Rosa to purchase supplies for first responders before heading north to determine the fate of her Redwood Valley home.
“Everyone in the store was rushing around. A random stranger asked me, ‘Did you make it out?’ I told her I didn’t know. I asked the stranger, ‘What about you?’ She told me they had lost everything.”
Immediately following the fires, the library became an impromptu resource center, where people would come to use computers, access information or simply take a break.
“Libraries are a bastion of stories. We knew we wanted to use the library as a tool to heal our community. Our Facebook group took off. But as the fires subsided, the rest of the world seemed to have forgotten us. We are important, and our stories matter, which is why we wanted to offer this book project to the community,” she continues.
By springtime, with life assuming a more familiar shape and schedule, the concept for a community-created story book began to coalesce. The Friends of the Library acted as the official applicant for funding.
“After explaining the storybook and art workshop ideas to Megan Barber Allende and Michelle Rich at the Community Foundation, the Redwood Valley and Santa Rosa Community Recovery Fund was suggested as a possible funding source. With their assistance, I wrote a proposal and applied,” says Minnix. The grant committee reviewed the application and last week, Minnix received notification that the funding had been approved.
Funds from the grant will be used to assist with the production of the story book. The library, California H.O.P.E., Ree Slocum, photographer and writer, Rose Bell, project manager for Mendocino Rebuilding Our Community and Carole Brodsky, freelance writer are contributing in-kind skills and resources to the project.
The idea for the story book is multi-faceted, according to Minnix. “It’s an opportunity to facilitate healing, to preserve our stories as a historic document and to create a tome of collective wisdom. As we look back, what have we learned? What did we lose? What did we gain? We want to encourage the public to share what they need to help them move on, to process trauma, and to create a book that will memorialize our community experience.”
With funding secured, Minnix is seeking submissions for the book. “People may submit their own written stories if they wish. Professional writers will also be available to assist people if they would prefer to be interviewed rather than write their story themselves,” says Minnix.
Interviews will be scheduled and conducted at the Ukiah Library, with the goal of showcasing approximately 30 to 50 individual stories, depending on story length and the number of submissions received.
The book will also feature a number of color pages, affording people the opportunity to share works of art that express their experience, feelings or lessons learned from the fires. Those interested in submitting a piece of art for possible inclusion in the book are encouraged to contact Minnix to discuss the submission of photos and two-dimensional art work. Images should be in .JPG or .GIF format, with 300 dpi at 100 percent resolution preferred. Library staff are happy to help with scanning of images if necessary.
There is no age limit for the project. Parents should contact Minnix regarding their child’s story idea. Not every submission will be selected for publication. Project editors will create the final compilation of stories and visual works.
“We are seeking essays and narratives, poetry, two-dimensional art and photographs. Topics may include what life was like before the fires, what the fire experience was like for you, how life has been in the aftermath, what you have learned, or what others should know. These are just a few ideas, and what is important is what is important for the person submitting the story or artwork,” Minnix notes.
Along with stories from those who lost their homes or loved ones in the fires, Minnix hopes that a diverse range of storytellers will contribute to the project. “We hope that members of the first responder community, business people, church and community leaders, educators – in short, anyone who has been impacted by the fires will feel moved to share their stories.”
“The plan is for a tentative run of 250 copies, with proceeds going to the Community Foundation Disaster Relief Fund,” Minnix notes. All contributors will receive a copy of the book as a gift, and the cost of the books to the public will be affordable.
The project will also incorporate art created by the Out of the Ashes art group. “This art group has been mentoring and staying in touch with each other since the fires,” says Minnix. Local poet Linda Noel is also planning to put together poetry events during the months of October and November, and poetry submissions are encouraged.
Another portion of the grant proposal covers the cost for six therapeutic Hands-on Healing art classes facilitated by Nori Dolan. “There will be six classes for kids and six for adults, to help anyone affected by the fires,” says Minnix. “Trauma is not limited to people who lost something physical. Every sector of our community was affected by the fires.”
The first round of allocations has been funded. Longtime thespian Ellen Weed was awarded scholarship funds for her annual First Person Plural monologues, which will cover the cost of workshop fees for participants. There will be First Person readings at the Ukiah Senior Center and the Redwood Valley Grange in September.
For those who would prefer to write their own submission, Minnix suggests limiting your word count to 2,500 words or less, which is approximately five single-spaced 8.5-inch-by-11-inch pages.
Because reliving the trauma associated with a disaster can be a troubling, triggering event, Minnix encourages people considering submissions to first honor themselves and their well-being. “If you’re not ready to talk about what happened, respect that you’re not ready.
“That being said,” says Minnix, “no story is too insignificant, and we encourage everyone to think about whether they are ready with a story to tell or an art project to share.”
For those not accustomed to being interviewed, a series of “prompt” questions are available for people wishing to receive tips on how to approach their story.
The interviews will be held at the Ukiah library. Minnix hopes to wrap up the interview process by Sept. 29, with a book release event scheduled in early 2019. Interviewers are finalizing their availability so that scheduling can be arranged for those wishing to be interviewed.
For those wishing to have images considered, to submit your own written Fire Story or to discuss the project, email MendoFireStorybook@gmail.com to obtain a release form, or phone Minnix at (707) 463-4490.