Working on the 55-foot-long float (Photo – Wally Skalij)
On January 1, 2026, wildfire survivors will take center stage at the Rose Parade presented by Honda, representing thousands of families and individuals whose homes and communities were forever changed by the 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires.
By News Desk
The 55-foot-long float, Rising Together, will honor the resilience, courage and unity of survivors from Altadena, Sierra Madre, Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Pasadena before an international audience.
The California Community Foundation (CCF) and the Black Freedom Fund (BFF) announced they are co-sponsoring the float. Organizers emphasized that no funds designated to support wildfire survivors were used for the sponsorship. Instead, the float serves as a tribute to the 31 residents who lost their lives in the 2025 wildfires and honors the strength of more than 13,000 families who lost their homes.
The float’s design features a phoenix rising to symbolize renewal and collective strength, alongside California native plants and depictions of the San Gabriel Mountains, where the Eaton Fire burned. Waves and shoreline elements honor the coastal communities of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, devastated by the Palisades Fire. Thirty-one sunflowers appear on the float in remembrance of the lives lost.
Rendering of the Rose Parade float “Rising Together” (Photo – calfund.org)
Those riding on and walking alongside the float include families who lost their homes, older adults facing uncertainty about their future, community volunteers and grassroots leaders who organized food drives and mutual aid, and survivors representing the diverse communities impacted by the fires—many of whom continue to face disproportionate displacement and recovery barriers. The project also brings survivors together through hands-on experiences such as decorating the float and participating in pre-parade events, connecting communities from the Altadena foothills to the Malibu and Palisades coastlines.
Among the riders is Gina Clayton Johnson, founder and executive director of Essie Justice Group, who lost both her home and her parents’ home in the Eaton Fire. “Losing my home and seeing my parents lose theirs was devastating,” Clayton Johnson said. “What has carried me through is the strength of the community that raised me. Riding on this float is not about celebration; it is about honoring our neighbors who are still grieving, still rebuilding and still fighting for answers.”
Sue Kohl, president of the Pacific Palisades Community Council, who also lost her home, will ride on the float as well. “Losing my home and my town in the Palisades Fire was devastating, but today I ride to celebrate resilience, renewal and the unbreakable spirit of a community that refuses to be defined by loss,” Kohl said.
(L-R) Shimica Gaskins, Jacque Robinson-Baisley, Miguel Santana, and Myra Burg. The float, Rising Together, will honor survivors from Altadena, Sierra Madre, Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Pasadena before an international audience (Photo – Wally Skalij)
In the hours following the January 2025 fires, CCF responded through its Wildfire Recovery Fund as public donations surged. More than 48,000 donors contributed over $100 million, with $30 million deployed in the first 30 days to support emergency aid, shelter, mental health services and financial assistance. In total, CCF granted more than $60 million in 2025 to more than 270 local nonprofits assisting families with recovery and rebuilding.
“One year after the wildfires devastated our communities, this float stands as living proof that hope, compassion and collective action don’t just help us survive tragedy, they help us rebuild stronger together,” said CCF President and CEO Miguel A. Santana, reiterating that no wildfire funds were used to pay for the float.
BFF’s Black LA Relief & Recovery Fund distributed $3.5 million to more than 30 organizations serving Altadena and Pasadena wildfire survivors. “Their presence on the float honors the lives lost, symbolizes the resilience of survivors, and highlights the power of community support,” said BFF President and CEO Marc Philpart.
The float reflects the story of the 2025 wildfires through four themes: remembrance of those who died; community resilience and leadership; the disproportionate impact on Black and Latino families; and awareness of the long-term recovery still ahead. Research from UCLA found that in Altadena, nearly half of Black housing units were destroyed or severely damaged, compared to 37% for non-Black households, while Latino residents were overrepresented among low-income households.
Nearly one year after the fires, thousands of families continue to face insurance delays, rising rebuilding costs and ongoing emotional trauma. Organizers say Rising Together serves as a visible reminder that recovery will take years, and that sustained public attention and support remain essential.
The California Community Foundation (CCF) and the Black Freedom Fund (BFF) are co-sponsoring the float (Photo – Wally Skalij)
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