013: How to be an Emergent Leader with Jocksana Corona

How to Disaster

“Being a volunteer is a privilege… I wasn't documented so I volunteered a lot. And that volunteer work led many doors to be opened up for me.” -Jocksana Corona

Episode Description:

On September 8th of 2020, Oregon continues in high alert as another brush fire sparks along Almeda Drive, the 18th fire of the 2020 Wildfire Season. With unusually strong winds and extremely dry conditions, the recipe for an impending inferno is complete. Raging NW through Ashland, Talent, and Phoenix, the Almeda Fire finally ended its rage in the county’s very seat in Medford. It burned 3200 acres of land, destroyed over 3000 structures, and left 3 fatalities.

Jocksana Corona, a citizen from Talent, remembers that day like an unending nightmare. They had to evacuate four times in 24 hours, their house burned down, their family member was stuck between two fires, their cats missing, and their hopes crushed to the ground. In this episode, Jocksana relates the heart-wrenching story of how they battled through the burning embers of the wildfire and the society’s relief system as a member of the undocumented community. Stay until the end to hear how this story ends!

As an emergent leader, Jocksana also shares how her prior volunteer works have helped her during these challenging times and how it opened the way for her to support fellow undocumented members of the community before, during, and after the fire. Like Jocksana, there are millions of undocumented citizens living in the US alone, and they are paying into a system where they cannot access. During a disaster, they are deprived of the right to rebuild, recover, and reimagine. Join the conversation and find out how we can rectify this dysfunction in our system and create a better world for everyone, regardless of status and background.

Connect with After the Fire: Recover. Rebuild. Reimagine.

Website : https://afterthefireusa.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfterTheFireUSA

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfterTheFireUSA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterthefireusa/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/after-the-fire-usa-8241b7217/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuTefxZgWUJkDVoZGZQpxgQ

Highlights:

00:43 When the Reg Flag Stands

16:22 Stuck In Between Two Fires

21:26 A Tearful, Sleepless Night

27:29 Finding Shelter Amidst COVID

32:44 Being a Volunteer is a Privilege

40:00 The Beauty of a Community

45:00 Challenges Faced by the Undocumented Community

54:07 Housing and Undocumented Communities

59:51 54 Days and Reunited