Keychain Project Mission
Keychain Project - Empowering Communities
A key has power. It’s often the last item you place in your pocket or toss in your bag as you set out for a neighborhood walk, and it’s the one thing you always search for upon your return. Keys are among the most vital tools humans own; the jingle of your keys brings a sense of safety. They are essential for daily life, yet they can be elusive, often lost and found multiple times throughout the day, much like your eyeglasses. Keys can be hidden, shared, lost, or found, and they can either stick or work smoothly. For anyone who has lost their home due to the Eaton Fire, we kindly ask that you do not discard your old keys. We are establishing drop sites for a memorial project to collect these keys and transform them into a tribute to the affected communities. We believe this initiative will foster community empowerment and serve as a powerful visual statement to help people move forward. Caty Maxey, volunteer
STORIES
Frank Schlegel
THE KEYS TO NOWHERE by Leslie Aitken
ASHES AND ECHOES PROJECT
Photographer Frank Schlegel lost everything in the Eaton Fire, but his passion to document the experience remains intact. In a journey towards community empowerment and to cope with his loss, Frank has been capturing photos of the devastation and has generously allowed me to use some for this memorial project. I took this photo of Frank o
Photographer Frank Schlegel lost everything in the Eaton Fire, but his passion to document the experience remains intact. In a journey towards community empowerment and to cope with his loss, Frank has been capturing photos of the devastation and has generously allowed me to use some for this memorial project. I took this photo of Frank on the morning we were evacuated, unaware that his home was already gone. You can see more of Frank's powerful images on Instagram @frank8x.
ASHES AND ECHOES PROJECT
THE KEYS TO NOWHERE by Leslie Aitken
ASHES AND ECHOES PROJECT
Check out the link to LA Fire Justice to view the memorial project, 'Capturing and Preserving our Community's Narrative,' which highlights the voices of the Eaton Fire and emphasizes community empowerment.
THE KEYS TO NOWHERE by Leslie Aitken
THE KEYS TO NOWHERE by Leslie Aitken
THE KEYS TO NOWHERE by Leslie Aitken
I have the keys to nowhere and nothing. They and their whereabouts were important to me and my life, much like community empowerment through shared memories and experiences. I used them to start my car and open doors to places and things that no longer exist. Their noisy jingling signaled that Mom was leaving and told Sparky and Spot it w
I have the keys to nowhere and nothing. They and their whereabouts were important to me and my life, much like community empowerment through shared memories and experiences. I used them to start my car and open doors to places and things that no longer exist. Their noisy jingling signaled that Mom was leaving and told Sparky and Spot it was time to go 'bye bye in the car.' They were essential tools to a life that is no more, similar to the Eaton Fire's impact on our community. With no shed, no car, and no doors left to open, I find myself replaced by unfamiliar things and places, not mine—relics of the past, much like the memories we honor in the memorial project.