Burn to Bloom: Redesigning Resilience with Whole-System Thinking | Katie Clark | TEDxAltadena
After losing her home in the Eaton Fire, Katie Clark realized that rebuilding isn’t just about structures—it’s about systems. In this urgent and visionary talk, she applies the principles of universal design to disaster recovery, asking: what if recovery worked for everyone, not just the most resourced? From tenants to longtime homeowners, Katie outlines a model where equity, dignity, and accessibility guide how communities truly rebuild—together. Dr. Katie Clark is a longtime Altadena renter, organizer, and local elected official. She has served as an elected Trustee of the Altadena Library District since 2018, and is one of the founders of the Altadena Tenants Union, created to ensure that renters had a voice in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire. She is a steering committee member for the Altadena Earthseed Community Land Trust, working towards community ownership and permanently affordable housing in Altadena. An Oxford-trained historian, she is also the founder and principal of The Applied Humanities, a creative consulting firm serving nonprofits locally and nationwide. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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