Longtime Altadena resident and Hollywood vet Andre Barnwell reflects on the community’s character—three distinct neighborhoods, strong Black homeownership, indie business vibe—and the night the Eaton Fire upended assumptions with 90-mph Santa Ana winds. Out of the devastation, he’s developing a youth-centered scripted series set in Altadena to create local jobs, showcase student talent, and reframe the town with optimism.

Why Listen
First-person fire account from a 25-year resident
Practical blueprint for community-rooted production
How incentives are shifting filming geographies (GA/TX/Canada)
Proof that hyper-local youth stories travel

Chapters

00:00 Intros • 02:14 Andre’s path (Philly → BET DC → LA)
04:59 Altadena’s map: East / Central / “The Meadows”
07:49 Indie business DNA; low-franchise culture
11:11 Altadena/Pasadena as “LA’s exterior lot”
15:11 Fire night: evacuations, horses running uphill, survivor’s guilt
21:01 The series idea; 26:22 Pilot shot, financing phase

Key Takeaways
Place matters: Multi-generational Black homeownership strengthened resilience.
Protect the vibe: Indie shops over franchises preserve identity.
Build a pipeline: Student-led series = local crews, recurring jobs, long-term impact.

Notable Quotes
“When you see an oak tree bend, that’s a whole different level.” — Andre
“Let’s brand Altadena with something positive.” — Andre

Follow/Resources
Andre’s YouTube: The Way We Do It — @TTWWDITV
Seeking partners: pitch deck + pilot completed; financing underway

Host

Colby “Colb” Tyner — SVP, Programming, Urban One / Reach Media
📩 ctyner@radio-one.com • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colbycolbtyner • IG: @officialcolbycolb • BlueSky: @colbycolb.bsky.social

How to Help

Urban One supports Brotherhood Crusade’s Wildfire Relief Fund aiding Altadena/Pasadena families affected by the Eaton Fire. Donate at BrotherhoodCrusade.org. Have updates or firsthand stories? Contact Colby.

Longtime Altadena resident and Hollywood vet&nbsp;Andre Barnwell&nbsp;reflects on the community&rsquo;s character&mdash;three distinct neighborhoods, strong Black homeownership, indie business vibe&mdash;and the night the&nbsp;Eaton Fire&nbsp;upended assumptions with&nbsp;90-mph Santa Ana winds. Out of the devastation, he&rsquo;s developing a&nbsp;youth-centered scripted series set in Altadena&nbsp;to create local jobs, showcase student talent, and reframe the town with optimism.
Why Listen
<ul data-start="767" data-end="997">
<li>First-person fire account from a 25-year resident</li>
<li>Practical blueprint for&nbsp;community-rooted production</li>
<li>How incentives are shifting filming geographies (GA/TX/Canada)</li>
<li>Proof that&nbsp;hyper-local youth stories travel</li>
</ul>
Chapters
00:00 Intros &bull; 02:14 Andre&rsquo;s path (Philly &rarr; BET DC &rarr; LA) 04:59 Altadena&rsquo;s map: East / Central / &ldquo;The Meadows&rdquo; 07:49 Indie business DNA; low-franchise culture 11:11 Altadena/Pasadena as &ldquo;LA&rsquo;s exterior lot&rdquo; 15:11 Fire night: evacuations, horses running uphill, survivor&rsquo;s guilt 21:01 The series idea; 26:22 Pilot shot, financing phase
Key Takeaways
<ul data-start="1372" data-end="1623">
<li>Place matters:&nbsp;Multi-generational Black homeownership strengthened resilience.</li>
<li>Protect the vibe:&nbsp;Indie shops over franchises preserve identity.</li>
<li>Build a pipeline:&nbsp;Student-led series = local crews, recurring jobs, long-term impact.</li>
</ul>
Notable Quotes
<ul data-start="1643" data-end="1785">
<li>&ldquo;When you see an oak tree bend, that&rsquo;s a whole different level.&rdquo; &mdash; Andre</li>
<li>&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s brand Altadena with something positive.&rdquo; &mdash; Andre</li>
</ul>
Follow/Resources
<ul data-start="1807" data-end="1939">
<li>Andre&rsquo;s YouTube:&nbsp;The Way We Do It&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;@TTWWDITV</li>
<li>Seeking partners:&nbsp;pitch deck + pilot completed; financing underway</li>
</ul>
Host
Colby &ldquo;Colb&rdquo; Tyner&nbsp;&mdash; SVP, Programming, Urban One / Reach Media 📩 ctyner@radio-one.com&nbsp;&bull; LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colbycolbtyner &bull; IG: @officialcolbycolb &bull; BlueSky: @colbycolb.bsky.social
How to Help
Urban One supports Brotherhood Crusade&rsquo;s Wildfire Relief Fund&nbsp;aiding Altadena/Pasadena families affected by the Eaton Fire. Donate at&nbsp;BrotherhoodCrusade.org. Have updates or firsthand stories? Contact Colby.

Altadena: After The Fire – An Urban One podcast chronicling the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, which devastated Altadena, California, in January 2025. A historic center of Black prosperity and culture, the community lost over 7,000 homes, schools, and businesses, leaving thousands displaced and fighting to rebuild.Hosted by Colby Colb, this series brings you on-the-ground reporting, in-depth interviews, and real stories of resilience. We examine the personal toll of the disaster, the environmental and political factors at play, and the ongoing efforts to restore Altadena’s rich cultural heritage.We’re also supporting the Brotherhood Crusade’s Wildfire Relief Fund, helping affected families and businesses recover. Visit UrbanOneCares.com to contribute.Join us as we document the journey of a community determined to rise from the ashes.If you have updated information or firsthand stories to share, feel free to reach out directly to Colby.
Email: ctyner@radio-one.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colbycolbtyner
Instagram: @officialcolbycolb
BlueSky: @colbycolb.bsky.social

Altadena: After The Fire&nbsp;&ndash; An&nbsp;Urban One&nbsp;podcast chronicling the aftermath of the&nbsp;Eaton Fire, which devastated&nbsp;Altadena, California, in January 2025. A historic center of&nbsp;Black prosperity and culture, the community lost over&nbsp;7,000 homes, schools, and businesses, leaving thousands displaced and fighting to rebuild.Hosted by&nbsp;Colby Colb, this series brings you&nbsp;on-the-ground reporting, in-depth interviews, and real stories of resilience. We examine the personal toll of the disaster, the environmental and political factors at play, and the ongoing efforts to restore&nbsp;Altadena&rsquo;s rich cultural heritage.We&rsquo;re also supporting the&nbsp;Brotherhood Crusade&rsquo;s Wildfire Relief Fund, helping affected families and businesses recover. Visit&nbsp;UrbanOneCares.com&nbsp;to contribute.Join us as we document the journey of a community determined to&nbsp;rise from the ashes.If you have updated information or firsthand stories to share, feel free to reach out directly to Colby.
<ul data-end="593" data-start="109">
<ul data-end="593" data-start="263">
<li>Email: ctyner@radio-one.com</li>
<li>LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a href="https://linkedin.com/in/colbycolbtyner" data-linkindex="0" data-start="344" data-end="416" data-auth="NotApplicable">linkedin.com/in/colbycolbtyner</a></li>
<li>Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://instagram.com/officialcolbycolb" data-linkindex="1" data-start="438" data-end="499" data-auth="NotApplicable">@officialcolbycolb</a></li>
<li>BlueSky: @colbycolb.bsky.social</li>
</ul>
</ul>

Altadena: After The Fire

Altadena: After The Fire — Andre Barnwell

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/78a347aa-3282-4ac5-837c-a72300032082/clips/79cd3a91-f379-4db4-8fce-b37900c4ef3d/transcript

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