Snap CEO Pens Love Letter to LA After Fires Displace 150 Staffers, Pledges $5 Million to Recovery: ‘Here for the Long Haul’
Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel shared an emotional letter following the devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires, which destroyed his father’s Palisades home and displaced 150 of the social platform’s staffers.
Spiegel also shared how the company has already donated $5 million dollars to aid efforts and offer food and shelter to evacuees and first responders. He also promised to further help with recovery efforts as it will be a long road ahead.
Below is the letter Spiegel shared as tribute to the city of Los Angeles.
Dear Los Angeles,
I love you.
I grew up in Pacific Palisades. I covered street after street on my Razor scooter. I knew the tall, old trees by heart and had my favorites. My Mom lived on Alma Real, my Dad on Toyopa. Mom’s house is miraculously still there, covered in ash. Dad’s is gone, burned to the ground on live TV. And we were the lucky ones. Everyone is safe.
More than 150 Snap team members have been displaced, not counting their families and friends. Countless Angelenos have lost everything. Some have lost their lives.
Los Angeles, my heart breaks for you, and yet I love you even more. This melting pot of creativity, innovation, and storytelling. This city of angels, who, covered in soot, are already beginning again.
For each looter, thousands upon thousands are giving their time, their treasure and their prayers. For every coward, there is courage overflowing. For each finger pointed in blame, thousands of hands are hard at work to heal and bring hope.
We are not the first community to face a megafire. We will not be the last. But we will use our strength, our ingenuity, and our love to create again and anew. Our city of great artists will add a new layer of paint to this beautiful canvas we call home.
Los Angeles, I love you. And as I witness first responders from across the country staging in our office parking lot, I see their tireless support and know that millions more love you too.
Los Angeles, we are here for the long haul. For the rebuild and whatever comes after. And we are here to help. Snap, Bobby, and I have already disbursed $5 million in immediate aid and we will do more. We are feeding evacuees and first responders and offering free space. We’re listening to experts on megafire recovery and learning every day what more we can do and how we can rise to the challenge. We want to collaborate and build together with you.
And perhaps most weirdly to all those impacted, just minutes away the world keeps turning. There is work to be done, children to teach, families to care for and a new day to greet.
Los Angeles you have my heart, and you will have our time, our resources, and our help as we move forward. To thee I swear.
Evan
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