“From Now On” shares how the lives of five California State University, Chico students, faculty, and staff who lost their homes in the Camp Fire have changed since that fateful morning. Each with their own challenges and hopes for the future, they continue pushing forward. The imagery for this story includes photographs of the days these individuals were allowed to return to their property for the first time—which, for many of them, was 37 days after they initially fled from the flames. Witnessing these most vulnerable moments as they rummaged through the ashes of their lives before November 8, 2018, and continuing to chronicle their pain, resilience, and hope for recovery, we give testament to one of our most important values at Chico State—our sense of caring and community, otherwise known as the Chico Experience.
From the Judges
This was a powerful and touching topic, very raw, and very personal. The author handled the stories with care, while being very insightful and did not sugar coat. Though tragic, the writing is interesting and very moving. The quotes, photos, and profiles balanced the pain and the hope of the subjects. The profile is distinguished by sensitive and insightful handling of the subjects' individual stories, personal joys, and pain.
