The book will be an anthology of comics as told by Los Angeles artists and writers. All stories will address the recent fires and the climate crisis in a way that’s approachable for children, with the goal of inspiring kids—and all Angelenos—to have hope for the future. The working title for the project is We Are Los Angeles: After the Fires, Local Artists Reflect on & Reimagine the City They Love.

We are looking for comics submissions that are 2-14 pages, with a preference for stories that fall somewhere in the middle—ideally, 6-10 pages. We'd like the anthology to be representative of the city's diversity of experiences. Shorter stories will allow us to include more storytellers.

The primary target age is middle-grade: 8-12 years old. Stories for young readers are also strongly encouraged. As it's an anthology, there will be a natural variance in the tone and voice of each story.

The book will be divided into three sections, where each section respectively... 1) reflects on the fires 2) recounts the present-day recovery efforts 3) and looks to the future—How can we rebuild our city so it'll be more sustainable and equitable for all? Update from Friday, May 9th: Currently, we've received more submissions about the fires than the recovery efforts or hopeful visions for the future. Although you can still submit stories about your experience during the fires, we are encouraging folks to submit more stories about sections 2) and 3).

Los Angeles is a city of dreamers. Let's allow our collective imaginations to reflect on this devastating time, while empowering our community to have hope for a brighter and greener Los Angeles. 1) Your story could reflect on the past and be about: Your experience during the fires Something lost or saved, whether a place, belonging, or something or someone you hold dear The experience of a native species, wildlife, pet, stuffed animal, or belonging during the fires An animal shelter 2) Your story could reflect on the present and be about: The ongoing relief efforts Community Home Rebuilding and healing A practical guide for how to prepare a go-bag or how to harden your home to make it more fire-safe and friendlier to native species 3) Your story could reimagine the future and be about: A vision of a rebuilt LA Ideas to make our city a greener and better place for all Or whatever idea comes to you! Be as creative as you'd like. Anything goes, so long as it's age-appropriate, told through comics or sequential art, and matches the overall tone of the anthology.