Just over a year ago, Avery Colvert was a typical eighth grader at Eliot Arts Magnet in Pasadena. When the Eaton fire broke out, her life changed forever. While her home evaded the fires, many of her friends lost their homes, her school burned down, and Avery herself was evacuated. Wanting to help in any way she could, she ended up posting a list of donation items for a drive on Instagram.

Her post instantly blew up. Avery’s post resonated with people on social media because it was unique. Instead of asking for the usual necessities like food, water, or clothes, she asked for beauty products. “When you’re growing up and when you’re a teenage girl, things like makeup and hair products are a form of art, a form of self-expression,” said Avery. “When you lose everything, having that piece back is really helpful to healing and growth…I wanted to sort of bring that back to the girls in Altadena.” 

The initial success of the donation drive that came with her post was “very much accidental,” according to Avery. “I was expecting a car full of donations. I was not expecting the amount that we got…it was just really shocking,” she said. 

Once the fires were contained in January 2025, Avery began to imagine what Altadena Girls could become beyond the drive. She formed a team of five people and has been working to expand Altadena Girls ever since. On October 11, 2025, coinciding with the International Day of the Girl, Altadena Girls opened a permanent community center in Pasadena, which is now open Monday through Thursday every week. “It still doesn’t feel real to me how we were able to do something like that so quickly,” said Avery.

Over the past year, Avery’s vision for Altadena Girls has evolved. Founded as an emergency response, Altadena Girls has now turned into a space forlong-term recovery and community building. “At the very beginning, my goal was just to help girls feel confident and seen and heard during a time of crisis,” she said. “Now I think my goal has changed to helping girls feel that all the time, even when there’s not a crisis happening.”

The community center is a space for teen girls to connect and feel supported. The center offers a free boutique, spaces for studying, journaling, and creativity, and multiple social events and classes throughout the year. Altadena Girls also hosts events like concerts. One of its most memorable events was an all-girls “Glitter and Glamour” themed Prom held in May 2025, complete with free dresses, makeup, and accessories—everything the girls could need. “We worked so hard to put that together,” said Avery. “It was really cool.”

The effort was noticed. Multiple Westridge students attended the prom and mentioned how high-quality the event was. “It was really fun…it felt like peak girlhood,” senior Zoë T. said. “I felt very accepted. It was very validating and comforting being there.”

Besides the prom, Zoë visits the community center regularly with her friends. “It allows a space for me to look into expressing myself more creatively. It’s very raw,” she said.

Currently a member of Altadena Girls, Claire F. ’28 was evacuated during the Eaton Fire and found meaning in the community Avery had created. After attending the Altadena Girls x Urban Outfitters Cozy Cabin Party holiday event in December, Claire said, “I really appreciated what went on there…Especially as girls, it’s important to have a community like that.”

Watching the center grow and change has been especially meaningful to Avery. “It’s really evolved a lot since we first opened,” said Avery. “When I walk into this space, it’s much more decorated, and feels more like the girls have made the space their own than it did a couple months ago.”

The sudden attention Altadena Girls received changed Avery’s life almost overnight. “[My life] has definitely taken a full 180,” she said. “Even if Altadena Girls hadn’t happened, my life still would have changed a lot. I went from middle school to high school… [but] it introduced me to a new world.”

Since her first post asking for donations went viral, that new world has included interviews, media appearances, and public events—things she had never imagined doing at 14 years old. Still, Avery tries her best to stay grounded. “I still try [to] make things more normal for me to feel like a normal kid,” she said. “I still hang out with my friends. I love going to shows and concerts.”

As a student at California School of the Arts in the integrated arts conservatory, Avery stays at school until 4:45 p.m. most days. Balancing Altadena Girls with academics and her personal life can be challenging. “Making sure I prioritize time with my family and with my friends has really helped me stay grounded,” said Avery. “I really struggle with taking time to just relax and not be busy all the time… I think I have gotten better at saying no to things that would be too much on my plate.”

Another large challenge has been keeping Altadena Girls connected to the needs and interests of teenage girls because social media trends often change what teenage girls find appealing. 

Despite feeling overworked at times, Avery has found support from her close friends and family. “I’m really grateful for the support of my family and friends and the people who stayed throughout everything, she said. “Specifically, my mom—she’s been very, very important… I have a core group of friends who, no matter what I’m doing, are very supportive of it and haven’t left my side.”

A year since it all started, Altadena Girls is no longer just a response to tragedy; it has created a lasting community. In the future, Avery wants to see the center continue to grow into a space shaped by the girls who use it. She also hopes to expand the creative side of the organization. 

Above all, Avery hopes Altadena Girls will remain a space where teenage girls feel seen, valued, and supported long after the fires. “Never in a million years would I have thought that it would make an impact like this,” Avery said. “We’ve been able to help so many people through the success of it all.”

To learn more about Altadena Girls, become a member, or donate, visit the Altadena Girls website.