Resilience and Regrowth

Photo by Leslie Bucklin, courtesy Los Alamos County.

Los Alamos is a community changed by fire. The Cerro Grande Fire was not the first wildland fire to affect Los Alamos—and it was not the last—but  Cerro Grande is a milestone in the town’s history that rivals the Manhattan Project in its effects and importance. There was the town before Cerro Grande, and there is the town after.

Photo by Leslie Bucklin, courtesy Los Alamos County

“We were now changed, forever different. … We were now of the ashes, their smell and touch on our hands and in our lungs. We were now builders and planters, with a little past and lacking a present.”
— Chick Keller

Photo by Vint Miller, courtesy Los Alamos County

"Resilience is a journey, and each person will take his or her own time along the way."
– American Psychological Association

This exhibit focuses on resilience and regrowth. These are the stories of how a community—a community wider than Los Alamos—came together and rebuilt, together. Resilience is a process. Practicing generosity, getting to believe in and know ourselves, exploring our emotions, and learning to ask for and accept help can assist us in being more resilient in the face of difficult change. In the aftermath of Cerro Grande, Los Alamos and its neighbors found strength in community—in offering and accepting support in all areas of our lives. We continue to grow. This exhibit is a reflection on, and part of, our community’s continuing journey of resilience and regrowth.

As you explore this online exhibit, share a word or phrase here reflecting on our community's journey of resilience.