Champions of Free Speech Presented by Look What SHE Did! at the Ebell

Look What SHE Did!, the Los Angeles–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to celebrating extraordinary women through short documentary films, will host a Women’s History Month celebration honoring Champions of Free Speech at The Ebell of Los Angeles, the city’s oldest women’s club.

The March 29 program will convene filmmakers, cultural leaders, writers and civic voices for an afternoon of film and conversation centered on the defense of free expression. At a time when free speech is being debated across classrooms, legislatures and media platforms, the event will spotlight women who have shaped and safeguarded that right across generations.

Honoring Courage Across Generations

The program will recognize humanitarian and human rights advocate Bonnie Abaunza, whose career spans more than two decades of social impact campaigns at the intersection of entertainment, policy and global justice.

Through her company, The Abaunza Group, and GSD, the social impact agency she co-founded, Abaunza works with filmmakers, studios, nonprofit organizations and global institutions to develop and execute campaigns that drive measurable change. Her work has addressed genocide awareness, child slavery, campus sexual assault, human trafficking, racial and environmental justice, refugee rights, girls’ education and food industry reform.

The program will also pay tribute to the legacy of Ida B. Wells, the pioneering investigative journalist, educator and co-founder of the NAACP who risked her life to expose racial violence and defend the rights of Black Americans and women. Remarks on Wells’ enduring impact will be delivered by Kimberly M. Usher, far west regional director of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., of which Wells was an honorary member.

Silent Auction

The celebration will include a silent auction benefiting Look What SHE Did!’s ongoing production and educational initiatives. Among the featured offerings is an exclusive experience with Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Dana Stevens. Known for writing “The Woman King” and “Fatherhood,” Stevens will offer a private script consultation that includes a detailed read and analysis, followed by a one-on-one conversation with the writer.

Additional auction items will further support the organization’s mission to preserve and amplify women’s stories.

Look What SHE Did! is a Los Angeles–based nonprofit organization that produces short documentary films celebrating extraordinary women who have made significant cultural, civic and artistic contributions. With an archive of more than 150 films, LWSD brings women’s stories into classrooms, cultural institutions and communities across the country.

About The Ebell of Los Angeles

Founded in 1894, The Ebell of Los Angeles is dedicated to the educational and cultural advancement of women and has long served as a historic gathering space for civic dialogue and artistic expression.

Lead Sponsor: Renee B. Fisher Foundation

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