Freedom Seeking in The Santa Monica Mountains

We invite you to join us for a special afternoon of storytelling, reflection, and dialogue. Historian Isaiah Martin will guide us through the remarkable lives of Biddy Mason and Hannah Embers, two women who sought their freedom in Southern California and the Santa Monica Mountains. Their work as midwives and community leaders is deeply connected to our park and the greater story of California.

Through this presentation and Q&A, we will explore what it meant to seek freedom in this region, tracing how their resilience and vision helped shape the cultural and social fabric of early Los Angeles. Hannah and Biddy's story reminds us that these landscapes are not only natural treasures, but also sites of courage, resistance, and belonging.

We hope you’ll join us in reflecting on this powerful history and its lasting impact.

The SAMO Fund Field Institute is rooted in the belief that caring for our open spaces goes beyond protecting the land. It means honoring the stories, cultures, and communities that have shaped it across generations. By bringing people together, the Institute works to cultivate a multi-generational community of environmental stewards who understand that history and landscape are deeply intertwined.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Santa Monica Mountains Fund