Heartbreak & Hope

It became necessary to find a new way forward after losing our lease in Culver City in early 2024. This loss coincided with the genocide in Gaza and forced Lisa Schultz, who had been working in Gaza and the West Bank, to ask "What can I do?" The answer was to create a gathering space where the seeds of Palestinian arts & culture could be sown even as it was being brutally destroyed -- a place where all who believe in freedom, justice and equal rights could gather to learn, share, heal and grow. Thus, Holy Ground was born on the anniversary of October 7, 2024, in a building we renovated in West Adams. Since opening, a yoga studio has been added alongside our event space and artisanal market. In February 2026, in collaboration with the Palestinian team from Watermelon Books Jordan, we opened Watermelon Books LA, the first Palestinian bookstore in the US. A space that is dedicated to reclaiming narrative, preserving memory, and building a cultural home rooted in dignity, resistance, and imagination.

Holy Ground is a testament to what can bloom when you lead with love and commitment to a better world for everyone.

"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." — Arundhati Roy