Guest Opinion | By Nahshon Dion: When Everybody Joins Together for a Truly Righteous Cause, Sometimes Good Things Happen

Sunday, February 16th was truly special—I saw Altadena from a new perspective and faced an unexpected fear with Historian Michele Zack.

In August 2023, I interviewed Zack, and afterwards she invited me to hike the meadows with her to visit Owen Brown’s gravesite. Though I was in California from December to February 2024, we never connected. Even after several visits since, our paths still hadn’t crossed—until two weeks ago when she allowed me to interview her on camera at her property lost due to the fire. Despite this trauma, she seems to be just as cheerful as ever.

Sunday Feb 16th, we finally made plans for the long-awaited hike to Owen’s grave. As we drove through Altadena and approached Fair Oaks and Mariposa, Zack said she had not ventured that far yet since the fires had started, and how happy she was when she learned the gravesite had not burned. She shared fascinating stories about our community, allowing me to record her insights.

It’s an interesting experience being part of such a catastrophe on such a grand scale, and meeting all these Altadenans that I didn’t know before. That is really an enriching and good side of the tragedy. Michele Zack

When we reached the meadows and set off on the trail, I quickly realized I hadn’t anticipated the steep incline. A wave of nervousness hit me, making me slightly nauseous. Zack kindly offered to hold my hand, but I pushed through alone. As we made our way up, she pointed out signs of recent brush clearing by firefighters to create a fire break —something she noticed because she had visited the area just days before the Eaton Canyon fire.

When we reached “Little Round Top,” she spoke about the land’s deep historical significance.

In 1859, when John Brown raided Harper’s Ferry, and earlier during Bleeding Kansas when he was fighting against people from Missouri trying to make it a slave state, he had no idea that a few years later, in 1865, slavery would end in our Country. So, it makes you think about people fighting the good fight for something with others. He worked with Harriet Tubman, he worked with Frederick Douglas.

It kind of gives you hope that when everybody joins together for a truly righteous cause, sometimes good things happen. Slavery ended. It didn’t end our problems as a country, it didn’t stop Jim Crow from following reconstruction, but still it was a rather huge step forward. Michele Zack

After her brief history lesson, we rested under the tree Charles White planted 50 years ago and marveled at our beloved Altadena and what we still had left of the damage.

The scent of pine instantly transported me back to childhood hikes through the canyons, and I picked a few needles to take home to New York.

On our way down, I started to veer off course, but Zack gently stopped me, reminding me to stay on the trail so the brush could regrow. The descent was much easier—I felt more confident without looking over the cliffs, even though I couldn’t help but point out to Zack the two other folks I saw biking on the trails.

Now I understand why the Altadena community calls Michele Zack a treasure. She’s more than that—she’s my homegirl.

Later that evening, I posted our hiking video footage on YouTube. A few days later, I received this comment.

Is it possible to add to your post that the forest is closed and no one should be up at the Owen Brown Grave Site, please? I know it is beautiful there, but it is very dangerous for people to be up in Altadena right now, as well as illegal. Thank you. Milissa Thompson Marona

Of course, I shared the alarming comment with Zack, and she replied.

Apparently, the entire forest is closed, although the area we walked through is private land. I didn’t see any signs saying it was closed, but I guess it is. So, we shouldn’t direct people there, they could get fined. But probably not until after they post signs.

Want to learn more about Owen Brown and his life as a fighter to end slavery with his father John Brown? The public is invited to a first screening of Pablo Miralles’s educational film March 7 at 6 p.m. at John Muir High School Rufus Mead Auditorium. This showing of  “Owen Brown’s Body” will benefit current Muir students who lost homes in the Eaton Fire; it is an event of the John Muir Alumni Association and sponsored by the Owen Brown Gravesite Committee. It is free, but you must reserve tickets here:

(https://www.eventbrite.com/e/owen-browns-body-screening-and-fundraiser-john-muir-high-school-tickets-1250957450409?aff=oddtdtcreato)