Los Angeles’ Freedom Sculpture Celebrates Diversity, Inclusiveness

The principal and founder of First Financial Capital, LLC, Michael Saei purchases multiple-unit station portfolios from oil conglomerates such as ConocoPhillips. In addition to running a successful commercial real estate firm, Michael Saei contributed to the effort to realize the Freedom Sculpture in Los Angeles.

Located in Santa Monica on a publicly accessible median, the Freedom Sculpture is a large-scale monument that is based on an ancient Persian artifact known as the Cyrus Cylinder, which is considered the first known declaration of human rights. The design for the sculpture was selected from entries in an international urban art competition, which invited artists to create a monument that celebrates “universally shared humanitarian ideals of freedom, inclusiveness, and diversity.” The winning entry came from Sri Lankan-British architect and artist Cecil Balmond.

Unveiled on July 4, 2017, the debut of the Freedom Sculpture was celebrated with the inaugural LA Freedom Festival, a free event hosted by the Farhang Foundation that featured multi-ethnic foods, international music, celebrity guests, and a fireworks display. To learn more about the unique artwork, visit www.freedomsculpture.org.

Iranian American Women Foundation Event Features Ziba Shira

Based in Southern California, Michael Saei maintains an entrepreneurial career centered on First Financial Capital. Contributing to organizations that have a positive societal impact, Michael Saei co-chairs the Iranian American Women Foundation (IAWF). The organization facilitates well-attended Women’s Leadership Conferences each year and encompasses a mentorship program and Youth Leadership Conference.

One major IAWF event of early 2018 is a celebration of International Women's Day in tandem with the University of California, Irvine’s Jordan Center for Persian Studies. Highlights include Rhythm of the Soul and Tales of Inspiration panels that feature respected artists and storytellers such as Alexandra Monir, Mamak Khadem, and Ziba Shirazi.

Shirazi has created a unique career crafting and singing musical compositions that blend Persian melodic ideas with elements of jazz and world music. Since arriving in the United States in the mid-1980s, she has released seven heartfelt albums with lyrics that evoke love and compassion, while describing the struggles of Iranian immigrants in the face of the Islamic Revolution. 

One of Shirazi’s landmark accomplishments was the creation of a 2014 musical production titled Spring Love that was shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Festival Napa Valley - Gourmet Food, Wine, and the Performing Arts

Michael Saei is a respected presence in the California business sphere who guides First Financial Capital as founder and principal. Philanthropically focused, Michael Saei supports the Iranian-American legal organization Pars Equality Center and co-chairs the Festival Napa Valley.

Launched a dozen years ago, the annual festival had its impetus in a long-running summer residency of the Russian National Orchestra. With family-friendly concerts and events in support of youth charities taking part in tandem with the annual residency, a permanent festival was envisioned that would promote Napa Valley as a top-tier cultural destination. 

Held in July in downtown Napa, the 2017 Festival brought together 80 restaurants, chefs, and wineries, as well as performances at Lincoln Theater. In addition to the San Francisco Ballet, comedian Bill Murray appeared alongside cellist Jan Vogler in a poetry and prose extravaganza, “From Hemingway to Bach.” Another highlight, held at the jazz club Blue Note Napa, was a Hot Havana Nights event featuring Cuban composer and pianist Aldo Lopez-Gavilan.

Iranian Studies at University of Southern California

Michael Saei serves as the president at First Financial Capital, an equity-based direct portfolio lender in California that provides services to the commercial real estate industry. Beyond his obligations to the company, Michael Saei supports the Farhang Foundation and made significant contributions to the Freedom Statue. 

The Freedom Statue stands in the heart of Los Angeles and represents a joining of Iranian and American cultures and the shared values celebrated by the American people. Its design takes inspiration from the Cyrus Cylinder, a 2,600-year-old artifact considered to be the first declaration of human rights. The monument invokes the concepts of inclusiveness, respect for cultural diversity, and humanitarian ideals of freedom upheld by the US Constitution and pioneered by Cyrus the Great of Persia. 

Officially unveiled on July 4, 2017, the Iranian-American-led project was largely funded through crowd support worldwide. The Farhang Foundation gifted the public monument to Los Angeles during an inaugural Freedom Festival celebration attended by thousands. The unveiling was the culmination of years of planning, and organizers considered the Freedom Statue the “Statue of Liberty for the West Coast.”