Stephanie Landa

Stephanie Landa is the Founder and President of Freedom Grow, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting cannabis prisoners and their families. Her lifelong commitment to truth, justice, and ending prohibition stems from deeply personal experiences and decades of activism.

Stephanie’s journey began in the 1960s during the civil rights movement, where she worked alongside attorneys defending American Indian rights in federal court. Her passion for cannabis was both personal and medicinal—she discovered its effectiveness in alleviating her chronic digestive issues and became an advocate for its use. By the time medical marijuana was legalized in California in 1996, Stephanie had already spent nearly 30 years cultivating cannabis and sharing her knowledge.

In 2002, her dedication led her to San Francisco, where she built a 14,000-square-foot state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation facility. This endeavor resulted in a federal raid and a 5-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, Stephanie continued her activism by organizing classes on social injustice, inspired by historical figures like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Cesar Chavez. During this time, she realized the harsh reality faced by cannabis prisoners—basic necessities like stamps, phone calls, and clean water were not free, and without money, inmates were left to suffer.

Determined to make a difference, Stephanie founded the Landa Prison Outreach Program (L-POP), which later evolved into Freedom Grow. Her organization is driven by the belief that no one should spend their lives in prison for a plant. Through Freedom Grow’s Wish Program, Stephanie helps provide commissary funds, books, and essential support to cannabis prisoners, working tirelessly to “Bring Light to Dark Cells” and end prohibition for good.

Stephanie’s relentless spirit and unwavering dedication continue to inspire the fight for justice, freedom, and dignity for all those affected by cannabis prohibition.