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This week, Travelers and the National Trust brought together scientists, community leaders, business partners, and preservation experts at The Getty Center for a roundtable on advancing climate resilience in Los Angeles. Hosted by the Getty Conservation Institute and moderated by the Los Angeles Conservancy, the conversation explored how collaborative, cross-sector strategies can help communities better prepare for wildfires and other extreme weather challenges.

The gathering marked the second signature stop of the Travelers Across America initiative and was attended by National Trust president and CEO Carol Quillen and Travelers chairman and CEO Alan Schnitzer.

With support from a Travelers grant, the Charles and Ray Eames Foundation is leading a resilience project focused on landscape strengthening and wildfire adaptation at the Eames House. This work has the potential to serve as a scalable model for resilience efforts across the region and beyond.

Participants shared perspectives on reducing risk, strengthening community connections, and aligning science, design, and local leadership to build a more resilient future for Los Angeles.

The gathering created space for a powerful and productive exchange about how historic places can adapt to a changing environment and extreme weather. The ideas surfaced will directly inform the upcoming Innovation Lab in Connecticut this summer. Participants were eager to stay connected and considered the conversations just the beginning of this cross-sector partnership.

The visit to the Eames House, which narrowly escaped last year’s fires, underscored what’s at stake—and how powerful it can be when a community comes together to protect what matters.

On November 6, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helped host a dynamic roundtable discussion in New Orleans, as part of a first-of-its-kind partnership between Travelers and the National Trust, called Travelers Across America.

Launched earlier this year in celebration of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Travelers Across America is dedicated to restoring and protecting historic landmarks across the country. It includes grants that will help restore and preserve historic landmarks and support the communities that surround them. These sites will then serve as models that can be replicated elsewhere.

The first grant is to the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans, which will assist with housing repairs for low- to moderate-income homeowners living within a New Orleans Historic Landmarks Commission district. Other grant recipients include the Eames House in Los Angeles; the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, Connecticut; and the Oliver Kelley Farm in Elk River, Minnesota.

It was a lively and inspiring evening in New Orleans, with thoughtful conversation about what resilience really means for the city and its neighborhoods. Susan Saulny moderated a dynamic panel featuring Ron C. Henderson, Deputy Commissioner for the Louisiana Department of Insurance; Lesli Harris, City Councilmember for District B; Kristin Palmer, Executive Director of the Preservation Resource Center; and Jarrod Franklin, Founder of Franklin Construction & Design.

Panelists spoke about the resilience and determination of New Orleanians to protect their homes and strengthen their communities, the importance of working together across city and state levels, and how partnerships between business and nonprofits can make a lasting difference.

"This initiative is central to our mission, and we are grateful to Travelers for their investment in New Orleans and their dedication to protecting America’s past and fortifying its future." said Carol Quillen, president and CEO National Trust for Historic Preservation.