Roz for Conservation Leadership

We are a group of friends and colleagues raising funds for Rosalind Helfand. For 20 years, Rosalind's led social and environmental initiatives in California as an organizer, advocate, and innovator. Now she's collaborating with a team of 17 students from 16 countries at Cambridge University to create bold solutions to our biodiversity and climate crises. This is the Conservation Leadership master's program, the brainchild of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative. But Rosalind must raise the funds to cover her education. We believe Rosalind will change our world for the better. Collaborating with this unique team at this moment in time is critical. Help us to fund this incredible opportunity!

“Without biodiversity, there is no future for humanity." - Professor David Macdonald.

(Rosalind in the March for Science.)

Rosalind is dedicated to improving our planet and the lives of others.  She was first inspired to action as a teen when the wild hills of her hometown were flattened for housing developments despite community protests.  As an organizer, she's successfully advocated for social and environmental concerns that touch us all. She's taken the lead on organizing such powerful L.A. events as the “Rally to Save Roe,” a protest and mass advocacy training that brought together dozens of reproductive justice organizations on the eve of the 2017 presidential inauguration. She’s connected communities across L.A. to educate about environmental justice and human rights, and she’s led literacy initiatives across Southern California.


(Rosalind and her Conservation Leadership 2018-19 cohort from: Nigeria, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Indonesia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Egypt, Cameroon, UK, USA, Ecuador, Australia, and Costa Rica)


Rosalind  is developing solutions with numerous NGO, government, and business leaders. She's opening doors to simultaneous local and international change, and networking the global community of conservation champions to make a difference. And because environmental devastation is a number one threat to human rights and equity, Rosalind is ensuring that human and civil rights, gender equality, and economic equality are central to the conversation.

(Presenting at the Citizen Science for Conservation in Southern California Symposium at the Long Beach Aquarium.)


(Rosalind and Los Angeles Coalition for Reproductive Justice members.)


Following graduation, Rosalind plans to:

* Unite communities and organizations globally to protect and improve biodiversity, the foundation of a healthy planet.

* Shape the long-term vision and work of leaders and policy makers.

* Propel global commitment to tackling climate change, species conservation, and the intersection of these issues with human rights so that sustainability and environmental justice are our first priorities.

* Take her leadership to the next level and run for elected office.

Cambridge is the largest hub of conservation organizations in the world and the best place for Rosalind to get her training. We believe that Rosalind deserves this opportunity she can thrive as a leader for global environmental change.


How you can join us and support:

Join us and do some SERIOUS GOOD.  As a roll-up-her-shirtsleeves-and-do-good member of the nonprofit world for her entire adult life, Rosalind gets by on a shoestring. Rosalind is relying entirely on loans to pay for her studies and we want to help her graduate debt free. By supporting Rosalind, you’re investing in positive change and helping a local leader to go global.


(Hiking the Simi Valley hills, where Rosalind was first inspired to work on sustainability, with her niece.)

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ABOUT ROSALIND HELFAND
Rosalind Helfand collaborates with nonprofits and the government to create innovative programs and policies, connect communities, inspire advocacy, and address complex local and global issues. She is responsible for co-founding such prestigious Southern California programs as the West Hollywood Human Rights Speakers Series, and she's led the Advocacy Training program for the West Hollywood Women’s Leadership Conference. 

For over 15 years, Rosalind’s led successful election and environmental conservation campaigns. Rosalind is focused on community, education, and grassroots organizing in all of her work. She was awarded the President’s Award for her work on reproductive justice issues by the Board President of the National Council of Jewish Women, Los Angeles . She presented on Citizen Science as a Community Service for the 2nd annual Southern California Citizen Science for Conservation Symposium, and organized an L.A. coalition to educate about environmental justice issues.

Rosalind's served as Managing Editor and Education Programs Director of the literary journal and resource for middle and high school educators, Literature for Life, and as the Director of LitFest Pasadena. She's also the Director of Sci-Fest LA’s and Light Bringer Project’s short sci-fi writing competitions, including a special teen award for environmental writing co-presented with Los Angeles Audubon. Rosalind's been a proud volunteer with the National Council of Jewish Women, Los Angeles on their Advocacy Committee and member of the Planned Parenthood Los Angeles Young Professionals.

Rosalind holds a BA in Environmental Studies: Law & Policy and a minor in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.