Rosalind is…

A Writer

I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a writer. I think I became one without realizing it.

I love writing because it feeds my curiosity. I have written nine books in four different genres; “how-to” nonfiction for parents and young people, social emotional learning curricula for educators, a young adult novel, and most recently co-authored a book on race and racism. These books may seem different but there is always a through line in my work to bring people’s feelings to life, put words to experiences people struggle to articulate, and find solutions to problems people think are unsolvable.

A Speaker

While I work alongside political, corporate, policy, and educational leaders, I am proudest of what I do when teens take me seriously. But no matter who I work with, I strive to support people to believe in their greater capacity and others in ways they haven’t before.

Public speaking is my “home place”- which I may know may sound odd because most people think it’s terrifying to speak in front of people. But sharing with others a way to feel acknowledged, to laugh, (even at our mistakes), and to claim dignity for yourself and others is an incredible privilege.

A Thought Leader

Dignity has always been the path forward for me. When I was 21, I founded a non-profit organization for women and girls. From there, I worked in schools developing “life” lesson plans that are now called social emotional learning. At the time, I didn’t know how unusual it was to experiment and incorporate my students’ feedback into my work. It always seemed obvious to me: you don’t teach people or give people advice without listening to them and understanding their experiences first.

I live by the creed, “No one knows everything, together we know a lot.” It’s the principle I always keep in mind to ground my work.