Robina Suwol
Los Angeles, California
How is your Hero working to make the world a better place?
Robina Suwol is the founder & Executive Director of California Safe Schools, a children's environmental health coalition. She achieved national prominence in 1998 by spearheading the Los Angeles Unified Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy,the most stringent pesticide policy in the nation for K-12 public schools-the first to embrace the "Precautionary Principle" and "Right to Know". The policy led to the passage of California's Healthy Schools Act. Today the LA Unified IPM policy serves as an international model for school districts & communities. On October 6, 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 405 (Montanez) sponsored by Robina & California Safe Schools. The bill bans experimental pesticides, whose health effects are unknown, from California k-12 public schools. California Safe Schools has also been a leader in school siting. California Safe Schools held the only public hearing in the nation on school siting to a standing room only crowd of local, state, and federal officials, and members of the public. When not giving frequent presentations on a wide range of environmental health and safety issues to parents, students, school officials and legislators, she can be found most weekends volunteering at Health and Safety Fairs, Conferences & community events.
How has your Hero impacted your life and inspired you?
Robina is a tireless advocate for our most vulnerable, and has a unique ability to bring diverse parties together for the benefit of all. She has facilitated change at the policy level as well as at the grassroots, which creates a lasting institutional protection. Our world is a better place because of her efforts.