Creating Change From A Place Of Joy: How Rosa Got Moving

Before we develop an understanding of our race, our gender, our passions, our family histories and so on, the red thread that weaves itself through all our lives is the shared experience of being a human first. We’re all born as global citizens, but it takes us a while to learn the ropes. There’s a vast number of ways in which different individuals contribute to different causes and our goal is to help you discover a version of global citizenship that is unique to you! In this article we outline the global citizenship journey and practice of Rosa, the co founder of The Global Citizen Movement.

Have you met Rosa?

Rosa is the confluence of diverse qualities - on the one hand, she is a dedicated vegan who plants trees for her friends on their birthdays, and on the other, she is a tech & business geek who thrives on a steady diet of spreadsheets and strategies. The Global Citizen Movement is her way of combining both of these sides of her - a viable business built on the back of a powerful dream in which everyone is working together to build a better world. Her global citizenship practice is as personal as it is professional. Her goals range from veganising the traditional Indonesian family recipes passed down by her mother to building a pan-Holland network of global citizens who are shaping the future of their cities.

Her path to this point was not a straightforward one. She meandered and drifted and dabbled in a handful of other projects before she realised that what fuelled her drive more than anything was this idea that change should come from a joyful place, that making a difference could be an act of love. Hers is a revolution of daring dreams turned into joyful action.

Creating her own path

After Rosa graduated with a degree in Computer Science, it was clear to her that she could take up a well-paid position in a stuffy office and produce strings of code for tech giants that cared little about where the planet was heading. Her dream had always been to use her skills for the betterment of the world. She had arrived at a fork in the road where she could take the secure, less fulfilling path or strike out on her own and find a way to turn her dreams into reality.

Rosa took a leap of faith and decided to actively work on her most daring dream of all - that of a planet spinning in peace and harmony amongst all species. She started a sustainable travel company, collaborated on regenerative projects in Bali and explored the scope of her skills. She made it her mission to hack the system and create a code to live with as much positive impact as she could in a society that makes it oh-so-easy to do the opposite. Her exploits finally led her to the creation of The Global Citizen Movement, a company built around a vision that felt purposeful and impact-driven.

The importance of joy

The thing about Rosa is that she makes it fun to be good and do good. If you show up at the grocery store without your tote bag, Rosa will make a game out of seeing how many veggies you can carry in your jumper. If you decide to move away from fast fashion, Rosa will hunt down the most sustainable lingerie for you. And if you decide that it is your calling to shape the future of cities, Rosa will welcome you with open arms into The Global Citizen Movement and collaborate with you on an exciting project!

At some fundamental level, most of us are aware of the steps we all need to take to contribute to a healthier planet. However, these steps often feel tedious and so we don’t take them. Rosa believes that it is entirely possible to live your life ethically and have a blast while doing it! If there is anything Rosa is the master of, it is finding joyful ways to do good. Rather than losing sleep over a potential future in writing code for Big Tech after university, she captained her own ship and decided to use her powers to build a sustainable travel startup. When she watched Cowspiracy, she launched a secret plant-based operation and began to use dinner parties as a front for delicious vegan-conversions. When the pandemic hit and borders closed, she took a long and hard look at what the world needed at that moment and made it her mission to establish The Global Citizen Movement. Where others might hear sirens, Rosa sees a bright bulb going off and this might be the most quintessentially Rosa thing in the world!

Where others might hear sirens, Rosa sees a bright bulb going off and this might be the most quintessentially Rosa thing in the world!

Rosa’s advice to global citizens

Rather than chasing after some ideal and limited way of being the perfect global citizen, Rosa encourages people to find a cause that can give them joy and build their practice around it. If you care about clothes, get involved in slow fashion. If you are a surfer, do your bit to preserve the health of the oceans. If you are a lawyer, see how your skills can help in local climate movements. Your contribution is optimised when it comes from a place that feels personal, empowering and exciting. Whether your dream is big or small, making it come true should be an energising journey, one that makes you feel a joyous sense of belonging to our planet.