Staff Spotlight: Beth Roberts

Beth Roberts is Director of Landesa’s Center for Women’s Land Rights. Beth started at Landesa as an intern in 2011 and then became a full-time attorney in 2015.

What brought you to Landesa?

From a young age, I had a really strong sense of wanting to contribute to a world that was more just. As a young girl and as a teenager, I had formative experiences visiting and volunteering in Latin America, and I lived in Dhaka, Bangladesh during my undergraduate program. I’ll never forget the people I met as part of those opportunities, and especially the women and girls I met. Their challenges and their passion for justice left me with a strong sense of global sisterhood. I also was really fortunate to have parents who encouraged me to understand and connect with the world—to cultivate being both cosmopolitan and compassionate. I learned about Landesa when I was in graduate school and was exploring models of international development – I was seeking a field where I could contribute practically and sustainably to poverty alleviation and gender equality. Land as a basis for opportunity was so compelling to me when I first learned about it; it still is.

What are your core responsibilities in your role?

As the Center for Women’s Land Rights Director, I have the incredible privilege of leading a team of gender and women’s land rights experts who work across Landesa’s programs. The Center also has the honor of facilitating the Stand for Her Land global advocacy initiative for women’s land rights on behalf of Landesa.

What is the most rewarding part of your work at Landesa?

I couldn’t be more grateful for my team; I work with a brilliant, passionate group of women’s land rights advocates. And I couldn’t be more grateful to partner with women around the world, particularly the community leaders who drive Stand for Her Land. They remind me daily why we do this work.

How do you spend your time when you’re not working?

I’m a people person, so a lot of my time is spent with family and friends. I’m also a big reader, podcast listener, runner, weightlifter, and cat mom.

Describe your vision for a better world.

I think we get to choose our future. I believe humanity has the knowledge and the brave capacity to live at peace with each other and with the planet, to thrive in line with our most ambitious and utopian dreams. I think Doughnut Economics is a great model for thinking about what might be possible. I have a wild hunch that humanity is old enough as a species to effect our own evolution – I think the tribalism, violence, exploitation, superstition, and fear that’s so laced through our history and reality is grounded in outdated instincts now that there are billions of us living in cities. I’m committed to hope for and to work for a world where our brains have caught up with our social evolution. A world where we have largely left these grievous aspects behind us, and we live in a world where everyone worldwide has what they need and the opportunity to pursue their potential.