Malibu Council Member Laura Rosenthal will be recognized at this year’s Dolphin Awards ceremony for her achievements and dedication to the community.
She started out as an education activist and later got involved in the city through Parks and Recreation and Public Works departments.
Rosenthal was first elected to City Council in 2010 and re-elected in 2014; her term expires in November.
While reflecting on her eight-year tenure on City Council, Rosenthal said one of the things she was most proud of was “how the city has taken a much more robust and progressive environmental stance … that we [Malibu] kept our head out of the sand.”
Among the steps the city has taken, she noted that fixing water issues and cleaning up the ocean at home were of top priority.
“I also am proud of the work we’ve done in the arts,” she said, specifically pointing to the creation of the Cultural Arts Commission.
She noted with pride that the commission was a step toward Malibu “becoming a real force in the art world.”
Many will recognize Rosenthal for her work in pushing for the city’s own school district. In 2010, she was a founder of Advocates for Malibu Public Schools (AMPS) to help make the idea a reality.
“[Malibu] changed a lot in the last eight years,” she said, though pointed out that council made an effort to preserve the city’s “small-town feel.”
While preserving that feeling, the city’s online presence has grown exponentially throughout her years on council.
“When I first started, in the first year or so, we didn’t really do much in the digital world,” she said, adding that “getting the word out about Malibu” was an important task.
With a sizable Facebook and Twitter following, the city has done just that.
She hopes the community comes together to preserve the environment in light of sea level and temperature rise with climate change. Additionally, it comes as no surprise that she hopes Malibu will continue its fight for its own school district.
As for the future, you can expect to see Rosenthal around town. With her options open, she currently plans to continue her work with AMPS.
“I’ll always be involved,” she said, adding, “I’m excited for the next journey.”