Ross C. “Rocky” Anderson (rockyanderson.org) has lived his adult life fighting for the civil and human rights of people in his community and throughout the world. After graduating with a B.S. degree in Philosophy at the University of Utah and a J.D. from George Washington University, Rocky practiced law from 1978–2000, representing plaintiffs in antitrust, securities fraud, personal injury, professional malpractice, and civil rights litigation.
Rocky served as Chair of the Boards of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, Citizens for Penal Reform (which he founded), and Guadalupe Educational Programs, and was a member of the Boards of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and Common Cause of Utah. He wrote a weekly column for a Utah business newspaper, The Enterprise.
In 1996, Rocky was the Democratic nominee for Congress in Utah’s Second Congressional District, then was elected in non-partisan races for two terms as Mayor of Salt Lake City (2000–2008). (“As mayor of his city, Rocky Anderson . . . pushed through aggressive sustainability measures and energetically championed affirmative action, gay rights, and reform of the penalty-heavy justice system. He’s also been a fierce and vocal critic of the Bush administration in general and the war in Iraq in particular.” An Interview with Salt Lake City Mayor and Green Innovator Rocky Anderson, Grist, February 7, 2007) Rocky chose not to run for a third term as Mayor so he could dedicate himself to human rights education and advocacy at High Road for Human Rights, where he served as Executive Director for almost four years.
In late 2011, Rocky co-founded the Justice Party and was nominated to be the Party’s presidential candidate. (In 2022 the Justice Party became the Justice Movement, a branding that more accurately reflects the mission of the organization.) The current Justice Movement Steering Board Vice Chair, Luis J. Rodriguez, ran as the Justice Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 2012. Rocky participated in three “Expanding the Debate” programs of Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman, on whose program Rocky has frequently appeared. He debated other third-party candidates, once with Larry King moderating and another with Ralph Nader (who endorsed Rocky) moderating. During that time, Rocky co-authored an article in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy urging that climate protection be recognized as a human rights imperative.
Rocky taught for two semesters as an adjunct teacher at the University of Utah, then practiced law again, from 2014–2021, during which time he represented plaintiffs in a wide range of cases, including several major civil rights and sexual abuse cases.
Rocky is a recipient of many local and national civil rights and environmental awards, including the national Sierra Club Distinguished Service Award, the EPA’s Climate Protection Award, the American Association for Justice Leonard Weinglass in Defense of Civil Liberties Award, and the League of United Latin American Citizens Profile in Courage Award.
Rocky now proudly serves as full-time volunteer Executive Director of the Justice Movement.
Rocky served as Chair of the Boards of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah, Citizens for Penal Reform (which he founded), and Guadalupe Educational Programs, and was a member of the Boards of Planned Parenthood Association of Utah and Common Cause of Utah. He wrote a weekly column for a Utah business newspaper, The Enterprise.
In 1996, Rocky was the Democratic nominee for Congress in Utah’s Second Congressional District, then was elected in non-partisan races for two terms as Mayor of Salt Lake City (2000–2008). (“As mayor of his city, Rocky Anderson . . . pushed through aggressive sustainability measures and energetically championed affirmative action, gay rights, and reform of the penalty-heavy justice system. He’s also been a fierce and vocal critic of the Bush administration in general and the war in Iraq in particular.” An Interview with Salt Lake City Mayor and Green Innovator Rocky Anderson, Grist, February 7, 2007) Rocky chose not to run for a third term as Mayor so he could dedicate himself to human rights education and advocacy at High Road for Human Rights, where he served as Executive Director for almost four years.
In late 2011, Rocky co-founded the Justice Party and was nominated to be the Party’s presidential candidate. (In 2022 the Justice Party became the Justice Movement, a branding that more accurately reflects the mission of the organization.) The current Justice Movement Steering Board Vice Chair, Luis J. Rodriguez, ran as the Justice Party’s vice-presidential candidate in 2012. Rocky participated in three “Expanding the Debate” programs of Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman, on whose program Rocky has frequently appeared. He debated other third-party candidates, once with Larry King moderating and another with Ralph Nader (who endorsed Rocky) moderating. During that time, Rocky co-authored an article in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy urging that climate protection be recognized as a human rights imperative.
Rocky taught for two semesters as an adjunct teacher at the University of Utah, then practiced law again, from 2014–2021, during which time he represented plaintiffs in a wide range of cases, including several major civil rights and sexual abuse cases.
Rocky is a recipient of many local and national civil rights and environmental awards, including the national Sierra Club Distinguished Service Award, the EPA’s Climate Protection Award, the American Association for Justice Leonard Weinglass in Defense of Civil Liberties Award, and the League of United Latin American Citizens Profile in Courage Award.
Rocky now proudly serves as full-time volunteer Executive Director of the Justice Movement.
Randall Tolpinrud is a passionate activist in the environmental protection and sustainability movements and is an innovator in energy and resource-efficient building design. He earned his BA in Philosophy and MA in Philosophy and Environmental Studies from the University of Utah. Randall has instructed at college and professional levels around the world on subjects such as sustainable development, environmental science and ethics, forest conservation, and philosophy. Randall is the author of Globalization: The Imperative of a New Paradigm, which he presented at the 23rd World Philosophy Congress, held in Athens, Greece in 2013. Among other publications, he authored the popular Green Building Consumer Guide for Utah (1989), and Timeless Wisdom (2020), a juxtaposition between the epistemological foundations of Eastern and Western traditions with respect to environmentalism. He is President of Groupwest Corporation, which has earned several awards for its promotion and implementation of energy- and resource-efficient building design in residential and commercial development.
Randall is a founder and the current President of the Pax Natura and Bosque Lluvioso Foundations (https://paxnatura.org/). The Pax Natura Foundation works closely with governments in South and Central America and in Africa, most recently in Costa Rica and Tanzania, as they strive to meet their commitments to achieve carbon neutrality and to protect and reclaim native forests that would otherwise be cleared for non-sustainable agricultural land or urbanization. (Randall and others explain carbon neutrality in the trailer for the 2020 film “Peace With Nature in Costa Rica”, https://vimeo.com/459403186.) Other Pax Natura Foundation project locations include Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Guatemala and Colombia. Randall, along with other Pax Natura Trustees, have represented Costa Rican forest conservation programs at the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC), within the Conference of the Parties (COP), and at Carbon Market Conferences throughout the world. Randall’s copious experience with projects creating economic opportunity (especially for indigenous peoples) through environmental protection complements his leadership role in the Justice Movement and as a member ofits Environmental Justice Committee.
Randall hopes that the Justice Movement will inspire people around the world to reimagine patriotism through the elevation of the protection of nature as a necessary component of the protection of human rights.
Randall is a founder and the current President of the Pax Natura and Bosque Lluvioso Foundations (https://paxnatura.org/). The Pax Natura Foundation works closely with governments in South and Central America and in Africa, most recently in Costa Rica and Tanzania, as they strive to meet their commitments to achieve carbon neutrality and to protect and reclaim native forests that would otherwise be cleared for non-sustainable agricultural land or urbanization. (Randall and others explain carbon neutrality in the trailer for the 2020 film “Peace With Nature in Costa Rica”, https://vimeo.com/459403186.) Other Pax Natura Foundation project locations include Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Guatemala and Colombia. Randall, along with other Pax Natura Trustees, have represented Costa Rican forest conservation programs at the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC), within the Conference of the Parties (COP), and at Carbon Market Conferences throughout the world. Randall’s copious experience with projects creating economic opportunity (especially for indigenous peoples) through environmental protection complements his leadership role in the Justice Movement and as a member ofits Environmental Justice Committee.
Randall hopes that the Justice Movement will inspire people around the world to reimagine patriotism through the elevation of the protection of nature as a necessary component of the protection of human rights.
Stephen Tolpinrud is passionate about agrarian issues, especially those that intersect with social and ecological justice. He has worked on several projects in Latin America to promote agroecology as a social movement and as a counterweight to (neo)colonialism. At present, Stephen is helping to promote indigenous and food sovereignty in the highlands of Guatemala with the guidance and help of the local Mayan community. Stephen is also the owner and operator of a small business, Pinyon, which provides garden-to-table pastries and coffee to the Salt Lake region, often sourcing organic products from indigenous producers.
Stephen holds two Masters of Arts degrees from American University and the University for Peace in International Relations and Sustainable Development. He also obtained a certificate in Agroecology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, which focuses on social and ecological justice within agriculture. He is a proud enrolled member of the Chickasaw tribe.
Stephen holds two Masters of Arts degrees from American University and the University for Peace in International Relations and Sustainable Development. He also obtained a certificate in Agroecology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, which focuses on social and ecological justice within agriculture. He is a proud enrolled member of the Chickasaw tribe.
