Name:
(left to right) Ilan and Roz L.
School:
Santa Monica High School
Graduation Year:
Ilan – 2027
Roz – 2025
STF Title:
Ilan – Chapter Member
Roz – Chapter President
STF Member Since:
Ilan – Fall 2024
Roz – Fall 2023
February, 28, 2025, written by Geneva H. from Mira Costa HS:
Santa Monica High School STFers Ilan and Roz L. are sibling activists leading the charge in student human rights advocacy. Though they hold different roles in STF, both Roz and Ilan are committed to making an impact, bringing their unique perspectives to the cause.
“I joined STF when I was a sophomore because I was interested in activism and didn’t know where to get started,” said Roz, President of the Santa Monica HS chapter. Ilan joined this year as a general member because he wanted to spend more time with his sister.
So far, Roz describes her experience at STF as overwhelmingly positive and emphasizes her deep appreciation for STF’s active role within both the school and the broader community. Being the STF chapter’s President has not only deepened Roz’s passion for activism, but has also shaped her into a more confident and capable leader. “STF has really helped me build my professional communication skills and become more confident in talking to people that I don’t know, or reaching out to administrators,” Roz shared.
Similarly, “Ever since I was little, I’ve always been an advocate or upstander for the little person, always wanting everything to be fair and everyone to be treated equally,” Ilan explained. “It made me upset when someone was getting more than someone else, or, someone was treated less than, and it’s nice to be in an organization where I can make a difference.”
Roz and Ilan have the unique opportunity to collaborate with each other as siblings and peers, strengthening their advocacy efforts along with their relationship.
Roz describes the opportunity as a challenge and a joy to learn how to work with Ilan in a professional setting, saying, “Not only do I think of him as my little brother, but I get to see him more as the person that he is.”
Roz hopes to encourage more students to engage with organizations like STF, emphasizing that participation alone can lead to awareness and meaningful action. She wants others to know, “Any action, no matter the size, is taking action. That’s been the biggest thing that STF has taught me.”
Ilan hopes to make a meaningful impact with hopes to expand his involvement to a leadership role next year and commented, “I want to leave some effect on my community or the world around me that lasts longer than me.”