Phoenix Zones Initiative 2023 Annual Report

TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
LETTER FROM
THE PRESIDENT
6
THE NEED FOR CHANGE
3
MISSION
7
THE PILLARS OF PROGRESS
4
IMPACT BY
THE NUMBERS
8AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
SOCIAL IMPACT
5
A MILESTONE YEAR
9FINANCIALS

Dear Friends,
First, I’d like to start by thanking you for your ongoing support and
dedication.
2023 was a difficult year for many—with the rise of global conflict, a
warming planet, and increasing uncertainty about the future. These
challenges remain, and they underscore the importance of our work
together.
2023 was also a milestone year, made possible by our partners and
supporters. It was our most impactful year yet, marked by several
achievements that will bring us closer to our mission to advance justice for
all. Highlights included international recognition through the United
Nations (UN), a new partnership with a leading legal institution, and
meaningful collaborations with hundreds of other leaders and advocates at
nonprofit organizations, private corporations, and academic centers.
Phoenix Zones Initiative is now officially five years old, and we’re more than
halfway through the 10-year strategic plan that we set forth in 2019. The
road ahead will be arduous, but we’ve already met or surpassed established
benchmarks. As we look to the future, we will continue to be a force for
ending suffering and exploitation across the globe and protecting and
uplifting the most vulnerable. With the extraordinary generosity of our
donors, we remain steadfast in our work toward a reality in which everyone
has the right to thrive. In 2024, we will work with even greater urgency and
efficiency.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hope Ferdowsian, MD, MPH
President
Nik Kulkarni, MD
Vice President
Kavita Rajasekhar, MD, MPH
Secretary
Sonia Silva, MPA
Treasurer
John Gluck, PhD
In the coming year, we will use our new special consultative status with the
UN Economic and Social Council and our accreditation with the UN
Environment Program to enhance our push for international changes that
recognize the connections between rights, health, and justice. Similarly, we
will expand our work with our national and international partners to
advance social, economic, and legal norms that protect people, animals, and
the planet from harm.
We will endure with the knowledge that our power is found together, in
partnership with others who are equally committed to dismantling forces
that drive the exploitation of vulnerable human and nonhuman beings and
fuel global crises such as violence, disease, and environmental degradation.
Thank you for investing in a world of Phoenix Zones—places that advance
the rights, health, and wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet. Your
generous support provides comprehensive education and outreach to
transform social and cultural values; bold research and innovation to map
out new legal and economic paradigms; and visionary leadership and
advocacy to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it
most.
Onward, in solidarity,
Hope Ferdowsian, MD, MPH
2

THE MISSION
Phoenix Zones Initiative is working to create a world of
Phoenix Zones—places that advance the rights, health, and
wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet, allowing society
to rise.
THE VISION
We envision a world that protects the most vulnerable and
enables people, animals, and the planet to thrive.
THE IMPACT
We use our medical and public health expertise to change
lives and reimagine social, economic, and legal frameworks
for the better. With your support, Phoenix Zones Initiative
makes a global impact, ending suffering and shaping a better
tomorrow.
3

IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
education and outreach
stretched across
6
continents
883
attendees at events
195
organizations
received technical support
125
organizations
brought together in
coalition
193
nations directly affected
by global agreements
4

2023
A Milestone Year
2023 was our most impactful year yet,
marked by several achievements bringing
us closer to our mission to advance
justice for all.
ECOSOC Status
Gaining special consultative status with
the UN Economic and Social Council,
which gives us greater access and
influence with UN bodies
UN Talks
Speaking to UN Member States about
the nexus between human, animal, and
environmental health
Launching a national commission
dedicated to establishing more ethical and
appropriate research standards for people
and animals
Model Legislation
Drafting legislative language to heighten
ethical and scientific standards in
medicine, research, and public health
Impact Assessment Tools
Developing tools and metrics that go
beyond outdated economic models to
improve the rights, health, and wellbeing
of people, animals, and the planet
Climate & Environmental Policy
International Leadership
Influencing international priorities
designated by intergovernmental
organizations so that they better promote
rights, health, and justice for all
Sustainable Development
Advancing the promotion of the rights, health,
and wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet
in the Sustainable Development Goals
Technical Consultations
Providing technical expertise to nearly
200 organizations to help them craft
policies and practices that improve the
health and wellbeing of humans, animals,
and our shared environments
Thought Leadership
Engaging with corporate, academic, and
government leaders on the importance of
transforming our social, economic, and
legal frameworks so that they better
promote justice for all
Trailblazing Scholarship
Publishing pioneering articles, op-eds, and
reports in regional and international outlets
to inform decision makers and transform
cultural values
Public Outreach
Advancing a UN Environment Assembly
Resolution on the nexus between human, animal,
and planetary health and wellbeing, and working
with coalitions to address the root causes of
climate change
5
Offering events and speaking engagements,
which inspire and empower countless
professionals, students, and the public to
take action in their own fields of expertise
and interest

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
At Phoenix Zones Initiative, we use a central ethic to guide our work for people, animals, and the
planet, following the principles embedded in Phoenix Zones:
Respect for liberty and sovereignty
Compassion and justice
A belief that each individual possesses dignity and potential
THE NEED FOR CHANGE
Decades of research illustrate the deep connections between human, animal, and planetary
health and wellbeing. Together, we’re creating a world founded on
Compassion and Justice, not
Violence and Oppression
Food Security, not Hunger
Prevention, not Pandemics
Wellness, not Illness
Climate Resilience, not
Climate Catastrophe
Clean Environments, not Pollution
6

THE PILLARS OF PROGRESS
Your support enables us to work with individuals, communities, and institutions to advance justice
in policies and practices, ranging from food systems to community development to medical
research.
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
We train partners to tackle
problems that impact people,
animals, and the planet, including
diseases and environmental threats.
We offer free public events such as
expert panels, webinars, and special
skills trainings to educate and
mobilize individuals committed to
creating a better future for all.
We publish articles, editorials,
and reports to forge a path
toward policies and practices
that advance health and justice
for everyone.
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
We offer technical expertise for
organizations and corporations
that want to craft policies and
practices that improve the
health and wellbeing of people,
animals, and the planet.
We work with partners to develop
transformative social, economic, and
legal frameworks, such as tools that
go beyond traditional economic
metrics to measure human, animal,
and planetary wellbeing.
We're leading a national
commission to improve ethical
standards in research, work
toward the reduction and
elimination of the use of animals
in research, and enhance
scientific inquiry.
LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY
We advocate for international
policies and practices that address
the root causes of global challenges
—from climate change to violence
and conflict.
We’re part of an international coalition
to advance a World Health
Organization-negotiated treaty focused
on a justice-centered pandemic
prevention and response.
7
We’re developing legislation that
would heighten ethical and
scientific standards in medicine,
research, and public health.

OUR ORIGINS
Working across six continents and over 20 years, physicians Dr. Hope Ferdowsian and Dr. Nik Kulkarni
witnessed the global impact of climate change, hunger, disease, violence, and conflict. They also witnessed
the incredible promise of resilience—how people and animals can heal in healthy environments. Hope wrote
about this phenomenon in her book, Phoenix Zones: Where Strength Is Born and Resilience Lives.
Hope and Nik launched Phoenix Zones Initiative to advance the essential links between human, animal, and
environmental health and wellbeing, and to fuel the creation of more Phoenix Zones.
In less than five years, Phoenix Zones Initiative has had a global impact across seven continents. Phoenix
Zones Initiative has become an international voice for people, animals, and the planet and has taught others
how to use their voices and expertise. With partners worldwide, Phoenix Zones Initiative has advanced
changes in local, regional, and global policy and practice.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOCIAL IMPACT
A child working in a slaughterhouse. A suffering animal.
A community poisoned by dirty air and water.
This is who we work for every day.
Stories of individuals, families, and communities who have suffered conflict, abuse, and displacement—and
the Phoenix Zones where they've healed—show us how it's possible to turn despair into hope.
As global problems accelerate, how can we advance the interdependent health
and wellbeing of people, animals, and the planet?
This broad and critical question fuels our vision, mission, and work to change lives and reimagine social,
economic, and legal frameworks for the better—from diverse communities to the nation’s capital and the UN.
The exploited child, the abused animal, and the community enduring environmental degradation all suffer
from the same broken paradigms. Many outdated policies and everyday practices drive the exploitation of
vulnerable individuals and communities while fueling global crises, such as climate change, diseases, conflict,
and pollution. We’re on a mission to change that.
I am proud to support Phoenix Zones Initiative’s incredible work. They use evidence-based research
across multiple disciplines to bring about effective policy reforms benefitting humans, animals,
and the planet.
~Nandita Bajaj, Phoenix Zones Initiative
Leadership Circle Sustainer
8

FINANCIALS
Our work is supported entirely through donations. Donors like you entrust Phoenix Zones Initiative with
your hard-earned dollars, and we promise to use every dollar to create the greatest impact possible.
I support Phoenix Zones Initiative because I believe we’ve got to be more thoughtful about protecting
people, animals, and the planet.
~Dr. Ayanna V. Buckner , Phoenix Zones Initiative
Leadership Circle Innovator
You can show your continued solidarity with our movement by exploring all the ways to give to Phoenix
Zones Initiative, including
Online donations through our website
A check mailed to Phoenix Zones Initiative, 13170-B
Central Avenue SE, PMB 385, Albuquerque,
NM 87123-5588
Donor Advised Fund (DAF) grants initiated by contacting
your grant administrator
9
Memorial or Tribute gifts
Legacy Gifts by naming Phoenix
Zones Initiative as a
beneficiary of your estate plan
Learn more: PhoenixZonesInitiative.org.
Every donation makes a difference.

13170-B Central Avenue SE, PMB 385 | Albuquerque, NM 87123-5588
503.269. 1200 | PhoenixZonesInitiative.org
Phoenix Zones Initiative is a 501(c)(3) public charity,
Tax ID #84-2337171.
Copyright 2024 Phoenix Zones Initiative. All rights reserved.