We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Ettus and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was raised by parents who made me believe I could be anything and a mother who was unafraid to use her voice for justice. I spent most of my childhood on the tennis court as a competitive junior player, and in many ways all of this prepared me for the challenging work I am doing today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I was focused on women’s empowerment and financial independence right up until October 7th at which point the Jewish world was rocked and I became an accidental activist, working to combat antisemitism and curate and provide accurate updates on social media amid a sea of misinformation.

Two months ago I launched 2024 New Voices, a campaign to get celebrities to speak out against antisemitism. The response has been incredible. Every day on Instagram we launch one new celebrity and it is still going strong.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a foodie so you will quickly notice a theme. My favorite spots are Little Beach House Malibu, Nobu Malibu, Angelini or Blue Ribbon in Palisades Village followed by McConnell’s ice cream. My kids and I love getting bagel sandwiched at Layla – worth the trip. I also love the Bel Air Hotel and Craig’s if I have to cross the 405! I love hiking at Will Rogers and I love my morning walks to look out at the ocean – usually while listening to the Times of Israel Daily Briefing.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh my goodness. Where do I begin. I have so many amazing women in my life who have inspired me and continue to lift me up. Mutual hype girl style! And I have three teenagers who teach me and inspire me every day. My oldest prepped me for my last speech. She advised me: “This is not a TED talk, it is a rally. Use your rally voice.” And because of her coaching, I nailed it.

Website: https://www.samanthaettus.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samanthaettus/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthaettus/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/samanthaettus?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaEttus/

Image Credits
Purple image: Bader Hawar

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.