Leticia Phillips

Brazilian environmental leader revolutionizing Amazon conservation through indigenous partnerships

Leticia Phillips is an Amazonian activist whose 2022 coalition Amazon Bridge Initiative has redefined rainforest protection by uniting indigenous communities with tech innovators. This initiative deploys AI-powered surveillance systems developed in collaboration with Rainforest Connection to detect illegal logging in real-time. Phillips' approach emphasizes indigenous knowledge systems, creating over 300 certified forest guardians by 2024.

Her 2023 TED Talk How Indigenous Technology Can Save the Amazon has been viewed 2.3 million times. Key achievements include stopping a major mining project through drone evidence presented at the 2023 UN Climate Conference. Phillips co-authored the Amazon Digital Sovereignty Framework, adopted by 7 South American governments in 2024. Partnerships with Google.org provided $5M in technology grants.