Dear Friends,

This newsletter shines a light on Eva Haller, a global hero who transformed heartbreak and tragedy into a steadfast dedication to make the world a better, kinder place. Eva was born on May 9th, 1930. She is loved and admired by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as the many people whose lives she's touched. We celebrate Eva, and all that she has accomplished, on her upcoming 95th birthday.

Mentor, activist and phhilanthropist Eva Haller

Her life as a child in Budapest was filled with music, art and culture, until World War II began. She idolized her older brother John, who was in the Hungarian resistance. He was killed by the Nazi’s. When Hungarian Nazi's invaded the Scottish boarding school for girls she was attending, Eva pleaded, “I am much too young and beautiful to die.” A soldier told her to run, and she escaped.

After the war, living in Soviet-occupied Hungary was difficult. At the age of 18, Eva boarded a train for Paris with a one-way ticket to Ecuador, where she had relatives. Eventually, she made her way to the United States, where she vowed to honor her brother's memory by becoming an advocate for human rights.

Eva, who cleaned houses in NYC to put herself through college, has devoted her life to supporting those working to break the cycles of poverty and inequality. She is a steadfast advocate for the rights of women and minorities. She joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the historic 1965 march in Selma, Alabama.

In 1968, Eva and her late husband Murray Roman started the Campaign Communications Institute of America. The business was very successful and they wanted to give back. They volunteered their expertise, promoting education and democracy for UNICEF in Southeast Asia and around the world.

Photo by Lekha Singh

Murray Roman helped Eva foster her deep commitment to education, social justice, and philanthropy. When Murray passed, she was heartbroken. Later, she met and married Dr. Yoel Haller. Together, they have mentored countless activists, including Craig Kielberger, a 12-year-old Canadian boy who wanted to put an end to child labor for an estimated 250 million children in the world. Kielberger founded the organization Free the Children, with Eva as the first board chair.

Eva has also supported a wide range of causes. As a board member, she helped distinguished primatologist Jane Goodall build the Jane Goodall Institute.

Eva Haller and Jane Goodall

For the last 40 years, Eva has served as a trustee for the University of California, Santa Barbara, acting as a champion for arts and humanities. She currently serves on the boards of News Literacy Project, Asia Initiatives, Sing for Hope, Creative Visions Foundation and The MY HERO Project.

Eva annually sponsors the Women Transforming Media Award at the MY HERO International Film Festival. Through her generous award, students and professional filmmakers are recognized, with a cash prize, for their outstanding short films about heroic women.

Submissions are open for 2025

Final Deadline: SEPTEMBER 1ST

In response to Covid, and continuing for the past five years, Eva has produced a virtual Salon Series, now in its fifth season with more than 200 episodes. The salons bring together leaders from around the world who share their thoughts and ideas as artists, scientists, social activists and media creators.

Many of the salons have been archived on The MY HERO Project website. Speakers include: Nobel Laureate Jerry White, Global Educator and Author Esther Wojcicki, NYT Columnist Clyde Haberman, former Washington Post Editor Marty Barron, Author Ron Kovic, Asia Initiatives Founder Geeta Mehta, 19th Editor Errin Haines, Creative Visions Foundation Founder Kathy Eldon, Yasmine Sheriff, Author Frances Moore Lappé, Artist Dred Scott, Filmmaker Scott Frank and more.

The salons are held Saturday afternoons at 2pm Pacific time.

For an invitation, email myhero@myheroproject.org.

Inspired by Eva's ongoing commitment to changing the world, Jeanne Meyers and the MY HERO team began working on a documentary about her life in 2015. This film premiered as a short work in progress at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival the following year.

The feature-length documentary premiered in California last spring, at the Illumination Film Festival and Eva was on hand to receive special recognition. The feature also garnered recognition and awards at festivals around the world including: Cannes World Film Festival, Paris Lady MovieMakers Festival, California Indies, Bread & Roses Film Festival, Round The Globe Film & Music Festival, Stockholm City Film Festival, Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival, and The Impact DOCS Awards

A new short film that highlights her wisdom and philosophy has been recognized at the: Santa Barbara International Movie Awards, San Francisco Arthouse Short Festival, International Film Festival Women and the World, Cleveland Arthouse film Awards, Kyoto Independent Film Festival, San Diego International Film Awards, Paris International Short Festival, Los Angeles Short Film Award, and the Los Angeles Women in Film Festival.

To arrange for a screening of Eva Haller: A Work in Progress, please email myhero@myheroproject.org.

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