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Rinku Sen is the President and Executive Director of the Applied Research Center (ARC) and Publisher of ColorLines magazine.
A leading figure in the racial justice movement, Rinku has positioned
ARC as the home for media and activism on racial justice. She has
extensive practical experience on the ground, with expertise in race,
feminism, immigration and economic justice. Over the course of her
career, Rinku has woven together journalism and organizing to further
social change. She also has significant experience in philanthropy, as
Vice Chair of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and an
Advisory Committee member of the Philanthropic Initiative for Racial
Equity. Previously, she was the Co-Director of the Center for Third
World Organizing.
Rinku has written extensively about immigration, community organizing
and women's lives for a wide variety of publications including The
Huffington Post, Jack and Jill Politics, The San Francisco Chronicle,
Forbes.com, AlterNet, Tompaine.com, and Racewire, the ColorLines’ blog. Her book, Stir It Up: Lessons in Community
Organizing (Jossey-Bass) was commissioned by the Ms. Foundation
for Women and released in the fall of 2003. Her latest book, The Accidental American: Immigration and Citizenship in the Age of Globalization
(Berrett-Koehler) won the Nautilus Book Award Silver Medal.
Previously, Rinku served as the communications
director and the director of the Transnational Racial Justice Initiative
at ARC. Prior to that, Rinku held various leadership roles at
the Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO), a national network of
organizations of color, where she trained new organizers and crafted
public policy campaigns from 1988-2000. Rinku started her organizing
career as a student activist at Brown University, fighting race, gender
and class discrimination on campuses. She received a B.A. in Women's
Studies from Brown University in 1988 and an M.S. in Journalism at Columbia
University in 2005.
Awards & Honors
2008:
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Utne Reader named Rinku as one of fifty activists, artists, scientists, and non-conformists who made their list of visionaries working in social justice and community organization, transforming technology and the world.
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| 2008: |
Rinku received the 2008 Progressive Leadership Award from Citizen Action of New York. |
| 2006: |
Rinku was awarded a residency at Mesa Refuge. |
| 2006: |
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership recognized Rinku for her commitment to ethical journalism for documenting the complexities and controversies in communities of color across the nation.
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| 2004: |
The Asian American Journalists Association honored Rinku with their Dr. Suzanne J. Ahn Award for social justice coverage. |
2004:
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Rinku was the Charles H. Revson Fellow on the Future of the City of New York.
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| 2000: |
Rinku was a Windcall Resident. |
1999:
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Rinku was a Gerbode Fellow. |
| 1996: |
Ms. Magazine recognized Rinku as one of 21 feminists to watch in the 21st century.
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| 1996: |
The Ms. Foundation for Women honored Rinku with their Gloria Steinem Women of Vision award. |
Media Appearances
Most recently, Rinku appeared on The Tavis Smiley Show to discuss her book, The Accidental American. She has also appeared on WNYC/PRI’s The Takeaway (a Regional NPR), Peter B. Collins’ Radio Show, Air America’s Ron Reagan Show, KPFA’s The Morning Show, GRITtv’s Media Roundtable, Brave New Film's Meet the Bloggers, the Asia Pacific Forum, Pacifica Radio Stations, and she has video-blogged for Racewire, ColorLines’ blog on race, culture, and politics.
In addition, Rinku was published in the San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes, Market Watch, International Business Times, Earth Times, News Blaze, Virtualization, WRIC TV Richmond, and Social Developments Blog, among other media outlets.
A native of India, Rinku grew up in the Northeast, USA.
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