Valarie Kaur
Valarie Kaur is a renowned civil rights leader, lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, educator, innovator, and best-selling author of SEE NO STRANGER, SAGE WARRIOR and WORLD OF WONDER. She is the founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, where she leads a movement to reclaim love as a force for justice. Valarie burst into global consciousness when her Watch Night Service address went viral with 40 million views worldwide. Her question — “Is this the darkness of the tomb — or the darkness of the womb?” is a beacon for people fighting for our future.
Valarie became an activist when a Sikh father and family friend Balbir Singh Sodhi was the first person murdered in hate violence in the aftermath of 9/11. Since then, she has led visionary campaigns to tell untold stories and change policy on issues ranging from hate crimes to solitary confinement to digital freedom. In 2021, she led the People’s Inauguration, inspiring millions of Americans to renew their role in building a healthy, multiracial democracy. Today, the Revolutionary Love Project equips communities with practical tools to transform the nation from inside out. In Fall 2022, Valarie was honored at the White House in the first-ever Uniters Ceremony, recognizing her as a prophetic leader whose work is healing America
Valarie earned degrees at Stanford University, Harvard Divinity School, and Yale Law School, and holds several honorary doctorates. She has created groundbreaking initiatives at the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and social justice, including Groundswell Movement, Faithful Internet, and the Yale Visual Law Project. She speaks widely and has been a regular TV commentator on MSNBC and contributor to CNN, NPR, PBS, the Hill, and the Washington Post. Her debut book SEE NO STRANGER became a #1 LA Times bestseller and expands on her “blockbuster” TED talk.
Valarie’s vision is deeply inspired by her Sikh faith. A daughter of Punjabi farmers, Valarie grew up on the farmlands of California, where her family has lived for more than a century. Her grandfather gave her Sikh wisdom through stories and songs that showed the way of the sant-sipahi, sage-warrior. The sage loves; the warrior fights — it is a path of revolutionary love.
“SAGE WARRIOR is far more than a book – it’s a sacred invitation… I’m not the same after reading it, and, for that, I am deeply grateful.” – Brené Brown, Ph.D., author of the #1 NYT Bestseller Atlas of the Heart
“Valarie Kaur is a leading light of love and compassion at a time when the world needs it most. Her voice is essential.” – Isabel Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
“SAGE WARRIOR is a treasure chest of hope and inspiration. Valarie Kaur digs deep into her beautiful, sacred Sikh faith tradition to bring us tools of wisdom and oneness when we need it most.” – Rainn Wilson, best-selling author of Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution
“In a world stricken with fear and turmoil, Valarie Kaur shows us how to summon our deepest wisdom.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love
“Valarie Kaur is a prophetic voice of our generation. Her wisdom ignites and inspires me, lighting the way through the darkness.” – America Ferrera, award-winning actress, producer and activist
“SAGE WARRIOR is a brilliant gem. It’s a truly inspiring, healing odyssey and practical guide to unlock our courage drawing from the deep wisdom and faith of women in the Sikh tradition.” – Michelle Alexander, author of the New York Times Bestseller The New Jim Crow
“Valarie Kaur is a revolutionary for justice who shows us how to labor for the world we dream. In my darkest moments, I remember my Sikh sister’s call to ‘breathe and push!’ Her wisdom inspires us to build movements and seek the change that love demands.” – Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II
“Valarie Kaur was one of the most exceptional speakers/ thinkers I have ever heard…one of the most compelling young voices in America today.” – Melissa Harris-Perry, Host and Managing Editor, The Takeaway
“Valarie gave the best Martin Luther King talk in 27 years at Florida International University. Dr. King would have smiled with delight, as I did!” – MLK Committee member, Florida International University
“life-changing” and “the most enlightening experience of our lives” – Students at the University of Illinois
“Your plenary address was stunning and your words sent people away with a new fire in their hearts.” – Parliament of World’s Religions
“A standout figure…at the forefront of progressive change.” – Center for American Progress
Books, Films & Projects
Clips
Valarie Kaur introduces the Revolutionary Love Bus Tour
The TED Talk: 3 Lessons of Revolutionary Love in a Time of Rage (3 million views)
Good Morning America: 'Faith Friday' with Valarie Kaur
News
REVOLUTIONARY LOVE TOUR: In the thick of the election season, Valarie and friends visited 40+ cities across the country to ignite courageous action rooted in love. At every stop, the tour offered storytelling, music, ancestral wisdom, tools, and community-building. Bring the tour experience to your city in 2025.
New from the bestselling author of SEE NO STRANGER: Valarie’s highly anticipated second book, SAGE WARRIOR, and her first children’s book, WORLD OF WONDER, are now available!
Introducing the EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING HUB: Have you ever watched how children love? It’s committed, diverse, creative, and unpredictable. Children are devoted to love. How do we nourish and strengthen the wisdom that is already inside of them? Explore the Parents’ Guide and Educators’ Guide.
SEE NO STRANGER: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love, is a #1 LA Times bestseller and a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize. Read an excerpt.
The Revolutionary Love Learning Hub is live! Use this free online platform with research-backed tools to build beloved community. Go to the Learning Hub.