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 (available Sept. 10) and WORLD OF WONDER (available Aug. 20). 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.
“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
SEE NO STRANGER “and the woman who gave birth to it have so much to offer the struggle for peace and justice as we move into a most complex and crucial century. Open up your heart as you open these pages and let yourself be inspired and invigorated by the way Ms. Kaur breaks it down.” – Ani DiFranco
“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. William J. Barber, II, president of Repairers of the Breach and co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
“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
“The intimate, raw stories in SEE NO STRANGER will break and awaken your heart; the profound teachings and compelling vision will inspire you to serve and savor our precious world.” – Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance
“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
The TED Talk: 3 Lessons of Revolutionary Love in a Time of Rage (3 million views)
Poor People’s Campaign Watch Night Service speech (40+ million views)
Who America Could Be: Stories from Angel Island with Valarie Kaur
Solidarity Council on Racial Equity member, Valarie Kaur, speaks about Revolutionary Love.
News
Valarie’s new book, SAGE WARRIOR, will be released this September! Pre-order your copy.
Valarie’s first children’s book, WORLD OF WONDER, is coming in August! Pre-order your copy.
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.