User:Gabriellavanrij

Gabriella N.A. van Rij: International Activist, Author & Speaker

Gabriella van Rij (pronounced “ray”) is armed with kindness and takes no prisoners.

Gabriella was plucked from a Pakistani orphanage at three and adopted by a Dutch family. Raised in Holland, she learned about bullies and racism the hard way, but she refused to remain a victim. Instead, she used understanding and empathy to defeat fear and mistrust. The techniques she pioneered are even more relevant in a country—and economy—that is increasingly global and multicultural.

Today, Gabriella is an author and activist who speaks to thousands every month. For the last three years, Gabriella has been a featured guest on many networks, such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX and has been seen by millions on Dr. Phil.

The best teachers are those whose knowledge comes from personal experience. Gabriella van Rij’s expertise is earned in exactly that fashion.

Gabriella speaks at…

• Schools

• Colleges and universities

• Community centers

• Businesses and corporations

• Places of worship

Covering topics such as…

• Overcoming racism

• What prejudice and judgment looks like

• Bullying causes and solutions

• Cyber torment and its devastating effects

• The role self-acceptance plays in bully-proofing students

• The necessity of kindness

• How to survive in an increasingly diverse and fear-based society

• And many other social issues

As she often says in her talks, “Nobody strikes another coming from a positive place.” Gabriella’s talks are a springboard that helps individuals find happiness and confidence in who they are and their place in the world.

She is also an acclaimed author of two books. With All My Might is her mesmerizing memoir of one of the first cross-cultural adoptions. I Can Find My Might is part self-help, part practical resource for students, parents, and educators. Gabriella’s personal experience creates a boots-on-the-ground approach to bullying and self-acceptance that is nothing short of magical.

Her documentary, Our Silence Is Complicity, was released in the fall of 2014. Gabriella is based in Los Angeles, California.