Hari Vutukuru has made a name for himself as a military officer, community organizer, political consultant, cultural policy advocate, and a video producer. He believes in being driven by a purpose and a passion, not by a need to earn titles. This philosophy was instilled in him at a young age by his parents who emigrated from a very poor province of India. When they achieved the proverbial American dream, he was inspired and vowed to dedicate himself to public service, with a focus on issues like gun violence, poverty, and hunger.

 

He first gained an interest in politics during the Obama campaign and has worked on numerous local and state campaigns since then. Hari Vutukuru completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Michigan and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of the Transportation branch of the Army National Guard. His primary focus during his undergraduate years was centered around leadership, community organization, and film production/writing. While still in school, he joined the Detroit Action Commonwealth, a nonprofit organization fighting poverty, homelessness, and injustice.

 

His next degree was a Master of Arts in Politics from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. This period enriched his life through the study of writing, political economy, governance, and culture, as well as public service. After graduation, Hari Vutukuru was chosen to participate in the NYU Center for Art and Public Policy's summer fellowship where he helped create a cultural plan to rejuvenate the city of Detroit. He also completed an internship with the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, the cultural advisory body to the White House. As a Lieutenant, his service to the US Army is ongoing - he is still active in the National Guard and is a distribution platoon leader for New York City's Fighting 69th Infantry Battalion.

 

Hari is currently the Director of Operations for the Food Bank in New York City. Although he now resides in New York, Detroit is never far from his mind, as he follows closely along with Detroit sports.  

 

When he’s not at work, Hari enjoys spending time with his fiancée, traveling, watching movies, participating in political reform, and following Michigan sports, as well as anything related to arts and culture. Hari Vutukuru is also an associate video producer & writer for Vanishing Pictures, a video & film production company.