Gabriella van Rij

Gabriella van Rij (pronounced "ray") was plucked from a Pakistani orphanage at three, and grew up 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 and has been seen by millions on Dr. Phil, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX. She also speaks at businesses and organizations, schools, colleges, universities, community centers, and places of worship. Drawing from groundbreaking science, her immense cross-cultural experience and her signature wit, Gabriella inspires organizations to tap into the power of kindness-the most underutilized skill in today's world. She is 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. She is based in Los Angeles, California.