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Hari Vutukuru

Personal Hobbies & Interests

About Hari

Hari Vutukuru is a proud first-generation Indian-American who was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His philosophy in life is to be purpose-driven, not title-driven. This belief was strongly influenced by his parents who emigrated from Hyderabad, India to the US and overcame extreme poverty. Seeing his parents achieve the American dream inspired him to dedicate his life to public service. He is extremely passionate about causes such as gun violence, poverty, and hunger.

He received his double Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, where he majored in both Political Science and Screen Arts & Cultures. He then went on to receive his Masters in Arts Politics from NYU, a program that perfectly fused his interests in public policy and the arts.

Hari began his work in marketing for Delphi Automotive Systems and as a field organizer for Obama for America before joining the Community Action Team of The Shanti Project at the University of Michigan. He then began his long-standing relationship with the US Army. He started out as a Private First Class in the Infantry division, then he moved up the ranks from Cadet to Second Lieutenant to eventually hold the title of First Lieutenant/Company Executive Officer for the Transportation Corps.

Never content to hold just one position, Hari Vutukuru maintained his military career while holding other jobs simultaneously. In January 2012, Hari became the student community organizer for Detroit Action Commonwealth (DAC), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization challenging and changing the root causes of poverty, homelessness, and injustice. He also held the title of Deputy Field Director for the Mary Kerwin’s State Representative campaign in 2014. He served on the President’s Committee of the Arts and the Humanities and joined Everytown for Gun Safety in 2016 to become their coordinator for Engagement Operations & Movement Building. In October 2017 he became the Manager of business operations and community relations for Success Academy Charter Schools.

Hari is the current Director of Operations for the Food Bank For New York City. He attends Rutgers University law school part-time while still being fully committed to his food bank role. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, Michigan sports, and all aspects of arts and culture. He is a huge film buff and is very active in the political community. He and his fiancée currently reside in New York City.

Hari’s Recent Blogs

Christmas in New York City

Christmas in New York City

It should come to no surprise that New York City is infamous for its yuletide festivities. After all, countless holiday movies feature the city that never sleeps as the backdrop for a reason. During December, one of the most diverse cities in the world seems united in...
2019 People’s Choice Awards Forecast

2019 People’s Choice Awards Forecast

It may seem like autumn flies by far too fast but for some pop culture fanatics, the end of the year brings with it the best season – awards season. The harsh winter months will soon be here, riddled with red carpets and gold statuettes. For those of us eager to...
Get Spooky in NYC with these Halloween Events

Get Spooky in NYC with these Halloween Events

New York City is one of the best places to celebrate Halloween. Spooks and scary thrills can be found all over Gotham, and some Halloween attractions are even free to attend. These five NYC Halloween events are among the best in the city. Be sure to check them out...
The Best of the 2019 Emmy Awards

The Best of the 2019 Emmy Awards

As we quickly approach the end of the year, one silver lining presents itself while we consider the enevitably harsh winter ahead – award season is here! With that said, the 71st Emmy Awards were presented on September 22. While some wins were more predictable,...
Streaming Alternatives to Netflix

Streaming Alternatives to Netflix

Cable television has a bad reputation for its endless commercial breaks, hidden service fees, and subpar customer service. Luckily, there are internet streaming services that offer users various luxuries with a lower subscription fee, like fewer to no commercials and...
My Top 10 Favorite Indian Restaurants in NYC

My Top 10 Favorite Indian Restaurants in NYC

New York City is a mecca for foodies like myself who love to try new foods from different cultures across the globe. With over 25,000 restaurants in the city that never sleeps, I have found quite a few restaurants that serve my favorite cuisine – Indian. If you...
The End(game) of Avatar’s 10 Year Run

The End(game) of Avatar’s 10 Year Run

As of July 21, 2019, James Cameron’s 2009 film Avatar has ended its decade-long run as the highest grossing movie of all time, at $2.776 billion in earnings. The incredible graphics and unique storyline of Avatar held its reign in box offices for close to a decade,...