Anurima Bhargava

Anurima Bhargava is the Founder and CEO of Anthem of Us, a strategic advisory and consulting firm that centers dignity, justice, and belonging in schools, workplaces and communities.  Since 2018, Anthem of Us has been a lead partner in global assessments of financial institutions, corporations, foundations, universities, and media and arts organizations.  From 2010-2016, Bhargava led federal civil rights enforcement and policy in schools and higher education institutions nationwide at the U.S. Department of Justice.  She previously directed the education practice at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where from 2004-2010, she advised and litigated seminal cases related to schools and higher education institutions, including in the U.S. Supreme Court. Bhargava has advised and executive produced numerous documentary films and projects; including the Oscar-nominated and Peabody winner, Writing With Fire, Peabody Winner While We Watched; Our Body Politic, A Shot At History, and The Vow.  Her directorial debut, Teaching America, honors the Arkansas students and teachers who joined together to stand up for their AP African-American Studies classes and their freedom to learn.  From 2018-2022, Bhargava served as Chair and Commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; the New York Times profiled her efforts to fix problems across political and ideological divides. Bhargava chairs the U.S. Board of Doc Society, co-chairs the National Advisory Board on Public Service at Harvard, and serves on the board of the National Women’s Law Center Action Fund and Democracy House.  She serves as an advisor to GSV.  She graduated from Harvard College and Columbia Law School and was born and raised on the south side of Chicago.