185:. Jayaraman worked in partnership with Fekkak Mamdouh, the former chief server of Windows, to represent the displaced workers. The organization Jayaraman and Mamdouh founded together was named the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York. Although it was originally established to help those affected by 9/11, the ROC evolved and became an organizing center for all immigrant restaurant workers in New York and eventually nationwide. Jayaraman headed the expansion effort and became the co-founder and director of Restaurant Opportunities Center United in 2007. ROC United, currently has over 18,000 members across 15 states. The organization deals with workplace justice campaigns, establishing living wages, and protecting workers rights. Jayaraman has been a key player in major advancements for low wage workers across the country. ROC United has won back more than $ 10 million for its members, and Jayaraman is continuing the fight for fair wages and working conditions through a newer organization,
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133:. Her parents emigrated from India to the United States when her father was seeking work as a software engineer. They settled in the Los Angeles area, but Jayaraman's father lost his job when she was a teenager. She was made aware of her class and race at a young age. Her family frequently endured racial slurs and insults. One incident from her childhood occurred when many mechanics refused to service her family's car when it broke down while they were road tripping across Utah.
217:. There, all workers earn a full fair minimum wage with tips on top. In early 2020 as restaurants were shuttering during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jayaraman launched the One Fair Wage Emergency Fund, raising $ 22 million to grant to out of work service workers. Later in 2020, the new Biden-Harris presidential administration announced its support for ending the subminimum wage and increasing the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, and these policies were introduced in the
189:. There are two federal minimum wages in the United States: $ 7.25 for untipped workers, and $ 2.13 for tipped workers, as of 2021. Jayaraman spearheads the One Fair Wage campaign which seeks to eliminate this two tier system. Seven states have already ended the subminimum wage and enacted One Fair Wage legislation:
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In 2012, the
Restaurant Opportunities Center had an oversight investigation opened on it by the United States House of Representatives calling into question the groups federal funding. In 2019, Jayaraman left ROC to found One Fair Wage. After Jayaraman left, ROC closed Colors restaurant in New York
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during his commencement speech and was praised as "America at its best." Jayaraman worked as a professor at various colleges in the New York area, teaching classes on a variety of topics, including political science, sociology, immigrants rights, and law. She also conducted research on food workers,
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In 2007, a group of former employees brought a lawsuit against
Jayaraman and the Restaurant Opportunities Center. Following the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, Jayaraman set out to open Colors, an employee-owned restaurant for the former workers from Windows on the World that was destroyed in
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the attacks. However, the feel-good project faced controversy when some of the worker-owners sued to keep all the ownership of the restaurant for themselves and not other workers in the organization. In the lawsuit, Jayaraman is also accused of expelling workers for voicing their objections.
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In 1992, Saru
Jayaraman started a non-profit called Women and Youth Supporting Each Other (W.Y.S.E) which "empowers young women by providing the resources and support necessary to make positive life choices and create community change." She was recognized by
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in early 2021, still pending action in
Congress. ROC United was also instrumental in the passing of Washington's Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act, which assures that all workers can begin accumulating sick leave after one day on the job.
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Leadership Award in 2015. She was named one of Crain's New York
Business "40 Under 40," 1010 Wins' "Newsmaker of the Year," and New York Magazine's "Influentials" of New York City." In 2018 she was chosen by the
165:. Jayaraman was hired at Gordon's organization, the Workplace Project, where she dealt with training and organizing mistreated Latino immigrant workers to become their own advocates in instances of labor abuse.
113:. She is an advocate for fair wages for restaurant workers and other service workers in the United States. In the aftermath of September 11, she co-founded the non-profit public service organization
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was published in 2016. The book investigates the employment practices of a wide range of restaurants, from fine dining establishments to fast-food chains. Jayaraman's forthcoming book,
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Sen, Rinku with
Mamdouh, Fekkak. The Accidental American: Immigration and Citizenship in the Age of Globalization. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2008.
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instead, where she earned her B.A. in
International Development Studies and Political Science and graduated summa cum laude in 1995. She continued her education at
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268:, released in 2005, is about modern methods of labor organizing. It draws on first-hand accounts and ethnographies from workers in New York.
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252:, and has two daughters. Jayaraman and Norris met at a Rebelling Lawyers Conference. Norris was previously the executive director of the
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157:. In 2000, Jayaraman was admitted to the State Bars in California and New York. During her time at Yale, Jayaraman studied under
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Jayaraman, Saru. 2013. Behind the
Kitchen Door: The People Who Make and Serve Your Food. Cornell University Press. Ithaca, NY.
117:. And in 2013 she founded a new organization to work on these issues, called One Fair Wage. Jayaraman is a recipient of the
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in San
Francisco, but left after 20 years to pursue writing. The Ella Baker Center is now in the hands of Ashley Chambers.
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sustainability, and urban poverty. Jayaraman has been serving as the leader of the Food Labor
Research Center at the
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Outstanding Senior Award, Chancellor's Service Award, University of California at Los Angeles. Los Angeles, 1995.
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at the age of sixteen, but her parents wanted her to stay close to home . Sixteen-year-old Jayaraman attended
722:"Ella Baker Center for Human Rights After 20 Years at Ella Baker Center, Executive Director is Transitioning"
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Named one of the 11 Most Influential People in Food, New York Magazine's "Influentials" Issue. New York, 2007
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Jayaraman, Saru, and Immanuel Ness (eds.). 2005. The New Urban Immigrant Workforce. ME Sharpe. New York, NY.
299:'s Real Time with Bill Maher. Jayaraman has also published numerous journal articles and technical reports.
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since 2012. It is the first academic institution to study the relationship between food and labor.
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894:"National Women's History Month: What is it, when did it begin, who is being honored this year?"
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Annual Service Award, Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government. Cambridge, 1997
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Jayaraman, Saru. 2016. Forked: A New Standard for American Dining. Oxford University Press.
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was written in 2013. The book is about sexism, racism, and worker abuse in restaurants.
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Dean's Award for Excellence in Student Teaching, Harvard University. Cambridge, 1998
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Honoree, New York Committee on Occupational Safety & Health. New York, 2007
825:"Fierce advocate for restaurant workers wins 2019 Visionary of the Year Award"
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Immigrant Leadership Award for New York City, Mayor Bloomberg. New York, 2006
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Born in 1975, Jayaraman was raised in a primarily hispanic neighborhood in
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were left jobless. The restaurant at the top of the World Trade was named
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Wolfe Fellowship in the Humanities. Brooklyn College. New York, 2009-2010
109:(born April 3, 1975) is an American attorney, author, and activist from
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806:"The Misadventures of an Idealistic Restaurant in Cut-Throat New York"
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Jayaraman is a frequent guest on television programs including on
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Behind the Kitchen Door: The People Who Make and Serve Your Food
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fellowship in 2013 and the Soros Equality Fellowship in 2020.
547:"An Outspoken Force to Give Food Workers a Seat at the Table"
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Harvard Foundation "Road to Success" honoree. Cambridge, 2002
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Fellow, Harry S. Truman National Fellowship. St. Louis, 1994
909:"Golden Globes 2018: How to Support the Activists' Causes"
869:"Saru Jayaraman | Center for Labor Research and Education"
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Mary McCarthy Fellowship, Yale Law School. New Haven, 1996
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Profiled as a New York Times "Public Life." New York, 2005
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Honoree, Workshop in Business Opportunity. New York, 2007
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763:"Suit Charges 'Sweat Equity' Restaurant Plan Was a Hoax"
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Crain's New York Business "40 Under 40." New York, 2008
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will be published by The New Press in the Fall of 2021
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518:"Activist at vanguard of restaurant workers' rights"
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Schell Fellowship, Yale Law School. New Haven, 2000
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375:1010 WINS "Newsmaker of the Year." New York, 2009
278:One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America
16:American attorney/author/activist (born 1975)
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972:University of California, Los Angeles alumni
340:. She was named a Champion of Change by the
651:"A Labor Movement That's More About Women"
344:administration in 2014, and was awarded a
274:Forked: A New Standard for American Dining
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791:"House probes NY restaurant-harass group"
697:"Women & Youth Supporting Each Other"
501:. ProQuest ebrary: Ithaca, US: ILR Press.
403:Union Square Award winner. New York, 2003
701:Women & Youth Supporting Each Other
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264:Saru Jayaraman has written four books.
115:Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
804:Lokting, Britta (December 21, 2018).
365:Prime Movers Award. Boston, 2011-2013
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334:SF Chronicle Visionary Of The Year
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962:American people of Indian descent
827:. sfchronicle.com. March 27, 2019
266:The New Urban Immigrant Workforce
952:People from Whittier, California
351:National Women's History Project
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896:. kiro7.com. February 25, 2018.
324:Jayaraman (right) speaks at a
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847:"The CNN 10: Visionary Women"
777:"'social Justice' Hypocrites"
676:"The CNN 10: Visionary Women"
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353:as one of its honorees for
107:Sarumathi "Saru" Jayaraman
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497:Jayaraman, Saru (2013).
470:"James Beard Foundation"
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111:Los Angeles, California
967:Yale Law School alumni
622:"Our Work - rocunited"
474:James Beard Foundation
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233:President Bill Clinton
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131:Whittier, California
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161:Fellowship winner,
25:Sarumathi Jayaraman
810:The New York Times
551:The New York Times
360:Other accolades:
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219:Raise the Wage Act
179:World Trade Center
175:September 11, 2001
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779:. March 22, 2007.
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316:Awards and honors
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447:Amy Poehler
303:Controversy
931:Categories
453:References
199:Washington
191:California
169:ROC United
125:Early life
50:1975-04-03
626:rocunited
559:0362-4331
326:Time's Up
211:Minnesota
66:Education
911:. Allure
97:Children
207:Montana
143:Harvard
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312:City.
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195:Oregon
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119:Ashoka
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60:, U.S.
594:(PDF)
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293:MSNBC
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