Henry A. J. Ramos

Senior Fellow, The New School

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About Henry

Ramos is a public intellectual, activist and artist. His areas of expertise include DEI, philanthropy, media and communications, higher education policy, and creative culture. At the Institute, Ramos supports leadership, staff, and allied researchers in efforts to advance new thinking and action in applied research, social investment, and policy making. He presently serves on the board of directors of HelpGuide.org, and also serves on the prestigious UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science advisory board. He is an advisor to leading social innovators like Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos and arts organizations like Los Angeles-based Company of Angels Theatre Group, and is a past board chair of Nonprofit Finance Fund and former board member and founding editor of the Harvard Kennedy School Journal of Hispanic Policy. Additionally, he is a former board member of leading public policy and advocacy organizations, including the Women’s Foundation of California, PartnersGlobal, the Romare Bearden Foundation, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice. Ramos was previously the chief executive officer of the Oakland, California-based Insight Center for Community Economic Development, and he is a former member of the program teams of Ford Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and the Levi Strauss Foundation.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | In the News | Publications

Contributions

Reassessing Education and the American Dream

Ofronama Biu

Commentary, September 2022

In the News

Opinion: "More Policing Won’t Solve Youth Crime," Henry A. J. Ramos (with Phyllis Becker), The Progressive Magazine, January 9, 2024.

Opinion: "To Prevent Youth Violence, Invest in Young People," Henry A. J. Ramos (with Albino Garcia Jr.), Opinion > Congress Blog, The Hill, January 17, 2023.

Opinion: "Our Education System Is Not Setting Up Students for Success," Henry A. J. Ramos (with Eric C. Abrams), The Hechinger Report, September 6, 2022.

Opinion: "How One Organization Is Prioritizing Racial Equity and What It’s Learn," Henry A. J. Ramos (with Trella R. Walker), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, February 28, 2022.

Opinion: "Philanthropy’s Next Stage Imperative: Meaningfully Moving Foundation Assets for the Common Good," Henry A. J. Ramos, Equity, Geo Funders, December 3, 2021.

Opinion: "Trump Is Laying the Seeds for a New Osama Bin La," Henry A. J. Ramos, The Mercury News, July 31, 2019.

Opinion: "How to Make Wealth Building and Job Opportunities More Equitable," Henry A. J. Ramos (with Katie Taylor), Economic Development, Stanford Social Innovation Review, March 15, 2019.

Opinion: "California Must Find New Pathways Toward a Working Economy," Henry A. J. Ramos, Opinion/ Open Forum, San Francisco Chronicle, December 13, 2018.

Publications

Democracy and the Next American Economy: Where Prosperity Meets Justice (Arte Publico Press, 2019).

Illustrates an in-depth assessment of US imperatives to create a more inclusive and sustainable economy, with specific examples of social innovations and progressive policy reforms that would help to pave the way.

Latino Young Men and Boys in Search of Justice: Testimonies (edited with Frank de Jesus Acosta). (Arte Publico Press, 2016).

Contains a curated collection of prison youth testimonials and reflections on American justice and young men of color, in the form of essays, poems, drawings, and tatoo art).

The History of Barrios Uniods Healing Community Violence (edited with Luis J. Rodriguez). (Arte Publico Press, 2007).

Consists of a curated collection of essays on one of America's leading gang- and community violence prevention leaders, with commentaries by leading social justice advocates including Harry Belafonte, Dolores Huerta, and the late Tom Hayden.)

Nuevos Senderos: Reflections on Hispanics and Philanthropy (edited with Diana Campoamor and William A Diaz). (Arte Publico Press, 1999).

Examines the opportunities and challenges facing U.S. Hispanic groups seeking to engage more fully in American philanthropic institutions and processes.