Riji Raja

Riji is an actor, entrepreneur, and the founder of Affirmation Darling, a brand that fosters positive community and culture by inspiring creatives to achieve their personal and career aspirations. With a variety of illustrated stationery products, Affirmations Darling is a “pocket-sized life coach but cheaper than therapy.” The idea came to Riji, who completed business administration degrees in Bangalore, India, after she moved to LA in 2016 to pursue acting and unexpectedly faced homelessness. After she and her husband struggled for two years, Riji knew she wanted to help other creatives in the same situation.

With every purchase of the AffirmActions deck, Affirmation Darling’s BUY ONE, GIVE ONE program gives another to a young adult experiencing homelessness and mental health crisis. "(Riji) is a total boss,” says nominator Jane Herman. “She used to be homeless and now she’s a program manager for a (mentorship program) and started her own business."

In addition to her role as founder of Affirmation Darling, Riji is a program manager for Creative Futures Collective, a startup DEI marketplace for the creative industries with a focus on unearthing talent from disenfranchised communities, and Soho House, a home for the world’s creative people to come together. In a past life, Riji worked in accounts, events and retail for brands like The Giving Keys and KPMG US. Find her on Instagram: @Riji.Raja.