Barbara Ehrenreich

"I have never seen a conflict between journalism and activism: As a journalist, I search for the truth. But as a moral person, I am also obliged to do something about it."

Barbara Ehrenreich (born 1941) was a multifaceted individual—a social critic, freelance journalist, activist, reviewer, and author of 21 books. Born in Montana, she graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and earned a PhD in cell biology from Rockefeller University in New York. By the 1970s, she was deeply involved in the emerging women's health movement and taught at the State University of New York, Old Westbury. Her journey into writing began with articles in Ms. magazine, where she later became a regular columnist, along with Mother Jones. Her literary journey burgeoned with numerous books, culminating in the New York Times bestseller "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" in 2001. This groundbreaking work chronicled her three-month experiment surviving on low wages, exploring various menial jobs such as waitressing, house cleaning, and working as a Wal-Mart clerk.

In 2005, she continued her exploration of economic issues with "Bait and Switch," detailing her endeavors to secure and maintain white-collar employment. Additionally, Ehrenreich authored "This Land is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation." In May 2012, she co-founded The Economic Hardship Reporting Project in collaboration with the Institute for Policy Studies. This initiative aimed to spotlight poverty and economic insecurity in the United States, fostering national discourse on these critical issues.