Rudy Ruiz
Join the Journey. A Message from our Founder.
From the weeds to Washington, from the border to the boardrooms, I’m committed to uniting disparate voices in an upswell of Americans that believe passionately in intelligent, optimistic, progressive solutions to the challenges we face. I’m seeking out people who are tired of seeing cynical politicians and media pundits brand intellect, hope, vision and enthusiasm as either elitist or naïve characteristics. Because the moment we Americans lose our thrill to dream, our faith in achieving the seemingly impossible, then that moment the Dream will die, and with it the sacrifice of our ancestors and the promise of our children. Join me in a chorus of voices rising from the desert. Every voice should be heard regardless of its accent. Every thread of color should be woven into the fabric of our national dialogue. So we can merit the pride we share in being American, in contributing to our world, in living in a country that’s on the right track.
About Rudy Ruiz
Rudy Ruiz has been hailed as “a cultural visionary” by the National Hispanic Institute. A native Spanish speaker born in Brownsville, Texas and raised on the US-Mexico border, Rudy Ruiz has built an illustrious career as a thought leader and successful entrepreneur in advocacy communications, an award-winning creative force and published author, and a builder of bridges for progress between cultures, corporations, non-profit organizations and government entities. He is also a frequent keynote public speaker and panelist at conferences as well as a guest commentator on both English and Spanish-language radio and television.
Thought Leadership & Entrepreneurship in Advocacy Communications
Rudy Ruiz’s analytical, strategic and policy skills were honed at Harvard University, where he earned both his BA in Government specializing in International Relations (’90) and his Masters in Public Policy specializing in International Trade & Finance (’93).
He founded Interlex Communications Inc. in 1995 with the mission of leveraging cultural insights and strategic communications to make a positive impact in the lives of diverse audiences. The agency focuses on public sector, non-profit and cause-related marketing. Over 13 years, the agency he serves as President & CEO has become a Top US Agency Brand (Ad Age Magazine) and one of the Top 20 Hispanic Ad Agencies in America (Hispanic Business Magazine). His work in this arena has led to numerous national and multinational campaigns on topics including public health, nutrition, cancer awareness & prevention, public education, international tourism and economic development, environmental awareness, HIV/AIDS prevention and more. Agency clients include national and global entities such as: American Cancer Society, American Express, CDC, Departments of Health of various states, National Education Association, TracFone, US Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Health & Human Services, Homeland Security and State; Western Union, and Wyndham Worldwide. Through the agency’s work, Rudy Ruiz has also pioneered models for public behavior change and cause-related marketing. Under his guidance, the agency’s fully integrated advertising, interactive, public relations, partnership development and media planning & placement departments work to develop and execute major public-private partnerships to focus on the important issues of the day, transforming public policy initiative into social action.
Success as a Writer, Director & Producer
It was Rudy Ruiz’s creative drive that led him into the field of the advertising and communications. He began writing fiction and composing music during his teenage years. At Harvard he continued developing his talents, receiving a number of grants for writing and research (Ford Foundation, Harvard Institute for International Development). In the musical field, he was recognized by the Texas Commission on the Arts for his original compositions and performances designed to inspire young people to stay in school and tap their talents for inspiration and motivation. Since founding Interlex, he has written, directed and produced over 40 TV Public Service Announcements and commercials. His work has won numerous accolades, including Addy, Davey, Telly, Summit, Service Industry of America, and Government Communicator Awards.
His creative skills further overlapped with his passion for advocacy with the 2003 publication of his first book, “¡Adelante!”, by Random House Español. The book, a guide to success in America for recently emigrated Latinos, launched Rudy’s national career in advocacy for immigrant populations. His national book tour included appearances and bilingual interviews with major TV, Radio and Print media outlets. The book was selected as the Read of the Month by Univision anchorman Jorge Ramos.
His commitment to bringing multicultural perspectives to universal issues is further evidenced by his recently published essay regarding his eating disorder as an adolescent. The essay provides the only Latino and only male viewpoint in “Going Hungry: Writers on Desire, Self-Denial, and Overcoming Anorexia.” The anthology was published by Anchor, a division of Random House, in September 2008.
Additionally, Rudy Ruiz has written four novels and is currently working on an independent film screenplay.
In continued pursuit of his commitment to advocacy, Rudy is a frequent public speaker at national conferences and a frequently interviewed expert on subjects ranging from multicultural marketing to growing Hispanic political power, immigration policy to international relations. He has also served on a select number of Boards of Directors, including the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, the nation’s leading Hispanic cultural arts organization. He is the Chair of the Committee on Transculturation of Profmex, a global non-profit think tank devoted to studying the role of Mexico and Mexicans within the world.
Commitment to Shared Cultural Progress
Rudy Ruiz’s commitment to shared progress among diverse cultural and ethnic groups as well as between nations is rooted in his bicultural upbringing along the US-Mexico border.
“Growing up on the border inspired me,” Rudy Ruiz says. “I instinctively understood the symbiotic nature of international and intercultural relationships. My whole life I’ve dreamt of being a human bridge for greater understanding, cooperation and shared prosperity between diverse peoples. We must strive to eliminate economic and health disparities. Together, we can build a better world.”
Rudy Ruiz, Founder of Red, Brown and Blue and Syndicated Columnist
[Posted on January 20]
When browsing through Red, Brown, and Blue, you might begin to think about how the communications platforms for important multicultural news and discussion came about. It takes the hard work and determination of a lot of people to put something like Red, Brown and Blue together, and it also takes a committed leader to marshal these efforts. Rudy Ruiz is the founder of Red, Brown, and Blue, and also a columnist for the site.
Rudy Ruiz has a motivation to really make a difference and contribute to progress in America, and has been taking the steps from high school to college through his adult life to realize those changes through positive and meaningful ways, one of which happens to be Red, Brown, and Blue, where people from all walks of life can come together to become more informed about the challenges currently facing our nation. Rudy Ruiz also believes that we as a people should not only be able to find solutions to these challenges, but take the initiative to get involved in order to execute these solutions. Rudy Ruiz has been sharpening his skills since high school, from graduating first in his class in Brownsville, Texas, to excelling and graduating from Harvard University with a BA in Government specializing in International Relations and a Masters in Public Policy. Through these efforts, Rudy Ruiz has been preparing himself to help bring about progress for all Americans.
Red, Brown, and Blue is one of the newest ways which Rudy Ruiz is making a positive impact. Before this multicultural news and opinion website was started, Rudy Ruiz had already been a successful entrepreneur, writer, director, and producer, just to name a few of his accomplishments. Despite these personal accomplishments, Rudy continued to have a vision beyond his personal achievements – continued progress of diverse groups of people and a better country and world for all of us.
Join Rudy Ruiz in building bridges among diverse multicultural communities; browse through the rest of Red, Brown, and Blue, and take a moment to share your opinion.
