Joe Rinah embodies the spirit of resilience and community transformation that Radiant CDC was created to reflect. A first-generation Karen-American, she brings a deeply personal understanding of displacement, perseverance, and the power of home.


Born in Burma during the nation’s ongoing civil conflict, Joe Rinah and her family fled ethnic persecution by the military junta. She spent much of her childhood in a refugee camp along the Thai-Burma border before resettling in the United States through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).


Today, she is a powerful connector and advocate within Indianapolis’ thriving Burmese diaspora, one of the largest in the country. As a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and fluent speaker of both S’Gaw Karen and Burmese, she serves as a translator, cultural bridge, and trusted voice for her community—especially for elders navigating complex systems.


Joe Rinah plays an essential role as Radiant’s resident voice, ensuring that the design and delivery of housing and services are rooted in dignity, justice, and lived experience. Whether volunteering with First Baptist Church’s Food Pantry, advocating through Patchwork Indy, or leading alongside Nora Neighborhood Ambassadors, she models what it means to fight for safe, affordable housing—not only for her own family, but for generations to come.


Her presence on the Radiant board is a reminder that the true measure of affordable housing isn’t just the cost of the unit—it’s the worth of the lives it holds.