[2][3] Prior to her work for CEPR, James had been called "a top U.S. protest organizer" by the Center for Public Integrity.

In the spring of 2000, Global Exchange halted its campaign after Starbucks signed an agreement with TransFairUS to offer Fair trade coffee.

[8] James also advocated for a living wage and suitable working conditions for workers of Nike, Inc. and Gap Inc.[3] She also promoted the usage of Fair Trade chocolate in order to combat child slavery in the Ivory Coast.

[1] Following her time at the Venezuela Information Office, James moved to the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) where she is currently the Director of International Programs.

[2][17] James' contributions at the CEPR focus on the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization, and U.S. policy towards Latin America.