Julissa Arce

Julissa Arce is a writer, activist, and social changemaker. She is the nationally best-selling author of "My (Underground) American Dream" and "Someone Like Me." Her newest book, "You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation," is a powerful dual polemic and manifesto against the myth that assimilation leads to happiness and belonging for immigrants in America.

Prior to becoming an author and immigrant rights activist, Arce built a successful career on Wall Street working for Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch.

Arce immigrated to America from Mexico at the age of 11 and was undocumented for almost 15 years, some of which she spent rising to prominence on Wall Street. In order to help other young people in similar circumstances, she co-founded the Ascend Educational Fund (AEF). AEF is a college scholarship and mentorship program for immigrant students, regardless of their ethnicity, national origin or immigration status.

Arce was named one of People en Español’s 25 Most Powerful Women of 2017 and 2022, and 2018’s Woman of the Year by the City of Los Angeles. She is a leading voice in the fight for social justice, immigrant rights and education equality. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, TIME Magazine, CNN, CNBC, Vogue and other outlets.

She was officially sworn in as an American citizen in August of 2014 and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and cat.