Julien Ross co-founded and helped lead two immigrant justice organizations, Workers Defense Project in Texas (2002-2006) and Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (2006-2017). At Workers Defense, Julien raised critical seed money and managed 4 full-time staff in the early stages of this statewide power house organization. In Colorado, Julien helped grow the coalition to a budget of $1.1 Million, a staff team of 14, and over 50 member organiations which achieved key victories on driver’s licenses, in-state tuition and repealing the show-me-your-papers law. During Julien’s tenure, CIRC participated in multi-year anti-oppression engagement to strive toward a culture that reflected the values the coalition was fighting for in the world.
After transitioning from CIRC, Julien was tapped by the Four Freedoms Fund and State Infrastructure Fund as a capacity building consultant to support grantees with organizational development. Julien received coaching training at Rockwood Leadership Institute’s Yearlong Fellowship and recently graduated from Rockwood’s inaugural 2022 Growing White Leadership For Racial Equity cohort. Julien was born and raised in the traditional lands of the Pueblo people, known today as Santa Fe, New Mexico. Julien is fluent in Spanish and conversational in German, the language of his Jewish ancestors. He was a proud restaurant worker for 10 years and is an avid skier, swimmer, and meteorologist/storm forecaster.