Julissa Arce

Julissa Natzely Arce Raya is a Mexican-American writer, speaker, businesswoman, and advocate for immigration rights. She is the co-founder of Ascend Educational Fund (AEF) and the author of My (Underground) American Dream (2016), Someone Like Me (2018), and “You Sound Like a White Girl” (2022).

Early life and education

Arce was born in Guerrero, Mexico.[1] Her parents migrated to the United States for work, after which she began using a travel visa at age 11 to move between her parents' home in San Antonio and her grandmother's home in Mexico.[1][2] At age 14, she remained in the United States after her visa expired making her undocumented. She remained undocumented for nearly 15 years.[2]

Arce was able to attend college through the Texas DREAM act. She obtained a degree in finance from the University of Texas, Austin.[1][3]

Career and advocacy

In 2005, Arce moved to New York to start an internship at Goldman Sachs.[1] Within seven years, she was a Vice President at the company. She left Goldman Sachs for Merrill Lynch in 2011.[2]

Arce obtained a green card in 2009 after marrying and became a United States citizen on August 8, 2014.[2][3] She shared her immigration story in a 2015 Bloomberg interview.[4]

Arce is co-founder of the Ascend Educational Fund (AEF), a college scholarship and mentorship program for immigrant students regardless of their immigration status.[2] The organization has awarded over $500,000 in scholarships since 2012.[4]

Arce has authored two books about her immigrant experience; "My (Underground) American Dream" (2016), and "Someone Like Me" (2018). Her most recent book is “You Sound Like a White Girl” (2022).

Arce was named as one of People en Español’s 25 Most Powerful Women of 2017 and 2018 Woman of the Year by the City of Los Angeles.[5] She was awarded the Los Angeles Times Latinos de Hoy Emerging Leader Award, the NAHREP's Vanguard Award, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation Inspira Award.[6][7][8]

Personal life

Arce lives in Los Angeles with her husband.[9]

References

1. "The Undocumented Immigrant Who Conquered Wall Street Shares Her Story". Time. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
2. "From Undocumented to Goldman Sachs Exec: Julissa Arce's Amazing Story". NBC News. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
3. "Undocumented at Goldman Sachs ? Julissa Arce's riveting new book". NBC News. 12 September 2016. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
4. "She grew up undocumented. Now Julissa Arce is working to end immigration stereotypes". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
5. "Arce, Julissa". 2020 National Immigrant Integration Conference. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
6. "The Los Angeles Times and Hoy 2016 Latinos De Hoy Awards". stylemagazine.com. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
7. "Exclusive Excerpt from NAHREP Latino Vanguard Award Recipient Julissa Arce's Forthcoming Book". NAHREP. 2016-09-01. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
8. "2015 National Youth Awards hosted in Los Angeles". Hispanic Heritage Foundation. 2016-02-01. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
9. "Biography". Julissa Arce. Retrieved 2021-03-29.