COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU THIS FALL!
JULISSA WILL BE ON TOUR THIS FALL!
BAY AREA. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. TEXAS.
There has never been a more important time to reclaim our culture, identity, and history. Julissa delivers a powerful message to provide audiences with a nuanced perspective on the complexities of the American Dream, immigration, and identity. Drawing from her personal journey—from arriving in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant at age 11 to ascending the ranks of Wall Street—she challenges the traditional narrative that success necessitates assimilation. She argues that the pressure to conform often leads individuals to suppress their cultural identities, a theme she explores in her book, You Sound Like a White Girl . Arce's speeches encourage audiences to embrace their heritage and question societal norms that equate whiteness with belonging.
More details on the tour coming soon.
To book Julissa, please fill out the inquiry form here.
THE YSLAWG READING GUIDE for use in classrooms & book clubs.
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ABOUT JULISSA.
Julissa Arce Julissa Arce is a bestselling author, sought-after speaker, producer, and public thinker whose writing interrogates the myths of the American Dream and the cost of assimilation. Her acclaimed books, including My (Underground) American Dream, Someone Like Me, and You Sound Like a White Girl, blend memoir, social critique, and cultural analysis to reframe conversations around immigration, identity, and what it means to truly belong. Her work has made her a leading voice in the national dialogue on race, belonging, and the power of reclaiming one's roots.
She's a trusted voice on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and other outlets. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, CNBC, Vogue, and BuzzFeed News. Julissa's storytelling and advocacy have earned her recognition as one of People en Español's 25 Most Powerful Women of 2017 and 2022, and she was honored as the 2019 Woman of the Year by the City of Los Angeles.
Prior to becoming a writer, she built a successful career on Wall Street working for Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, and had seemingly achieved the American Dream—yet she was not part of what defined American. Julissa immigrated to America from Mexico at the age of 11 and was undocumented for more than a decade, some of them spent rising to prominence on Wall Street. She became a U.S citizen on August 8, 2014.
In order to help other young people in similar circumstances, Julissa 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.
She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and cat.
