Julissa Ruiz Ramirez (she/ella) was born in occupied Purépecha territory in central Mexico and migrated to the Central Valley as a child. There, in Yokut territory, she was introduced to politics via her personal experience and that of her community. She has advocated for the rights of undocumented people, helped push a transformational campaign for students at her local university and advocated for justice for victims of police violence. In 2020, Julissa obtained her Bachelors from CSU Stanislaus, double majoring in Ethnic Studies and Political Science.
Julissa joined the Merced’s Youth Leadership Institute team as an intern for the Young Revolutionary Front (YRF). She now serves as Program Coordinator for Moving Forward, a youth based program that centers healing for young people, and for YRF, a youth based program that centers young people’s well being via political education, community involvement, art, healing, and solidarity. Healing is integral to our internal revolution and to our collective liberation. As such, she believes that what now exists can be transformed, re-envisioned, abolished and born anew.