Sullivan's Unheard Voices Episode 120: Juli Ray Joy

Juli Ray Joy highlights the power of community support and participation, emphasizing how collective care is essential in today’s challenging economic climate. She speaks candidly about the lack of compassion for those living in poverty within current political conversations and underscores the need for positive representation of Black voices in public discourse.

As the Director of Movement Building at the nonprofit Partnership for Safety and Justice, Juli works at the intersection of racial and economic justice in Oregon. She is also the founder and executive director of Black Joy Oregon, a grassroots organization dedicated to celebrating Black culture, cultivating leadership, and promoting nonviolent advocacy. Through acts of joyful activism, Black Joy Oregon brings vibrant displays of love and pride to rural communities—standing at busy intersections with signs bearing messages such as “Black is beautiful,” “Black is revolutionary,” and “Black lives uplift.”

Juli’s experience spans social services, mental health, community education, labor organizing, and food justice. She has helped lead initiatives such as a community farm tied to Oregon’s “Food for All” bill, and her leadership extends to local NAACP chapters, public testimony, and policy advocacy across the state.