Ju

Host and Creator of ImmigrAsians

Ju Hong is the new Dream Resource Center (DRC) director, a project of the UCLA Labor Center operated by and for immigrant youth, is a Los Angeles-based source for innovative research, education, and policy on immigration issues and educational access for underserved populations. The UCLA DRC believes immigrant youth have a voice in narratives about immigration issues and continues to be at the forefront of conversations that directly impact their lives and families.

Ju was the Program Financial Specialist and Contracts Manager at Alameda County, managing community-based organizations to provide essential programs and services for the unserved population in Alameda County, California. Previously, Ju was the former Governmental Program Analyst at the Immigration and Refugee Branch of the California Department of Social Services, where he oversaw a $45 million Immigration Services budget, which funds over 100 community-based organizations to provide legal services and education and outreach to immigrant communities throughout California.

Ju came to the United States from South Korea at 11 and grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. He attended Laney College in Oakland, where he was elected as the first Asian American and youngest student body president. Ju graduated from Laney College and transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he became the first undocumented student government Senator in UC Berkeley history.

In 2013, Ju challenged President Obama on a record number of deportations during his speech at the Betty Ong Center in San Francisco, California. His courageous action appeared on national and international media, including CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, and BBC News. Ju also contributed and published immigration articles on Politico, Huffington Post, and The Korea Times. Ju often shares his personal story at conferences and universities to educate and inspire people to take action on immigration. Ju also has a short documentary called Halmoni.

Ju currently serves as a board chair of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and a member of the Leadership Council of Immigrants Rising.

Ju holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at UC Berkeley, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration at San Francisco State University. He is currently working on his passion project – ImmigrAsians Podcast, where he captures the unique stories of Asian undocumented individuals living in the United States.

In his spare time, Ju enjoys traveling, dancing, and spending time with his family dog, Mocha.