Bringing our communities together is what Julissa Ferreras has been doing her whole life.

A lifelong resident of the district, she has chosen to run for City Council in the 21st District (which includes Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst and Jackson heights) because it is the next step in representing the best interests of its residents.

Julissa was tapped early in her life as a natural community leader – by the last woman of color to represent Queens in the City Council, Helen Marshall. Marshall appointed 14-year-old Julissa to serve on the Corona Youth Council, where she started a youth employment program. From there, she became president of the Corona-East Elmhurst NAACP Youth Council, a position she held for three years and started her lifelong work of bridging the gaps among our communities.

She entered the workforce as Assistant Director of the Community Conciliation Network in Corona, and shortly thereafter became the Beacon Director at P.S. 19 in Corona, the nation’s most overcrowded school. As Beacon Director, she gave hope to at-risk youth with mentoring, after-school programs and homework help – creating quality programs that helped many children. And in another project, Julissa worked to help immigrants become citizens.

Her involvement in the Beacon Program brought her to the forefront of many community issues. When someone was needed to represent the community, it was Julissa who was called upon by Assemblyman Ivan Lafayette and Congressman Joseph Crowley to serve as a New York State delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention.

Upon returning from the convention, Julissa became instrumental in the successful campaign of the first Latino elected official in Queens, as campaign manager for Hiram Monserrate in 2001. Julissa joined Monserrate as his Chief of Staff for the next four years, working on many community issues such as education, immigration, health care, public safety, redevelopment and business empowerment.

Julissa went on to become the New York Director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials for two years. However, she later returned as Chief of Staff once again to continue her relentless work for the betterment of District 21 and the community at large.

As a proud Dominican-American, Julissa holds a board position with the Dominican National Roundtable and has served on the board for the National Dominican Wheelchair Foundation. She has also served on boards for Renaissance Music and Sports, as well as Elmcor. She currently serves on the board of Neighborhood Housing Services.

Having grown up in Jackson Heights, Julissa now lives in Corona. She is the daughter of Josephine and Julio Ferreras, whom emigrated from the Dominican Republic and have lived in the community for 35 years.