Today we’d like to introduce you to Juli Ray Joy.
Hi Juli Ray, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Black Joy Oregon was founded in 2020 with a simple but powerful belief: Black people deserve to experience joy, belonging, safety, and celebration in every corner of Oregon. What began as a grassroots effort to bring visible demonstrations of Black joy and culture to rural communities quickly grew into a statewide movement. Early on, volunteers traveled throughout Oregon, gathering in public spaces to share messages of love, affirmation, and community, creating opportunities for connection and conversation in places where Black visibility was often limited.
As the organization grew, so did its understanding of what Black joy requires. Joy is not simply celebration—it is access to resources, community care, leadership opportunities, cultural connection, and the ability to thrive. Today, Black Joy Oregon works to create those conditions through mentorship programs, leadership development opportunities, mutual aid efforts, and community-centered events that foster healing, belonging, and empowerment. The organization is also committed to ensuring that all members of the community are supported through initiatives such as its trans-inclusive doula certification program, which helps expand culturally responsive and affirming care.
One of Black Joy Oregon’s signature initiatives is Black Joy Farm, a community food sovereignty project located in Keizer. Now entering its third year, the farm was created to address food insecurity while reconnecting community members to the land, to one another, and to healthy, locally grown food. The farm provides free fresh produce to BIPOC households and is sustained through the work of volunteers and community members who believe that access to nutritious food is a fundamental part of community well-being. Since its founding, the farm has distributed thousands of pounds of produce while creating opportunities for education, stewardship, and collective care.
Through all of its work, Black Joy Oregon remains rooted in the belief that joy is both a form of resistance and a pathway to liberation. By building community, investing in people, and creating spaces where Black and marginalized communities can flourish, Black Joy Oregon is helping cultivate a future grounded in resilience, connection, and collective abundance.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The work of advocating for Black communities in Oregon has not come without significant challenges. Since our founding, we have operated in environments that are often hostile to conversations about race, equity, and justice. Members of our organization have faced harassment, threats, and verbal abuse, and several have experienced physical assaults by white supremacists while engaging in community advocacy. Organizers have faced the possibility of arrest while participating in demonstrations and have regularly encountered racism directed at both our leadership and the communities we serve. Beyond these external challenges, building a sustainable organization has required navigating limited resources, financial uncertainty, and the difficult transition from a protest-focused movement to a nonprofit capable of meeting ongoing community needs. During lean financial periods, we relied heavily on volunteers, community donations, and grassroots fundraising efforts to provide mutual aid and respond to urgent needs. Through every challenge, we have remained committed to our mission, adapting our work to meet the evolving needs of our community while continuing to create spaces where Black Oregonians can find support, connection, safety, and joy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My professional journey has been centered on community building, leadership development, advocacy, and creating opportunities for people to exercise their collective power. For the past several years, I have worked at the intersection of social justice, labor, and community engagement, helping individuals and organizations develop the skills, relationships, and resources needed to create meaningful change.
As a founder and leader within Black Joy Oregon, I have helped build a grassroots movement into a community-based nonprofit focused on healing, belonging, leadership development, and mutual aid. My work has included organizing community events, developing mentorship opportunities, coordinating mutual aid efforts, supporting food sovereignty initiatives through Black Joy Farm, building partnerships across sectors, and creating programs that respond to the needs of Black and marginalized communities. I have also helped guide the organization’s growth from a protest-centered movement into a sustainable nonprofit focused on long-term community impact.
For the last five years, I worked in the public safety and justice reform space, supporting efforts to build safer and healthier communities through advocacy, coalition building, public education, leadership development, and systems change. This work involved engaging directly with community members, facilitating conversations across diverse stakeholders, supporting policy and advocacy efforts, and helping communities identify solutions that promote safety, accountability, and equity. Through this experience, I developed a strong understanding of how community power, relationship building, and strategic partnerships can create lasting change.
In my current role with the Oregon labor movement, I serve as the Education, Training, and Leadership Development Coordinator. My work focuses on strengthening unions and developing worker leaders through education, training, and coalition building. I work closely with affiliates and community partners to identify educational needs, expand leadership development opportunities, create new training programs, and build stronger connections between labor and community organizations. I have helped launch initiatives that support steward development, leadership cultivation, member engagement, and anti-authoritarian organizing while working to ensure that workers have access to the tools and knowledge needed to build power in their workplaces and communities.
Alongside my professional work, I am currently pursuing studies in Pastoral Care and Counseling with an emphasis on Organizational Leadership at Southeastern University. My academic studies complement my professional experience by deepening my understanding of leadership, community care, conflict resolution, and human development. Together, my work and education reflect a lifelong commitment to serving others, strengthening communities, and helping people recognize their own capacity to lead and create positive change.
What were you like growing up?
I had a very traumatic and difficult childhood, and there were certainly challenges that shaped who I am today. But if you ask my friends, they will probably tell you that I have always been much the same person I am now. I was determined, energetic, and always on the move. I loved making people laugh, being silly, and finding ways to bring people together. Even as a child, I was deeply curious about other people and had a natural desire to help, connect, and make others feel included. I also While life taught me resilience at an early age, it never took away my sense of hope or my love for community. Those experiences helped shape my belief that everyone deserves to feel seen, supported, and valued, and they continue to influence the work I do today. Looking back, I can see that many of the qualities that drive me now—persistence, compassion, optimism, and a commitment to serving others—were present from the very beginning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blackjoyoregon.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackjoyoregon/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackJoyOregon/
