Julie Schwietert Collazo

Julie Schwietert Collazo is a bilingual journalist, author, and humanitarian whose career encompasses writing, social work, and grassroots activism. Schwietert Collazo applies her experience as a bilingual journalist, former social worker, and creative arts therapist to her work in the nonprofit sector. Her journalism has appeared in DISCOVER, National Geographic Traveler, Scientific American, TIME, and other major publications. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Women's Studies and a Master of Social Work.

In response to widespread media coverage of asylum-seeking children separated from their families, Schwietert Collazo initiated a crowdfunding campaign after learning that a migrant mother could be reunited with her children by paying her immigration bond. The campaign raised the necessary funds in less than 12 hours and more than $1 million in six months. This initial effort evolved into a movement that has raised more than $3 million, reunited 130 parents and guardians with their children, and supported hundreds of asylum seekers through border and detention intervention programs.

Schwietert Collazo is the co-founder and executive director of Immigrant Families Together, a nonprofit organization established in response to the zero tolerance policy that led to the separation of thousands of immigrant parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border. The organization provides support to families—including housing, legal counsel, medical, dental, and mental health care—as they navigate immigration cases, and offers material and logistical support to border partners and individuals in detention centers. Her work with Immigrant Families Together has been recognized by the New York State Senate and entered into the U.S. Congressional Record by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She was also named one of FWD.US's Keeping Families Together champions.

Schwietert Collazo received Emory University's Women of Excellence Award and Alumni of Promise Award. She is co-author of "The Book of Rosy: A Mother's Story of Separation at the Border," published in English and Spanish by HarperOne and HarperCollins Español, which was recognized by Kirkus as one of the best nonfiction books. She is also the subject of the documentary "Split at the Root," named a critic's pick by The New York Times and available on Netflix. The documentary examines how Schwietert Collazo co-founded Immigrant Families Together to reunite families affected by the Zero Tolerance policy.

As a speaker, Schwietert Collazo draws on her background in journalism, social work, and humanitarian work to address topics such as immigration, nonprofit leadership, and community building. She discusses the role of emotion in social change and shares strategies for organizations to assess and adjust their approach to advocacy and community engagement. After spending 15 years away from social work—during which she worked as a journalist and lived outside the United States—Schwietert Collazo returned to nonprofit development, promoting an inclusive, abundance-driven model of philanthropic community building and problem solving.