Few voices in the fight for transgender equality have carried as much persistence, clarity, and strategic vision as Juli Grey-Owens. For decades, she has been a prominent force in New York’s transgender rights movement, blending grassroots activism with political advocacy to push for meaningful, lasting change. As the Executive Director of the Long Island Transgender Advocacy Coalition (LITAC), she has spent years championing statewide protections for transgender and gender non-conforming people. In addition to leading LITAC, she founded Transgender Management Consulting, an organization dedicated to helping workplaces and institutions become more inclusive, and she serves as Board Co-Chair of TransPAC, New York’s first Political Action Committee focused exclusively on advancing transgender rights. Juli’s activism is grounded in a deep personal understanding of privilege, resilience, and community responsibility. She speaks openly about her own life journey, growing up as a white, male, able-bodied person who was assumed to be cisgender, and how that early socialization afforded her opportunities not available to many. Yet, rather than resting on that advantage, she has used her skills, leadership experience, and determination to break down barriers and open doors for others.
