Jonathan Barrales serves as the Development Director. He is the son of Mexican immigrants and grew up in the San Gabriel Valley before making Long Beach home. Since his teenage years, Jonathan has been an advocate and organizer for immigrant rights in his community. Practicing Urban Zapatismo and community organizing at the Eastside Café in the El Sereno neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jonathan used art and education to teach classes, showcase local artists, and build community.

Jonathan’s connection to the immigrant community continued to grow through his studies as he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies with a focus on Art & Education at California State University, Los Angeles. Eventually, Jonathan brought his passion for popular education and the arts to ImmDef and its Detained Youth Empowerment Program (DYEP). Through this program Jonathan used his knowledge and experience to connect with youth and explore creative ways of providing legal services to them while they were in the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) custody. After years of providing direct services to youth at ImmDef, Jonathan turned his focus to the development team where he can play a key role in ImmDef’s growth and stability. Jonathan is the proud father of two amazing little girls and hopes that through ImmDef he can contribute to making this a more just and supportive world for them and future generations.