Joselo Lucero
Community Advocate and Motivational Speaker, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office
2025
Joselo Lucero is a nationally recognized activist and educator dedicated to combating bullying, hate crimes, and racial intolerance. His advocacy began after the tragic 2008 hate-crime murder of his brother, Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant killed in Patchogue, Long Island. This deeply personal loss inspired Joselo to transform grief into action, dedicating the last 17 years to raising awareness and promoting understanding across communities. His resilience and determination lead to the first hate crime conviction in Suffolk County, NY and the SPLC publication, “Climate of Fear” (2009), first of many investigations into the Suffolk County Police Department for discriminatory policing practices, particularly targeting the Latino community.
In 2011, Joselo joined the Hagedorn Foundation, where he led a community outreach program focused on education and prevention. Through storytelling, presentations, and multimedia tools, he has reached over thousands of students, educators, and civic leaders across Long Island and the nation. His work centers on fostering empathy, encouraging dialogue, and reducing the conditions that lead to hate-based violence.
Joselo has presented at major conferences, including the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s America Healing Conference, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, and the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Annual Conferences. He’s also been a featured speaker at regional events hosted by Teachers College, Suffolk County Community College, and numerous school districts and faith-based organizations.
His contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) Equality Award (2010), the Central American Refugee Center (CARECEN) Human Rights Recognition (2011), and the Joseph McNeil Race Unity Award (2014). In 2020, Joselo was selected as a Rotary Peace Fellow and studied conflict resolution at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. This experience deepened his global perspective and reinforced his commitment to local change.
Fluent in English and Spanish, Joselo has served as a Crime Victims Advocate for the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, offering direct support to those impacted by violence. His lived experience as both a survivor and advocate gives him a unique ability to connect with diverse communities and provide meaningful, culturally sensitive support.
Beyond his public speaking and advocacy, Joselo supports intercultural programs like Facing History and Ourselves, the United Nations Plural+ Youth Festival, and LIFE Through My Eyes—a youth storytelling project. He also funds local scholarships in his brother Marcelo’s name to empower students committed to social justice.
Joselo Lucero continues to use the power of one voice to fight hate with humanity, ensuring that his brother’s legacy lives on through education, compassion, and unwavering advocacy.
The catalytic power of this Summit in bringing together those who are devoting their lives to pushing back and working to confront, understand and work towards solutions around hate in our society is a noble and difficult task. The Summit not only energized those who attended but led to connecting the dots in a global network of those doing this work. The stories of the victims of hate were painful to witness but their courage in coming forward was inspirational. Those who attended left energized with the hope that by working together solutions can be forged.
