EPIC offers a holistic range of services, including essential resources, youth mentoring, career development, vocational training, cultural empowerment activities, and transitional housing with support services, all within a decolonizing and community-centric approach to empower immigrants and cultivate a supportive and equitable environment.
Rev. Dr. Josh Lopez-Reyes, Co-Founder & Executive Director (he/el/ele)
Rev. Dr. Josh is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of EPIC. As a Mexican-American child of immigrants, his personal journey has profoundly shaped his commitment to immigrant communities. Witnessing his family members’ struggles with detention and deportation fueled his determination to advocate for systemic change. With nearly 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, including co-founding the Echo Park Immigration Center (EPIC), Josh is dedicated to making a difference. He holds an MA in Transformational Urban Leadership, a Master of Divinity, and a Doctor of Ministry. His two years working in the favelas of Brazil deepened his empathy for immigrants, as he experienced life in a foreign land where he didn’t speak the language and was far from his loved ones. Rev. Dr. Josh is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and a Provisional Elder in the Cal-California-Pacific Annual Conference (Cal-Pac) of the UMC.