Rev. Julie Ramirez: Faithful in Spirit, Fierce in Justice

In the heart of Hartford’s Frog Hollow neighborhood, long before it was common for a woman, let alone a Latina, to lead a congregation, the Boricua named Rev. Julie Ramirez stood in the pulpit and preached with boldness, compassion, and conviction. Born in 1931 in Manhattan and raised in Newburgh, NY, Julie carried with her the spirit of resilience from an early age. That spirit would one day make her the first Latina Pentecostal senior pastor in the Spanish Eastern District of the Assemblies of God.

In 1962, guided by the Spirit and undeterred by the cultural and gendered limitations of the time, Pastor Ramirez planted Templo Fe in Hartford, Connecticut, a beacon of hope in a city where Latinos were often pushed to the margins. What began as a small gathering soon became a spiritual and social sanctuary for a growing Latino community facing housing discrimination, language barriers, and systemic inequities.

For 53 years, she led Templo Fe, not just as a preacher but as a community matriarch, advocate, and prophetic voice. In a neighborhood where Spanish was often silenced and brown bodies went unseen, Pastor Julie made sure her people were heard, seen, and served.

Her ministry was deeply incarnational. She didn’t just care for souls, she cared for systems. When she noticed Spanish-speaking patients struggling to understand medical documents at Hartford Hospital, she advocated for their translation. When incarcerated Latinos in Connecticut’s prison system needed spiritual support, she helped create services inside the walls. When Spanish-speaking defendants stood in courtrooms bewildered and vulnerable, she stood beside them as a translator, a voice, and a witness to their dignity.

Rev. Ramirez moved fluidly between altar and courtroom, sanctuary and hospital corridor, always led by a gospel that demanded justice and mercy. Her life was not just a sermon but an act of sacred resistance.

She never sought titles or recognition, but her legacy demands remembrance. Pastor Julie’s impact reverberates in every family that found safety at Templo Fe, in every patient who received care in their language, in every incarcerated soul who heard they were not forgotten, and in every woman who now sees herself as a called and qualified leader in the Church.

On October 21, 2016, Rev. Julie Ramirez passed peacefully at the age of 85, but her planted seeds continue to bloom in Hartford and beyond. She leaves a legacy of fierce love, relentless advocacy, and Spirit-filled leadership.

Rev. Julie Ramirez was more than a pastor, she was a trailblazer, a community architect, and a spiritual mother to generations. Her story is a cornerstone of our collective memory and a reminder that faith without justice is incomplete.