Demian Kogan has been Senior Director of Organizing for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) since 2016. Through three consecutive generations, Demian and his family were forced to move from their respective home countries due to political oppression. His grandparents forcefully left their homes in Europe during WWII to save their lives, and his parents immigrated from Argentina in the late 70s to flee a military dictatorship. Demian was born in Israel / Palestine and immigrated with his family to Chicago at the age of three to seek safety and stability.

He has over 20 years of grassroots community organizing experience. Prior to his role at ICIRR, Demian served as the Associate Director of Communities United, a Chicago based ICIRR member organization. Demian has organized to eliminate immigration detention in Illinois, ban collaboration between local police and ICE across the state, expand eligibility for Child Tax Credits, Earned Income Credits and direct cash assistance to low income Illinois residents, win statewide drivers licenses and state IDs for all qualifying residents, expand lifesaving  healthcare access to thousands of people and more. He has worked alongside ordinary people to build extraordinary power and advance justice in immigration, health care, economic justice, education and affordable housing.