“Don’t Let Our Dreams Die” - Undocumented Students’ Fight for Educational Equity in Tennessee

Oct 15, 2026

Educational equity for undocumented immigrants has become a widely discussed issue in Tennessee, driven by the determination and collective resistance of undocumented youth. The article examines how undocumented immigrant youth confront educational inequities, especially affordable access to higher education, through individual and collective resistance. The study uses data from 24 oral histories collected in a multi-year participatory action research project with a youth-led undocumented-immigrant organizing group. It argues that combined resistance and activism are reshaping Tennessee’s social and political landscape toward tuition equity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Educational equity and boundary politics

Campaign and resistance in Tennessee

Legal context for higher education access

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| “Don’tLet Our Dreams Die”: Undocumented Students’Fight for Educational Equity in Tennessee | | --- | --- | Krista Craven, Guilford College Diana Montero, Jazmin Ramirez, Maria Robles, & Rodrigo Robles, Youth Organizers Abstract Educational equity for undocumented immigrants has become a widely discussed issue in both the political and public realm of Tennessee, in large part as a result of the individual determination and collective resistance of undocumented youth living in the state. This article focuses on the ways in which undocumented immigrant youth in Tennessee confront and challenge educational inequities, particularly that of affordable access to higher education. Specifically, we suggest that the undocumented youth in this study engage in both individual and collective forms of resistance to overcome educational barriers, a process we refer to as boundary politics. This article draws on data from 24 oral histories from a multi-year participatory action research project with members of a youth-led undocumented-immigrant organizing group. This participatory methodology was used to complement the collective action and individual forms of resistance employed by undocumented youth in this study. Overall, we argue that by engaging in a combination of various forms of resistance and activism, undocumented youth are influencing the social and political landscape of Tennessee, laying the groundwork for educational equity to become a more plausible reality within the state. Keywords: undocumented immigrant; youth-led activism; resistance; tuition equality On a warm, sunny day in May 2012, twenty-four undocumented immigrant high school seniors clad in their graduation caps and gowns gathered in a mid-sized city in Tennessee. With a crowd of allies, media, and interested onlookers standing by, undocumented students shared their feelings of uncertainty about if and how they would be able to pursue their dream to attend college.“It's hard not to give up hope when we have to pay so much more than others, especially when we have to pay three times as much for college tuition…Many of us have the potential to do great things; we just need to have the chance to prove it,” Rafael 1 explained to the crowd who had gathered to honor the graduating high school seniors. Several other students at the rally shared similar stories of encountering significant barriers to pursuing their education, as well as their desire to persevere despite the obstacles standing in their way. Rafael and his peers shared their stories to illuminate the harsh reality facing undocumented immigrant youth throughout Tennessee, such as having to pay high out-of-state tuition rates no matter how long they have lived in the state. 1. This is a pseudonym. All subsequent names of study participants in this manuscript are pseudonyms. This mock graduation event signaled the beginning of a multi-year statewide campaign for educational equity for undocumented youth in Tennessee that continues to this day. Propelled by the individual determination and resistance of young immigrants, as well as their collective efforts to address injustice, educational equity for undocumented students has become a widely discussed issue in both the political and public realm of Tennessee. This article focuses on the ways in which undocumented immigrant youth in Tennessee confront and challenge educational inequities, particularly that of affordable access to higher education. Specifically, we suggest that the undocumented youth in this study engage in both individual and collective forms of resistance to overcome educational barriers, a process we refer to here as boundary politics. To illustrate the multiple ways in which the youth in this study engage in boundary politics, we detail some of the key challenges undocumented youth confront in pursuing their educational goals and how they often find creative ways to navigate these obstacles. In addition to these individual

FAQs

What does the article call the process of resistance used by undocumented youth?

The article refers to their combined individual and collective resistance as “boundary politics.”

How is the study’s evidence collected?

It draws on 24 oral histories from a multi-year participatory action research project with members of a youth-led undocumented-immigrant organizing group.

Why is tuition equity a central focus in Tennessee?

The article highlights barriers such as having to pay high out-of-state tuition rates, noting that in Tennessee out-of-state tuition is almost triple the cost of in-state tuition.

Oct 15, 2026

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