Undocumented and Unafraid

A misunderstanding exists about the true nature of the relationship of Latino adolescents’ identity and activism in Chicago. Media portrayals of Latino youth identities in society are problematic because they are framed as mostly negative (Shinnar, 2008). As a result, this misunderstanding could lead to public policies that criminalize this population. These portrayals in turn, may hamper the creation of a positive identity for undocumented Latino youth. This study is intended to understand the relationship between social activism and undocumented identity. Six undocumented Latinas aged 17 to 26, within two different youth organizations in the Chicago area were interviewed concerning undocumented Latino youth identity and social activism. The implications of this study hold promise for filling the gap in our misunderstanding of undocumented Latino youth identity and social activism in Chicago.

            Key terms: undocumented Latino youth, immigrants, civic engagement, identity