The National Immigrant Youth Alliance (NIYA) is an undocumented youth-LED network of grassroots organizations, campus-based student groups and individuals committed to achieving equality for all immigrant youth, regardless of their legal status.
We believe that only a grassroots movement led by undocumented immigrant youth can properly address the inequities and seemingly insurmountable obstacles facing our communities. Through grassroots organizing, advocacy and direct collective action we aim to develop a sustainable movement for justice and equality led by those most affected and supported by committed, conscientious allies.
Our core values are to Empower, Educate and Escalate.
Empower: We are undocumented and unafraid. We realize that our greatest power comes from accepting ourselves and realizing that we, as the people most affected, are the ones that need to be at the forefront of our movement. We are committed to making sure that all undocumented youth realize the potential and power they have as undocumented youth, to embrace their identity and to demand nothing less than equality.
Educate: The core of our work not only relies in our methods but also our stories and pedagogy that are embedded in the history of social movements. While we understand the “how” and the “what” of our work, we also need to be aware of the “why.” An essential aspect of NIYA is to learn from past social movements successes and be able to incorporate and innovate that wisdom into today’s pursuit of justice.
Escalate: Throughout the years of restless organizing across this country, undocumented youth have claimed a place within the historical immigrant rights movement we must now take the lead. We have reached a point where lobbying alone is not adequate to accomplish our mission. We strongly believe that our movement needs to escalate and we will use mindful and intentional strategic acts of civil disobedience to be effective.
Check out some of the actions groups that make up NIYA have taken part in. HERE
