ABSTRACT
This case study takes place at a high school located in a highly diverse yet politically conservative state in the U.S. Southwest. A 15-year-old that is undocumented, Black, and labeled an ELL begins to display posttraumatic stress symptoms as she is exposed to racism, sexism, and immigration enforcement practices. Her academic performance begins to drop as she becomes disempowered in her identity and fearful for herself, her family, and her friends. Leaders and counselors at her school are at a loss for tools to help her. This chapter details strategies for school leaders to create a welcoming school environment of mental health equity by a) promoting intergroup contact and ally development, b) providing training to counselors and teachers on competencies for working with undocumented youth, and c) encouraging safe activism/advocacy outlets for students to assemble and speak out against social injustice.
