Wise Up! Summer Program

Since 1996, Wise Up! – The high school component of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) – has been the foundation of immigrant youth organizing in Los Angeles and across the state of California. Wise Up! was created when immigrant students began organizing and advocating for the passage of AB540 – a California bill that allows students to pay in-state tuition regardless of their immigration status. twenty-five years later, Wise Up! continues to be one of the few high schools student-led groups focused on immigrant rights. Wise Up! strives to work on promoting higher education amongst undocumented and immigrant students, as well as other issues that affect the immigrant community.

Wise Up!’s Summer Program is a seven-week non-paid Internship where high school students with a strong desire to get involved in their community will have the opportunity to learn about organizing and advocating for immigrant rights. In addition to personal and professional development, by the end of the program, interns will have a grasp on organizing basics, event planning, and benefit from peer-to-peer college counseling. Students will also take part in CHIRLA and Wise Up!’s general activities and actions. After the summer program ends, Wise Up! leaders are expected to use the organizing and leadership skills that they gained to become Wise Up! Representatives at their high schools.