By: Siyue Lena Wang
The Nonviolence Education Project (NVEP) at the UCLA Labor Center is grounded in Rev. James Lawson Jr’s core values and curriculum of nonviolence and shaped by Kent Wong’s long-standing vision for immigrant and worker justice. Within this broader framework, the project hosted a unique summer fellowship in 2025 — co-sponsored with the American Federation of Teachers 1521’s Student Internship Program (AFT1521 SIP) —created a collaborative, movement-centered space for community college students and youth leaders to learn the history, principles, and strategies of nonviolence.
The fellowship served as a bridge between classroom learning and movement organizing, providing students with meaningful exposure to the practices, methods, and ethics of research for movement building. It consisted of 17 participants, 11 of whom were fellows from across the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), and six of whom were UCLA graduate students that served as mentors who guided them through the research process.
Central to this project is the understanding that education and research serves as a tool for developing and deepening knowledge about the issues in our society, in order to address them. NVEP trained fellows in policy-oriented, community-engaged research that supports social movements and strengthens institutional advocacy. The summer research team examined undocumented student barriers across the LACCD through three interconnected methods. First, an anonymous online survey captured students’ challenges, their knowledge of campus resources, and how often they use available supports. Second, semi-structured interviews provided deeper insight into how financial, academic, mental-health, and bureaucratic barriers shape students’ trajectories, as well as how programs such as EOPS and Dream Resource Centers (DRC) support their needs. Third, interviews with DRC coordinators and undocumented student liaisons documented institutional strategies, identify resource gaps, and clarify what structural changes are needed to better serve undocumented students.
Through this work, fellows participated in comprehensive training on research conceptualization, design, data collection, analysis, and project presentation. Paired with internship hours at AFT1521 SIP, fellows gain hands-on experience in community-engaged research, movement-building, and policy advocacy. Graduate-student mentors met with teams through weekly sessions, facilitated committee assignments, and guided students through the nonviolence curriculum.
One graduate mentor mentioned, “[This was] my first time working with data collection from real people—my first time being a research mentor.” This opportunity served as one of the first times many graduate students were able to put their skills into practice, as non-DACA undocumented students cannot access paid employment opportunities on campus.
Fellows learned research ethics, interviewing skills, coding approaches, and how research advances broader movement goals. They also receive mentorship on graduate school pathways, organizing strategies, and career development.
“This summer fellowship helped me see how research can be used to highlight real community needs and create meaningful change,” one fellow said. “It has significantly shaped my growth as a researcher, organizer, and emerging leader in my community.”
Many fellows have since become organizers, scholars, and campus leaders motivated by the teaching of Rev. Lawson and Dolores Huerta , supporting immigrant justice campaigns, and sustaining school-to-movement leadership pathways. Fellows remain engaged in nonviolence efforts—including participating in the largest nonviolence direct action training in California led by Wong on July 10, leading a town hall panel discussion hosted at the Lawson Center along with a resource fair with community partners on October 30th, and speaking on a student panel advocating for the Opportunity4All campaign on Dec. 10.
