Latine Immigrant Women in North Carolina: Barriers, Backlash, and the Power of Advocacy

Abstract

This study examines the intersecting structural barriers and forms of resilience shaping the lives of Latine immigrant women in North Carolina, a state that has emerged as a new immigrant gateway. Drawing on in-depth interviews with advocates embedded in community organizations, this research highlights how gender, immigration status, and racialized assumptions converge to shape Latine immigrant women’s experiences in labor, education, healthcare, housing, and encounters with law enforcement. Guided by intersectionality, framing theory, and accounts theory, the analysis shows how advocates make sense of systemic injustice, strategize for change, and center the leadership of Latine women in their work. While respondents emphasized the harm caused by anti-immigrant policies, gender-based violence, and economic exploitation, they also underscored the power of collective action, cultural pride, and political engagement. By focusing on advocacy as both a site of struggle and transformation, this study offers insight into the lived realities of Latine immigrant women and calls attention to the need for policies that affirm their rights, voices, and leadership.