Freedom University: Empowering Students To Achieve Their Dreams

Freedom University is a tuition-free college in Atlanta, Georgia, that was established in 2011 to provide undocumented youth with access to higher education. The university was formed in response to the University System of Georgia's passage of a policy banning undocumented students from the state's top public universities. Freedom University provides undocumented students with free instruction, books, and supplies to help them succeed in their pursuit of higher education. The school's curriculum emphasizes dialogue, participatory decision-making, and understanding personal immigrant experiences within the broader context of the civil rights movement and human rights struggles. The university has faced safety concerns due to threats from the KKK and has adopted a model of holding classes in undisclosed locations throughout Atlanta. Through the efforts of its students, faculty, and allies, Freedom University has achieved successes in advocating for the admission and provision of scholarships for undocumented students at various universities.

Freedom University provides tuition-free college classes to undocumented youth

Freedom University (Freedom U or FU) is a tuition-free college for undocumented youth in Atlanta, Georgia. It was formed in 2011 when the University System of Georgia banned undocumented students from the state's top public universities. The school provides undocumented students with free instruction, books, and supplies to help them continue their education.

Freedom U's curriculum emphasizes dialogue, participatory decision-making, and understanding personal immigrant experiences within the broader context of the civil rights movement and the history of human rights struggles. Classes are held in undisclosed locations throughout Atlanta for safety reasons. The school's liberatory pedagogy is based on dialogue, democratic participation, an intersectional human rights framework, and civil rights movement strategies.

In addition to college preparatory instruction, Freedom U offers courses in science, math, history, art, and music. The school also teaches its students to become social movement leaders, encouraging them to uncover the significance of their life experiences in the context of immigration, labor, racism, and segregation.

Freedom U's advocacy and education campaigns have had a significant social impact. The school has collaborated with civil rights leaders to educate and help students perform civil disobedience actions. As a result of Freedom U's efforts, several universities have committed to admitting and providing scholarships for undocumented students. Additionally, some private universities have changed their admissions policies, opening doors for all future undocumented applicants.

Freedom University is a non-profit organization that relies on donations and grants to provide tuition-free education to undocumented youth. The school's mission is to fulfill the human right to education for all, regardless of documentation status.

The university offers instruction, books and supplies to help students succeed

Freedom University (Freedom U or FU) is a tuition-free university in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides undocumented youth with access to higher education. The university was established in 2011 after the University System of Georgia passed a policy banning undocumented students from the state's top public universities. The policy was in response to concerns that undocumented students threatened the admission of US citizens, that Georgia taxpayers were subsidizing their education, and that they were taking spaces from academically qualified Georgians.

Freedom University offers undocumented students instruction, books, and supplies to help them succeed. The university's curriculum emphasizes dialogue, participatory decision-making, and understanding personal immigrant experiences within the broader context of the civil rights movement and the history of human rights struggles. Classes are held in undisclosed locations throughout Atlanta due to safety concerns and the school's history of receiving threats from the KKK. Members of the UGA and Athens communities support Freedom U students by arranging transportation and raising money for textbooks.

In addition to providing tuition-free instruction and resources, Freedom University also advocates for the rights of undocumented students. The public activism of its students, faculty, and allies has led to commitments from many universities to admit and provide scholarships for undocumented students. The university's efforts have also influenced changes in admissions policies at private universities in the US, opening doors for future undocumented applicants.

The school formed in 2011 in response to the University System of Georgia's ban on undocumented students

Freedom University (Freedom U or FU) was established in 2011 as a direct response to the University System of Georgia's ban on undocumented students from the state's top public universities. The ban, known as Policy 4.1.6, was passed in 2011, prohibiting undocumented students from attending Georgia's leading public academic institutions, including Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, and the University of Georgia. This policy was informed by concerns that undocumented students were taking places from academically qualified Georgian citizens.

The formation of Freedom University was driven by four University of Georgia (UGA) professors who wanted to address this exclusionary policy. The school's founding principles were inspired by the Southern Freedom School tradition and the critical pedagogy of Paolo Freire, aiming to empower undocumented youth and uphold their human right to education.

The university initially opened its doors in Athens, Georgia, but later relocated to Atlanta in 2014 to be more centrally located for the state's undocumented population. The move to Atlanta also allowed Freedom U to leverage the city's rich history and infrastructure of civil rights activism.

Freedom U provides tuition-free college-level classes, college application assistance, and a unique learning environment for undocumented youth. The curriculum emphasizes dialogue, democratic participation, and understanding students' immigrant experiences within the broader context of civil rights and human rights struggles. The school serves approximately 20-25 undocumented students each semester, offering a comprehensive support system that includes college preparation courses, scholarship application assistance, full legal representation, and mental health resources.

The impact of Freedom University extends beyond its immediate student body. Through advocacy and education, the university has influenced policy changes and raised awareness about the rights of undocumented students. Their efforts have resulted in several private universities in the U.S. altering their admissions policies, opening doors for future undocumented applicants.

Freedom U's liberatory curriculum emphasizes dialogue, participatory decision-making and understanding personal immigrant experiences within the broader context of the civil rights movement

Freedom University (Freedom U or FU) is a modern-day Freedom School in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 2011 by four University of Georgia professors in response to the University System of Georgia's passage of a policy banning undocumented students from the state's top public universities. The school provides tuition-free college classes to undocumented youth who are unable to access higher education in Georgia due to the state's out-of-state tuition requirement.

Freedom U's liberatory curriculum emphasizes dialogue, participatory decision-making, and understanding personal immigrant experiences within the broader context of the civil rights movement and the history of the human rights struggle. This means that students are encouraged to participate in decisions about their learning trajectory and what classes they would like to take. This participatory model empowers students with agency and peer learning, moving away from the traditional teacher-student dynamic.

The curriculum helps learners uncover the significance of their life experiences in the context of the complex sociocultural history of immigration, labor, racism, and segregation. Students are taught to become social movement leaders, with their education centred around the belief that access to education is a basic human right.

The school's curriculum is based on the understanding that education played an essential role in the civil rights movement. The Freedom Schools curriculum, developed in 1964, was radical for its time, challenging white nationalism and inequitable access to quality education. Similarly, Freedom U's curriculum includes the study of power structures, the ongoing civil rights movement, and how to change the system through voting and writing laws.

By emphasizing dialogue, democratic participation, and an intersectional human rights framework, Freedom U's liberatory curriculum empowers students with the knowledge and skills to actively participate in social change and to understand their personal immigrant experiences within this broader context.

The school serves a community of undocumented students who emigrated from countries in South America, Asia and Africa

Freedom University (Freedom U or FU) is a tuition-free school in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides undocumented youth with access to higher education. The school was formed in 2011 in response to the University System of Georgia's passage of a policy banning undocumented students from the state's top public universities. The school serves a community of undocumented students who emigrated from countries in South America, Asia, and Africa. Most of these students came to the U.S. as young children, accompanying their families fleeing various forms of economic oppression and violence in their native countries.

Freedom U offers a liberatory curriculum that emphasizes dialogue, participatory decision-making, and understanding personal immigrant experiences within the broader context of the civil rights movement and history of human rights struggles. The school's classes take place in undisclosed locations throughout Atlanta due to safety concerns. The curriculum includes a range of subjects, such as science, math, history, art, and music. In addition to academic instruction, Freedom U provides its students with all the books and supplies they need to succeed.

The public activism undertaken by Freedom U students, faculty, and allies has had a significant impact. Their efforts have resulted in commitments from many universities to admit and provide scholarships for undocumented students. Additionally, their advocacy and education campaigns have led to changes in admissions policies at several private universities in the U.S., opening doors for all future undocumented applicants.

Freedom U's experiential, liberatory pedagogy empowers students to become social movement leaders. The school encourages agency and peer learning, moving away from the traditional teacher-student dynamic. Students are actively involved in decisions about their learning trajectory and the classes they want to take. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and engagement in their educational journey.

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