Aliento Features: Jose Luis Avila III
In its simplest form, I believe Leadership is love—the decision to will the good of the other. The day we stop burning and leading with love, I believe humanity will die of cold.
My name is José Luis Avila III, and I recently graudated from Brophy College Preparatory. My passion for advocacy is deeply rooted in empathy for those around me and my family’s history of Latino activism in Arizona, stretching back to the Chicano Movement of the 1960s. Named after my Tata, José Luis Avila Sr.—a Mexican immigrant and community social advocate—I see my name as a constant reminder of my family’s activism and immigration story, which ground me in my identity today. Drawing upon my family’s legacy and my own lived experiences, I’m aware of the shared struggle of acculturating to the United States that still exists today, which drives me to lead with love, compassion, and a commitment to continue fighting for justice in my community. In my free time, I love listening, playing, and writing music, hiking, exploring the outdoors, being adventurous, and always looking to meet new friends and try something new.
My journey with Aliento began unofficially in my freshman year. Struggling to transition into the diverse Brophy community from a Latino background and public school, I grappled with culture shock and identity challenges trying to fit in. One morning, I saw signs around campus for “Aliento” and followed them out of curiosity. I found a group of students with a shared sense of empowerment and purpose. Among them was my friend, Daniel Martinez Romero, a 5th Cohort Fellow, who told me about Aliento and their work for immigrant justice. I felt called to be part of that fight. Reflecting on my family’s legacy of Latino activism and the struggles long faced by my childhood friends and their families due to their immigration status, I became aware of the widespread fear, exclusion, and harmful narratives experienced by immigrant and Latino families. This fueled my drive to fight for justice and equity. By my sophomore year, I attended Aliento’s Train the Trainers session, preparing for Education Day. The same empowering feeling from my first encounter with Aliento returned as I learned to lead legislative meetings and advocate for immigrant rights and my community. Surrounded by hundreds of like-minded students, I felt the power of our collective action. Since then, Aliento has heightened my passion for fighting for human dignity and advocating for a more just and inclusive future for immigrants and the Latino community.
My why is rooted in the belief that beyond hate, exclusion, and apathy, there is hope for a future built on love, compassion, and dignity for all. My passion for immigration issues and the Latino community is deeply personal. I’ve grown up with friends, neighbors, and classmates who live in constant fear of their futures due to their immigration status, knowing families are torn apart and dreams are shattered. Furthermore, harmful stereotypes and misconceptions continue to damage the Latino community, and I grieve the injustices that persist. Even looking back at my own family’s immigration story long before me, I often wonder if I’d even be here or have the opportunities I do had they not made those sacrifices, enduring the same struggles that still exist today. I advocate because I believe this human reality needs to be at the forefront of our conversations of social justice, human dignity, and solutions moving us forward. So often, people are misinformed and forget that real faces—children, families, neighbors, contributors to our society—are at the center of this issue. As I reflect on my lived experiences and the stories of others, I’ve learned that the journey to justice is not easy. However, by sharing these stories, taking action, and holding onto stubborn hope, I believe we can transform hearts and minds for the greater good of society.
One of the most impactful experiences during my fellowship was canvassing for Aliento Votes, not just because of the impact we were having on the 2024 election but because I invited my younger brother, Cristian Joel Avila, to join me. I intentionally brought him along to introduce him to the importance of voting, the role it plays in addressing the realities of injustice, and how we can use our voices, even if we can’t vote, to advocate for change in our community. I hoped to inspire him to join the fight for justice by showing him the transformative power of storytelling and leadership rooted in love and compassion. As we went door to door, we encountered individuals who didn’t always share our views, with some expressing concerns or negative feelings about immigration. My brother felt intimidated at first, unsure how to respond, but I reminded him that we must trust the power of leading with love, listening to others, and remembering who we are doing this for. Soon after, he surprised me by asking to lead the conversations. At that moment, he realized he was more impacted than he thought, recognizing what his friends and their families face as undocumented individuals, and he felt a moral responsibility to speak up. Watching my little brother, at just thirteen years old, actively participate in one of the most contentious elections in U.S. history filled me with hope and strengthened my resolve. This experience affirmed that by sharing our stories and leading with love, everyone can play a role in creating a more just and compassionate society.
Looking back, I could never have predicted the journey ahead. I knew I wanted to commit myself to fighting for a better tomorrow—where hope propels us forward, love unites us, and justice creates a world where everyone’s potential is limitless. Being part of this fellowship during one of the most historic elections in U.S. history was an incredible privilege. The passion, courage, and commitment I witnessed gave me hope for our society and its future. While the election results were painful for many, especially for my friends, neighbors, and families left in a state of uncertainty and fear, it was a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight for justice. I’ll never forget the long hours spent phone banking, evenings canvassing, rallying my classmates to organize a school Teach-In, and speaking to voters at the polls, nor the grief that followed. Yet, even in that pain, I found hope in the stories we shared, the new connections I made, and the unwavering support from the Aliento team. To future fellows, our work is far from finished. The journey to justice is a relay race, and our cohort is simply passing the baton. Arizona needs you to join and continue this fight with courage, love, and determination. Lead with compassion, invite others to join, and be a voice for the voiceless. Together, we can build a more just and inclusive future. This is not the end of the journey but the beginning of one truly rooted in love and justice.
As I near the end of this fellowship and my high school journey, I find myself reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned and the experiences and people that have shaped me. Moving forward, I’ll be attending Arizona State University: Barrett, The Honors College, where I plan to study Business Law while continuing to advocate for meaningful change in my community and beyond. I’m eager to continue my work with organizations like Aliento, for which I am forever grateful, as they’ve demonstrated and taught me what true advocacy, leadership, and cura personalis–care for the whole person–in our community looks like. I see this next chapter as an opportunity to keep learning, developing myself, and deepening my understanding of the ongoing challenges in our society and the solutions needed to address them. My goal is to strengthen my commitment to justice and servant leadership, and I aim to carry everything I’ve learned during this fellowship into my future endeavors. I am determined to build on the foundation laid here, stand alongside others fighting for a more inclusive and equitable future, and continue using my voice to advocate for those who are unheard. I truly believe this is just the beginning, and I look forward to the journey ahead.
