School Social Workers as Nepantleras in Equity Work for Immigrant Students: A Conceptual Exploration

This article investigates the critical role school social workers play in promoting equity and advocating for immigrant students in K–12 settings. We explore and conceptualize the notion of nepantlera from the work of Gloria Anzaldúa and draw from qualitative data to show how school social workers function as nepantleras in service and advocacy roles for immigrant students. We further argue that the school settings in which these services take place should be understood as borderlands. Throughout the article, we explore the following questions: What is a paradigm for school social worker practice with immigrant students that is informed by the concept of nepantlera? How do we begin to consider such a paradigm in a way that honors the complexity of Anzaldúa’s work? While pursuing these questions we present qualitative data from a national sample of school workers. We offer implications for a nepantlera-informed paradigm in school social work practice.