Check Out Felecia Russell’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Felecia Russell.

Hi Felecia , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born in Jamaica and raised as a proud daughter of Inglewood, California, a place where the streets buzzed with possibility and the weight of history. My identity as a Black immigrant woman has always shaped how I see the world, what I notice, what I fight for, and whose stories I carry with me.

Everything changed my sophomore year of high school when I learned I was undocumented. For a moment, it felt like the floor had dropped out from under me. The trajectory I imagined for myself, a life of college, work, freedom, suddenly felt uncertain. But I was lucky. Mr. Torres, my college counselor, refused to let me fail. He guided me through applications, cheered on my victories, and reminded me that my story mattered.

I graduated at the top of my class and made my way to California Lutheran University, a small liberal arts campus north of Los Angeles. I dove into Political Science and Legal Studies, excelling in the classroom, yet constantly navigating the limits of my status. I couldn’t work, couldn’t drive, couldn’t even see a rated-R movie with friends without anxiety lurking in the back of my mind. Life felt like a tightrope between dreams and restrictions.

In 2012, a year before graduation, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) arrived, a lifeline disguised as a legal policy. For the first time, I could work, breathe a little easier, and imagine a future in the country I had called home. I took that chance, pursued a master’s in Public Policy at Pepperdine University while juggling three jobs, and began a journey that would take me from middle school classrooms in Delaware to the halls of higher education administration, eventually earning my doctorate in Higher Education from Temple University in 2022.

Along the way, I told stories. I counseled students navigating the same fears I knew intimately. I led admissions offices and now direct the Higher Ed Immigration Portal at the Presidents’ Alliance, shaping how institutions think about immigration policy.

In 2024, my debut book, Amplifying Black Undocumented Student Voices in Higher Education, was published, interweaving my journey with the voices of fifteen Black undocumented students, and featured at SXSW, MSNBC, and PBS. That same year, after 21 years, I finally adjusted my status.

Today, I am a storyteller. Through my podcast, Intersections with Dr. Russell, my platform FeleciaRussell.com, and the work I create, I fuse scholarship and narrative, exploring the invisible corners where race, immigration, and belonging intersect. My life has taught me that stories hold power, not just to illuminate truth, but to change the way we see one another.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an author, immigration scholar, and storyteller, specializing in the experiences of Black immigrants. My work sits at the intersection of research, policy, and lived experience: I use qualitative studies, personal narrative, and public engagement to share the stories that are too often invisible in national conversations about immigration.
I am known for amplifying voices that rarely get heard. My debut book, Amplifying Black Undocumented Student Voices in Higher Education (Routledge, 2024), blends my own educational journey with the stories of fifteen Black undocumented students. It was the first of its kind written by a Black undocumented scholar and has garnered national attention, including features at SXSW, MSNBC, and PBS.

I am most proud of creating spaces for storytelling that both educate and inspire. Beyond my scholarship, I host the podcast Intersections with Dr. Russell and run my platform FeleciaRussell.com, where I bring together research, and creative storytelling to broaden how people think about immigration, race, and belonging.

What sets me apart is my lived experience: I spent 21 years living undocumented in the U.S., navigating fear, uncertainty, and resilience at every stage of my life. I combine that perspective with rigorous scholarship and a passion for narrative, creating work that is both deeply informed and profoundly human. I don’t just research immigration, I live it, tell it, and use it to spark understanding, empathy, and change.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
When I was seven or eight, I lived in a small town in Jamaica, called Johns Hall. My brother had a bicycle, the only one in the neighborhood, which instantly made him the most popular kid on the block. Seeing an opportunity, I decided to charge the other kids a small fee to ride the bicycle so we could earn extra pocket money for candy and juice. After school, kids would line up at our house, paying their turn to ride around on the main road.

Recently, I asked my brother if he remembered this little “business venture.” He laughed and said he didn’t, but if anyone had done it, it was probably me.

It’s my favorite childhood memory because it captures everything I loved then: being active, playing outdoors, being around friends, and finding creative ways to make life a little sweeter. Even today, those same joys, movement, connection, and curiosity, remain central to who I am.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://feleciarussell.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.frussell
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4MBCrIYIu8r1D3e637vT11
• Other: https://www.routledge.com/Amplifying-Black-Undocumented-Student-Voices-in-Higher-Education/Russell/p/book/9781032581507