Rigo’s Legacy
About Rigo Padilla Pérez
Rigo Padilla Pérez (1988-2023), College and Career Coach and Undocumented Student Support Specialist at Solorio Academy High School has dedicated his life to ensuring that students of color obtain quality opportunities regardless of their background. Raised in West Town and Gage Park, Rigo’s lived experience revolved around the realities of gentrification, school closings, violence, and exploitation of immigrants in the city of Chicago.
Since 2009, Rigo has been directly involved in the support of undocumented communities. He was a founding member of the Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL) and the Illinois Dream Fund. At the same time, he has been a leader in national campaigns to humanize undocumented people through advocacy and direct action.
Rigo obtained a High School degree at Noble Street College Prep and a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Chicago. Rigo holds both a Master of Arts and a bachelor’s degree in Latin American and Latino Studies (LALS) from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC). While at UIC, he advocated for undocumented immigrant students while fighting for his own immigration case his work helped to bring visibility to the undocumented student struggle.
Although Rigo is not here with us anymore, his legacy continues to impact many students. UIC is fortunate to have named its undocumented resource center towards the invaluable impact that Rigo made for the undocumented students in the Chicago Area.