Ethnic studies saved my life and empowered me to be proud of my roots and to dismantle internalized colonization. We need Ethnic Studies for the liberation of our people and for the empowerment of generations to come. Also my biggest dream is to teach Ethnic Studies at a high school level. However, that dream was cut short by Gov. Brown’s White nationalist decision to VETO AB 2272 (prior Ethnic Studies Bill) whom claimed that including Ethnic Studies, as a high school graduation requirement, would “overburden” students. This reasoning made it evident that Gov. Brown ignored all the research that proves the empowering effects on student’s OVERALL academic performance after taking just one Ethnic Studies course. I’m so happy to know that the fight to implement Ethnic Studies at the high school level is HERE TO STAY because we understand the CRITICAL IMPORTANCE of teaching Ethnic Studies to our Black and Brown youth, who are the overwhelming MAJORITY of public school students. Ethnic studies is critical for all students to unlearn the hegemonic narrative of Whiteness that is fundamental to the current U.S History curriculum; which institutionalizes ideologies of xenophobia against non-White immigration, justifies the genocide of indigenous peoples as “Manifest destiny”, which celebrates the imperialist “Monroe doctrine” and the “founding fathers” whom commutes atrocities against sovereignty of indigenous peoples, and the list goes on and on. We need ETHNIC STUDIES NOW for youth of color to learn from a critical historical narrative which doesn’t cast their communities as “other” or “minorities” and for White youth to critically dismantle their internalized White privilege, White nationalism, and White supremacy.


Ethnic Studies, vive!

La lucha sigue sigue!