Progressively cutting down the budget for Ethnic Studies means it’ll eventually be dismissed. As part of this community and as a student of SF State I take pride in saying that we are the only college in the Nation recognized for its dedication and integration of our communities through the department of Ethnic Studies. Loosing it essentially means giving up what our school “claims to support”, let’s not abandon what our fellow students fought so hard to gain, these classes, these stories, this history is a representation of ALL of us. Having access to them will help us build a better future, empowered by the knowledge that we were deprived of for so long, not only do I feel like these courses should be of easy access to everyone, but they should also be mandatory for all students so that those who might not support us can understand where we come from, and that our history, our background, our culture, and our stories matter too, that’s what makes us a thriving community, city, state, and essentially what makes up this country. Ethnic Studies should be something we continue fighting for, not against. I truly hope that our voices are heard and that the Ethnic Studies department stops being the target of all these budget cuts.