Why ethnic studies

 

Reflection Summary: Why Ethnic Studies

The OERI reading helped me better understand why Ethnic Studies is important in education.
Before this reading, I knew Ethnic Studies was about race and culture, but I did not fully understand its history or impact.
The reading explains that Ethnic Studies came out of long struggles led by students and educators who demanded representation and justice in schools (Espinoza-Kulick).
It also explains that many attacks on Ethnic Studies are rooted in fear, ignorance, and systems like white supremacy and settler colonialism, which the discipline directly challenges (Espinoza-Kulick).
This helped me see that Ethnic Studies is not about hate or division, but about truth, understanding, and equity.

I was especially moved by how Ethnic Studies classrooms are described as spaces of belonging and healing.
The reading explains that students often feel empowered when they see their identities, histories, and experiences reflected in the curriculum (Espinoza-Kulick).
Ethnic Studies has been shown to improve student attendance, graduation rates, and success in other classes, which shows its academic value (Espinoza-Kulick).
I also learned that Ethnic Studies helps students connect personal experiences with larger political and social systems.
Overall, this reading helped me understand why Ethnic Studies became a required course in California and why it continues to be a powerful and necessary discipline.

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Works Cited

Espinoza-Kulick, Angela, et al. Why Ethnic Studies. ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative, California Community Colleges.

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