Demand Ethnic Studies! (Digital, 2019)

Melanie Cervantes
Digital graphic

The struggle for Ethnic Studies is a protracted one. The depth of my gratitude for the young people that fought and were literally beaten by police, in the ‘60s, for the demand so that they and subsequent generations could access a curriculum that is relevant and liberating. At first I was so angry when I started taking these classes. I realized the U.S. public education system had been gaslighting me, my friends and my community my whole life and for generations before us! If you read a list of warning signs about gaslighting you will see what I mean (i.e. they tell blatant lies and their actions do not match their words). But these courses freed my heart and gave me tools to understand the world and shape my politics.

How have you benefited from Ethnic Studies curriculum?