Ethnic Studies

What is Ethnic Studies?

Ethnic Studies is a “critical and interdisciplinary study of race, ethnicity, and indigeneity with a focus on the
experiences and perspectives of people of color within and beyond the United States.” As a separate discipline from
History, Ethnic Studies specifically analyzes “the ways in which race and racism have been, and continue to be,
powerful social, cultural, and political forces and their connections to other axes of stratification, including gender, class,
sexuality, and legal status.”

Why is Ethnic studies important?

The role of ethnic studies is to change the curriculum to promote critical thinking regarding the intersection
between systems, social and ethnic minorities status so that material is substantially inclusive of all students and the
achievements, experiences, and perspectives of the individuals and people of color in history that have often been
hidden behind Eurocentric curricula in K-12 education

What does research say about the benefits of Ethnic Studies?

In 2010, the National Education Association (NEA) published The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic
Studies, which reported ethnic studies has a positive impact on students of color.
Results showed that ethnic studies benefited students in observable ways: they became more academically engaged,
increased educational outcomes on academic tests, improved graduation rates, and developed a sense of self-efficacy
and personal empowerment

What is the commitment of Fresno Unified regarding Ethnic Studies?

Fresno Unified is a place where: Diversity is valued, Educational excellence and equity are expected, Individual responsibility
and participation by all is required, collaborative adult relationships are essential, and, parents, students and the
community as a whole are vital partners.” Fresno Unified School District is committed to providing excellent educational opportunities to all of our
students, without regard to race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, income, sexual orientation, or disability, and is guided by
the core values of equity, inclusiveness, and universally high expectations.

Embracing our Shared Stories at Allensworth

Ethnic Studies Overview Fresno Unified

Hallmarks of Ethnic Studies

Curriculum as a counter-narrative
Criticality
Reclaiming cultural identities
Intersectionality and multiplicity
Community engagement
Pedagogy that is culturally responsive and mediated
Students as intellectuals

Guiding Values and Principles of Ethnic Studies:

Cultivate empathy, community actualization, cultural perpetuity¹, self-worth, self-determination, and the holistic well-being of all participants, especially Native People/s and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC);
Celebrate and honor Native People/s of the land and communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color by providing a space to share their stories of success, community collaboration, and solidarity, along with their intellectual and cultural wealth;
Center and place high value on the pre-colonial, ancestral knowledge², narratives, and communal experiences of Native People/s and people of color and groups that are typically marginalized in society;
Critique empire-building in history and its relationship to white supremacy, racism and other forms of power and oppression³;
Challenge racist, bigoted, discriminatory, imperialist/colonial⁴ beliefs and practices on multiple levels; and
Connect ourselves to past and contemporary social movements that struggle for social justice and an equitable and democratic society; and conceptualize, imagine, and build new possibilities for a post-racist, post-systemic racism society that promotes collective narratives of transformative resistance, critical hope, and healing.