Post 453: Why I love Ethnic Studies
I loved going to UCLA to study for my MA in Applied Linguistics. I also received my ABD and CPhil from the UCLA French Department. My PHD dissertation topic was 'The Image of China in the works of Pierre Loti, Paul Claudel and Victor Segalen. I have always been interested in the comparison between Eastern and Western cultural values being Asian American. Therefore, to keep up with my alma mater, on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, I attended the UCLA Ethnic Studies webinar. I had a great time learning about the Ethnic Studies program. Darnell Hunt, African American Professor at UCLA hosted this event. I do hope they give additional webinars, and I hope in future webinars we can get to interact with the presenters to get to know them better. It was fascinating to hear how the Ethnic Studies department was first established. This photo depicts student protesters who wanted UCLA to have classes that represented the vast diversity of the US population.
As depicted in this photo above, in the late 60's, students of all races marched together to raise their voices against racism, against White Supremacy, against a Eurocentric UCLA curriculum where the curriculum focused on the European perspective. Students wanted classes that reflected more ethnic perspectives such as from the African American, Asian American or Chicana/cano American point of view. Not long after these marches, the Ethnic Studies Department was founded.
What is Ethnic Studies?
Courses in Ethnic Studies address perceptions that, because of the Eurocentric bias and racial and ethnic prejudice of those in power, American historians have systematically ignored or undervalued the roles of such ethnic minorities as Asian Americans, Blacks, Mexicans, Latinos and Native Americans.
Branches of Ethnic Studies include but are not limited to African American Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American/ Indigenous Peoples' Studies, and Latino/a Studies. Supporters say Ethnic Studies promotes respect and understanding among races, supports student
success, and teaches critical thinking skills.
What do the opponents of Ethic Studies say?
One Conservative station broadcaster called Ethnic Studies 'Anti-American' because as she says, it teaches students to be angry, to be victims, and to trash American values. This Conservative broadcaster would prefer that students study the more traditional history books that emphasize the Founding Fathers and the Eurocentric view of American history which glorifies the accomplishments of the white Founding Fathers. Eurocentric means teaching American history only from the European American point if view.Teaching American history from only one point of view causes children to think that only European Americans built America's greatness and no other race is capable of building this great nation.
When this Eurocentric broadcaster called 'Ethnic Studies' as Anti-American, (code word for 'Anti-white) suddenly, I felt excluded as if I were a foreigner and not American. Why should me studying about my Asian heritage be 'anti' American? As an Asian American, I consider myself just as American as anybody else. To this day, I don't understand why many people would consider Ethnic Studies 'Anti-American'. As an Asian American, I would love to learn how my ancestors contributed to the building of this great nation.
In my book, American History should reflect the point of view of Indian Americans, Hispanic Americans, African Americans and Asian Americans, not just the point of view of European Americans. To me, Ethnic Studies represent the point of view of the many diverse groups who came to American and who have all contributed to the United States.
Unlike what the opponents of Ethnic Students say, taking Ethnic Studies classes does not teach students to 'hate America' or to trash 'American values nor does Ethnic Studies teach ethnic students to be 'victims of oppression'. Also, Ethnic Studies does not teach kids of different races to hate each other. Instead, taking Ethnic classes teaches students to appreciate the immense diversity of American society. After all, America is a nation of immigrants, and we should learn to embrace and learn about these diverse cultures to truly appreciate America and American values of tolerance and diversity. Ethnic Studies teaches students the contributions other races have made to America not just the contributions of European Americans.
What is the importance of Ethnic Studies to me personally?
In my opinion, I think Ethnic Studies is essential for students to learn more about their ethnic background. Taking an ethnic studies class becomes a journey of self discovery for ethnic students. Growing up Asian American, I don't remember ever studying Asian American history in K-12 curriculum. All I knew about Asian Americans were that Asian Americans built the railroad, and were part of the Gold Rush.
It wasn't until I went to college and started taking classes about Asian American family, Asian American history that I learned more about my Chinese heritage. I also took Chinese language classes to learn more about my Asian background and to be able to speak to my Chinese grandparents who spoke very little English. When I took Ethnic Studies classes, I felt an instant sense of belonging--an instant sense of recognition and all the weird customs my parents did like playing majong with friends instead of playing the more European bridge or poker to be social started making sense.
Learning more about my Asian heritage strengthened my understanding and appreciation of where I came from, the sacrifices my parents and grandparents made in coming to this country, the bravery my Asian immigrant ancestors made in leaving everything behind to come to America to build a better life for themselves. After taking Ethnic Studies classes, I started to feel proud of my Asian American heritage once I understood all the great accomplishments Asian Americans made to this country.
Yet, these Asian American accomplishments were not highlighted in my K-12 curriculum. Instead, I learned about the accomplishments of other ethnic groups like African Americans and European Americans leaving me to think that Asian Americans did not contribute much due to their absence in the K-12 curriculum.
As a result, in college, I was thirsty for knowledge about where I cam from. I took classes on Chinese literature, on Chinese history, on Asian American history, and I came away with a sense of wonder about my own Chinese heritage. I especially loved the Chinese classes at UCLA where I was able to learn 500 Chinese characters, which was enough for me to write a primitive letter in Chinese to my Chinese parents and grandparents.
When I became college professor, I was proud to teach Asian American Literature class to my students at the American Military University. I felt proud to showcase my Asian culture, and to make non-Asians aware of the Asian American experience in order to break stereotypes, and develop the bonds of our common humanity by having students understand cultural values other than their own. My non-Asian students were fascinated by how different Asian group centered society is from the individualistic centered US society. As an Asian American, I feel sometimes that I am the crossroads of both cultures. If I were still teaching Asian American studies, I would teach non-Asian students why Asian Americans find it so hurtful for people to call COVID19, 'the China virus' or 'Kung Flu' as well as the rise of Anti-Asian hate crimes since the start of the COVID19 pandemic.
Why did I attend the UCLA Ethnic Studies Webinar?
Ethnic Studies at UCLA: Scholarship for Social Justice Today
At
UCLA, the Ethnic Studies department is composed of four units: African
American Studies Department; Asian American Studies Department;
Chicano/Chicana Central American Studies Department, and the American
Indian Studies Department. A representative from each of these departments spoke at a UCLA Ethnic Studies Webinar called Ethnic Studies at UCLA: Scholarship for Social Justice Today.
I attended the UCLA Ethnic Studies Webinar to keep current with what is going on in UCLA today and to keep current in my field of Ethnic Studies. As a result, I took a one hour webinar The webinar called 'Ethnic Studies at UCLA: Scholarship for Social Justice' today. The host was Darnell Hunt from the UCLA African American Department, Randall Akee from the American Indian Studies Center, soon to become the American Indian Studies Department, Natalie Masuoka from the Asian American Studies Department, Lucy Abrego from the Chicano/Chicana Central American Studies Department, and Cheryl Keyes from the African American Studies Department.
I loved listening about the latest developments happening at UCLA. Randall Akee was so excited that his American Indian Studies Research Center was finally going to become an official UCLA Department so that they could have full time faculty devoted to American Indian Studies. Akee's excitement was palpable in his face and body gestures. I congratulate Akee and his future department for this milestone of getting their own department. I loved seeing Dr. Akee's happiness at the idea that his research center was finally going to be its own department. As you can see from the below picture, Dr. Akee is all smiles.
For an hour, each speaker, who is the Dean of his/her department spoke about their program. It was very fascinating to hear about how all 4 units were established at about the same time in the late 1960's and these departments resulted from UCLA student activism of ethnic students who wanted a department where they could get their voices heard.
These speakers talked about the history of their respective departments and the importance of human dignity and the importance of treating all people as humans. Nobody wants to be reduced to a stereotype or caricature. Everybody wants to be treated equally and with respect.
Top Left, Dr. Darnell Hunt, Dr. Randall Akee, Dr. Natalie Matsuoka
Lower Left: Dr. Lucy Abrego, and Dr.Cheryl Keyes
Each one stated how they loved teaching in their departments because then they can be with others of their own culture and be able to emphasize their cultural values. Each one taught students to value their heritage, and give ethnic students a sense of recognition of their own importance and self-worth.
It was fascinating to hear about the histories of each of the departments. Here are some pictures of how the Asian American Department was established as told by Natalie Masuoka of UCLA:
Dr. Masuoka said that students marched together in protest to demand an Asian American Department that would give better representation of Asian and Asian Studies on the UCLA campus. Prof. Lucy Abrego, head of the Chicano/Chicana Central American Studies Department stated that she loves to show students pictures of the 60's marches to show the present crop of UCLA students, that it was UCLA students like themselves who helped to create the Ethnic Studies Department.
Darnell Hunt, Prof of African American Studies at UCLA said that the late 1960's was a time of great social change and transformation as ethnic groups became more vocal about what they wanted and needed. Thanks to these pioneering students from the 60's, we now enjoy Ethnic Studies in multiple departments such as Postcolonial Studies and Critical Race Studies to combat the Eurocentric K-12 curriculum and to combat systemic racism in the U.S.
Furthermore, each speaker talked about the relevance of taking an Ethnic Studies class to real world events. Dr. Natalie Matsuoka talked about the Anti Asian racism of equating Asians with COVID19 as well as the recent shooting in Atlanta of six Asian women. Prof. Keyes talked about the rise of the Black Lives Matter Movement after the George Floyd murder and Prof.Lucy Abrego talked about the Migrant crisis at the US Southern border and the conditions under which Mexican and Central American asylum seekers are living in US Detention Centers. Taking Ethnic Studies classes helps students connect with real world events, and teaches students to empathize with ethnic groups undergoing prejudice in the US.
To me, the only flaw to this presentation was that we viewers did not get a chance to have a Question/Answer session with the presenters to ask questions of our own on the air. However, the presenters had encouraged us to email our questions to them the day before the webinar. Still, I would have liked to have the chance to talk with them personally to ask them questions to get to know them better. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this lecture on Ethnic Studies. I feel Ethnic Studies is an important component of UCLA education because it causes students to learn about other cultures.
To conclude, no matter what ethnic or cultural group one comes from, I advise every student to not only take an Ethnic Studies class not about one's own culture, but to also take an ethnic studies class about an ethnic group other than one's own. In this way, the student gets to learn about different cultures, and when that student gets out into the real world, he will know to deal with people of all races and cultures.
Therefore taking Ethnic Studies classes helps students to broaden their mind, which is to me one of the best benefits of taking Ethnic Studies classes. Also, taking these classes teaches ethnic students that their ethnic culture has value and worth. Confucius once said, "True wisdom comes when you can walk a foot in someone else's shoes." And to me, taking a class in a culture other than one's own does.
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