About
Fresno Ethnic Studies Coalition
Who are we?
The Fresno Ethnic Studies Coalition is an organization representing Fresno Unified students, educators, families, community members, and alumni dedicated to establishing and implementing Ethnic Studies at Fresno Unified School District.
Author and social critic Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, writes, “The consequence of the single story is that it robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult and it emphasizes that we are different rather than how we are similar.”
UC Berkeley’s Department of Ethnic Studies defines ethnic studies as 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.”
California has one of the largest and most diverse student populations in the nation. Students of Color account for over 71 percent of the student population. Fresno Unified is the 3rd largest school district in our state and more than 90 languages are spoken throughout our local schools. Over 90 percent of our students are students of color, much larger than the ethnic demographic of California.
Although Fresno Unified has begun to take steps to address the needs of students of color, these steps have fallen short. Data clearly demonstrates academic and Social-Emotional disparities amongst our student population. Given today’s escalating political climate, student voice and self-advocacy is needed now more than ever. Students desperately need a space to discuss race and ethnicity. The Fresno Ethnic Studies Coalition was created specifically to fulfill this desperate need. We are committed to a curriculum that presents the stories and perspectives of people of color.
According to a study conducted by Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, there are multiple benefits to students enrolled in Ethnic studies in both academic achievement and student engagement. Researchers documented marked increases amongst all subgroups in student attendance, academic performance and progress towards graduation. Specifically, “researchers found that attendance for those encouraged to enroll in the class increased by 21 percentage points, GPA by 1.4 grade points and credits earned by 23.” Moreover, the most dramatic increases were shown by young men of color.
Dr. Cristina Herrera, professor of Chicano and Latin American Studies said, “...until our educational curriculum critically, compassionately and equitably includes the histories and experiences of people of color, Ethnic Studies is necessary to challenge those exclusions and gaps.” The Fresno Ethnic Studies Coalition stands in support of all of our students and their right to acquire a real education; their safety and well-being is our highest concern.
Our mission is simple: We demand and advocate for a robust and interdisciplinary Ethnic Studies program in the Fresno Unified School District. We believe by transforming education, we can transform our lives, and in effect transform our city.