Ethnic studies prepare students to be racially literate

In her article “The Whitewashing of Higher Education,” Connie Hopinks explores the nuances and implications of predominantly white narratives in schools. Hopinks argues that school curriculums must include culturally diverse voices to foster racially literate students entering the world. Implementing ethnic studies does not require a radical shift of the whole curriculum to be centered around ethnic studies. Instead, adding ethnically diverse voices as a facet to existing curriculums gives students the holistic understandings which they need to be racially literate. America particularly has a culturally rich demographic as the nation has been built upon immigrants. Being educated to handle race relations is especially crucial to succeed in such a racially diverse nation. The University of San Francisco is a prime example of the benefits of racial literacy, as the institution diverged from a eurocentric curriculum to a multicultural one. The school requires the study of Latin American literature, women’s literature, the psychology of ethnic groups in America, and BIPOC authors in the core curriculum. These steps ensure students are prepared to handle the social, economic, cultural, and political issues of a multicultural society. ^[2]