About
Source: https://americancultures.berkeley.edu/hsesi/about Parent: https://americancultures.berkeley.edu/
Topics
The UC Berkeley High School Ethnic Studies Initiative
About
In 2021, several academic partners at UC Berkeley recognized the need to support California high schools. They developed the High School Ethnic Initiative, also known as HSESI. HSESI is a collaborative effort among the American Cultures Center, the Department of Ethnic Studies, and the History Social Sciences Project to leverage UC Berkeley's extensive academic resources and pedagogical expertise. The initiative focuses on building a curriculum infrastructure for California educators, addressing immediate and long-term needs.
Key resources for UC Berkeley's partnership with high school Ethnic Studies educators include robust research-centered materials for curriculum content, faculty expertise in Ethnic Studies and critical race studies pedagogy, access to the Ethnic Studies Library’s extensive collections, and a longstanding commitment to supporting Ethnic Studies as a field rooted in community-based studies, knowledge, and action. If you'd like to stay connected with our initiative and learn about upcoming events, please complete this form.
Instructive Nexus
Scholar Series
The Scholar Series facilitates conversations between university faculty and high school educators, exploring how cutting-edge research can be seamlessly integrated into classroom teaching materials. Through this series, California high school educators gain access to a wealth of racial justice scholarship forged by Berkeley and its community partners. The series covers a wide range of topics, and we’ve created event resource pages that include recordings, recommended resources, key takeaways, and more.
Ethnic Studies Educator Resource Hub
The Ethnic Studies Educator Resource Hub is a curated collection of materials from faculty experts, librarians, archivists, and campus members. Our hub offers a variety of content related to the history and practice of teaching Ethnic Studies, including Ethnic Studies curriculum essentials lesson plans recommended readings digital data tools archival materials, and more! The hub is still being developed and will continue to evolve. We welcome your ongoing feedback!
Ethnic Studies Library and Guide
The UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Library serves as a valuable resource for high school educators, particularly those interested in Ethnic Studies. Its origins trace back to the Third World Liberation Front strike during the 1960s. Student activists, passionate about social justice, collected and preserved historical materials related to the movements of that time. Over the years, these materials have evolved into specialized collections within the library, including books, serials, archives, posters, and audio recordings.
Creating and supporting knowledge that informs social movements is a unique field of work for educators to learn from and be in conversation with today. To assist them, Ethnic Studies librarians have created a dedicated HSESI Library Guide, providing valuable insights into past and present social movements.
Third World Liberation Front Website
Ethnic Studies as a community-based movement, a chapter in educational history and a field, finds its ancestry and inspirations from the Third World Liberation Front or TWLF.
This legacy has been captured for the HSESI in a new TWLF website. Launched in June 2024, the site serves as a platform offering an in-depth look into the Third World Liberation Front's activism at UC Berkeley and its related organizing at SF State. While the site is valuable for a wide audience, it’s especially relevant for high school ethnic studies educators and students coming into conversation with the new Ethnic Studies graduation requirement.
Background
Exploratory Research Report
The UC Berkeley High School Ethnic Studies Exploratory Report examines the potential of a UC Berkeley curriculum development effort in supporting Bay Area high school teachers and school districts, and therefore future generations of California students. Although the report is exploratory and not exhaustive, it does offer strategic reasons for UC Berkeley's involvement in the California High School Ethnic Studies graduation requirement and recommendations for how, where, and when to interact.
Ethnic Studies Educator Resource Hub
The UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Educator Resource Hub is a curated collection of materials designed to support students and instructors in preparation for the rollout of California’s high school Ethnic Studies graduation requirement. Our hub aims to foster a deep understanding of oppression, liberation, and the intricate tapestry of social movements that shape society. Whether you’re seeking to enrich your teaching practices, expand your knowledge base, or engage in community-driven initiatives, this resource hub creates entry points to teaching and engaging with Ethnic Studies.
Events & Resources
The High School Ethnic Studies Initiative hosts various events for students and instructors that focus on approaches to teaching Ethnic Studies high school courses. Please review our our event and resource pages that contain event recordings, recommended resources, and key takeaways!
Third World Liberation Front site
The UC Berkeley's Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) site was developed in partnership with key campus partners, TWLF strikers from 1969, 1989 and 1999, dedicated to the legacy of the TWLF movements and their contemporary connections. Please visit the site for a wide range of teaching materials, events, and timelines.
Race: The Power of an Illusion site
An online companion to the award-winning documentary series by California Newsreel explores the origins, beliefs, and consequences of what we call race. Developed in collaboration with key UC Berkeley partners and the California Newsreel team, the site offers teaching tools, interviews, and fresh perspectives on this groundbreaking film—designed especially for educators.
Oral Histories Guides
Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering, preserving, and interpreting the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. As a method, it involves an interview that is recorded and made available to the public. Oral histories become primary sources that supplement and enrich our collective understanding of places, communities, and events in the past.
Press
HSESI in the News
Explore the latest news and stories about the HSESI Program on our dedicated news page. Stay updated on our journey! For news inquiries, please email hsesi@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail).