What can ethnic studies help us understand about the world today?
KM: When I was in school, academic discussions of race were rare, or when they occurred they were harmful. My discussions on the topic were with others in my community, not my teachers. I believe that the discipline of ethnic studies provides a way to address racial issues in a safe and productive manner. The level of racial chatter, including the media that surrounded the appointment of Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor, or the outburst of “You lie!” by South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson, have been missed opportunities for authentic discussions about race and power in America. These tangential discussions about race will continue to permeate the political airwaves until the mass media turns to more experts in the field, who can provide philosophical, theoretical and practical discourse aimed at framing the evolving conversations about race, culture and power in the 21st century. The College of Ethnic Studies at SF State stands in the forefront of these discussions, and this con
