(HKR-04-29-25) Across the country, a growing number of conservative-led efforts are targeting the very existence of Ethnic Studies. There are many actions taken, from the banning of books to the defunding of DEI programs. Legislation like California’s AB 1468 also plays a role. Educators and communities are fighting to protect hard-earned progress. On this episode of Hard Knock Radio, we explore the issue with two front-line guests. These guests are Professor Lupe Carrasco Cardona and Professor Mark Allan Davis.
Ethnic Studies Saves Lives
Cardona, an Ethnic Studies and theater educator in LAUSD, made it plain. Ethnic Studies isn’t just an academic field. It’s a lifeline. “It definitively saves lives,” she said. She stressed the importance of students learning their histories. She also highlighted the need to build solidarity with other oppressed communities. She emphasized that Ethnic Studies was born from grassroots struggle—not gifted by institutions.
She warned that AB 1468 is a dangerous attempt to surveil, censor, and criminalize educators. If passed, it would create state-level bureaucracies to review courses—likely removing community-rooted, liberation-based content.
Professor Davis: “I Am the Black Arts Movement”
Professor Mark Allan Davis of San Francisco State University offered powerful historical context. He traced the origins of Ethnic Studies back to the 1968 student strikes at SFSU. During these strikes, students forced the administration to recognize the value of seeing themselves reflected in the curriculum. Davis spoke not only as a scholar but also as an artist. He reminded listeners that he is both a child and product of the Black Arts Movement.
His personal testimony added emotional weight: “My great-grandfather was a slave. I am an artifact of the Black body. They can’t erase that.”
Cultural Suppression Disguised as Policy
Both guests warned of how discomfort is being weaponized to erase truth. Cardona talked about a lawsuit she encountered for teaching accurate history. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit. The judge ruled that discomfort does not equal violence. “Teaching truth is necessary for a truer democracy,” she said.
May Day: Resistance Through Art and Memory
In the second half of the show, Professor Davis introduced his upcoming May Day production at SFSU’s Knuth Hall. Titled “Somebody Blew Up San Francisco State College”, it’s a dramatized meditation. The piece reflects on the radical cultural and political forces that sparked the Ethnic Studies movement. The evening will include live dance, dramatic readings, and a performance by singer Naje Nova. BSU leaders from across the CSU system will also be present.
Davis underscored that this is what Ethnic Studies embodies: truth-telling without compromise, community-rooted performance, and unapologetic self-expression.
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