I always thought history was just about memorizing names and dates—until I took my African-American and Latino Studies class. I remember the first time we discussed the term “Latinx.” Some people embraced it as an inclusive alternative to Latino or Latina, while others rejected it as unnecessary or imposed. I was probably one of the few in class who had never heard it before. That conversation, about how a single word could include or exclude people, made me think about the information I should have known earlier and what I want to learn moving forward. It became clear that the language we use shapes who gets recognized in history. That moment stood out because it opened my eyes to how much I didn’t know about cultures I thought I was familiar with.
This class also made me realize something I had never questioned before: why do only ethnic studies courses seem to highlight perspectives often left out of traditional history lessons? So many stories don’t make it into history books, and for a long time, I never thought to ask why. Learning about the role of Afro-Latinos in history or tragic yet overlooked events like the Tulsa Massacre made me wonder—what else is missing from the history we’re taught? I began to understand that history isn’t just about what happened—it’s about whose stories are told and whose are ignored.
Expanding the curriculum to include more courses like Black and Latino Studies—as well as Asian American, Indigenous, and Middle Eastern Studies—would provide students with a fuller, more accurate picture of history. More than that, it would encourage us to think beyond our own experiences and challenge what we’ve been taught. The African-American and Latino Studies course at Fairfield Warde High School gave students like me the opportunity to explore different communities’ histories, many of which have been overlooked for too long. These courses do more than inform—they build empathy, challenge assumptions, and push us to reconsider the way we see history.
Incorporating more diverse courses into our curriculum helps create an education system that values all cultures and provides an honest understanding of the world. Ethnic studies classes aren’t just another set of electives—they’re a chance to make education more meaningful for everyone.