COURSE DESCRIPTION
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In collaboration with SFSU’s step to college program, PEP students earn 3 units of college credit per semester (6 units in total = two college courses). This class fulfills the CSU/UC G elective requirement. Paperwork for this will be given to students during the first two weeks of school. The paperwork must be completed for college credit to apply.

VISION

This is a Filipinx/o/a American Studies course with the purpose of understanding the long history of colonialism, migration, and the struggle and survival stories of the Filipina/o/x American community.   This course matters because it will help us think critically about the world, make sense of the fractured parts of ourselves and stories, and connections to other Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities . We will learn about Filipina/o/x American history by uncovering pre-colonial Philippines, the role of  Spanish and American imperialism and colonialism  and reclaim our hxstories by understanding racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, and all forms of oppression. This course reflects the vision of  PEP because of  our engagement with Ethnic Studies — and it is the stories of our people that  give us radical hope in our pursuit of collective liberation.

INTENTION

This course will fulfill its vision by teaching students that learning and wellness go hand in hand as practices of liberation and radical healing. Through study, reflection, and collaboration, we will both learn and teach about the hxstories of our ancestors, our communities, and ourselves. When we learn about our hxstories and share these experiences with one another we are beginning the process of decolonization by understanding the generational trauma of the Filipina/o/x American community and connections to the present. We can help students practice wellness and joyfully engage in the learning process by acknowledging that our mind, body, and soul are instruments of learning. We will model vulnerability, engage in writing, public speaking, visual and performance art to relate the content to your lived reality.

COURSE GUIDING QUESTIONS

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The guiding questions of this class is to uncover the following:

1. Why is it important to learn about the experiences of Filipina/o/x Americans and its relationship to BIPOC communities?
2. What systems of oppression have created generational trauma?
3. Why is history important to contributing positive change in our community and the world?

• We will cultivate a community where we are valued and heard.
  
• We will engage with hxstories as it relates to us, our stories, and our ability to create our future stories.
  
• We will navigate our positionality in the world through community building and connection to Filipinx American hxstory.
  
• We will learn the languages to understand and empower ourselves and our communities.