Course Description
The purpose of this course helps students learn more about how history is connected to identity through Ethnic Studies, specifically through a Filipina/o/x American experience. Taught by teachers from Pin@y (Pinoy/Pinay) Educational Partnerships (PEP), we are committed to developing a culturally relevant and responsive curriculum that supports students’ understanding of themselves, their people and community, and actions in their community.’ We will explore precolonial Philippine history, early Filipina/o/x migration to the United States, and the struggle and survival stories of these communities from the late 1500s to 1960s.
Vision
Our vision is to introduce and investigate the intersections between students’ lives and Filipina/x/o American experiences. Through the process of learning their own history, students will gain a critical understanding of their past and connect it to their identities. We hope to provide an educational space where students will engage in dialogue to learn from each other, to create empathy, community, and urgency to transform themselves and communities.
Mission
Our mission is to create an educational space that affirms students’ identities and stories. Lessons will be taught and understood through an Ethnic Studies framework combined with engaging cultural energizers, critical concepts, cultural production, and community dialogue. We aim to cultivate a classroom community through open discussions, collaboration, and barangays in order to encourage student leadership.
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
- Compare and contrast experiences of pre-colonial Filipina/x/o and Filipina/x/o Americans to that of African Americans, Indigenous Americans, Latinx/Chicano/a Americans, and Asian Americans, including other recent immigrant populations.
- Apply an Ethnic Studies/Critical lens to examine the role of “race” in the United States.
- Analyze media, including: videos, music, movies, tv shows, art, and political cartoons.
- Evaluate the impact of colonialism, wars, resistance movements, and political changes on Philippine society and how it resulted in mass migration of Filipinas/xs/os to the United States.
MALONG Mentorship Program
The malong is an indigenous Filipino fabric used for multiple purposes. From gathering food to providing security and comfort for children, the malong symbolizes community. At the heart of the community is the individual. To have a strong community you need healthy individuals: mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Though each person and site is unique, the Malong "wrap-around" health and wellness project focuses on 3 "threads":
Based on the three threads mentioned above, PEP MALONG stands for:
Mentoring Exchange
Academic Counseling & Guidance
Leadership Training
Opportunity Seeking
Needs Assessing/Assessment
Goal Achieving/Achievement
Teachers and students will be assigned mentor/mentee pairings. Each mentor is a direct resource for information about grades, classwork, and other necessary support. Mentors and mentees will have monthly check-ins to track students’ wellness regarding school and community. As a note of transparency, all teachers are mandated reporters.
- Mental health & wellness of all community members (directors, coordinators, teachers, students, families, communities)
- Academic counseling and guidance (students and teachers)
- Community building (inside/outside classroom)
Based on the three threads mentioned above, PEP MALONG stands for:
Mentoring Exchange
Academic Counseling & Guidance
Leadership Training
Opportunity Seeking
Needs Assessing/Assessment
Goal Achieving/Achievement
Teachers and students will be assigned mentor/mentee pairings. Each mentor is a direct resource for information about grades, classwork, and other necessary support. Mentors and mentees will have monthly check-ins to track students’ wellness regarding school and community. As a note of transparency, all teachers are mandated reporters.