A FORCE Not To Be Messed With
Through it all, the outcome is the feeling of empowerment. We must hold autonomy over ourselves and our actions. Thus, we must be accountable in choose our battles. The continuous battle for ethnic studies was, is and will continue to be an arduous fight. Dr. Robyn Rodriguez's article is simply one that is indicative of her past that has molded her to advocate for a future that condemn elitism and classism. Her drive for research is not for the sake of research, but one that is for the sake of building the holistic community to grow. With that in mind, we can see that ethnic studies argues for a brighter, truthful, and hopeful future of shared narratives that were once untold and stifled away.
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She has committed her studies and created work that is her form of activism. Being someone who is not a STEM major, but a Triple Major in Asian American Studies; American Studies; Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, it's undoubtedly terrifying to try to justify passion and provide solid, "stable," evidence of work to immigrant parents. Choosing to be in spaces that are uncertain, but still aims for dismantling, learning, unlearning, transforming, and more, is something I know I want to do. My personal paths and perspective have shifted because I was influenced by ethnic studies and twLF without even knowing about twLF at the time. Dr. Rodriguez demonstrates the multifaceted nature of ethnic studies and the importance of it in many other areas. Going into higher education is still in the air for me, but I know doing the work of twLF as an Asian American womxn is not restricted to the realm of higher education. This work is for the community and community is anywhere and everywhere. How do people who are heavily influenced by ethnic studies, come to decide or find what work they hope to do if it's not as a professor or something of that sort?
References
(2018). "On Strike: Ethnic Studies 1969-1999, Film & Panel." Center for Race & Gender - UC Berkeley. Accessed May 28, 2020. https://www.crg.berkeley.edu/events/on-strike-ethnic-studies-1969-1999-film-panel/.
Rodriguez, R.M. (2013). Fight the Tower: Asian American Women Scholars' Resistance and Renewal in the Academy: "Epilogue: Upward and Onward: Asian American Women's Legal Resistance" Rutgers University Press.
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