Skip To Main Content

Ethnic Studies

OAK centers love, empathy, and liberation.

  • Through sharing ALL of our stories and learning about our identities and those around us, we learn to LOVE ourselves and those in our OAK community. Ethnic Studies cultivates spaces where the experiences and knowledge of people of color--shared in the first person--are valued and loved.
  • This builds EMPATHY and strengthens our relationships with each other at OAK. Ethnic Studies is the foundation for our understanding and willingness to study, critique, and abolish systems and practices that contributed to the struggles of our ancestors and our struggles of today.
  • Through Ethnic Studies at OAK, we are committed to supporting the wellness of every person in our community so that we will have the capacity to pursue collective LIBERATION.

At OAK Ethnic Studies is part of everything that we do. It is infused in our C's:

Culture

Culture is Medicine. At OAK, we center cultures that have been marginalized, specifically those of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.

Curiosity

Knowledge is Power. To gain knowledge, we have to ask questions, listen to each other's stories, and engage in inquiry that aims to solve problems at OAK and beyond.

Courage

Courage to Show Up. To be courageous, we need to be vulnerable and willing to take chances to stand up for what we believe is right and will benefit the students at OAK.

Compassion

Compassion leads to Empathy. To be compassionate, we humanize each person at OAK and hear both their challenges and their joy.

Community

In LaK'ech. To be in community, we create loving relationships that value what each person brings to OAK.