“I’m in my senior year, and I didn’t really want ... classes that are just going to fulfill an application,” Isabel Eknoian said, “Because realistically, an application is only four years, and I’d rather get a life experience.”
Eknoian, a Berkeley High School senior, is taking her first class in the African American (AfAm) Studies Department: Black Government and Economics. Taking classes in the AfAm Studies Department offers a more diverse learning experience for students to engage in a typical course subject from an angle that looks at the role race plays in broader social contexts.
“We oftentimes have one perspective and one viewpoint that is taught in our schools,” Eknoian said, “And I really liked that this class offered a different perspective and one that’s not often heard.”
Eknoian appreciated how the AfAm department provided a non westernized perspective on economic issues and focused on disparities within the economy.
Studying economics from a perspective focusing on the Black experience is a unique opportunity that provides a more well-rounded view of the political/socioeconomic landscape and how race plays a role in its disparities. Students of other races are also able to connect their racial experiences to that of African Americans. “I’m Middle Eastern, and I think, similarly to Black economics, ours are a little different. We prioritize different things, we face different challenges,” Eknoian said, “I thought that this class was a connecting point.”
Another course offered by the AfAm Studies Department is Black Psychology. Ryann Brown, a senior, has the goal of studying psychology in the future. Learning about the field of psychology with an emphasis on race can lead to a more well-rounded understanding of the topic. “The class I’m taking, this is like the only one I’m actually interested in. The other ones are academic and you’re just learning random stuff, but this one’s actually focused on what I want to do,” Brown said.
The unique environment that is a safe haven for Black students and other students looking for a more personal connection to classroom topics, engages Brown and more effectively empowers her interest in learning psychology and using that knowledge to become a more supportive peer and friend. “I know friends that are going through stuff, but I don’t know enough knowledge to actually talk to them and actually be there for them. So (by) learning psychology, I can actually be a good person to talk to and give them good advice,” Brown said.
Brown hopes to learn about other Black Psychologists in order to have similar figures to relate to and learn from.
Rey Tse, a senior, took the AfAm History class last year as a junior.
The class taught Tse about Black historical elements that tie into more generic historical topics, such as notable inventions. “I learned about many things Black people actually did invent (and) I feel like I didn’t know that we created so much because it just gets overridden by White people,” Tse said. “Our history was really shown to me in that class, and I liked it a lot.”
Building on knowledge learned previously about Black history, Tse enrolled in the AfAm Government and Economics class this year as a senior in order to continue his studies in the AfAm Studies Department. “I feel like that makes a lot of sense — to learn how the economy relates to you as a black person, not just like a person in general, because the system treats us totally different than your average White male or something,” Tse said.
Along with knowledge gained from taking the class, its contents can strengthen the existing thoughts and passions about social issues that students may already have.
“Being in that class made me feel even more validated (and) even more passionate,” Tse said.
The AfAm Government and Economics class’ enlightening nature is accompanied by a workload that can be appealing to students. “It’s not mentally taxing to do the work, because I’m interested in it,” Tse said. “It’s a class where it’s not so rigorous that it makes you lose your desire to take the class, but it’s (also) not too easy to where you just want to leave the class.”
This balance is struck not only by the curriculum but by teachers as well. Tse elaborated on this explaining the importance of the teachers in the AfAm Department and the role they have in shaping positive classroom experiences.
As the school year starts, students are excited to begin their studies within the AfAm Department either once again or for the first time. The AfAm Studies Department continues to play a central role in the BHS community, allowing students to follow their passions and see themselves reflected more fully in the curriculum.