Why I am a Black Studies Major :]

Over the course of the last two years I have taken numerous classes within the Black Studies department at UCSB. These courses have not only varied across subject material but over the degree of academic complexity as well. Professor Banks was the most intimidating Professor I have encountered but by far the most academically challenging. I did not miss a single day of class, did not to use my phone, and did not dare to show up to class unprepared. While it was time consuming and challenging, this is truly the class where I learned how to be a black studies undergraduate. However, I have found every black studies class that I have been enrolled in to be enriching and inspirational. For instance, music with Professor Stewart was not academically difficult but I found it to be culturally educational. Every course I have taken has taught me something valuable that I will use towards stirring a change in our current social constructs.

Like many in the major, my original major was not black studies. I started my journey at UCSB as a Business Economics Undergraduate with the dream of someday being able to open my own convalescent home. My passion for assisting the elderly is still very much alive but after working at my current occupation I realized that the real catalyst for changing the world is in the experiences and socialization of our youth.  As my career ambitions in life changed so did my educational goals. Switching majors has proven to be the best decision I have made at UCSB thus far. I have had the honor of taking the education of black children course with the Senior Professor Johnson. For me the course reinforced every notion I have ever felt regarding the level of playing fields that race, class, and gender prescribe people. Those of us in the major are fully aware that there exist privileges and disadvantages based on those three factors that have immediate and long term effects on us. Modern racism is more systematically concealed than before and the objectives of the black studies courses have been to unveil the truth and motives behind institutional racism and to challenge us to make a difference.