PLANTING SEEDS OF REVOLUTIONARY LOVE: INDIGENIZING EDUCATION THROUGH AN ANTI-COLONIAL FRAMEWORK FOR ETHNIC STUDIES

This dissertation critically examines the persistent colonial influences within K-12 education, focusing on how these influences undermine the goals of Ethnic Studies as a decolonial project. Utilizing a qualitative methodology, the research draws on insights from seasoned Ethnic Studies educators and keepers of ancestral knowledge to develop an anti-colonial framework aimed at promoting inclusivity, interethnic solidarity, and empowerment. The findings from Chapter Four are articulated through four emergent themes from the Pláticas sessions: Resistance & Revolutionary Love, Relationships & Restorative Approaches, Re-Membering & Reaffirming, and Reimagining & Revitalization. These themes highlight the necessity of embedding resistance against colonial structures, fostering relational and restorative educational practices, reclaiming and reaffirming marginalized histories and identities, and revitalizing curricula to include diverse epistemologies. This study highlights the urgency of integrating an anti-colonial approach into Ethnic Studies, especially in light of new California graduation mandates. This integration aims to transform educational practices to better reflect and respond to the diverse backgrounds of students, thereby challenging and reshaping the Eurocentric narratives and structures that persist in education. This work contributes to the discourse on decolonizing education and offers practical insights for policymakers, administrators, and educators aiming to implement transformative practices in the K-12 system.