Today’s post was written by Geneva Longheyer, library student assistant and sophomore political science and journalism major.
The October 2026 installment of Faculty Pub Night featured seven guest speakers from LMU’s School of Education discussing their recent contribution in the book, “Critical Role of Ethnic Studies in Educational Leadership.” The group, composed of Joaquín M.S. Noguera, Ernesto Colín, Kenzo K. Sung, Dolores Delgado Bernal, Cynthia M. Alcantar, Kyo Yamashiro, and William Perez, developed the opening chapter of the book, centering on the principle of counterhegemonic leadership in education and broader society.
In 2021, Assembly Bill 101 was passed in California, mandating one semester of ethnic studies in high schools for graduation. As districts tried to incorporate these courses into the curriculum, they encountered issues regarding hiring, reassignments, and school administration, notably in rushing essential procedures that ensure quality education. Concerns regarding staff background education being overlooked in favor of more timely hiring pose the greatest risk, as the odds of staff being unprepared and untrained to manage many of the heavy topics that encapsulate the ethnic studies curriculum are high. Pair this with school administration that may not be prepared to manage parent complaints, especially due to the politicization of the subject, and is more likely to overlook quality in the classroom, and you have the potential for disaster.
The solution proposed by the presenters is the principle of “counterhegemonic leadership.” The methodology of leadership centers on engaging in intentional disruption and resistance to the status quo, in all facets of life, in an effort to push for more inclusive and decolonial change within the education system and beyond.
Many of the institutions we work within appear to be fixed given that many people struggle to change long-term norms and policies simply because, “we have always done it this way,” believing that these systems are far more neutral than they really are. This can apply to hiring practices and any method of systemic evaluation that does not account for broader experiences and skills that does not consider issues of accessibility between varying ethnic groups, communities, and demographics.
They connected these principles with a “social change ecosystem map” developed by Deepa Lyre that identifies the key roles that advance social justice. The primary element to change, a constant questioning of authority and established dynamics, which, when applied to the social change map, allows for approaches to these conversations to begin.
As people arrived for the event, an immediate sense of care and community formed, with an intentionality to passionately engage with this experience to the fullest extent. Many attendees were staff members or students from outside institutions, each bringing a personal experience and connection with the content. One audience member discussed the removal of the word “diversity” from schools; another the continuous funding issues in multilingual education programs, many shifting to only focus on English proficiency.
Through these conversations, a new and knowledgeable group of counterhegemonic leaders seems ready to take these concepts into their own lives and classrooms. With the event winding down, we were reminded of the central mantra behind the importance of ethnic studies and counterhegemony. “No history, no self; Know history, know self.”