Join us for a powerful conversation with Cecily Relucio, founder and co-director of Umuwi Ethnic Studies, as she shares transformative strategies for teaching honest history through an anti-racist, community-centered lens.

In this episode, Cecily opens up about her personal journey with Ethnic Studies as a daughter of Filipino immigrants and explains how reclaiming her identity led to understanding the interconnected struggles of marginalized communities. Drawing on Paulo Freire's concept of "education as the practice of freedom," she makes a compelling case that teaching truth isn't just about knowledge—it's about liberation and helping students see themselves as powerful contributors to their communities.

Cecily provides three actionable strategies for educators committed to honest history. First, she introduces the concept of building a "why sanctuary"—documenting your core motivation for this work to sustain you through challenges. Second, she emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and unlearning, studying histories through an anti-oppressive lens while asking critical questions about power, harm, and justice. Third, she offers concrete guidance on building culturally responsive curricula, including specific examples like teaching settler colonialism when discussing the founding of the United States and examining documents such as the Northwest Ordinance and the Treaty of Fort Wayne.

Throughout the conversation, Cecily shares valuable resources from organizations like the Zinn Education Project, Learning for Justice, and the Liberated Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum Consortium. She also addresses the real challenges educators face when teaching honest history and emphasizes the critical importance of community support, sharing a moving story of community mobilization at her daughter's school.

This episode is essential listening for educators who believe in building a multiracial democracy centered on human dignity and want practical tools for teaching history that honors truth and promotes justice.

Zinn Education Project: https://www.zinnedproject.org/

Learning for Justice: www.learningforjustice.org

Liberated Ethic Studies Model Curriculum Consortium: www.liberatedethnicstudies.org

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