The second annual Ethnic Studies Symposium, happening tomorrow at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB), is set to build on the success of its inaugural event, emphasizing the intersection of art, community, and activism. Led by Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies Nora Cisneros, the symposium has grown significantly, incorporating new elements aimed at fostering deeper engagement with the local community.
A standout feature of last year’s event was the art gallery, which showcased student and community-created pieces reflecting themes of identity, activism, and social justice. According to Cisneros, the artwork resonated strongly with attendees, helping them connect with the symposium’s speakers, who ranged from faculty members to local activists. This year, the tradition continues with a gallery dedicated to student work, reinforcing art’s role as a medium for dialogue and empowerment.
“People loved seeing the artwork and making connections between the art and the speakers,” Cisneros said. “The speakers will be faculty, community members, and our keynote this year is an amazing artist who is probably one of the most renowned in community and Ethnic Studies-oriented work.”
One of the most significant additions to this year’s symposium is a community resource fair. Cisneros highlighted that while last year’s event was well-received, feedback indicated a desire for stronger community representation. Now, with faculty members having spent more time in Bakersfield, they have forged deeper relationships with local organizations, ensuring that the resources presented align with the symposium’s mission of advocacy and education.
“Last year was our first year, and as a new department, we were still getting a lay of the land,” Cisneros explained. “This year, the community folks that will be there are people that we actually know and have been organizing or building with over the past year. It’s not just random organizations—we have actual relationships with them.”
Attendees can expect to leave the event not only inspired but also well-resourced. The symposium will offer food, uplifting art, and a keynote address by a renowned community-focused artist in the field of Ethnic Studies. In addition, the resource fair will provide tangible tools for participants to engage in activism both on and off campus.
“We want participants to feel inspired, grounded, and more hopeful,” Cisneros said. “They will come out of the event not only having taken in empowering artwork and speeches but also with resources that help them make a difference in the community.”
Beyond celebrating art and academia, the symposium comes at a critical time for Ethnic Studies programs nationwide. Cisneros noted that some departments within the California State University system have faced reductions or closures due to institutional restructuring. In this context, the symposium serves as both a celebration and a statement of resilience, emphasizing the long-standing significance of Ethnic Studies as a rigorous academic discipline with deep community ties.
“Not just Ethnic Studies, but many diverse and social justice-oriented fields are facing challenging times,” she said. “For us, it feels vitally important to honor the long history of Ethnic Studies as both a community-driven and academic field. There’s rigor in it, there’s research, and there’s art.”
CSUB’s Ethnic Studies Symposium is particularly meaningful in Kern County, a region with a rich history of multiracial civil rights activism, from the United Farm Workers movement to the efforts of Filipino farm laborers. By honoring these histories, the event aims to inspire continued advocacy and education in the community.
“Our symposium will honor those histories,” Cisneros emphasized. “We are excited to celebrate as much as we can because we know that many folks are going through hardships, and we want to honor those struggles as well.”
As CSUB’s Ethnic Studies department continues to grow, Cisneros and her colleagues remain committed to strengthening ties between academia and the broader community, ensuring that the symposium remains a platform for meaningful dialogue and action for years to come.
