Texas State Representative Christina Morales led a press conference on March 8th at the Texas State Capitol to advocate for House Bill 45.

House Bill 45 would add Mexican American and African American studies and other ethnic studies courses students can take to satisfy their social studies requirement. This will offer students a more robust view of Texas history and studies show it can lead to academic success.

State Rep. Christina Morales authored HB 45. She is re-filing it this year, after an identical bill passed in the House in 2021 but died in the Senate.

On Wednesday at the Capitol, Morales was joined by Rep. Gene Wu, Rep. Alma Allen, Rep. Ron Reynolds, Rep Victoria Neave Criado, Rep. Jarvis Johnson, & Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, as well as members from the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and Texas Legislative Black Caucus, as well as Tony Diaz, educator and one of the chief advocates for the bill outside of the legislative body.

Morales pushed that courses such as ethnic social studies lead to higher graduation rates and a higher likelihood of students enrolling into college. She said that was especially important in the "post-pandemic world" we are living in.

She also touted that bipartisan support efforts like hers have received in the past.

"Mexican American studies and African American studies were unanimously approved by the Republican and Democratic members in the state board of education," Morales said. "So this is bipartisan."

Co-authoring this bill, among others, is Rep. Alma Allen. She said she would support HB 45 as many times as it takes to pass.

"Texas history is American history," Allen said. "American history is all of our history."

Educators joined lawmakers for the lawmakers' press conference in support of ethnic social studies courses.

Tony Diaz, an educator in Houston, said these types of courses were first taught in Houston Independent School District.

"Texas was the first state to unanimously support Mexican American history and African American history," Diaz said. "It lets students know why this history is important."

Reynolds said HB 45 is a chance to take steps forward instead of backward.

"This bill will certainly be a great reflection of the true diversity of this state, which is our strength and certainly help with healing," Reynolds said.

* This is part of a Nuestra Palabra Multiplatform broadcast.

* Video airs on www.Fox26Houston.com.

* Audio airs on 90.1 FM Houston, KPFT, Houston's Community Station, where our show began.

* Live events.

Thanks to

Roxana Guzman, Multiplatform Producer

Rodrigo Bravo, Jr., Audio Producer

Radame Ortiez, SEO Director

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Leti Lopez, Music Director

Bryan Parras, co-host and producer emeritus

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Writer and activist Tony Diaz, El Librotraficante, hosts Latino Politics and News and the Nuestra Palabra Radio Show on 90.1 FM, KPFT, Houston’s Community Station. He is also a political analyst on “What’s Your Point?” on Fox 26 Houston. He is the author of the forthcoming book: The Tip of the Pyramid: Cultivating Community Cultural Capital.

www.Librotraficante.com

www.NuestraPalabra.org

www.TonyDiaz.net

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Instrumental Music produced / courtesy of Bayden Records

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