Seeing Trump Coming [Again]: How Ethnic Studies Connects the Dots

Unfortunately, none of us were surprised.

I was a 19-year-old Political Science major when I first stepped into an Ethnic Studies class during my first year at UC Santa Barbara. Taking that class remains one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. That spring, I enrolled in Dr. Cedric Robinson’s Black Studies 1 class—yes, *the* Dr. Cedric Robinson, author of *Black Marxism.* In that class, I was introduced to W.E.B. Du Bois’s *Black Reconstruction in America,* and it blew my mind. The book highlighted Black contributions and civil rights progress during Reconstruction, a period immediately following slavery that I had never learned about before.

I fell in love with Ethnic Studies and went on to get my Master’s Degree in Ethnic Studies. The frameworks and historical context I gained have been invaluable in helping me understand and process the election of Donald Trump—not just once, but twice. During Trump’s first term, I taught Critical Thinking in the Race and Resistance Studies department at San Francisco State University. In the classroom, we unpacked not only how he was elected but also analyzed the impact of his rhetoric, policies, and practices. While it was a challenging time, the students had the tools and frameworks to make sense of what was happening, which brought comfort to all of us.

Many of us in the field of Ethnic Studies were not shocked by this election. We anticipated this outcome due to our training that emphasized historical context, critical thinking, and analyzing social, political, and economic patterns. Understanding these patterns creates a predictability that can help us manage our expectations about the happenings in this country. We keep our expectations low to be honest - we’ve seen some things!

What Ethnic Studies Taught Us

Ethnic Studies examines the socio-political factors that contribute to the election of leaders like Donald Trump, including the interplay of race, ethnicity, economic concerns, and political rhetoric. The field highlights how historical and systemic contexts shape voter behavior and political outcomes. We know there is pushback when political and social movements towards equity move the needle in real political, social, and economic ways. The pushback we are seeing now is a result of progress made in political representation for Black people, progress on LGBTQIA+ rights, disability rights, and efforts to address economic disparities and access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities across racial and ethnic groups. The election of Barack Obama marked a significant symbolic milestone, even as he was politically moderate.

What Has Happened So Far in 2025?

Trump’s first three days in office have been marked by a flurry of backlash. His administration has already dismantled the EEOC and rolled back enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, eliminated federal DEI programs, sought to redefine birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, withdrawn the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, and mandated that the government recognize only two genders—male and female. These actions, along with many others, can be seen as steps backward in terms of progress.

Context on Pushback

This pushback of progress also happened during Reconstruction, after the Emancipation Proclamation and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which made slavery illegal in the United States, except as punishment for a crime. Black Codes were introduced, which later became Jim Crow Laws in the south. Reconstruction was a time of great social and political power and yet, backlash to this meant the removal of many of the rights gained after slavery (think segregation, literacy tests, and poll taxes.) As Du Bois says, “The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery.”

This also happened post Civil Rights movements in the 1960s. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Voting Act of 1965 prohibits racial discrimination in voting. The wins in the Civil Rights movement were followed by policies such as the “war on drugs,” “stop-and-frisk,” and “mandatory minimums,” policies that targeted communities of color and resulted in Overrepresentation of Black and brown people in the prison system—those groups often losing the right to vote in the process.

Given all of this, it's unsurprising that the recent successes of DEI in supporting women, LGBTQIA individuals, and BIPOC communities with economic and political opportunities would face pushback and attempts at delegitimization. This pattern often emerges as progress is made toward a more equitable reality, even though the progress feels far short of where it should be.

Racism is like a Cadillac

Ethnic Studies also reveals how racism evolves and takes on new forms over time. As Malcolm X stated, “Racism is like a Cadillac; they bring out a new model every year.” Dr. Ian Haney López argues that racism is strategic and has been deliberately used as a tool to gain political power, particularly during times of perceived shifts in the racial hierarchy—such as challenges to the dominant racial and economic order where white people historically have had greater access to opportunities and material wealth.

Ethnic Studies teaches us that scapegoating immigrants and people who are perceived as "different" during times of economic hardship is a recurring pattern in history (think of the rhetoric from the Holocaust). I often reflect on the murder of Vincent Chin in the context of the deindustrialization of the Midwest—a period when the economy was suffering, and workers faced a lack of opportunities and jobs due to the recession and the decline of the U.S. auto industry.

Similarly, I consider how Trump refers to "illegals" as criminals and rapists while targeting and labeling Black and other people of color, including Kamala Harris, as "DEI hires." These are classic dog whistles meant to amplify resentment. By pointing to marginalized groups as the root of systemic problems (e.g., job loss, crime, or declining quality of life), dog whistles deflect attention from the real sources of inequity, such as economic policies or corporate practices. This redirection intensifies resentment against scapegoated groups while distracting from structural issues. Dog whistles often galvanize specific groups by signaling shared beliefs or fears. This creates an “us vs. them” dynamic, where resentment toward the “other” strengthens solidarity within the in-group.

Ethnic Studies also reminds us of a critical truth: the economy isn’t working for anyone outside of the ultra-wealthy. The US boasts one of the highest rates of economic inequality in the developed world.We’re living in a period of peak inequality in this late stage of capitalism.

What About Our Democracy?

There’s evidence that shows that when people are struggling economically and don’t have what they need to live, democracy becomes a “luxury good.” And so we are seeing less concern with the threat to our system of Democracy, if we even want to call our current system a Democracy (I believe we have become an oligarchy characterized by Milton Friedman's version of capitalism, not Adam Smith's—a form of crony capitalism typical of late-stage capitalism.)

Why do communities of color vote for Trump?

Everyone—especially white liberals—wants to know: why would communities of color vote for Trump?

First and foremost, I don’t believe in letting white Trump supporters off the hook so easily. Much of the conversation focuses on why Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) individuals vote the way they do, as if they are indebted to the Democrats. There are faith-related implications here, including the role that religion plays in our politics, particularly for the Latino vote. There’s also the reality that some BIPOC people think there are benefits to aligning themselves with white supremacy, even as white supremacy causes folks to make decisions that actually cause harm to themselves and their communities. Internalized racism and the idea of exceptionalism—thinking, "I am better than those others"—both exist. I often compare White supremacy to a drug that some people rely on to feel powerful and in control, especially as familiar structures crumble and uncertainty grows (like our current moment in time.)

Closing Thoughts & What You Can Do

I do think we all want access to the things that help us live a decent life - clean air and water, quality food, healthcare, and time off with our loved ones. Some voters support Trump, believing he will dismantle the current system—a system they feel warrants deconstruction—but they may not anticipate the manner in which he intends to do so. For instance, during his first day of his second term, Trump issued a series of assertive executive orders that emphasize his power to interpret and make law, rivaling Congress and the Supreme Court. Interestingly, some folks that voted for Trump also voted for AOC because of lack of trust in the established structure and the idea that they will both bring systemic change. I agree that the system is broken for all of us but I learned this when I was 19.

I often think about the system we aim to create after dismantling the existing one. Ethnic Studies encourages us to focus on collective liberation, but my critique is that it rarely addresses what we want to build instead—only what we seek to tear down.

Backlash against Ethnic Studies educational requirements continue to intensify—often from individuals who have never taken an Ethnic Studies or social science class—those interested can take a deeper dive into these frameworks and approaches by enrolling in Ethnic Studies courses - they are still here and they need our support. Many community colleges in California offer Ethnic Studies classes online or in person.

Ethnic Studies courses also highlight resistance—the ways people have historically resisted systems of oppression, even when it seemed they had no voice. This remains true today. Understanding the cycles of progress and backlash can empower us to navigate and overcome challenges. Perhaps we need to come to the table better prepared, with the things we actually want to build and change and get to work.

Most importantly this flurry of bad news is meant to overwhelm us. We need to stay focused, double down and manage our energy to be able to run the marathon.

xoxo

Nicole