The Western Association of College Admissions Counselors
Annual Conference 2004
Sonoma State University
June 7, 2004

A Political Race Project: Experience, Inc.

Luis South, Facilitator/Presenter

Thank you Ester Hugo and the board of the Western Association of College Admissions Counselors. Being invited to speak within your forum is an honor.

Before I begin, it feels best if we take a little time to establish why we are here. That’s an important thing I do for each session I attend at conferences such as this. When I come to professional conferences I’m coming to see and hear "What’s happenin’!?" Mere talk is cheap, pointless, a waste of time.

I never agree to speak publicly unless there is something I’m looking to achieve beyond just demonstrating my oratory skills to a group of strangers. Let’s be clear, I have a personal agenda. My personal agenda is about movement or we can say empowerment. As I see it, the Western Association of College Admissions Counselors has the wherewithal to develop a social justice movement that will serve the purpose of empowering high school students to not only make it to college, but even more, to make it through, attain the privileges inherent to acquiring that college degree. All those obstacles facing students young and old---for it is important to understand that education is not only about children---makes it essential that there is no less than one championing force advocating for justice. So, Western Association of College Admissions Counselors, I accepted to come here in order to join into your social justice movement. That’s my personal agenda, why I’m here.

So now that I’ve laid down my cards. Why did each of you decide to come into my session? Did the title grab you?

In case it is unclear what I’m here to present to you, please be informed that you are now going to hear about a "political race project" that we started at Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles. The term "political race project" is a new concept presented in a book written by Lani Guinier and Gerald Torres. The name of the book is The Miner’s Canary: Enlisting Race, Resisting Power, Transforming Democracy.

In short, Session One will clarify a few basic concepts that help to distinguish a political race project. In the afternoon Session Two will present some lessons learned from the Washington Prep collaboration between an "alternative" education counselor, twenty+ teachers, and some students. A major focus for Session Two is for us to dialogue---a dialogue that will extend into the future via the internet.

You can review the information from my presentation at the following web site: http://www.educounselor.com