[Daniel Garcia]

Resource scarcity and utilization can fit well in almost any social studies course. I try to emphasize in all my social studies courses the lives of ordinary people, particularly the lower and working classes. All decisions of nation-states have an impact on domestic and foreign populations. One question that I kept asking myself throughout the lecture was, What are the implications of these various nation-states' decisions on marginalized populations? What is the impact of the Yellow River levee and the flooding it causes on surrounding communities? What is the impact of Japan's coal plants on surrounding communities?

The article, “Japan Races to Build New Coal-Burning Power Plants, Despite the Climate Risks” describes how the Fukushima power plant has transitioned from nuclear power after the disaster to coal power but how simultaneously the upcoming Olympic Games, in Tokyo, are priding themselves on their green energy. The local people surrounding the coal plant are upset because of the pollution it will bring to their community. Fishermen in Japan are also worried that the use of coal impacts global warming and the fish market. 

In my ethnic studies course, students and I studied how a nearby battery recycling plant contaminated the surrounding area including the neighborhood in which my students live with arsenic and lead for 30 years. So what I would like to ask my students is how they can learn or find solidarity with those folks in China or in Japan in their movements to stop their exploitation.

[Daniel Garcia]

Hello,

My name is Daniel Garcia and I am a high school social studies teacher in South Central Los Angeles. I have taught for 4 years and have taught almost everything in the social studies field. So I am a jack of all trades and master of none. I have a huge gap in historical knowledge about East Asia. I am excited to fill that gap with this course. 

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