Maya Gwynn
With KVCR Public Media, I'm Maya Gwynn with Black Perspectives IE, a show we learn about the amazing things members of the Black community are doing in the Inland Empire. My guest today is youth activist Chi Chi. Thank you so much for being here.
Chi Chi
Yes, thank you for inviting me and super happy to be here.
Maya Gwynn
Of course. I've been wanting to talk to you since last August, where I first saw you speak at the 2025 Policy and Philanthropy Summit during the Freedom Dreaming Revisioning Education panel, as I already told you, you were giving your opinion. You were so eloquent. To kind of go off of what you were talking about on the panel, what is it really like to be a black student in the Inland Empire, and how does freedom dreaming shape the way you experience school in your community?
Chi Chi
When it comes to the IE and being black, I've just heard a lot of people in general, literally all over the IE, talk about, like, the isolation, the separation, the fact that there won't be that many of us, and even if there are many of us, there's just a general lack of community. And I think that's true for me, living in the Rancho Cucamonga area, kind of feeling like a community. I think it's bolstered by the fact that, like, it's a higher income area, and there's just maybe other ethnicities, but maybe not a lot of black people specifically. And that's just like a devastating part, because you see a lot of assimilation, people trying to fit in, not really knowing who they are or getting to experience it, because of the disconnect that comes with being black at a school like that. So there's just a lot of loss there. When it comes to freedom dreaming, I'm always thinking of how it could be or how it should be for students. I think black students deserve to go to school no matter where they are, and belong and feel like they can be themselves and actually get to be themselves without reprimand. So I think there's always this loss of, dang, we should have that.
Maya Gwynn
Yeah. You're Nigerian. Do you feel like being Nigerian in the Inland Empire has made it a little easier, because it's like a culture within a culture?
Chi Chi
I think it's harder in some aspects because of the diaspora wars, that are constructed that we need to get rid of. The diaspora wars are like, you know, African versus Caribbean versus black American...
Maya Gwynn
Afro Latino.
Chi Chi
Yes, just so many ways to separate us, and that's truly what the diaspora wars are here for, to separate us. It definitely shouldn't be that way, and just causes unnecessary stress and disconnection when we're already so disconnected. And I feel like being Nigerian does make it a little bit easier, because as other kids that like are from different countries as well, so you kind of fit in under the immigrant umbrella, second generation immigrant, which is what I am.
Maya Gwynn
I know when I did my 23andme and I was, like, a really large percentage Nigerian, I was like, yes, because it was like, I could be a part of community that, like I grew up around, but I didn't know. What parts of current education systems do you feel are most disconnected from modern students real lives?
Chi Chi
My first thought is a social media aspect.
Maya Gwynn
Because on the panel, you were talking about how they wanted to take away your phones.
Chi Chi
Yes and they have. Newsom signed that bill 2026, so this year it came into effect, all teachers have to have some type of rule to restrict phone usage. And I think the social media aspect, technology in general, is such a big aspect of like, what adults are missing, because a lot of teachers did not know that a lot of students get their news from social media, which I actually didn't know about. I thought they all knew that. Just a general lack of understanding, an all around problem for the current educational experience of adults not understanding students' experiences. And this comes into particular play when staff are mostly white, especially as you get into higher positions, like admin, then district staff are mostly white, but they're making decisions about students of color, and the lack of understanding, it shapes everything. It literally shapes how they make decisions, what they look out for, like, what's on their mind and not understanding their students is such a harm. It's such a barrier. It is such a harm to students because their needs are getting overlooked, and teachers may not even know it. And if they do know it, they may not be courageous enough to do something about it and make a change in the school culture.
Maya Gwynn
Or they don't have the language to even communicate it.
Chi Chi
Right.
Maya Gwynn
Many students have recently participated in walkouts around ICE raids, police brutality, and gun safety. How do you view student protests as a form of power?
Chi Chi
So I did go to my school's walkout, and I think it was just so beautiful. At the walkout, I was crying because I just remembered that so many people cared. I saw like, at least 200 students walking out at my school, seeing all the cars coming by honking, seeing the parents who were like, buying us water or giving us snacks and things like that. Seeing all people like, chant things that they were passionate about, I totally agreed with. I was like, yes, because at the end of the day, the opposing ICE brutality is because we care about people. We want people to be safe. We don't want people to fear going outside of their homes. We don't want people to fear simply existing just seeing so many people come out for that cause, come out for others. I was just like, oh my gosh, yes. Empathy is up.
Maya Gwynn
What advice would you give adults about understanding teens and what keeps you hopeful when change feels slow for young people?
Chi Chi
When I just go out somewhere in the IE, there is such a paternal infantilizing take when it comes to youth, everybody's just mad that youth won't do what they want them to do. And I feel like a lot of people take a paternalistic approach, of like, I need to parent you, I need to correct you, I need to change you. And I think when it comes to caring for youth, you need to leave that at the door. We're young, but at the end of the day, we're people. I want respect. I deserve respect. I'm a human being. So I think that's the number one thing when it comes to adults understanding youth. Because if you are coming in with the mindset that you need to change a young person, you're always going to find fault with a young person. You're always going to perceive them differently than how they could actually be acting, because you're just looking for faults. It should come from a more honest place, it should be like an authentic place, not a place of -
Maya Gwynn
Judgment.
Chi Chi
Right, judgment. I think youth are just so much more powerful than adults see them as. Youth are so smart, they're so crafty when it comes to making change at schools or other places. It's just the way that people care. It's a surprise, it's a conversation. It's where people show up. I think that also keeps me hopeful of like, okay, one person did, two people did. And even conversation where you see just people change their opinions, change their thoughts, just through conversation. I'm like, that also keeps me hopeful, because I know that change can and will come.
Maya Gwynn
Definitely. We're gonna move to our rapid-fire portion. I'm really excited to hear your answers. If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
Chi Chi
I've been really into a lot of hyper pop recently. I think it's just like those, like bubbly, quick, fast songs. So I can't think of a song off top of my head, but I can give you a genre.
Maya Gwynn
I like that. If you had to teach a master class or give a TED talk on a random skill you have besides what you already do all the time, what would it be?
Chi Chi
How to dress. I think people know. But you know, there's an art.
Maya Gwynn
Yeah. And what's your favorite IE restaurant or landmark that reminds you of the Inland Empire?
Chi Chi
Cellar Door Books there in Riverside? Whenever I think of a bookstore, I think of the IE.
Maya Gwynn
I love that. And how can people keep up with you and support the work you're doing.
Chi Chi
I have an Instagram. You can find me at Sabibabies.
Maya Gwynn
Okay. All right. Thank you so much for being here, Chi Chi, this was such a good conversation.
Chi Chi
Thank you so much for having me. I hope you all enjoyed listening.
Maya Gwynn
Aw. They did. My guest Chi Chi, is a local youth activist. Find this segment and others at kvcrnews.org/bpie. Support for this segment comes from the Black Equity Fund at IECF, advancing racial equity and supporting long term investments in black led organizations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Join us again next week for Black Perspectives IE, for KVCR Public Media. I'm Maya Gwynn, thank you.
