Activists in California demand public preschools teach a nontraditional form of the English language known as “Black English.”

Black English, formerly Ebonics, was first introduced into the California public school system by the Oakland School Board in the 1970s.

Ebonics was heavily criticized by Black scholars and it soon fell out of favor in public schools.

The Black Californians United for Early Care & Education (BlackECE) is revitalizing Black English to challenge “harmful language hierarchies and affirm Black English as a legitimate, rule-governed language rooted in Black history, culture, and community.”

Examples of Black English include: “I’m finna go to work,” “Mind as well,” “Presently surprised,” “Rather or not,” “Look of discuss,” “I ain’t know that,” “Y’all be trippin'”, “I been had dat,” etc.

According to BlackECE, the movement seeks to “address how language bias shows up in early learning spaces – and how it can be dismantled.”

“I don’t want my son to walk into any room and feel like his voice is not valued or his perspective can’t be heard because he’s not saying it one way or the other,” Ashley Williams, the co-founder of BlackECE, told PBS.

Williams recalled her experiences in having to “talk white”. She wants her son to be comfortable around other children who speak Black English.

California’s state education system launched a plan to promote early bilingual language for preschool students. Activists want Black English to be incorporated into the language courses.

“We talk about multilinguals, but we don’t include Black children who may be African-American English speakers,” said Xigrid Soto-Boykin, the Director of the Children’s Equity Project.