What Black History Month Means to Me

by Renate Westbrooks, from the AUSD Newsletter Community Voices

For this month’s Community Voices essay, we [AUSD] asked Renate Westbrooks to write about what Black History Month means to her. Ms. Westbrooks, a longtime educator here in Alameda, currently works as the Focal Scholars Advisor at Ruby Bridges Elementary School. She also serves on the board of the Alameda Education Foundation, and this year, Girls Inc. of the Island City chose her as one of its Women Who Dare Awardees! She will be honored at the organization’s 26th Annual Women Who Dare Gala on March 29.

Her essay is below:

Renate Westbrooks

Black History Month isn’t just a time to reflect on the past—it’s a time to celebrate who we are, honor where we’ve come from, and remind ourselves of the responsibility we have to those who will come after us. It’s about recognizing the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of those who paved the way for us. It’s about carrying their lessons forward so that each generation is better, wiser, and stronger than the last.

For me, Black history is deeply personal. I grew up in a home where education wasn’t just encouraged; it was expected. I too have instilled this value into my own Children and Grandchildren. My parents, both from Greensboro, North Carolina, grew up in the segregated South and attended schools where every teacher was Black. And despite the challenges of the times, they received an education they always described as rigorous and deeply caring. Their teachers didn’t just teach them facts—they instilled in them a sense of purpose, pride, and the understanding that knowledge is power. My mother loved French and English, my father was drawn to engineering, and both of them made sure that their children understood the importance of reading, culture, and faith.

That same belief in the power of education shaped my life. I started teaching right out of college, working with preschoolers in Oakland. I saw firsthand how eager young minds are to learn when they feel safe, encouraged, and loved. Eventually, I built my own preschool in Alameda, and for nearly 35 years, I had the honor of teaching multiple generations of children. I always told my students: don’t be afraid to learn everything you can, and don’t let fear stop you from chasing your dreams. Seeing those kids grow up to become teachers, doctors, and lawyers, professional athletes, musicians and business professionals has been one of my greatest joys.

Teaching runs in my family. My brother, a physician and educator, has spent his career guiding young doctors, just as My Sister and I I guide young children as Educators. We all carry forward the lessons our parents taught us—the same lessons their teachers once instilled in them. And that’s the heart of Black History Month: the passing down of wisdom, strength, and resilience from one generation to the next.

I think back to the late 60s and early 70s, when our parents took us to rallies in Berkeley and even to hear speeches by the Black Panthers. They wanted us to see history happening in real time. They made sure we knew the words to Negro spirituals, the songs of the Civil Rights Movement, and the teachings of our faith. They knew that understanding our history wasn’t just about knowing facts—it was about knowing ourselves.

Black History Month is a time to remember all of this. It’s a time to honor the past, but also to ask ourselves: What are we doing to build the future? Whether we are teachers, doctors, engineers, or artists, we all have a role to play. And just like those who came before us, we must be willing to stand up, speak out, and uplift those coming after us. That is the true meaning of Black History Month.