Future Black Educator Community honors the life and lessons of Brandon Greathouse
The Mary Jane Patterson (“MJP”) scholars and Future Black Educator (FBE) Community of Practice (FBE CoP) lost a member of our community on Aug. 23, 2024. Brandon Greathouse was a recipient of a Mary Jane Patterson Scholarship and admitted to the Education Specialist Credential Program for fall 2024. A native of Long Beach, Brandon attended Robert A. Millikan High School, Long Beach City College, and other local colleges before completing his bachelor’s degree at Central State University, a historically Black college or university.
Although Mr. Greathouse had yet to begin classes in the College of Education, he displayed a passion for education, spirit of community, and eagerness to learn and begin his journey to becoming the critical special educator he envisioned, greatly impacting Black students, families, and community. I first met Brandon in May 2024 at a community screening and panel discussion of the documentary The Right to Read, where he approached me after the panel to further discuss my comments and remark how he wanted to attend CSULB to become either a special education teacher or a school psychologist.
Mr. Greathouse shared how he had prior experience in LBUSD as a school intervention specialist that truly shaped his desire to have an impact on Black youth in urban schools. However, as many of us know, when you are good at what you do, you get called into positions of leadership and other niche roles. At the time I met him he served as the parent involvement specialist and we discussed the importance of families within and out of schools. My brief conversation with Mr. Greathouse resulted in an exchange of information where I told him about a scholarship opportunity for pursuing an initial teaching credential at CSULB.
Brandon followed up the next day via email and I shared information about the Mary Jane Patterson scholarship and upcoming Zoom information sessions where potential students could meet current MJP scholars. Brandon followed through again, registering for the Tuesday Zoom session where he met MJP Scholar Jonathan Urrea, a single-subject English credential candidate. We invited Brandon to our last FBE CoP session on that upcoming Saturday and he said he would try to attend. Not only did he attend, but he shared his experiences as a Black male student in Long Beach, the experiences of some of his Black students, and the experiences of his Black families, particularly Black fathers. He easily related to others, had a jovial smile and personality, and appreciated the welcoming space we created. I was excited about the potential of welcoming this Black male voice to join us in the Future Black Educator Community of Practice.
Over the summer, Brandon and I exchanged a few emails as he applied to CSULB, the Education Specialist Credential Program, and finally the Mary Jane Patterson Scholarship. After receiving notification that he would receive the scholarship, Brandon expressed his gratitude and commented, “This is not an opportunity that I take for granted and I look forward to working with FBE and becoming the best possible teacher for my students.” My next email from Brandon was on Aug. 16 when he was on campus with his wife locating his classes on the Friday before fall semester started. He wanted to introduce me to his wife and officially say thank you in person. Unfortunately, I was not on campus, but I told Brandon that I looked forward to meeting his wife and children in the near future as they were welcome in our Community of Practice any time.
Although he had yet to earn his California teaching credential, Brandon was indeed an impassioned and impactful educator. In the brief four months I knew him, I was reminded of valuable life lessons. Brandon had an eagerness and excitement that allowed him to “lean in” to new opportunities. He saw an opportunity to connect to a Black faculty member in education at CSULB and he seized it, and welcomed all opportunities for early exposure and engagement with the FBE community. At any age or professional stage, many of us need reminders to lean in to opportunities that may arise but may be an inconvenience or unexpected. Another valuable life lesson that Mr. Greathouse reinforced through his words and actions was love and honor for his family and community. Although I never officially met Brandon’s wife, Kim, she was a constant presence in his thoughts, decisions, and actions. From discussing and praying with her to choose between special education and school psychology, to finding classes on campus together, Mr. Greathouse prioritized and included his wife and family; his love for family and community was apparent from the first day we met and throughout our short time together. Not only did he model these life values of seizing opportunities and honoring family and community, he did it with a smile and personality that was both engaging and exciting.
The MJP scholarship review committee was highly impressed with Brandon’s personal statement titled, Empowering Black Youth in Urban Schools: A Journey toward Excellence and Leadership in Education. In this excerpted selection from his essay, Brandon addresses the core values of commitment, excellence, and leadership exhibited by Mary Jane Patterson and which we hold dear as Black educators in FBE. I leave you with Mr. Greathouse’s own words so that you can be inspired by this dedicated mentor educator who has joined the great class of Black educator ancestors. Rest in power, Mr. Greathouse. Ase!
Empowering Black Youth in Urban Schools: A Journey toward Excellence and Leadership in Education
“Education is the most powerful tool you can use to change the world,” Nelson Mandela.
This is a quote that genuinely resonated with me and has been the driving force behind my passion for becoming a teacher. Growing up on the Eastside of Long Beach has taught me many valuable lessons and has given me the opportunity to be a voice for children who grew up the same way I did. Education is the key to freedom, financially and mentally, and my upbringing combined with my passion for education has afforded me the skills and demeanor to be a mentor and an example to other children in inner-city urban areas.
Although I began working with youth in 1998, I attribute the start of my educational journey to 2016 when I became a school intervention specialist. This is when I truly started to see the impact I can have on young minds. I understood, firsthand, the power that education has. The power of change. Our children will be the ones who bring about change in our communities and society. As a teacher, I have the privilege of shaping the minds of the next generation and to be an example of the treasures of education. This aspect of my educational career aligns with the value of commitment. I want our urban youth to understand their power and value, and as a teacher, I will be committed to instilling these values.
This year, I began my new role as a parent involvement specialist. This role has given me the privilege of working intimately with the parents of African-American children and allowed me the opportunity to create and facilitate programs that are specifically geared toward giving back to Black communities in Long Beach. My biggest triumph is the group I lead called “A Father’s Voice.” As an African-American man and a father, I am acutely aware of the negative stereotypes surrounding Black fathers in our society and media. We are often depicted as absent and inadequate, which could not be further from the truth. With this group I am able to support and mentor other Black fathers who are committed to debunking these stereotypes and being champions for their children and their roles in their children’s education. I feel the key to change starts in the home, and my experience as a parent involvement specialist gives me an advantage in bridging the gap between home and the classroom. These experiences align with the value of leadership. I am a leader in my community, and my goal is to ensure that Black families feel seen, heard, and valued culturally and academically.
My personal experience of growing up in the inner city has made me a stronger and more valuable member of any team or community I am a part of. The ability to relate to children from a similar background is invaluable when understanding excellence. My experience as a Black kid from the urban area of the city was positive and negative. Unfortunately, the negative aspects came from my interactions with my teachers in middle school. I would get in a moderate amount of trouble, but my actions were heightened by the responses from my teachers. … As a future teacher, I understand the power of words. I am committed to speaking excellence into my students, especially my Black male students. Black males are often looked at through deficit-based lenses, my job is to exude and to be an example of “Black Excellence.” I want to show them that you can be educated and still embrace your cultural nuances ….
My passion for education and desire to be committed to excellence and leadership will allow me to impact young Black youth in urban schools and drive me to be a teacher. I want to be a voice, a mentor, and an example to them so they can find their passions and potential. My personal and professional experience and future goals align with Mary Jane Patterson’s values: excellence, leadership, and commitment to high quality education in urban schools. Through my work and commitment, I will nurture and highlight the diverse perspectives, abilities, culture, and excellence of urban Black K-12 youth.
Brandon Greathouse
June 2024
