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District proclaims Black History Month; student Black Student Union leaders share perspectives
Summary
Washoe County School District trustees heard Black Student Union leaders from North Valleys and McQueen high schools and accepted a Black History Month proclamation read on behalf of the superintendent.
Washoe County School District trustees on Feb. 11 hosted students and staff for a Black History Month presentation and proclamation. The meeting included remarks by district staff and two student leaders from local Black Student Union (BSU) chapters.
Katie Louise Weir, director of professional growth systems in human resources, introduced the event and explained the district’s focus for the month on the role of African‑American labor across professions and community life. She then introduced Nala Mickle, a junior from North Valleys High School, and Eric Burns, a senior from McQueen High School, who spoke about the impact of BSU activities on their school communities and personal development.
Nala Mickle described how a supportive teacher and membership in BSU helped her after a family tragedy and said schools must provide culturally responsive spaces: “I was taught I could be a drone, but I could never ever be in a position of power… This shows that we must be able to nurture cultural diversity in and outside of the classroom,” Mickle told trustees.
Eric Burns, McQueen High School senior and BSU historian, said the club has helped him and other students connect to culture and identity and that the BSU is open to students of all backgrounds. He described planned Black History Month activities including daily social‑media posts, potlucks and board‑game events to share African‑American history and culture with the broader student body.
Clerk Woodley read a proclamation on behalf of Superintendent Joe Ernst formally proclaiming February 2025 as Black History Month in the district and encouraging schools to "honor the legacy of Black Americans by learning from their stories... and committing ourselves to the continued work of advancing equity, inclusion and justice for all."
Trustees and district leaders invited the students and principals to a photo following the presentation; principals from both schools — Thomas Macaluso (North Valleys High School) and Freeman Holmbrook (McQueen High School) — were recognized in the room.
Ending: Trustees praised the students for their leadership and said the district will continue to support curriculum and extracurricular spaces that allow students to learn and express their cultural histories.
