Ramona Brown: The Advocate Who Teaches, Leads, and Inspires Change

For more than 30 years, Ramona Brown has dedicated her life to the service of others—educating young minds, empowering her peers, and strengthening the communities she calls home. A proud Boston Public Schools (BPS) alumna and lifelong advocate for equity, Brown’s work bridges the gap between classroom instruction and systemic transformation.

She describes her mission simply: to create a more equitable working and learning environment for all. But her actions speak volumes.

From her beginnings as a classroom teacher to her current leadership roles, Brown has become a powerful voice within the Boston Teachers Union, serving as a Building Representative, Black Caucus member, and Faculty Senate Chair. Her colleagues know her as a tireless champion for fairness, collaboration, and representation—someone who ensures that every educator’s voice is heard and every child’s potential is recognized.

“Educators work hard,” Brown says. “Promoting growth and respect for our profession is of utmost importance.”

Her passion for advocacy runs deep—rooted in a family legacy of Civil Rights activism and education. Her mother, a retired BPS teacher, instilled in her the belief that teaching is both an act of resistance and an act of love. It’s a philosophy Brown carries into every facet of her work: from union representation to curriculum development to parent engagement.

As an Instructional Leadership Team and Inclusion Planning Team member, she ensures that equity isn’t just an aspiration—it’s a practice. Through the School Site Council and Parent Site Council, she works to strengthen the bridge between families, teachers, and administrators, ensuring that students are not only taught, but truly supported.

Empowering the Next Generation

For Ramona Brown, education is a holistic experience—one that nurtures both intellect and imagination. She believes every student should explore history, reading, science, math, and social-emotional wellness while also experiencing the creative power of music, art, and sports.

“Learning should extend beyond the walls of the classroom,” she explains. “Students need to see the world around them—to go on field trips, to be exposed to new ideas, to understand that the world belongs to them too.”

Her teaching philosophy is rooted in standards-based instruction that builds academic strength while also cultivating confidence, curiosity, and character. She reminds her scholars that success begins with self-belief—and that every experience, both inside and outside the classroom, shapes who they are becoming.

Champion for Justice and Equity

Brown’s leadership goes far beyond lesson plans. She is committed to racial, social, and economic justice, working to ensure that every educator and student has access to the resources and respect they deserve. As she looks ahead, she hopes to represent educators in union negotiations, advocating for equitable contracts and healthy school climates where collaboration thrives.

Her dream doesn’t stop there—she plans to pursue a Doctorate in Education, with aspirations to design her own curriculum and, one day, open a school built on her guiding principle: that every child has a right to a high-quality, culturally rich, and empowering education.

“The sky is the limit,” Brown says with conviction—and her career is proof that she means it.