2025 NAACP Role Model Education Award given to Malieka Brown! This year’s Role Model Education Award Honoree is Maleika Joubert Brown, Ed.S. This recognition is not only about her personal achievements, but about lifting up education as a civil rights issue. The NAACP has always affirmed that access to a high-quality, free public education is one of the most critical civil rights of our time; it is the great equalizer, the pathway to opportunity, and the foundation for freedom. For nearly 30 years, Maleika has embodied this truth. Beginning her journey as a middle school mathematics teacher, she inspired her students to see learning as a tool for empowerment. She carried that spirit into her leadership at Grand Rapids Public Schools; serving as instructional coach, Math Curriculum Supervisor, Director of Professional Learning, Director of Equity and Inclusion, and now the district’s inaugural Ombudsperson. In each role, she has been relentless in her pursuit of equity, ensuring that every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has a fair chance to thrive.