DEIB Newsletter: February 2026 - UC Berkeley School of Optometry

Newsletter written by Dr. Ruth Shoge.

Celebrating 100 Years of Black History Month

In 2026, we mark the 100th celebration of Black History Month, a centennial moment that invites reflection, gratitude, and renewed commitment.

Black History Month traces its origins to 1926, when historian Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now the Association for the Study of African American Life and History) established Negro History Week. The week was intentionally scheduled in February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, figures already honored in Black communities.

Woodson believed that the omission of Black contributions from textbooks and public memory was not accidental, it was systemic. His goal was not simply celebration, but correction. He sought to ensure that American history was told truthfully and completely.

By 1976, during the U.S. Bicentennial, Negro History Week expanded into Black History Month. Over the past century, what began as a corrective movement has become a national and global observance—one that continues to resonate deeply today. For more information about the history of Black History Month, please visit this website.

Why It Still Matters
One hundred years later, Black History Month remains both a celebration and a call to action. It reminds us that:

Progress is not inevitable – it is built
Freedom is not promised – it is hardfought and won
Representation shapes aspiration

In health professions like optometry, this history is particularly meaningful. The underrepresentation of Black clinicians affects workforce diversity, patient trust, and access to culturally responsive care. Black History Month offers an opportunity to honor pioneers while strengthening pathways for future generations.

The National Optometric Association: A Beacon Since 1969
Founded in 1969 by Drs. Powell and Howlette, the National Optometric Association (NOA) emerged during a period of profound social change. Black optometrists faced barriers to membership in state and national associations, limited access to professional networks, and structural inequities in education and practice ownership. The NOA created space where none existed.

For more than five decades, the organization has focused on:

Recruiting and mentoring minority students into optometry
Providing community-based eye care services
Advocating for policies that improve access to vision care
Elevating leadership opportunities within the profession

Today, the NOA continues its mission to advance visual health in underserved communities while fostering diversity within optometry. Its longevity reflects resilience, collective vision, and the understanding that professional equity and patient equity are intertwined. For more information about the NOA, please visit this website.

Building Forward: The 13% Promise
Newer organizations are building upon this legacy with innovative approaches to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
The Black Eyecare Perspective (BEP) launched the 13% Promise, a bold initiative calling on the profession to mirror the U.S. population, in which approximately 13% identify as Black. The campaign works to:

Create clear pathways for Black students entering optometry
Connect communities with Black eye care providers
Strengthen partnerships across academia and industry
Increase accountability through data and public commitments

Continuing the Legacy at Berkeley
At UC Berkeley, this national history intersects with institutional responsibility and progress.
Dr. Marvin Posten was the first Black student to graduate from Berkeley Optometry, an important milestone in the school’s more than 100-year history. Since his graduation, the school has had XX Black graduates, each contributing to patient care, scholarship, and community leadership.

Today, Berkeley Optometry has more Black students enrolled across all four years than at any point in its 100+ year history. This progress reflects intentional recruitment strategies, pathway program development, mentorship networks, and a sustained commitment to ensuring that admitted students not only enroll, but thrive.

Community Stories & History

These efforts have contributed to an important broader recognition: University of California, Berkeley has recently been officially designated as a Black-Serving Institution (BSI) under a new California state initiative. This designation recognizes colleges and universities that demonstrate a strong, sustained commitment to supporting Black and African American students.

Berkeley’s BSI designation affirms that increasing representation is not merely aspirational, it is institutionalized. It reflects investment, accountability, and a recognition that access to professional education must expand if we are to address workforce disparities and improve health outcomes.

Increasing representation is not simply about numbers; it is about shaping the future workforce to better serve California’s diverse communities and addressing long-standing disparities in vision health. Within optometry, this means preparing a generation of clinicians who better reflect, and can effectively serve, the communities of California and beyond.

Learn More

A Centennial Reflection
As we commemorate 100 years of Black History Month, we are reminded that history is not static: it is lived, built, and extended. For those of us in eye care, the metaphor is powerful: To see clearly requires illumination.

Black History Month illuminates contributions that were once obscured. It sharpens our collective focus. And it challenges us to ensure that the next century of celebration includes:

Broader representation in classrooms and clinics
Equitable outcomes for patients across communities
Leadership tables that reflect the diversity of the populations we serve

The first 100 years were about recognition and reclamation. The next 100 must be about transformation.

Heart of Appreciation Wall

Many thanks to our Community Building Council (CBC) for initiating the Wall of Appreciation featured in the clinic. The CBC includes Drs. Jennifer Fisher, Anne Tasaki, Yasmin Javed, Samuel Lee, and Graham Chung; along with Breanne See, Tiffany Rodriguez, Kathleen Villongco, Mayra Almaraz, and Daniela Rodriguez.

Over the course of two weeks, we watched the tree bloom with notes of gratitude and love—shared not only among colleagues, but also from our patients. It was a beautiful and tangible reminder of the strength of our community and our shared dedication to compassionate care. Thank you all for participating and for continuing to cultivate a culture of appreciation in our clinic!

Lunar New Year

February 17, 2026 marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year and the 16-day Spring Festival, welcoming the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac calendar. Celebrated by millions worldwide, Lunar New Year—also known as Chinese New Year—ushers in a new zodiac cycle based on the lunar calendar. Traditions include family reunions, red decorations, festive meals, home cleaning, and visits with loved ones, all symbolizing renewal, prosperity, and good fortune.

As we transition from the introspective Year of the Snake, the Horse arrives with vibrant, fiery energy—representing vitality, adventure, and forward momentum. In the 12-year zodiac cycle (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig), each year is also paired with one of five elements. 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse (“Bing Wu”), blending the Horse’s bold spirit with the dynamic energy of fire.

A beloved legend tied to the holiday tells of the monster Nian, who was frightened away by the color red and loud noises—origins of the traditions of red décor and firecrackers that symbolize protection and new beginnings. Wishing all who celebrate a joyful Lunar New Year filled with health, prosperity, and renewed energy for the year ahead!

Holy Season

In addition to the start of the Lunar New Year—a celebration observed across many Asian cultures marking renewal, family reunion, and hopes for prosperity in the year ahead—several faith communities are entering sacred seasons of reflection and renewal.

On Tuesday, February 16th, many Christians observe Mardi Gras (or “Fat Tuesday”), a day of celebration that precedes a more solemn season. The following day, February 18th, is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of prayer, fasting, and reflection leading up to Easter on April 5th. Lent invites Christians to pause, examine their lives, and prepare spiritually for the celebration of resurrection and renewal. Beginning the evening of February 17th and continuing through March 19th, Muslims observe Ramadan, a holy month marked by fasting from dawn to sunset, increased prayer, charitable giving, and deep spiritual reflection. Ramadan is a time of self-discipline, gratitude, and community, culminating in the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

Holi (the Festival of Colors) celebrates spring, joy, renewal, and the triumph of good over evil, and is joyfully observed by Hindus on March 4, as well as many Muslims, Sikhs, and communities worldwide.) From April 1st through April 9th, those who observe Judaism celebrate Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Through storytelling, symbolic foods, and gatherings such as the Seder meal, Passover honors themes of freedom, resilience, and faith. May this season – rich with traditions of renewal, liberation, sacrifice, gratitude, and hope – offer each of us an opportunity for reflection, connection, and meaningful restoration.