Kentwood — When Kimberly Taboada-Arzate was watching East Kentwood High School’s recent Black History Month performance, she was struck by senior Mariah Wright, who was singing “A Change is Going to Come,” a 1964 song by Sam Cooke.
Earlier in the performance, a 1979 photo of Taboada-Arzate with high school friends in the Black Awareness Club was projected on the screen. The resemblance between her as a teenager and Mariah, dressed in 70s gear for the performance, was striking.
Family members seated around Taboada-Arzate were asking, “Is she supposed to be you?”
Taboada-Arzate said she felt chills as she absorbed the symbolism in the situation.
“A change is going to come? Why are we still singing the same song? … That song still means the same thing. We are still begging for the same thing.”
She said seeing students share their history and little-known facts about Black history was meaningful to her.
“To know that these kids are still publicly fighting for their rights in an honest way makes me feel good, because they don’t have to be rambunctious about it,” she said.
Taboada-Arzate has served on the Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education for the past four years and plans to seek a second term in November.
‘Today’s students can look to Ms. Taboada-Arzate and her classmates as those who helped establish student voice as a foundational force at East Kentwood.’
— EKHS student Malia Barrera
At the Black History Month event, she was awarded the Bill Joseph Excellence in Diversity Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Black people and other communities of color. The award was named for former board member Bill Joseph, who served for 16 years before stepping down in 2011.
She said it was nice to be recognized.
“I’ve always worked in the background. For someone to finally say, ‘I see you,’ it makes you feel good. I was able to tell my kids, ‘No matter what you do or where you stand, somebody’s always looking.’”
Groundwork for Future Students
A lifelong resident of Kentwood, Taboada-Arzate started her education in KPS as a kindergartner at Meadowlawn Elementary in 1969. She then transitioned to the original Alexander Hamilton Elementary in 1970, went on to Crestwood Middle School and then East Kentwood High School.
As one of just a few Black students in the high school at the time, she started the Black Awareness Club at EK, informally known as K-Town Dudes and Dolls.
The club “sparked meaningful and lasting change within the school community,” according to the award, presented to Taboada-Arzate at the event by student Malia Barrera.
“Their efforts laid the groundwork for the many student-led organizations that exist at East Kentwood High School today, including the Black Student Union, Asian Student Union, the SHE Club (which supports women) and the presentation of many Black history celebrations like this one,” Malia said. “Today’s students can look to Ms. Taboada-Arzate and her classmates as those who helped establish student voice as a foundational force at East Kentwood.”
Taboada-Arzate said the club was focused on “making a change and being heard without getting kicked out.” It was also about friendship and supporting one another — having a village.
“It was extremely hard when you would walk the halls and get called out your name and it was always the reference to the movie, ‘Roots,’ racial names,” she recalled, noting that Black students would often get spit on.
Of the award, “I was super honored to get that,” she said. “It was on behalf of all my classmates. It’s for everyone; it’s for all of us.”
The K-Town Dudes and Dolls remain a tight bunch, though four of them have since died.
“The friends I had in high school, we are still friends today. These are my kids’ godfathers and godmothers. They call them uncles and aunts because that is the connection we have today,” she said.
‘Kentwood to the Bone’
Taboada-Arzate went on to have children who all graduated from East Kentwood: Ryan Roberts, Justin Gome Smith, Reyna Worthy and Lionel Taboada Arzate. She has a grandson who currently attends Crestwood Middle School. Over the years, she worked in child care and manufacturing.
“I am Kentwood to the bone. I always knew growing up after I started a family and got settled.”
She’s known as Mama Kim in the community because of her mother-hen-like presence, and because she and husband Lionel Arzate helped raise many other children over the years. Their door was always open, and Taboada-Arzate was always willing to dish out caring but direct advice.
“I was always that neighborhood home that all the kids come to,” she said.
Her desire to continue giving back and do so in a more public way grew as she got older and, due to encouragement from her friends and family, she decided to run for a seat on the Board of Education.
“What better way for a grandmother with all grown kids to come back and give back to the community in something I know about?” she said.
Because she knows so many families, parents often come to her with questions and concerns.
“I’m that down-to-earth person. I want people to be able to not have to hide what they really feel like,” she said. “I feel like I am the bridge and they feel like I’m the bridge, because when they ask me something, I am always going to keep it 100.”
Daughter Reyna Worthy nominated Taboada-Arzate for the award.
“I know that my mom does a lot for the community. She has been doing it for a long time, since when I was in school,” she said.
But it wasn’t until recently that she discovered her mother had started the Black awareness group by looking through her yearbook.
“I was like, ‘What? You started this?’”
While Taboada-Arzate brushed it off as no big deal, Worthy disagreed.
“I was like, ‘No, that is a big deal. I definitely think it’s something that should be recognized as part of our school history, because how many students have gone through school not knowing that you’ve made this impact?’”
She said seeing her mom receive the award and serve on the board is a great full-circle moment. She told her mother:
“To know where you came from originally and everything you dealt with, to where you are now and the impact you’re making within the school system, I think it’s something that should be highlighted.”
Taboada-Arzate’s cousin Marissa Baty encouraged Taboada-Arzate to pursue the board seat four years ago.
“It was kind of just a progression of her perpetual community service. In our community she was the older cousin babysitting and taking care of me and my siblings, really being supportive of us,” Baty said.
She demonstrated that level of caregiving with many people, always with encouragement, character and integrity, Baty said.
“What I admire is her willingness to step out of her comfort zone. It is easy to be impactful within your comfort zone, but it really is commendable to step outside their comfort zone and still give of their time to the broader community.”
Read more from Kentwood:
• Students share thoughts on bringing Black history to light
• She helps teachers succeed & thrive
