GREENSBORO, N.C. — A Greensboro firefighter is making history this month.
Out of 120 fire captains within the Greensboro Fire Department, Temeka Brown will join the ranks as the First African-American woman captain.
"It took us a long time to get there. It's 2023," said Chief Jim Robinson.
Brown has served within the department for 10 years. She now works at Fire Station 1.
"They push you to be better and you learn how to work as a team," said Temeka Brown.
Brown started off as a firefighter and then became a senior fire inspector.
"I worked hard for it and I feel like persistence pays off," said Brown.
A decade later, and she'll soon have a new title, Captain Temeka Brown.
It's an accomplishment she hopes will inspire young girls as the first African-American female to take on the role in the department.
"It's important to have representation. We need diverse representation so that the kids coming up, next generations can see someone that looks like them in these roles," said Brown.
Her passion for the profession stems from watching her father over the years.
"He's superman to me! Watching him being able to work with him. I was able to work with him for about eight years," said Brown.
"I didn't want her to endure the dangers that I was enduring especially her being the oldest of my girls. I didn't like that but she proved me wrong," said her father, Curtis Brown.
Curtis Brown is a retired battalion chief within the Greensboro Fire Department. He said he's proud of his daughter's hard work and determination.
"As younger individuals whether that be African-Americans or whoever we have to put ourselves in a position to get in the game and by her getting into the game it allows this promotion for her to happen," said C. Brown.
"Any promotion in this organization you earn it and she did what she needed to do to earn that promotion," said Chief Robinson.
Brown will be sworn in as Fire Captain on January 25.