A Stanislaus County woman is sharing her story of overcoming racism and disappointment in the world of classical music, while finding purpose through faith, family and perseverance.<\/p>\n
For Renita Alexander, playing the piano has always been more than a hobby.<\/p>\n
“It’s soothing for the soul,” Alexander said. “It allows you to just dream of possibilities of where your life can go.”<\/p>\n
A melodious symphony, reciting what she learned from memory as a child growing up in Oakland, Alexander has a gift. But a crescendo of voices in her head saying “nobody cares” and “I’m not good enough” played throughout her mind after experiencing what she described as prejudice and racism. \u00a0<\/p>\n
“In the ’70s, ’80s, all the way up to the ’90s, doors just kept being closed in my face,” Alexander said. “I was always the only Black person in the room or at the competitions.”<\/p>\n
Despite the obstacles, she continued playing.<\/p>\n
“I just tried over and over and over, but they would always give me runner-up or first place,” Alexander said. “And then when I actually won, they just told me there were no scholarships that year.” \u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the defining moments came in 1980 when she represented California as one of three finalists in a nationwide competition associated with Liberace.<\/p>\n
Alexander said she spent a year preparing for the event and believed she had delivered a flawless performance.<\/p>\n
“I knew I had won,” she said.<\/p>\n
Instead, another contestant was named the winner.<\/p>\n
“My music teacher was there and she went to the judges, and she argued with them,” Alexander said. “She demanded to see the scores and when you read the scores, it had me as number one, all three judges. But I didn’t get it.”<\/p>\n
The experience devastated her.<\/p>\n
“I remember I didn’t touch the piano for like a year,” she said.<\/p>\n
Alexander eventually stepped away from pursuing music professionally. She changed her college major and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration.<\/p>\n
Looking back, she believes discrimination played a role in many of the setbacks she faced.<\/p>\n
“I had learned it wasn’t about the music,” Alexander said. “It was my skin color that just wasn’t good enough. And that was hard.”<\/p>\n
But rather than allow bitterness to define her life, Alexander focused on her faith and her family.<\/p>\n
“God has told me nothing is lost,” Alexander told CBS News Sacramento. “I’m still able to play. I’m still able to enjoy it. You’re standing in a home where this is a miracle home, absolute miracle. I had no money, but yet I bought this brand new home, single parent.” <\/p>\n
As a single mother, Alexander raised two sons who both went on to earn college degrees.<\/p>\n
Her eldest son, Edward Brown, said his mother’s resilience shaped his life.<\/p>\n
“She’s had a lot of wrong done to her, a lot of injustice done to her,” Brown said. “But my mom always turns around and does the right thing, and that’s powerful for me and my brother to have as examples.”<\/p>\n
Alexander said she made a conscious decision not to pass her pain on to her children.<\/p>\n
“I decided that I will raise my children not to hate, not to have prejudice,” she said. “So I am proud of that. So out of that pain, something positive did come out of that.”<\/p>\n
Today, Alexander continues playing piano and remains active in her community. She recently joined the Patterson Planning Commission and is working on a seven-part book series focused on faith.<\/p>\n
If she could give advice to her younger self, Alexander said it would be simple: “Don’t quit. Keep the faith.”<\/p>\n