Mrs. Arrie Rogers, hailing from Hartsville, South Carolina, once stood as a prominent beacon of education and faith to the community and her family. Mrs. Rogers received her Associate Degree from Friendship College in Rock Hill, South Carolina before she moved to Brooklyn to finish her education at Brooklyn College, despite facing adversities due to Jim Crow laws. Mrs. Rogers was a distinguished, warm-hearted teacher at Ronald Edmonds Learning Center for over 32 years. She was also the Director of the Ingersoll Community Center After School Program and The Church of the Open Door Summer Day Camp in Farragut Houses. Even in her later years, past age 80, Mrs. Arrie Rogers strived to educate the youths of Fort Greene and was an avid community activist. 

Mrs. Arrie Rogers aspired to make education accessible to her community, especially to the underprivileged. For instance, she made her summer program extremely affordable and had her friends sponsor families who faced cost barriers. Her organization at Farragut Houses had up to 400 children and hosted various entertaining performances to help foster a sense of belonging and individuality. Her daughter elucidates how Mrs. Rogers always “gravitated to [children] and taught them how to read, answer a question, and understand the paragraphs.” She continuously made time to teach students, connected them to their cultural heritage through Black history books and movies, and emphasized the importance of learning. Additionally, Mrs. Rogers occasionally hosted big barbeque parties at Fort Greene Park and never turned anyone away from a plate of food, which reflects her inclusivity and desire to give back to the community. 

While Mrs. Roger was extremely passionate about her community, her heart undeniably belonged to her family. She married Mr. Nellion Rogers through a union of love that lasted 60 years and had 7 children and around 30 grandchildren. Her family described Mrs. Rogers as an “impeccable, regal woman” due to her deep affection when providing care. Despite being stern as a mother, she diligently ensured that her children excelled and were well-disciplined. As a testament to her hard-working nature, everything she cooked on holidays such as Thanksgiving, from turkey to the collard greens, was homemade and “never from the box.” She often had her children partake in her community activities such as participating in fundraisers and singing and dancing in nursing homes. Although raising and providing for her children and grandchildren was demanding, Mrs. Rogers never faltered and found comfort in her Christian faith. 

Mrs. Arrie Rogers’s contribution to Fort Greene will always be cemented in her impact on youths, and her legacy continues to live on within her family’s bake-off to recreate her sweet potato pie.

According to her daughter, Mrs. Roger’s philosophy coalesces into the following:
“Start from one person at a time. If you could start helping one person at a time and change their life, that person will help another and pay it forward. One day at a time…it takes time. My mother has been doing this not [for] 5 years, not 10 years, [but] for 40 years plus.”