In the midst of Fort Greene’s bustling streets is the Ingersoll Community Center, where Ms. Mamie Grant is at the heart of the community. As a member of the Ingersoll Center for over 50 years, Ms. Grant has made a significant impact on her community by serving in various executive board positions, including Treasurer for 8 years. For prospective youth who seek executive positions, she offers a piece of advice: “be true and honest to your organization.” Indeed, Ms. Grant is the backbone of the Ingersoll Center and is well-respected by her community. She often spends her time playing games, having conversations, sewing, participating in fashion shows, and dancing with other senior citizens at Ingersoll. 

Ms. Grant is also a valued presence at the Zion Shiloh Baptist Church. Through church, she has learned important life lessons such as how to “live, let live, forgive, and give.” Throughout her life, religion has played an important role in teaching Ms. Grant how to find balance and be a good person. She carries this mentality with her as she meets different people and learns about other people’s ways of life. With a positive outlook on life, she spreads light to everyone she meets. “Always look for something good,” she reminds us. 

Growing up in a rural town with her mother and father in North Carolina, Ms. Grant appreciates the vibrancy and freedom that New York City offers her. She has raised five children who frequently went to the Ingersoll Community Center, where they could take up crocheting classes, cooking classes, and participate in sip n’ paint events. During her 54 years in Fort Greene, Ms. Grant has witnessed the city transform as development increased, changing the views outside her apartment. Yet, she also recalls the increasing diversity of the neighborhood. One of her favorite things about the city is being able to surround herself with many people. “I try not to judge quickly, I listen, and I let them live their own life, make their own mistakes,” she says.