Meet Edna Grant, Ingersoll Resident And Community Advocate

Edna Grant has lived in the Ingersoll Houses since 1959 and has been a friendly, outgoing, and leading presence in both the Fort Greene-Clinton Hill and the public housing communities ever since.

From serving as an advisory board member at the Ingersoll Community Center and as president of the Ingersoll Garden of Eden for the past six years, to graduating from the Citizens Police Academy and being a volunteer member of the NYPD’s PSA 3 (housing police) community council, she has always been on the move, even while staying put in the place she loves and calls home.

We caught up with Grant in between one of her many activities to chat about the life she’s built here.

What brought you to Ingersoll? What was raising a family like here?

I was born in North Carolina and have been in New York since I was 18. I was working as a supervisor of a book bindery on Bridge Street near what is now MetroTech, then it moved to Johnson and Prince Streets. I love the surrounding neighborhood and living in the Downtown area.

I raised my kids here and never had a problem. I have one biological daughter and raised six others after my cousin passed away. Three of them went south and one died.

What inspires you to be active in the community?

I used to be a member of the Parent Teachers Association and have always been in the Ingersoll Residents Association. Then I graduated from the Citizens Police Academy in 2000 and for over 30 years have been on the PSA 3 Community Council. I used to help at the community center and am still an advisory board member and have been president of the Garden for six years. But our next election is coming up and I want to give other people a chance.

I am active because I love where I live. I like to see better things happen in the community.

What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?

Creating a neighborhood watch to keep the building clean and decent. Also, our garden, which is so beautiful. I would never want to move out of this neighborhood.

What has been your biggest challenge?

I learned a lot being in different organizations, about the community and how it has grown. I remember them tearing down the El [subway line] on Myrtle Avenue and Jay Street. I see high-rises and I hope things will be better and that different cultures can get along. It’s a big challenge to get more shopping and supermarkets here. I would like a laundromat and check-cashing business. I go to Red Apple, but it’s overpriced for me and I wind up going to Broadway and Myrtle’s Food Bazaar.

What do you hope for your future?

I would love to accomplish feeling better and getting well! To stay active and stay in the community. The community is good, but it can always be better.