Mary Seton Corboy, 1957–2016
We are very saddened to inform all of you that our founder, friend, leader and Chief Idea Officer, Mary Seton Corboy, passed away on August 7th.
Mary considered each and every individual who “touched” Greensgrow to be a part of the family and we want to assure you that the staff and Board of Greensgrow is fully committed to carrying on her legacy.
We also wanted to share Mary’s obituary with you. It reflects the broad impact that this amazing woman had on the community and anyone that was fortunate enough to know her. Read more.
Jasmine Morrell: Bringing queer color to Baltimore Avenue
As a queer person of color, tattoo artist Jasmine Morrell started working in the world of ink at a young age and soon found that racism, homophobia and misogyny were the order of the day in many tattoo shops. Often the target of unwarranted comments and attacks, Morrell set out to create a respectful space that would make all of its patrons feel positive, supported and free — a safe space for people to express themselves however they felt comfortable. Thus, Spirited Tattooing Coalition was born. Read more.
How Black Co-Ops Can Fight Institutional Racism
My parents realized when I was young that the schools in our Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood were subpar compared to those in Manhattan. So they combined their resources with other families in my community to start a carpool service that transported me and other neighborhood kids to the higher-quality schools in Lower Manhattan.
After school and during the summer, we'd attend programs at our local church. Many of the black families who took advantage of the carpool were members of there. On Sundays, these families tithed and voiced how their contributions should be used to pay for the employment of local teenagers, so the kids could make a little money and hopefully stay out of trouble. Read more.
Stories of the Great Migration told through films at International House
Film director Tina Morton says 80-year-old Adeline Behlin remembers when her family fled South Carolina for Philadelphia.
"Her grandfather had been beaten by a mob for trying to organize black people to vote," Morton said. "He had worked on the railroad and when they beat him, they left him on the railroad tracks. He felt the vibration of a train coming and had just enough strength to crawl off the tracks. A neighbor found him. And the family fled the next day." Read more.