Marquita M Pompey

My name is Marquita M Pompey and I have been a lifetime resident of Troy, NY. I was raised by my grandmother THE GREAT MRS. GENEVA POMEY, who is a Queen in my eyes and the eyes of everyone who knows her. My grandmother taught me a few important things in life and the one I cherish most is you get what you give! And that’s what I would like to do with the garden I plan to start at 360 8th St. in my home town, and hopefully other locations in the future. My childhood in Troy is so different from my children’s. I remember my cousins and I would ride our bikes all over Troy from South Troy to Lansingburgh and our parents wouldn’t even worry. Now I could never imagine letting my children go outside without me. The goal of this garden is to be a sanctuary for people who are involved and the community. I would like kids and adults of all ages to enjoy the space, even if they don’t plan to grow but sit and enjoy the view, learn, and listen. My grandmother had a park named after her because she is a good person to her community and now she will have a garden named after her because she is a grower and nurturer as a mother to her community and family and I plan to try and follow her path. This garden will be another accomplishment added to her belt. Our black children should know that there is more to life than causing unnecessary chaos in the streets. It takes a COMMUNITY and the black community is a very strong one.

Grantee Information

Year(s) Awarded: 2021, 2022