By Lequita Brooks, LCSW, MSW | Founder of The Social Work Incubator®️| It took my Grandmother’s death for me to recognize she was a celebrity in her own community.
Born and raised in “The Bottom” in Northwest Jax on Helena Street, Rosa Lee Dicks Adams Lockwood left a legacy that I only learned about in her passing.
As a kid, I knew she served in the Nursing Ministry and was a part of the Missionary Society/Ministry for over 20 years at Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church; however, I didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of her accomplishments.
Unbeknownst to me, she actually founded, organized, and led the Nurse’s Guild/Nursing Ministry for over 30 years at her church.
One church member shared, “She kept us healthy. Hosted health fairs. Taught classes and offered training”.
This was something my Grandmother was extremely proud of. She even had ten copies of the Florida Star Paper that was published on Saturday, July 16, 1983, highlighting the Health Fair that she and the Nursing Guild hosted to serve the community.
I knew her as my Grandmother. So many other people knew her because of her impact on the community where she was born and raised and in her church.
In today’s society, we put too much energy into the Presidential Election and not in our own communities where we can have the greatest impact. Not to say Presidential Elections aren’t important, they are. State and city elections are even more important. What you do on a day-to-day basis can have the greatest impact on your fellow neighbors.
Whether you donate your time to support a cause, give $25 per month to pay it forward to a local non-profit, church, or civic organization, or utilize your talents to re-invest in your community.
Politicians are going to politic. You have the power to make an impact in your community.
I am honored that I was blessed to have the most loving grandmother and see that the life and legacy of Rosa Lee Dicks Adams Lockwood will live on in “The Bottom” and at Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church on Helena Street.
Lequita Brooks is a Social Worker who talks about social work stuff related to social work career mapping, social impact, and social entrepreneurship. Follow her at @LequitaBrooksLCSW.
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