On April 11, 2021, neighbors treated longtime Riggs Park resident Sarah Driscoll to a fond farewell organized by Barbara Rogers, Adrian Shaw, and Jason and Rachel Marker. Ms. Driscoll resided on Oneida Street NE for 59 years. Children on the block made farewell posters. I had a friend who is a photographer come out and take pictures of the event. It all came together very quickly.

It was such a treat to see the special relationship Ms. Driscoll has with her daughter Sheena, who grew up in the neighborhood. Ms. Driscoll is quite the storyteller, so engaging, and clearly loved. So many neighbors, Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, church members, family members, and friends from Ms. Dricoll’s senior center, all came out to wish her well as she moved out of the neighborhood.

In addition, Barbara and I had been talking for a while about interviewing some of the longtime older residents in the neighborhood, because we are fortunate to have so many elders in their 90s and even a few who have reached centenarian status still with us. So we asked Ms. Driscoll if she would be willing to do a quick 15 minute interview with us. We are thankful that Ms. Driscoll agreed to share a few snippets of her life experience with us, from growing up in rural North Carolina to working a job folding Christmas cards for the Washington Cathedral. At 93 years old, Ms. Driscoll has lived a life of many firsts, including being one of the first Black residents in the neighborhood. Click the link below to hear more.

Sarah Driscoll Video Interview (Run time: approximately 20 minutes)

For interview transcript, click here.

Video by Barbara Rogers
Photography by Single Eye Photography

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•