“If we don’t feed, we don’t eat!”

Rosalie Taylor is part of a Houston institution.

Mrs. Taylor has lived here a “very, very long time” and is the last of a family with deep Houston roots. Her mother, Naomi Polk, was a renowned folk poet and artist, whose work is currently displayed in the African-American Library at the Gregory School.

As both a former student of the Gregory School and current poet and freelance writer for The Houston Banner, Mrs. Taylor knows the importance of history. She recently gave many family portraits to the museum to flesh out her family tree for future visitors to the museum.

“You gotta know who your family is, and now mine is a part of Houston’s history.” 

Mrs. Taylor was a teacher for the Houston Independent School District for 31 years and earned a Masters in Education from the University of Houston. She is a firm believer in the value of nourishing children’s minds.

“If you don’t feed, then you don’t eat! I stayed for the children; certainly not the district or the salary. It’s a thankless job, but somebody has to do it!”

Mrs. Taylor has written poetry for many years and appreciates the importance of both the written and spoken word.

“As you can probably tell, I have an excellent appetite – the mouth eats and the mouth talks.”

Mrs. Taylor relies on one of her neighbors to pick up her heart and blood pressure medication and buy groceries to supplement her Meals on Wheels. She hasn't driven in years and uses a walker to get around her apartment. She enjoys socializing with her driver and considers “making contact with people that otherwise may not have contact" the most important service that Meals on Wheels provides. 

 

Rosalie has published a collection of poetry called Forever Waiting and encourages younger generations to take an interest in the history of their cities and families.

“I think that people ought to know! They say we’re diverse, but we don’t know our history! We don’t know the fruits we’ve sown.”

Please help us continue serving people like Rosalie, who have contributed so much to Houston’s rich history, and make a Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston donation here.