GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — If you live in Grand Rapids, the name Latesha Lipscomb is one you'll want to remember. For those who don't, her story is still one that can inspire.
Lipscomb was born and raised in the Black Hills neighborhood on Grand Rapids' southwest side.
"A lot of people tend to look at the Black Hills as not such a great neighborhood, but as I've said before, it's always been home to me," she told FOX 17.
Lipscomb was one of six children growing up in quite an active household.
"My parents did their absolute best to provide for us and, you know, give us a life where I never really felt any deficits," she said. "So, regardless of what might have been happening around me, regardless of the fact that this is traditionally a neighborhood of black and brown, hard-working people, you know, low- to middle-class income, I feel like I had a upbringing in a neighborhood where I didn't miss a single beat.”
Living in that kind of environment as a child helped Lipscomb realize early on that she wanted to live a life in service to others.
"That was a no-brainer to me," she said. “A lot of people, especially people of color, are so anxious to get out of the hood and to never come back. I think that has a lot to do with lack of exposure and this feeling like there isn't really any real opportunity. But I always believe that you have to create those things that don't exist.”
Lipscomb certainly created that change for herself, despite roadblocks that got in her path.
She graduated from Central High School in 1996 before going on to Boston College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science.
Her dream was to become a lawyer, but after failing the bar exam twice, and getting laid off from her job at a firm, that dream had to change — for the better.
"I just refused to give up," she said. "I know that it's my destiny to help other people realize theirs, and so I just continued to walk forward, and I continued to fail forward.”
“I wasn't thrilled about moving back to Grand Rapids," she admitted. "I felt like the ultimate failure having to come back here. But, as I've said before, I came back right at a time when I think the city was right for somebody like me who wanted to make a positive contribution to the neighborhoods, who wanted to serve.”
She added, “I am your 'quality of life' girl. I want to see people have true authentic access, not only to the life that they need but the life that they deserve.”
After starting in the planning department for the city of Grand Rapids, Lipscomb grew into her current role as director of Engagement and Relationships for Amplify GR, which she's been in for the last five years.
Lipscomb said she's all about "doing development differently." On Monday, she explained what that means:
"People have to truly be the heart and soul of whatever you're trying to do when it comes to development," she said. "To be able to do live with people, and walk alongside them and say, 'Hey, I'm serious about this. I'm serious about us getting out our dreams.' Man, I'm just lucky. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world."