Welcome back to Threadlines, our monthly blog that celebrates the extraordinary individuals who bring Mansawear to life. This September, we are honored to feature the radiant and inspiring Marilynn Patterson Grant—a community elder, educator, leader, and friend who embodies service, style, and sisterhood.
A Name with Meaning
I lovingly call her Akos, short for Akosua, the Ghanaian name for a woman born on a Sunday. Fittingly, Marilynn’s Ancestry DNA revealed her Ghanaian roots, making her connection to Mansawear even more meaningful.
A Career in Leadership & Service
Before she became a beloved Mansawear customer, I knew Marilynn from afar, admiring her as a highly respected principal and later District Chief within the Rochester City School District (RCSD). At Wilson Commencement Academy, she led with vision and purpose, leaving a transformative mark on both staff and students before stepping into district leadership.
Her compassion didn’t stop once the school day ended. When she later served as Founding Program Director of the William and Sheila Konar Foundation, she capped her career with signature selflessness: turning her own retirement celebration into a fundraiser for local nonprofits and charities she deeply cares about. That gesture alone says everything about who Marilynn is.
A Life of Sorority & Sisterhood
Her selflessness shines equally through in her sorority work. As a proud member and past chapter president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Theta Alpha Zeta Chapter and a current member of the Prodigious Psi Omega Zeta Chapter, Marilynn has raised scholarship funds that have directly lifted students into brighter futures. Her community engagement includes her active involvement in the Rochester (NY) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, Connected Communities ( Board Member), The Memorial Art Gallery (Past President/Board Chair), and the University of Rochester, Class of 1975 50th Anniversary Alumni Gathering.
Each August, the Grants spend time at Martha’s Vineyard, not only socializing and reconnecting with their network, but also uplifting community causes with her Zeta sisters. True to form, Marilynn championed Mansawear on the island—personally sharing our press kit with gallery owners when I couldn’t be there myself. That’s what I call sisterhood in action.
Family & Global Adventures
A woman of many passions, Marilynn is also a conversational French speaker and an avid traveler. Alongside her beloved husband, David, partners in marriage for 45, they travel often with their circle of dear friends. Recently, they’ve explored Greece, Italy, and are already coordinating a trip with close family friends for an Egypt/Nile River Cruise, ending with a stay in Jordan, in 2027. Closer to home, her family continues to make her proud:
· Her son Jared wowed audiences as part of the traveling Broadway hit Tootsie.
· Her daughter Karissa, a Communications Professional, is also an intrepid traveler and recently curated a 40th Birthday Celebration by going to Portugal solo.
Her talented children, are her “pride and joy!”
Fashion as Expression
When it comes to style, Marilynn reigns supreme. Her look is unmistakably her own—bold eyewear, statement handbags, carefully chosen shoes and accessories—all choreographed with either flawless elegance or a daring twist of contrast, always pulling together in harmony. She is, without a doubt, the Humanitarian Fashion Diva.
🌸 Here’s to Marilynn! 🌸
Join us in raising a glass to Marilynn Patterson Grant—a leader, humanitarian, globe-trotter, sorority sister, and forever fashion muse. And, to her husband David, always by her side, cheering her on in life, love, and community.
To see Marilynn’s favorite Mansawear styles, check out the flounce skirt and other made-to-measure pieces at https://mansawear.com/collections/womens-bottoms/products/............
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