Skip Navigation
Diane Rogers

The Retired Police Officer

Diane Rogers

The essence of Southeast Fort Wayne flows through Diane Rogers’ veins.

She grew up there, raised her family in its Oxford neighborhood and continues to call this place home. She patrolled its streets as part of the city’s police force from 1989 to 2016. She has come to know thousands of its residents; laughing and crying with them, mentoring them (sometimes with tough love, but most times with a gentle hand) and working hard to make their lives in this neighborhood better.

Things happen there that break her heart—stories of violent crime, poverty and drug use are frequent on the local news. However, when Diane looks at her neighbors, she sees talent, diversity, connectedness and pride—positives that overcome the negatives and people worth fighting for.

For decades, she has taught African dance and drumming classes in her neighborhood. Since her retirement, she has gotten involved in several boards and organizations across the city and has earned certification to lead yoga classes. However, it’s her involvement in the Oxford Community Association—now as its president—where her calling and her impact has been most strongly felt. One of her priorities is having its community center renovated into a full-fledged neighborhood hub where meetings, bingo nights, job fairs and other community bonding can happen.

“It’s hard for people to understand their worth and to feel hopeful when so much in their environment feels hopeless,” Diane said. “We want to create fertile ground that gives people opportunities. There is so much talent here and you will see it soar because people are hungry to make a difference.”

What a life of significance and worth looks like to Diane:

“Every day, I live a life of significance and worth—where my love and care for my community and my obsession for it to become self-sufficient guides actions that will help its citizens create a new future.”

Learn more about Diane’s work

Stories courtesy of Input Fort Wayne

Stories courtesy of Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

Created by Diane Rogers in 1982, Omotayo Rite of Passage is an innovative African dance program designed to improve and maintain at-risk youth’s sense of pride, while enhancing the development of their artistic skills and talents. Below are videos of her group performing.

)