Sunday, February 15, 2026

Giving Needed Weekly (4 WEEKS) $350 - 

The end of the month difference is -$295

***Notes

A. Approved to pay via Board group text

B. Auto deduction with card on file.


Our bills are listed for the month of January 2026.

Your generosity helps us pay the bills. Any amount helps us meet our obligations.

If you would like to pay one of the bills,

please designate that in your donation. 

FRANCES THOMPSON
FIRST TRANSGENDERED PERSON

TO TESTIFY IN FRONT OF CONGRESS

Frances Thompson was a formerly enslaved Black woman who lived in Memphis, Tennessee, after the Civil War. On May 1, 1866, an event known as “The Memphis Massacre” occurred when white police officers harassed a group of Black men, women and children who were holding a street party. The group included Union Army veterans, and many refused to obey unjust orders to disperse. When police attempted to arrest the veterans, three days of violence broke out as white terrorists killed Black people, raped Black women and set fires to Black homes and businesses.


The toll of the attacks was devastating: an estimated 46 Black people were killed, many more became victims of assault and robberies and a series of arson's led to the destruction of four Black churches, four Black schools and 91 other dwellings. During the attacks, Thompson and her friend Lucy Smith were raped by members of the white mob. In the aftermath, a Congressional committee was formed to investigate the massacre, and Thompson was invited to testify.


In a conversation with transgender activist and scholar Susan Stryker, historian Channing Joseph recounted Thompson’s testimony. He called Thompson "one of the linchpins in getting the political will together to pass legislation to protect the civil rights of newly emancipated Black people and also to bring political will behind Reconstruction after the Civil War." The aftermath of the Memphis Massacre and the New Orleans Massacre of 1866 led to a repudiation of President Andrew Johnson’s attempts to deny civil rights for Black Americans. Instead, support for “Radical Reconstruction” boomed, leading to the Reconstruction Acts, the Enforcement Acts and the Fourteenth Amendment, which together extended citizenship, civil rights and political representation to Black Americans.


Unfortunately, Thompson’s story did not end there. In 1876, 10 years after the Memphis Massacre, she was arrested on charges of “cross dressing.” Her transgender status was subsequently discovered and opponents of Radical Reconstruction used her identity to discredit not only her testimony, but the early civil rights movement. Thompson was imprisoned, forced to wear masculine-presenting clothing and was abused while part of the city’s chain gang. Upon her release, she suffered dysentery and died a few months later. She was about 35-36 years old. More information can be read here on her Wikipedia page.

VIRTUAL COMMUNITY 
ROUND TABLES

FOR LGBTQ+ and ALLIED OLDER ADULTS RESIDING IN SUBURBAN COOK COUNTY, IL

What does thriving as you age mean to you? Share your needs, wants and ideas for affirming aging experiences, programs and services during one of these structured listening sessions. We hope you will join us and be a part of the changes you wish to see in your community!

Wednesday, February 25 from 6-7pm on Zoom – Session 1

Friday, February 27 from 11am-12pm on Zoom – Session 2

Pre-registration is required. Participants may choose their preferred date/time. Click on the image to download the PDF.

Building Networks for Change

Thursday, Feb. 26 | 9-11am | Zoom

Join Pride Action Tank for the annual Building Networks for Change webinar! 

Building Networks for Change focuses on enhancing knowledge and skills to advocate for safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ older adults. Through this webinar, participants will learn how to advocate for oneself and loved ones, how to incorporate person-centered care into their own practice with an LGBTQ+ health lens, as well as receive updates on state and federal policies impacting LGBTQ+ older adult communities such as Medicaid and SNAP. 

Register by February 20th at this link! (CEUs will be offered.)

MEDICARE & TRANSGENDER OLDER ADULTS: WHAT ADVOCATES NEED TO KNOW: SAGE AND JUSTICE IN AGING

Transgender older adults are navigating health systems that can be complex. This resource explains what to expect from Medicare coverage. 
Click here to download the fact sheet in PDF.

POTLUCK FEBRUARY 22nd

"SOUL FOOD"

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Soul food is the traditional cuisine of African Americans, originating from the dishes made by enslaved people in the American South using available resources, evolving into a celebrated part of Black culture, known for its rich, flavorful, and hearty dishes like fried chicken, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread, often featuring pork and cornmeal. It's a flavorful legacy of ingenuity and survival, distinct from general Southern food by its deep connection to Black heritage, with the term gaining prominence during the Black Power movement of the 1960.

We celebrate Black History Month by sharing the food that is the traditional cuisine of African Americans.

Key Characteristics & Origins

• Slavery Roots: Developed from ingredients enslaved Africans were given (like "leftover" pork cuts, cornmeal) and adapted with West African and Indigenous ingredients. 
• Cultural Identity: Became a symbol of pride and identity, celebrated during the Black Power movement when the word "soul" was used to describe Black culture. 
• Ingredients: Staples include cornmeal (for cornbread, hush puppies), pork (chops, ham hocks, chitlins), beans, greens (collards, mustard, turnip), and sweet potatoes. 
• Techniques: Features slow cooking, frying, and "smothering" (cooking in gravy) to create deep flavors from simple ingredients. 

Typical Dishes

• Entrees: Fried Chicken, Smothered Pork Chops, Fried Fish, Chitterlings (Chitlins).
• Sides: Macaroni and Cheese, Collard Greens, Black-Eyed Peas, Candied Yams, Cornbread, Okra.
• Desserts: Peach Cobbler, Sweet Potato Pie, Banana Pudding, Pound Cake.
• Drinks: Often includes sweet, red-colored beverages. 

Soul Food vs. Southern Food

• While soul food is a form of Southern cooking, not all Southern food is soul food; soul food specifically signifies the culinary traditions and heritage of African Americans, emphasizing flavor and resourcefulness from historical scarcity. 
  

Are you looking for a more healthier soul food, well here is a link for some recipes. So put your soul into your cooking and bring some of that food to church to share with everyone else. 


FEBRUARY SIGN UP HERE

Attention all members of the Holy Covenant community! We've heard your voices loud and clear - birthdays and anniversaries deserve to be celebrated and recognized. That's why we're excited to announce that we will begin posting these special occasions in the upcoming weeks, using the records we have at hand. If you want your milestone to be included, 
simply drop us an email at socialmedia@holycovenantmcc.org with your name, the details you want to share, and the important dates. Remember, years are optional for birthdays. Let's make every celebration count!

WEEKLY SERVICE INFORMATION

Join us all month long for informative seminars, health programs, fitness, entertainment, and more!

Hello Neighbors! Below is our January 2026 schedule. Join us all month long for informative seminars, brain health programs, fitness, history, entertainment, and more online and in person! Just click here for the list of classes.Click here to download the calendar.

We encourage you to share our class schedule with friends, family, and neighbors, near & far, of any age – everyone is welcome to join us! All of our classes are free & no advance registration is required. We hope to see you soon on Zoom!

Thank you all for being a part of the Aging Well Neighborhood!

For questions about the programs listed, please email AWN@agingcareconnections.org.

We mourn and pray for all the families who have suffered personal losses from gun violence at our schools, churches, hospitals, public venues and other places.

Prayers for Cathy who is overwhelmed with her job.₁
Prayers that we will find funding to buy out my brother for his part of the house.₁

Prayers for Tony's back.₁

Prayers for Mary who was in a serious car accident.₂
Prayers for all who are ill.₂

Prayers for all who are traveling.₂

Prayers for continued healing for Andrews granddad from an inflammation of his heart and that they find the cause.₂

Prayers that all that are unemployed or underemployed find gainful employment.

Prayers for those with harden hearts that feel the need to deface places of worship.

Prayers and strength for Ukraine, for those who are relocating, and to end the war and unnecessary deaths.

Prayers for all our first responders that they stay safe while helping others.

Prayers that God will provide for those who are hungry, unemployed, and homeless,

or in financial difficulties.

All those affected by HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, COVID-19, and other life-threatening illnesses.

All communities of faith.