Today is Saturday, 2/21/2026. Black History Month continues, celebrated in the United States every February to honor the achievements, culture, and history, of Black Americans, recognizing their contributions to society. We are currently in the Islamic holy festival of Ramadan honoring the first revelations to the Prophet Mohammed through 30 days of reflection and fasting from sun-up to sun-down ending March 8. We are also in the 46 days of Lent, Ash Wednesday, the Christian 46-day period of preparation for the Easter (March 28) through reflection on the life and death of Jesus Christ.
Quote of the week: “You never know where inspiration is going to come from.”
Edward Enninful born February 22, 1972 – present, Ghanaian-British fashion editor and author.
Featured civil rights activist/abolitionist/pioneer: Edward Enninful born February 22, 1972 – present, Ghanaian-British fashion editor and author.
http://www.edwardenninful.com/
1. The Rochester Downtown Development Corp (RDDC) provides a list of Black History Month Celebration. See below:
2. Brian Lewis reminds us that ROC the Future’s 13th Annual State of Our Children (SOOC) event is taking place Thursday, 2/26 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM at the Theater at Innovation Square. This confernce brings the community together to dismantle racist barriers and structures and support all children, especially Rochester’s public school students. They have Deputy Mayor Reyes from Tulsa OK, the first Latina mayor to serve in that role, under the leadership of Mayor Monroe Nichols, the first Black mayor of the city of Tulsa, home to Black wall street and the infamous Tulsa race massacre. See below for tickets and details.
3. Registration is now open 5th Annual Antiracist Education Conference: Action for Equality to be held, Saturday, February 28, 8:45 AM – 12:20 PM. This event is virtual and free. See below for more information and to register.
2026 Conference 8.5×11 Flyers – Google Slides
4. ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) Rochester instead of a traditional in-person meeting will be it’ February meeting virtually via Zoom. It will be a Black History Presentation and Talk with Honorable Mayor Malik Evans. Saturday, February 28 @ 4:00 PM. Please see the flyer and Zoom link attached below.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89381705166?pwd=ZImgzP15eo9w4ddosupmabHHGlL3mM.1
5. RMAPI’s annual advocacy day in Albany will be Wednesday, March 4th. We will be focused on a few key anti-poverty state budget items throughout the day, including the Housing Access Voucher Program (HAVP). We invite you, your colleagues, or anyone else you think might be interested to join us. The flyer is attached and here’s the link to register: Register for our Anti-Poverty Advocacy Day: March 4th 2026.
6. Kit Miller suggests attendance at the Six Nation Spirituality seminar on three (3) days, March 11, 18 and 25 from 7:15 – 8:30 PM at the Temple Sinai, 363 Penfield Rd, Rochester. This three-part series explores Haudenosaunee history, values, and teachings through story and tradition.
NEWS, HISTORY & RESOURCE
7. Erin Coffey shares this link below for the “Crash Course Black American History Preview”, an introduction to a 51 part Black American History program. This is free, take a look at this 6 minute introduction. It will be worth your time.
8. From the Medium Daily Digest, we share 3 pieces (some are Opinion pieces);
a. “Helen of Troy: Is The Colour Of Her Skin Important?“ by Marc Barham:
b. “James Baldwin’s Call for Moral Reckoning Across Generations“ by William Spivey:
c. “Why the “Call for Unity” and “Letter From a Birmingham Jail are Relevant Today“ by William Spivey:
9. Find the latest Urban League of Rochester’s Interrupter Newsletter.
The Interrupter Newsletter – February 19, 2026
10. Here is an article from this week’s Beacon:
a. Community, culture, creativity: the Bronze Collective Theatre Fest
11. Here are two articles from this week’s The Minority Reporter:
a. Remembering Jesse Jackson: The Balance Between Agitation, Confrontation and Coalition
b. Obama Calls Political Climate a “Clown Show” After Trump Shares Controversial Video https://www.minorityreporter.net/post/obama-calls-political-climate-a-clown-show-after-trump-shares-controversial-video
12. There are 7 articles that deal with Race, Poverty, Hate or Intolerance found in the D&C this past week.
a. Pride flag raised again at NYC’s Stonewall (removed by the Trump admistration).
b. REMARKABLE ROCHESTERIANS RONALD J. GOOD (1924-2016) (1st Black person to be elected to be elected to
Rochester City Council).
c. Civil Rights Heritage Park planned for Upper Falls.
d. Major changes seen at national parks (Monuments removed, projects being shelved).
e. Jury finds Rochester man held unlawfully (Illegal traffic stop, officer lie behind $375K award).
f. Racial history lesson draws ire (NYCLU decries Le Roy sharecropping exercise).
g. Civil rights icon ‘kept the dream alive’ (Rose to prominence in 1960s promoting Black voting rights).
OPPORTUNITIES: We share opportunities to get involved in addressing some of the communities’ challenges. Please share any opportunities for employment, assistance, grants, etc. that you are aware of with the community by sending them to “tcmitch1951@gmail.com”.
13. The Urban League of Rochester’s Scholarship Program is open. Application deadlines are approaching, so apply now. See below for information and application.
https://www.urbanleagueroc.org/scholarships
14. The Rochester Area Community Foundations Scholarship Program is now open. Check out the link below for Rochester Area Scholarships and Award Resources – Rochester Area Community Foundation
https://www.racf.org/scholarships/search-for-scholarships/
15. The Rochester Area Community Foundation also has a need and an opportunity for you to volunteer. See one of the links below to learn more and to volunteer:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=916768047374589&set=a.272551688462898
SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES:
16. Support the Black Community by supporting their businesses. Please share Black businesses you support and value. A good resource is “Black Owned in Rochester”
Black Owned Businesses Rochester NY Black-Owned In Rochester (blackownedinrochester.com)
17. Support a Black newspaper, The Minority Reporter, it is inexpensive and supports the Black community.
Rochester News | Minority Reporter https://www.minorityreporter.net/
Subscribe: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/74TM2U3THP2BN
If you have an item to include in the week’s sharing we need to have it by noon on Friday.