Happy Older Americans Month from One Roof Chicago!
A Look Back at Pride -- July 2021 Newsletter
What is Home to You?
At ORC, we've considered this question: What is Home to You? over the last three years. Since our inception, we've understood there would be challenges with creating intergenerational housing that feels like home to all of the members of our community. In honor of Older Americans Month and Pride Month, we hosted a community conversation in May to explore this question further. Some of what we heard was that home means being comfortable, being safe, and feeling connected. People shared their visions of home; for some of those gathered, home meant having a dance party on Friday nights, or being able to garden and be outside, or cooking together with friends. What was clear is how much our community values relationships at any age. As we look back at this year's Pride and think about what it means to be proud in this context, we've reflected on the ancestors and activists who paved the way for us to create homes that affirm who we are. We lift up the contributions of Black and Brown women of transgender experience, like Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera, who rioted in the streets and went on to build resources for our communities. Learn more about the Marsha, Silvia, and the liberatory origins of Pride at the Chicago Legacy Project.
Our home will exist at and embrace the intersections. As we build together, we do so from a framework of Black liberation; as we reflect on the month of June, we also recognize all that it took to have Juneteenth become a federal holiday and we know that there is much further to go to achieve the liberation we seek. In our corner of the world, we live into the history of our ancestors and present-day activists by leading with intentional relationships, thoughtful practices, and community collaboration. We invite you to our next community conversation on values at 5pm Central on September 9, 2021. Please register here to join the conversation and learn more!
What we've been up to
Reimagine Festival Table Talk
ORC Board Co-Chair Jacqueline Boyd participated in this installment of the Reimagine Festival's Table Talk series on May 25, which showcased examples of elder housing initiatives that are realized or currently in development and reflect values of affordability and inclusivity of all sexualities and gender expressions. This Table Talk was co-hosted by SAGE, Openhouse, Mary's House for Older Adults, and One Roof Chicago.
On May 13, ORC Board Members David Alfini, Don Bell, and Kim Hunt all spoke on the Housing Panel for "Communities of Strength: A roundtable dialogue on Chicago's LHBT elder housing network", as part of SAGE's 2021 Regional Roundtable Series. They discussed the barriers faced by LGBT elders in accessing housing, and shared about the model being developed by One Roof Chicago.
Want to learn more about intergenerational housing? One of our fantastic partners, H.O.M.E. (Housing Opportunities & Maintenance for the Elderly), has operated two intergenerational communities in Chicago for the past 20+ years! Learn more about intergenerational housing at their website.
About One Roof Chicago
One Roof Chicago is a new initiative to build an LGBTQ+-centered intergenerational community for older adults and young people most in need of affirming housing, meaningful connection, and career development. This project is the first of its kind nationwide and the fact that it’s happening here, in our home of Chicago, is a huge source of excitement and pride. Want to get involved? Email cathy at cknight@oneroofchicago.org with questions or interest.
