August 7, 2026 | Freeport, IL
Presented by Emily Parker
COMMUNITY CORNER | F4F NEWS
Investigative Reporting, Editing & Publication
Joshua T. Atkinson
Chairman | Fighting4Freeport
Third Ward Alderwoman Rachel Simmons talks with Community Corner about the woman behind the honorary street designation, the community effort to make it happen—and confirms her plans for 2027.
Some people leave their mark on a community through the offices they hold, the buildings that bear their names, or the awards displayed on a wall.
Verdine “Mama T” Allen built her legacy differently.
She built it by feeding families. Helping children. Opening her home. Supporting neighbors. Serving through her faith. And, perhaps most importantly, simply being there when someone needed her.
Now, Freeport is making sure that legacy is remembered.
On July 20, the Freeport City Council unanimously approved an honorary street designation recognizing Mama T along Liberty Avenue—a part of Freeport already closely connected with her life and memory.
Third Ward Alderwoman Rachel Simmons joined me for a special Community Corner interview to talk about Mama T, the effort to honor her, and why remembering people like her matters.
“Regardless of our differences on other issues, we could all agree that someone who spent decades pouring into Freeport deserved to be recognized,” Simmons said.
In a political environment where unanimous votes can sometimes be difficult to find, Simmons said the moment demonstrated something important.
“Those unanimous moments remind us that, even when we disagree on policy, we can still come together to celebrate the very best of our community.”
More Than a Street Sign
For people who knew Mama T, explaining what made her special isn't necessarily about pointing to one accomplishment. It was the accumulation of countless acts of kindness over a lifetime.
“She saw needs that others overlooked, and she quietly met them without expecting recognition or praise,” Simmons said. “Long after people forget what someone said, they remember how that person made them feel. Mama T made people feel loved.”
When I asked Simmons what people would remember most about Mama T, she wanted to make sure she answered the question the right way.
So she asked Mama T's son.
His answer was immediate: dependability.
“He said she was always there for people in their time of need,” Simmons recalled. “We all know people who have good intentions, but Mama T was someone people could count on.”
That may be one of the simplest—and strongest—descriptions of a life of service.
The honorary designation itself was also driven by the community.
According to Simmons, the process requires signatures from more than 50 percent of the homeowners in the affected area, payment for the signs, and ultimately City Council approval.
“I think that's important because it ensures these recognitions are thoughtful and have genuine community support,” Simmons said. “It allows recognition to come from the community itself rather than from City Hall alone.”
And that support was there.
Property owners along Liberty Avenue signed on, the proposal reached the City Council, and every alderperson voted yes.
For Mama T's family, Simmons said the recognition has been especially meaningful.
“They're incredibly happy,” she said. “This was a long time coming and it finally happened.”
Liberty Avenue will remain Liberty Avenue. But the honorary signs will add Mama T's name to a neighborhood already closely associated with her.
For people who knew her—and for generations who didn't—the signs will serve as a reminder of the woman who once called thIS community home and spent so much of her life serving the people around her.
The recognition also comes at no cost to taxpayers. Under the current policy, the petitioner pays for the production and installation of honorary street signs.
Simmons believes that's a reasonable approach, noting that community members can come together to cover what amounts to a relatively small cost.
In many ways, it makes the honor even more fitting: a community coming together to remember someone who spent her life doing the same for others.
Preserving the People Who Built Freeport
There was one theme that kept returning throughout my conversation with Simmons.
Mama T didn't need a title to matter.
She didn't need an elected position, a prominent job, or public recognition to change people's lives.
“Mama T's story reminds us that you don't have to hold a title or seek recognition to make a lasting difference,” Simmons said. “She built her legacy through kindness, generosity, faith, and a commitment to serving others. Those are the kinds of stories we should be preserving.”
Communities aren't built only by the people whose names appear in history books.
They're built by mothers and fathers, pastors and teachers, volunteers and neighbors—the people who notice someone struggling and decide to help.
Sometimes it's a meal.
Sometimes it's an open door.
Sometimes it's simply being there when someone needs you.
Mama T spent a lifetime showing up for others.
Now Freeport is showing up for her.
One More Question for Rachel
Before our conversation ended, I couldn't let Alderwoman Simmons leave without asking about her own future.
With the 2027 municipal election approaching, I asked the question some Third Ward residents may already be wondering:
Will Rachel Simmons run again?
Her answer was clear.
“I do plan to run.”
Simmons said that, for now, her priority remains the job voters elected her to do.
“Right now, my focus is on finishing the work the people elected me to do. There are still important issues facing our community, and that's where my attention belongs.”
She also had a message for residents: “Everyone please go vote!”
And as for what comes next?
“Until then, I'm going to keep showing up, doing the work, and advocating for the people who placed their trust in me.”
It was an interesting ending to a conversation that began with another woman who understood the importance of showing up for her community.
But this story isn't really about politics.
It's about legacy.
Every time someone travels down Liberty Avenue and sees Mama T's name, they'll be reminded that making a difference doesn't always require power, position, or recognition.
Sometimes it simply requires a person who cares enough to be there.
And Freeport has decided that Verdine “Mama T” Allen is someone worth remembering.
Watch the Full Community Corner Interview
The complete conversation between Emily Parker and Third Ward Alderwoman Rachel Simmons will air during the F4F News Premiere on Sunday, August 9 at 7:00 PM on YouTube @F4FNEWS.
Hear more about Mama T's life and legacy, the effort behind the honorary street designation, her family's reaction, how other Freeport residents can pursue similar recognitions—and what Rachel Simmons had to say about her future representing the Third Ward.
Community Corner | F4F News
Celebrating the people, places, and stories that make our community home.