Some of our greatest tools to make positive change on behalf of our constituents are stories from older adults, their loved ones, advocates and community members that illustrate the struggles and triumphs of aging as people of color or LGBTQ people. We share these stories with the public on our blog and through social media to raise awareness of the issues that affect diverse elders. Your stories also allow us to show policymakers the faces behind their proposed policies and programs. With your stories, we are able to advocate for the needs of diverse elders more effectively.
We are currently seeking stories from members of our communities and hope you will take a few minutes to share your story with us. We are looking for stories that are personal, emotional and show the strength of our communities despite great adversity. While we encourage all submissions, we are currently most interested in hearing stories about the following topics:
– Living with HIV/AIDS
– Obtaining healthcare through the Affordable Care Act
– Social Security and its impact on you and your family
– Economic and financial security for Older Americans
Perhaps you have a story about getting insurance coverage through the ACA Marketplace? Or a story about caring for an aging family member living with HIV/AIDS? Whatever your experience may be, let us know your aging story today.
Over the past few years, we’ve heard hundreds of stories that have touched our hearts. There’s Dion, a retired schoolteacher who shared with us his experiences as a gay Chinese-American. Or the touching story from Bao about his grandfather learning to be independent in America despite language and cultural differences. And we’ve heard from Claudette, who escaped violence in Jamaica and earned her US Green card, only to face years of detention in a US immigration facility.
Won’t you add your story to our archives to help us change the world for diverse older adults? You can fill out a brief form on our website to share your story, or email us at info@diverseelders.org. Feel free to include personal photos, videos, or other media. We will never sell or share the personal information you provide to any unaffiliated organization without your permission.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Diverse Elders Coalition.