Penelope Starr is a writer, artist, founder and producer of Odyssey Storytelling, restorer of Navajo rugs, LGBT advocate and a new citizen folklorist. Her book, Stories Uncensored: The Radical Act of Community Storytelling will be coming out in 2016. Death and dying...
Preparing for the 2015 White House Conference on Aging in Washington, DC
This week, the White House announced that the 2015 White House Conference on Aging will take place in Washington, DC on July 13th. The Diverse Elders Coalition has been engaging the White House every step of the way during the planning and preparation for the...
Changing Hearts and Minds with the Diverse Elders Stories Initiative
One of my favorite radio shows, This American Life, featured an episode a few weeks ago about changing people’s minds – and how difficult that task can be. As I was listening, I was also attempting to write this blog post, so the topic felt very timely. I turned the...
Mike’s Story
My Story: Understanding the needs of many, drawing on the experience of one by Congressman Mike Honda As a member of Congress, it is imperative that you understand the needs of all of the people you represent – not just the ones with similar life experiences to your...
Paul’s Story
Paul's Story by Paul Regalos Urban My name is Paul Regalos Urban and I am a transman. I began therapy in order to transition from female to male during the summer of 1987. My husband and I separated because he didn’t want to be thought of as gay when I completed...
Mikael’s Story
Reimagining Life by Mikael Wagner As a young man full of life and energy in 1982, I was forced to give up my dreams and ambitions, because of a new disease that swept the country. At that time, physicians told me that as a gay man my chances of surviving were slim to...