The White House Conference on Aging, which took place on July 13th, was inspiring for us at the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) and for all those working on behalf of the U.S.’s diverse aging communities. As the President and CEO of NHCOA, I had the honor...
The Mongoose and the Bird of Paradise: Storytelling to Help Older Lao Americans Thrive in Minnesota
Last week, SEARAC traveled to Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, as part of our year-long commemoration of 40 years since the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of the Southeast Asian American (SEAA) refugee experience (40 & Forward: Southeast Asian...
Commemorating My Time at the DEC and Marking This Summer’s Milestones
It’s quite hard to believe that my time here at the Diverse Elders Coalition is almost over. Today is my last day, and as I wrap up a couple of final tasks here and there, I can’t help but reflect on and feel so fortunate and grateful for the past ten weeks....
Why We Need Our Elders to Take the US Trans Survey
This piece originally appeared on the SAGE blog. I was one of perhaps three trans people at the small liberal arts college I attended. One stayed stealth throughout all four years, and the other chose not to transition medically. I was out. Very out. You can well...
50th Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid: Facts, Figures, and Faces
When I was younger, I didn’t often think about Medicare or Medicaid. Before the “Young Invincibles” were told we were young and invincible, Generation Xers like me were more often than not just people running around who may or may not have had health care. I was...
Family Life and Policy Advocacy: Jon’s Story
A reality of the work we do in the non-profit sector, when so many of the issues we address affect people’s lives directly and what motivates us to “keep on keepin’ on” is their impact on us and our communities, is that it becomes a labor of love. The lives that we...