The recent Aging and Proud event, organized by the Center for Innovation in Healthy and Resilient Aging, brought together LGBTQ+ older adults and allies to honor the resilience and contribution of seniors who paved the way for a more accepting environment.
The evening was focused on community gathering and taking a glimpse into the future of intergenerational connections. After warm welcomes from CIHRA, a short film titled "Not Another Second" was screened, which told the stories of 12 LGBTQ+ seniors and revealed the years that they lost due to social discrimination.
The film prompted the expert panel of scholars, who work with older adults and community members, to share their stories and perspectives related to the movie, fostering a deeper discussion about aging.
The audience asked many questions for the expert panel that showed a strong interest in the aging field. Kristi Spieleder, a participant at the event, emphasized learning opportunities that she gained from listening to stories directly from affected individuals, rather than on social media.
"The event was quite eye-opening in terms of learning about the history," Spieleder said. "Having opportunities like this where they are showing different perspectives from people in the past is very important, and it was something that I really enjoyed and I am lucky and happy that I got to be here today and watch."
Molly Maxfield, an associate professor at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation and a faculty fellow at CIHRA, reflected about the importance of the event.
"(This event is) an opportunity for information exchange between scholars and community members," said Maxfield. "The number one thing I think we'd like to make more obvious to the community at large is that we don't get less diverse as we age. In fact, we probably become more diverse … we have the intersection of all our different aspects of identity."
Following Aging and Proud, CIHRA's signature event, to welcome the community and faculty, will be organized in the spring semester.
"This year, we will focus on the new ASU Roybal Center, which is connected and strongly aligned with CIHRA," said David Coon, an association dean, professor, and director of the CIHRA.
According to ASU News, the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation received a $5.8 million grant from the National Institute on Aging in order to establish an Edward R. Roybal Center. The ASU Roybal Center, which is set to be established in early 2025, aims to develop practical solutions that help older adults preserve their independent lives while navigating the challenges of cognitive change.
Maxfield strongly encouraged the proactive approach when talking about how students can get involved in the aging field.
"Reach out to faculty and also within your colleges and majors to find out if there are any internship opportunities where you could potentially connect with a community organization," Maxfield said.
Coon also recommended that students reach out to faculty members. Specifically for undergraduates, Coon said that more opportunities are being explored to develop something more formal for students interested in aging-related studies.
"That hasn't been completely formalized yet, but that hopefully will be coming in the near future," Coon said.
Edited by River Graziano, Sophia Ramirez and Madeline Schmitke.
Reach the reporter at hhuynh18@asu.edu.
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