Blog

Today’s post is from Serena Worthington, Director of National Field Initiatives. Follow her on Twitter.

SAGE Staff are looking forward to a robust and energizing Creating Change conference in Denver February 4-8. Creating Change, hosted by the National LGBTQ+ Task Force, is the largest annual gathering of activists, organizers and leaders in the LGBTQ+ movement.

This will SAGE’s 5th year hosting the Elder Institute, a day-long pre-conference session built around a theme and spotlighting LGBTQ+ older adult activists and providers working in aging. This year the theme is What’s Your Story? Passion, Elder Activism and Movement Building and features interactive group workshops, roundtables and panels. I’m particularly excited to be sharing a new round of stories from our national SAGE Story initiative and to be hosting storytellers from the long-standing group, Telling Your Story, a program of SAGE of the Rockies. These folks have been meeting weekly for four years and have built an amazing archive of personal stories about their experiences as LGBTQ+ people over 50. Other highlights of the day include: policy roundtables over lunch on key issues such as HIV and aging, marriage equality and social security, and the upcoming White House Conference on Aging; a panel of activist talking about their templates for community change; and a panel of noted experts working to build an infrastructure of safe, inclusive, affordable housing for LGBTQ+ elders in communities across the country.

The first 50 people to RSVP for the Elder Institute will receive a $10 gift card which can be used to purchase lunch while attending the day-long institute. Please note, your RSVP is not the same as registering for the conference. Conference registration is required.

To RSVP, visit Creating Change Elder Institute RSVP

SAGE staff are thrilled to be awarding Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) the SAGE Advocacy Award for Excellence in Leadership on Aging Issues for his visionary leadership on LGBTQ+ aging and for introducing the LGBTQ+ Elder Americans Act, a bill that would increase federal supports to millions of LGBTQ+ older people through the Older Americans Act (OAA), the country’s largest vehicle for funding and delivering services to older people in the US.

Other highlights include a training by Tim Johnston, the Manger for Education and Training for the National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging, on Building Age Inclusive LGBTQ+ Services. Aaron Tax, our Federal Government Relations Director, will join a panel to address the question, “How can activists on the ground become a bridge to creating more supportive and equitable services and supports for our elders?”

A big draw for me is the Elders 50+ and Allies Dance. Sponsored by AARP, the Saturday evening dance is consistently a huge hit, bringing folks of all ages together where the LGBTQ+ community has always found friendship and joy—on the dance floor.

For those of you who will be attending, I look forward to meeting and strategizing with you! Whether you will be in Denver or joining from afar, stay connected with SAGE at Creating Change by following SAGE on Twitter and finding us on Facebook!