Elder Women's Initiative

Report Back: Women Speak-Out: Changing the Way Californians Age

Click here to see VIDEO: Women Speak Out!

Elder Women's Initiative Partners

The Women's Foundation of California and its partners are committed to building a movement led by diverse elder women and their allies where we can all age in place with dignity, well-being and economic security. With this guiding vision, the Women’s Foundation held community listening sessions called, Women Speak Out: Changing the Way Californians Age, in three areas of the state in September and October 2008. These listening sessions were a tremendous success, bringing together over 350 elder women and their allies to discuss their priorities and assets with policymakers in the Bay Area, Central Valley and greater Los Angeles area.

Attendance at the community listening sessions were representative of the communities’ rich diversity in terms of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as geographic residence, including rural communities. The priorities emphasized were reflective of the distinct socioeconomic context elders and their allies face in their communities. 

The planning and outreach for each Speak-Out was administered in partnership with our regional Local Planning Committees. The committee members' depth of knowledge and trust from the community was invaluable in the outreach and recruitment of participants to provide testimony and share their stories in roundtable discussions at the Speak-Outs. With the help of New America Media, we also incorporated an intergenerational focus that brought youth activists to the table to explore ways youth and elders can advocate for each other and to discuss programs that would benefit whole families. 

The Women's Foundation of California is humbled by, and grateful for, the work and support of community activists who have paved the way for this movement. The feedback from the community listening sessions will help guide our work as we continue to grow and revitalize the movement led by and for elder women so we can all age with vitality and longevity. In partnership with UCSF Institute for Health & Aging, the Foundation is producing a report to synthesize the priorities and policy recommendations from the listening sessions and next steps for the Elder Women’s Initiative. The report will be presented to funders, key community leaders and policymakers and will serve as an advocacy and planning tool on California elder women’s issues. The report is expected to be completed and ready for dissemination in the spring of 2009. 

Click here to see VIDEO: Women Speak Out 

Elder Women's Initiative Partners
  
Advisory Committee 

 

 

UCSF Institute for Health and Aging

 

California Commission on the Status of Women

Local Planning Committees

The role of the Local Planning Committees is to partner with the Elder Women's Initiative Coordination Team in the planning of the Speak-Out in their region. We have committees in Fresno, Oakland and Los Angeles.

To view a list of the Local Planning Committee members click here:  

To learn more about the Elder Women's Initiative please contact Program Officer Karla Rodriguez at karlar@womensfoundca.org.

Check out the Age of Action newsletter for more updates on the Elder Women's Initiative.