The John A. Hartford Foundation is collaborating with ASA to advance equity in aging by supporting ASA RISE, a 20-week social justice and leadership program for rising leaders of color in aging, and via the development and dissemination of equity-related, partnership-based thought leadership through ASA’s Generations platform.
Listed below are the posts that have run in this series.
Stay Woke, My Friends
By Nikki Davis
A thoughtful take from the LA fire zone on why it’s never wise to cast blame on equity work, from a place of ignorance.
ASA RISE and the Matrix of Domination
By Patrice Dickerson
How the Matrix of Domination, a key concept in intersectional feminist theory, proves to be a useful framework to understand the diversity of aging experiences and equity.
A Mentorship Match Proving the Essential Nature of ASA RISE
By Stacy Subida and Michelle Matters
In honor of Filipino American History Month, Stacy Subida and Michelle Matters address how they value their roles of mentee and mentor, particularly as two Filipinas in the aging field, and how mentorship is a two-way street.
Is Health Equity on the November Ballot?
By Ryann Hill
One RISE alum lays out where health equity falls in pre-election priorities for each political party, and what we might anticipate regarding any shift in Congressional power.
Together We RISE: A Dual Perspective on Mentorship
By Charles Markham and Israel Cross
A RISE mentee weighs in on his unfounded imposter syndrome and how he gained a lifelong mentor, and the mentor celebrates how such relationships can balance representation in gerontology.
One Song, Many Voices
By Tae Oh
The grandson of an immigrant from the Republic of Korea has an awakening about sharing historical experiences of oppression and how struggles can be connected despite surface-level differences.
What it Takes to Be a Catalyst for Change
By Nadia Murphy
On finding her Why and what followed, including how ASA RISE helped her to become a transformational leader and reap the benefits of an inspirational mentor.
Thank You ASA RISE
By Cristina Diaz
Reflecting on the courage it took to for one woman to reach beyond her comfort zone to apply for the fellowship, and on the gratitude and pride felt for what the ASA RISE program helped her achieve.
I am a BIPOC Older Adult Rising with ASA RISE
By Cynthia D. Banks
Equity lessons learned about being true to oneself from a lifetime of impressive appointments, and new insights gained from leading ASA and a mentorship role in ASA RISE.
What Juneteenth Means to Me and to Black Elders
By Chelsea Wheeler
How one ASA RISE new alum took truths from the history of slavery and Juneteenth, as well as from recent Black-led movements and used them to advocate more effectively for elders.
What Might Care Mean to Future Health Professionals?
By Norell J. Wheeler
A pre-teen caregiver and ASA RISE alum passes along how hard-learned lessons can evolve into teaching points and career goals that are particularly relevant to a new class of fellows.
Empowering Diversity: A Call for Inclusive Leadership in Aging
By Rigo Saborio
The tale of one BIPOC professional’s very windy journey through the field of gerontology and the numerous mentors and allies required for success.
ASA RISE—An Invaluable Segue into My Second Chapter
By Kim Nguyen
Third cohort ASA RISE Fellow Kim Nguyen on how advocating for older adults’ digital inclusion became her life’s purpose and led her to start a storytelling consortium to further elevate elders’ stories.
Preaching Beyond the Choir About Family Caregiving
By Julia Yarbough
Three ASA RISE Fellows speak to the Society of Professional Journalists at its 2023 Annual Conference on Telling Impactful Stories at the Intersections of Aging, Equity, Caregiving, the Environment and Advocacy.
Inclusive Mentorship: The Urgency of Taking Your Time
By Drs. Christine Holmes and Toni Miles
ASA RISE Alum Christine Holmes on how she learned from her mentor Dr. Toni Miles the nuances of not letting the daily grind overshadow the critical mission in advocacy work, and other wise lessons.
Becoming a Disability Ally in the Aging Network
By Desiree Lapahie
What does it look like to study and advocate to include disability in equity work, through an Indigenous lens? Exploring people’s “whys.”
One ASA RISE Fellow on Allyship and Where it Leads
By Keri Vogtmann
ASA RISE Alum Keri Vogtmann on how the program opened doors, and becoming an expert in approaching design thinking through an equity lens, and a driver of justice and equity for elders.
Courageous Disruption: ASA RISE, the Obesity Epidemic & Equity Leadership
By Patrice Dickerson
ASA RISE program director Patrice Dickerson describes the RISE cohort 2 Disruptors’ recent project to improve equitable access, care and treatment for obesity. Funded by Novo Nordisk, the project was done in collaboration with the National Council on Aging.
Learning the Ways of Strategic Disruption at ASA RISE
By Maurice Haskins
ASA RISE Fellow and medical social worker Maurice Haskins on the knowledge he gained through the program on how one might strategically disrupt the field of aging.
Embracing Diversity Through a Multicultural Lens
By Michelle Matter
ASA RISE Fellow Michelle Matter on how she came to embrace her Filipino culture and see herself as a diverse leader in the aging field, while better understanding inequities in aging.
More Support for Family Caregivers Available Via the RAISE Act Roadmap
By Ocean Le
Ocean Le, an ASA RISE alum, shares how finding funding opportunities for services and support is easier via the RAISE Act Roadmap.
Midterm Elections: How Will Outcomes Impact Health Equity?
By Ryann Hill
ASA RISE alumna Ryann Hill, who works at the intersection of politics and public policy, shares her opinion on how the midterms would impact efforts toward heath equity.
From Surviving, to Flourishing, to Nourishing
By Zaire Sims
Meals on Wheels Service Coordinator Zaire Sims on how being homeless taught her critical lessons in serving others.
Cultural Humility Call to Action
By Kelly Loeb
Older Adult Care Manager and ASA RISE Fellow Kelly Loeb on why words matter, especially when it concerns health equity and BIPOC populations.
A Model Mentoring Match
By Alison Biggar
Tech industry veteran Keri Vogtmann and Jennie Chin Hansen, who has spent decades working in aging, speak to the value of the relationship-based nature of the ASA RISE mentorship program.
ASA RISE Mentorship and What it Means to Me
By Jennifer Horn
Care planner and ASA RISE Fellow Jennifer Horn on how critical it can be to have a mentor who looks like you and speaks like you and understands how it is to move through your world.
What I Think of When I Think of Juneteenth
By Patrice L. Dickerson
Patrice Dickerson, director of Programs & Thought Leadership at ASA and ASA RISE lead, describes all the ways in which Juneteenth rings true to her.
ASA RISE: Connecting the Dots Between Caregiving, DEI Work and Aging
By Julia Yarbough
Talent coach, communications consultant and Emmy-Award–winning broadcast journalist Julia Yarbough reveals how her personal caregiving journey opened her eyes to the importance of DEI work in aging.
ASA RISE: Powering Change Through a Brave Space
By Sarah Galvan
ASA RISE Fellow and Generations Journal Editorial Advisory Board Member Sarah Galvan on why she chose to participate in ASA RISE and how she uses the “brave space” the fellowship provides.
Our Pledge to Support Diverse Talent in the Field of Aging
By Marcus Escobedo and Teffin Benedict
The John A. Hartford Foundation Vice President, Communications and Senior Program Officer Marcus Escobedo and Health and Aging intern Teffin Benedict detail why their foundation chose to support the ASA RISE program.
Five Ways Congress Can Reduce Health Disparities Among Older Adults
By Ryann Hill
ASA RISE Fellow and SCAN Health Plan Senior Policy Advisor Ryann Hill on lessons policymakers learned on health disparities from the pandemic and actions Congress can take to make those insights a reality for older adults.
