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This issue of the Shared Site Learning Network newsletter focuses on creating inclusive, intergenerational spaces and programs in the LGBTQIA+ community. Limited opportunities exist for older and younger LGBTQIA+ individuals to engage in meaningful interaction and learn about each other’s experiences. Language (e.g., use of pronouns), ageism, homophobia, and discrimination impact well-being across the life course and the nature of age relations. Lack of communication across generations can lead to divisive stereotyping, misunderstanding, and loss of shared histories. Intentionally creating spaces and programs that foster intergenerational connections in the LGBTQIA+ community can create new forms of support, reduce loneliness, and foster empathy.
To learn more about creating inclusive, intergenerational spaces in the LGBTQIA+ community, check out the recording and materials from our October 9, 2024 webinar here.
Table of Contents
- Program Spotlight
- LGBTQIA+ Intergenerational Programs and Spaces
- Resources
- Research
Spotlight
Waves Ahead
Waves Ahead is a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico that provides advocacy and free services for the LGBT+ community, with a particular focus on older adults. It was founded in 2017 by Wilfred Labiosa, Ph.D., a Clinical Social Worker, to create safe spaces and provide resources for members of the LGBT+ community who face rampant homophobia, racism, and ageism as well as a growing number of homicides.
WAVES Ahead has five LGBT+ Community Centers, located in the capital of San Juan and in the north, south, west, and east of the island, that offer culturally competent services and a range of programs that promote well-being and empowerment. These include:
- Therapies and counseling provided by mental health therapists such as clinical social workers and psychologists.
- Support groups for LGBTQ+ people age 16+ that provide opportunities to discuss how to deal with homophobia, share coming out stories, and interact with representatives from ally organizations.
- Intergenerational educational and creative workshops (e.g. yoga, arts, meditation, mindfulness, music therapy, dance) that promote mental health).
- Food sustainability program that engages all ages in dirt therapy and growing fruits and vegetables.
- Two community gardens have been created; youth and older adults help each other plant and maintain the gardens.
- Restorative Justice program that focuses on homophobia and homicides against LGBT+ people.
Waves Ahead programs and services intentionally foster ongoing cross-age interaction and connection. In addition to formal programming, many participants engage in informal activities, such as going to the beach together, visiting each other’s homes, and engaging in community service. Although challenges such as lack of public transportation, poverty, and lack of organizational resources exist, Waves Ahead is demonstrating the importance of creating safe, intergenerational spaces for Puerto Rico’s LGBT+ community. Plans include the development of the first transitional housing program for LGBT+ youth and older adults who have been kicked out of their homes or are experiencing homelessness.
For more information, contact Wilfred Labiosa at wilfred@wavesahead.org
Examples of LGBTQIA+ Intergenerational Spaces and Programs
The LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project
For the past six years, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Chicago, and the senior services program staff at Center on Addison at Center on Halstead have worked together to implement the LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project. The project brings together racially, socioeconomically, and gender-diverse cohorts of LGBTQ+ college students and older adults (60+) for a year-long series of bi-weekly themed intergenerational dialogues, creative work, and shared meals. The two-course sequence provides students an opportunity to learn LGBTQ+ histories both through a seminar setting and in conversations with LGBTQ+ elders. Participants meet in person at the Center on Addison at the Center on Halsted every other week to share stories and perspectives on topics such as HIV/AIDS, gender, ageism, religion and spirituality, race, and popular culture. Each meeting involves a shared “family meal” that allows participants to have a hot meal and develop community through informal conversations across a dining table. At the end of each year, the project hosts a public art exhibition showcasing collaborative intergenerational art projects. With a grant from the Spencer Foundation, the intergenerational project team is researching the program’s impact on elders and students.
For more information, contact: lgbtqdialogues@gmail.com and watch the project’s video: https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/lgbtq-generational-divide-bridge-art-dialogue/
Pairs with Pride
Pairs with Pride, a program of Perfect Pair, is a virtual and in-person initiative that creates one-on-one, intergenerational connections between LGBTQ+ older adults and college students. It has launched in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, Columbus, Ohio, and virtually nationwide. In addition to one-on-one matching, pairs will engage in LGBTQ+-related activities such as drag shows and theater, gender-affirming sports, and community advocacy. Participants will receive training on topics such as historical milestones in LGBTQ+ history, LGBTQ+ identity across different cultural contexts, and culturally sensitive language.
For more information, contact Priyanka Patel: priyankapatel@perfectpair.org
Los Angeles LGBT Center
The Los Angeles LGBT Center provides services for more queer and trans people than any other organization in the world—offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, and Leadership and Advocacy. The Anita May Rosenstein Campus encompasses two affordable housing developments- one for older adults and one for transition-age youth, a senior services center, a youth center, an emergency shelter for youth, a commercial kitchen, a café, and a school. The culinary arts training program prepares older and younger participants for restaurant jobs. Intergenerational programming includes holiday events, photography, small business development courses, career fairs, dinners, and internship opportunities for both youth and older adults.
For more information, contact Kiera Pollock: kpollock@lalgbtcenter.org
MiGen
MiGen offers an array of programs and services (e.g. food box delivery, computer support, friendly callers, support groups, arts activities) that are intended to make the lives of LGBTQ+ folks ages 45+ in Michigan safer, more connected, more vibrant, and more FUN. Although most of the programs are geared toward people 45+, this past year MiGen created Rainbow Resilience, an intergenerational fashion show that paired young people from the community with older MiGen members. Through a series of conversations and exploration workshops, cross-age learning was enhanced, and cross-age friendships were formed. New intergenerational opportunities will be created as MiGen embeds senior centers in an existing LGBTQ+ community organization that primarily serves younger people and a Health Center.
For more information, contact Angela Gabridge: agabridge@migenconnect.org
Dragon Fruit Project/Museum
The Dragon Fruit Museum is an online community space designed to preserve and uplift transgender and queer Asian and Pacific Islander (API) history. The Dragon Fruit Oral History Project, was created in 2007 at San Francisco State University and in 2013, taken on by Lavender Phoenix, a Bay Area grassroots organization building Trans and Queer Asian and Pacific Islander (TAQPI) people power. Through the work of interviewing and recording the stories of TAQPI elders, young TAQPI people built relationships across age and experience. The Project grew from collecting and transcribing oral histories into networks of intergenerational relationships, phone trees, and even a podcast. Although the project ended in 2021, the Dragon Fruit Museum provides a community space for people to access trans and queer API histories and shares lessons learned with others who want to use the power of storytelling for organizing and community building.
For more information, contact info@lavenderphoenix.org
The Constellation Project
The Constellations Project, created by Kate Muehlemann Cataldo, uses art and storytelling to foster connections between LGBTQIA+ elders and youth. In the first year of the project, Kate interviewed LGBTQIA+ elders who shared their experiences, reflections, and advice for queer youth. Kate painted their portraits and then guided youth in producing artwork that reflected the elders’ stories. The portraits, artworks, and stories were exhibited at the Altadena Pride Festival, which was a chance for all participants to meet and see their work and stories exhibited. In this second round of the project supported by SAGE, youth will again make art inspired by the stories of five additional elder participants, which will be exhibited both in Altadena, CA, and the Long Beach LGBTQ+ Center in 2025
For more information, go to https://constellations.care/tcpabout or contact Kate Muehlemann Cataldo: kate.muehlemann@gmail.com
Youspeak Radio
Youspeak Radio is a program of One Institute (formerly ONE Archives Foundation), the oldest active LGBTQ+ organization in the
country, dedicated to telling LGBTQ+ history and stories through education, arts, and social justice programs. Youspeak Radio is an audio project in partnership with The Outwords Archive (OUTWORDS) that explores intergenerational conversations with community trailblazers, led by LGBTQ+ youth. In this project, youth participants interview older community leaders and produce audio stories that are published weekly on Soundcloud.
One Roof Chicago
One Roof Chicago is an initiative to build an LGBTQ+-centered intergenerational community for older adults and young people who most need affirming housing, meaningful connections, and career development. One Roof Chicago will combine mixed-income housing for LGBTQ+ seniors and older adults, many living with HIV with supportive housing at the same site for LGBTQ+ young adults and foster job training for young and older adults. The project site, located in Ward 4 (Bronzeville), will be developed by Full Circle Communities over the next several years. Eight community meetings have already been held, and a walking tour of Bronxville that highlights Black gay history has been launched. A Workforce Development program for young people interested in community health work/elder care and a local Public Access TV program are starting this fall.
For more information, contact Jim Harvey: jharvey@oneroofchicago.org
SAGEServes
SAGE is the world’s largest organization dedicated to advocacy, services, and innovations for LGBTQ+ elders. SAGEServes, a division of SAGE, creates opportunities to serve the LGBTQ+ community’s older people and support their unique needs. It offers direct services at five SAGE Centers and care management programs in New York City, programs that support LGBTQ+ elders across New York State, and programs designed for LGBTQ+ elders in Southern Florida. Over the past few years at the Center in the Bronx, young people served as paid interns who helped older adults with technology, served meals, and planned events such as Intergenerational Mini-balls, fashion shows, and karaoke programs. Plans are underway to expand intergenerational programming in the Brooklyn SAGE Center and to include young people in the SAGEServes Advisory Council.
For more information, contact Darcy Connors: dconnors@sageusa.org
Pride Intergenerational Housing Program
A new Pride Intergenerational Housing Program in Western Australia will bridge generations to combat loneliness. The program
will match older LGBTQIA+ people with LGBTQIA+ students, particularly those from non-English speaking countries. GRAI (GLBTI Rights in Aging Inc.) will act as matching service that will link the needs and preferences of both older LGBTI people and LGBTIQA+ students. Once a mutually beneficial and appropriate housing match has been formed, GRAI will continue to check-in with both parties as a third-party support. The 18- month pilot is coordinated by GRAI and funded by a Lotterywest grant.
For more information, please contact pridehousing@grai.org.au
Empath Health Veterans Coffee Connection
Empath Health has created safe spaces for veterans of all ages to connect while sharing a cup of coffee. Attendees who have served during various policies regarding sexuality and gender have an opportunity to hear the contrasts between those who served during “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” and after that policy.
For additional information, contact Trudy Beeler: TrudyBeeler@empathhealth.org
LGBTQ+ Center on Colfax
The Center on Colfax, the largest LGBTQ+ center in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, hosts a variety of ongoing programs for youth, young adults, trans and non-binary individuals 18+, and older adults (50+). To foster cross-age connections, the Center also creates several one-time events such as:
- The annual Coming Out program that explores what it is like for people of different ages before and after coming out;
- The Center’s Got Talent show that highlights the talents of a mix of generations;
- The Schule of Drag, a 2-week intergenerational bootcamp of drag education during which young people and older adults learn about each other, fundamentals of storytelling, intentional theatrical movement, costuming, and make-up.
For more information, contact Jason Eaton-Lynch: jeatonlynch@lgbtqcolorado.org
Resources
Toolkits
- Age Project: Intergenerational Dialogue in the LGBTQ Community
- Intergenerational Exchange in LGBTQ+ Communities: A Guide for Facilitators Creating Intergenerational Workshops for Groups of LGBTQ+ People
- Intergenerational Projects for the LGBT Community: A Toolkit to Inspire and Inform
- Unboxed: LGBTQIA* Digital Storytelling Program
Videos
National Organizations
Research
- Bitterman, A., Hess, D.B. (2021). Understanding Generation Gaps in LGBTQ+ Communities: Perspectives About Gay Neighborhoods Among Heteronormative and Homonormative Generational Cohorts. In Bitterman, A., Hess, D.B. (eds) The Life and Afterlife of Gay Neighborhoods. The Urban Book Series. Springer, Cham. Access here.
- Community Commons. (nd). The Power of Inclusive Spaces: LGBTQIA+ Health and Well-Being. Access here.
- Gladstone, E., Knowles, P. & Thomspon, D.C. (2017). From Connections to Community: Data-informed lessons on an intergenerational gathering. Access here.
- ILC-UK. (2011). Celebrating Intergenerational Diversity Among LGBT People: Executive Summary. Access here.
- Jay, D. (2024). Relationality: How Moving from Transactional to Transformational Relationships Can Reshape Our Lonely World. North Atlantic Books. Access here.
- King, A., & Hall, M. (2024). Re-Thinking Generations from a Queer Perspective: Insights and Critical Observations from the CILIA-LGBTQI+ Lives in England Project. In Studying Generations. Bristol, UK: Bristol University Press. Access here.
- Macaluso, N. (February 17, 2023). The Long-term Equality Index: What you need to know. Access here.
- MiGen. (2024). LGBTQ+ Glossary of Term.s Access here.
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). Understanding the Well-Being of LGBTQI+ Populations. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Access here.
- O’Brien, D. (January 16, 2024). Queer Spaces: The Importance of Safe & Inclusive Environments. Access here.
- Reed, A. (June 14, 2023). How these queer spaces are creating safe havens for LGBTQ communities. Access here.
This newsletter is presented as part of Generations United’s Shared Site Learning Network which is made possible with support from The Eisner Foundation.