Skip to header Skip to main content Skip to footer
Helpful Village logo
Add me to your mailing list
Youtube channel Facebook page
Header image for Pasadena Village showing nearby mountains and the logo of the Pasadena Village

Blog archive

October 2024

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

2023 DEI Progress

By Katie Brandon
Posted: 02/27/2023
Tags:

Pasadena Village is the only nonprofit organization in the area dedicated to helping older adults age-in-place in their own homes. We know that some of our fellow adults may face additional barriers as they age - in particular those who are LGBTQIA+ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual) and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Since we were founded over 10 years ago, we have been committed to being welcoming, and this spirit of inclusivity is a critical part of our Values Statements and our Strategic Plan. 

On February 22, we were asked by Village Movement California, our state-wide network, to share our successes and challenges in reaching more local LGBTQ and African American older adults. Our village was the first to present as part of their monthly Workshop Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging series. Our work is only just beginning but it was rewarding to reflect on the positive steps we have made as a village in our outreach and inclusive goals.

Village leaders - both members and community volunteers - shared their personal experiences and outreach efforts that have built on the welcoming environment we strive to offer. Village member Karen Bagnard was instrumental in forging relationships with San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center and local pride festivals as an ally. She listened to fellow elders, participated in planning committees, and asked how our village could be part of what was going on in the broader our community. She shared the four things that bring people together:

1. Art

2. Music

3. Food

4. Laughter

and described how she worked with Pasadena Village’s Inclusivity Committee as a member and the chair for the past 2 years, to incorporate those into gatherings.

Member Bruce Christensen spoke about finding community, a way to give back, what attracted him to join Pasadena Village as a member. Member Dick Myers, who is a Board member and Vice President - Communications, coordinates our 1619 Discussion Group which welcomes frank discussions of race relations, experiences of racism, and guest speakers twice a month. He shared about our relationship with Friendship Church, one of Pasadena’s oldest African American churches, and the success of the Soul Food Train event in Fall 2022.

One of the benefits of being involved in local networking events and meeting new people is the opportunity to find amazing volunteers and leaders. Thermon ‘Rick’ Holliday, a community board member for Pasadena Village and Medicare broker, spoke about historic divides that exist in all communities and how he found Pasadena Village as an organization that is more than a resource - it is an open-minded group of people where friendships form. Rick spoke about what brought him to be involved in Pasadena Village and the village movement.

Sandra Moffett is a Village member who participated in Village Movement California’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Training Institute over the past several months. She shared about her experience meeting people through Pasadena Village in her older years, continuing to stay involved and engaged during the pandemic through Zoom, and the welcoming environment she has helped to create. 

We have seen significant growth in membership over the past several months. Of our 141 members, more than 13% are Black/African American/African, which is an increase from 4% a year ago, and more than 5% identify as LGBTQIA+. As we continue to grow, we look to better reflect our community. Partnerships with the Altadena Pride, NAACP Pasadena, Friendship Church, the Clergy Community Coalition, Community Women Vital Voices who organize the SoCal Women's Health Conference, and other community organizations have directly led to increased programming, more diverse audiences, and new members.

Pasadena Village is an organization that thrives in building relationships, and we hope you will join us in continuing to build our welcoming community through partnerships, volunteerism, and outreach. 

-Katie Brandon

Executive Director

 

Blogs Topics Posts about this Topic