Blog archive
September 2023
Various Perspectives on Racism
09/16/2023
Rumor of Humor # 23
09/14/2023
A DIfferent Perspective
09/10/2023
Racism I Have Experienced
09/05/2023
1619 " Rump" Session
09/04/2023
August 2023
1619 Project Discussion Group explores the Arroyo Seco
08/28/2023
Beyond the Village - Judith Harris
08/28/2023
Board of Directors: Strategic Planning Updates
08/28/2023
Men's Time Brunch
08/28/2023
One Village, One Book
08/28/2023
Pasadena Racism, Past and Present
08/28/2023
Profile of a Leader: Ron Stoffers
08/28/2023
Remember John and Thelma Orr
08/28/2023
Volunteer & Leadership Training
08/28/2023
Gardenias
08/21/2023
Current Events Including the RICO Indictment of Mr. Trump
08/19/2023
Shining a Light on Current Racial Inequities
08/07/2023
Shining a Light on Current Racial Inequities
08/07/2023
RofH#22
08/06/2023
July 2023
Arroyo Seco Development, Past and Present
07/24/2023
From the President
07/24/2023
Rumor of Humor #20
07/23/2023
VMC Conference 2023
07/21/2023
Strategic Plan Progress: Program Teams
07/17/2023
From the Executive Director
07/14/2023
Reflections from Villager Monica Hubbard
07/14/2023
SCOTUS: Rulings on Cases with No Standing
07/10/2023
History and Future Development of Arroyo Seco
07/09/2023
What I Like About Being a Villager
07/09/2023
June 2023
Dick and Sharon, Mixed Race Marriage
06/19/2023
Conversations with West African Art
06/09/2023
Bridget Brewster Discovers Village Benefits
06/04/2023
Communications Project with Cal State LA
06/02/2023
Creative Aging
06/01/2023
May 2023
One Villager's Story
05/31/2023
Pasadena Area Liberal Arts Center
05/31/2023
Pasadena Village Responds to Rainbow Flag Burning at Pasadena Buddhist Temple
05/31/2023
Plan Ahead - And Be Prepared
05/31/2023
Tuesday, May 23 Pasadena Celebrated Older Americans
05/31/2023
Reparations, Social Justice Activity
05/24/2023
Rumor of Humor #14
05/19/2023
Rumor of Humor #13
05/12/2023
Issue #12
05/09/2023
Science Monday - Review of Meeting on April 10, 2023
05/09/2023
Conversations Re African American Artists Before 1920
05/08/2023
Beyond the Village – Suzi and Phil Hoge
05/01/2023
Congratulations Wayne April! Honored at UNH
05/01/2023
Table Topics
05/01/2023
Volunteer Appreciation at the Village
05/01/2023
“ACCIDENTAL HOST—The Story of Rat Lungworm Disease”
05/01/2023
April 2023
Jumbo Joy
04/24/2023
Pasadenans Recent Experience With Racism
04/23/2023
Recent Events Reflecting Racism
04/23/2023
Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
04/18/2023
Photography for Social Justice
04/11/2023
Issue #8
04/07/2023
BEYOND THE VILLAGE - Catherine Deely
04/06/2023
Creative Writing in Older Adults
04/06/2023
Gifts of Love
04/06/2023
March 2023
February 2023
2023 DEI Progress
02/27/2023
BEYOND THE VILLAGE - Doug Colliflower
02/26/2023
CONVERSATIONS WITH ART
02/26/2023
GREAT DECISIONS
02/26/2023
OLDER ADULTS RESOURCE FAIR
02/26/2023
The Important, Influential Books in our Lives - Revisited
02/26/2023
History, Resolution of the 710 Freeway
02/19/2023
Eminent Domain, 710 Highway
02/13/2023
Bernard Garrett, 710 Freeway
02/06/2023
Men's Times Gatherings
02/03/2023
January 2023
Pasadena's Senior Commission
01/30/2023
BEYOND THE VILLAGE - JIM HENDRICK
01/27/2023
GRATITUDE - IT'S GOOD FOR YOU!
01/27/2023
JEFF GUTSTADT - FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST
01/27/2023
Bernard Garrett, Incredible Black Entrepreneur
01/17/2023
What is the "Spirit Talk" Group About?
01/16/2023
Same Ol’ New Year, Brand New Me
01/12/2023
Review of 2022, Consideration of 2023
01/06/2023
BEYOND THE VILLAGE - PATTI LA MARR
01/03/2023
FROM THE CHAIR
01/03/2023
WALK WITH EASE
01/03/2023
Pasadena Area Liberal Arts Center
By Susan KujawaPosted: 05/31/2023
Pasadena Village's Executive Director, Katie Brandon, is always searching for more ways to build community and expand partnerships. Recently, she and a contingent of Pasadena Village members met with members from PALAC, the Pasadena Area Liberal Arts Center. PALAC is a nonprofit organization formed in 1955 to provide its members with opportunities and incentives for lifelong learning. To achieve this goal, PALAC strives to provide a welcoming and accepting environment that expands each participant's perspective by encouraging diverse thoughts and authentic opinions. As a community of seniors aging in place, Pasadena Village also seeks to offer opportunities for learning, along with personal development, creative activity, and social engagement.
Conversations between Pasadena Village’s Cultural Activities co-chair LuCinda Haagenson, Vice President-Communications Dick Myers, Katie Brandon, and Member Services & Volunteer Coordinator Priyanka Kumar and PALAC Safari Chair Marylouise Lau and Program Chair James Liu started in January. After we learned that Prakash Shivastava was a member of both organizations, a subsequent meeting in March was held which included Donna Jaffee, PALAC’s Membership and Diversity Committee Chair.
We discussed the similarities of both groups; for example, both are currently offering members the popular Foreign Policy Association Great Decisions program and excursions to cultural and historic locations (which PALAC calls “safaris”). Donna expressed how some of their members needed help with technology, transportation, and connections to resources, all of which Pasadena Village could address but were beyond the scope of PALAC’s offerings. She, James and Marylouise explained the depth of PALAC’s literary discussion groups and how their trained volunteer facilitators bring up nuances in the texts and how their members delve into the content over several meetings. All agreed that our two organizations have much in common. They believed that our two groups needed to get to know each other better.
Donna shared some of our free programs with PALAC members and many attended sessions of the 1619 Discussion Group hosted by Dick, the March 23 presentation on the legacy of Owen Brown with Michele Zack at the Altadena Library, and the May Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month resource fair – and PALAC was one of the partners who hosted a table. Donna has now created a community newsletter for PALAC members that lists some Pasadena Village community events each month.
And on May 24, a group of 20 PALAC members came to Pasadena Village for a hosted reception to meet members of Pasadena Village and explore topics of mutual interest. Their discussions included the pros and cons of using Zoom for programs, the frequency of book club gatherings, discussion group topics, and leadership structures. Furthermore, the experiences described by some of the members of PALAC resonated with the Villagers. James Liu, PALAC Program Chair, comments on the movie group he hosts: “I look forward to the movie groups. It indulges my love of movies and I also enjoy the challenge of finding different films that will attract and challenge our members.” PALAC President Jane Crane describes her book group as “a community of people who love to discuss books and want to make close friends.” Meanwhile, the buzz in the room verified that we do, indeed, have a lot in common.
The meeting enabled Village members to learn about PALAC and for PALAC members to discover the strong, supportive community formed by the Village. We are looking forward to partnering with PALAC in many ways. We all appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with another group that shares a commitment to lifelong learning and engagement in the community. We are looking at each other’s program calendars with keen interest to find out how we can build connections between our organizations. You can learn more about PALAC at palac-pasadena.info and about Pasadena Village at www.pasadenavillage.org.