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'Aging While Black' amplifies experiences of elderly Black Americans
Portrait of Raymond Jetson and Kali Graves at the Baton Rouge IBM lobby.(Tim Mueller Photography / TM)
In 2026, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded this episode third place in Racial Equity Reporting.
Raymond Jetson is an advocate whose work centers on equity, dignity and community-driven change. In February 2023, he helped launch Aging While Black, a national movement designed to amplify the voices and experiences of Black elders and to rethink aging in America at the intersection of race.
Jetson discusses the movement’s three guiding pillars: recalibrating the village, embracing innovation and rapid change, and leaning into Sankofa — the idea of looking to the past to help shape the future.
Jetson brings decades of experience to this work, including service as a Louisiana state representative, deputy secretary of health and pastor of Star Hill Church in Baton Rouge. He is an AARP Purpose Prize winner and a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging. As the primary caregiver for his 91-year-old mother, Jetson says his perspective on aging is shaped by both public service and personal experience.
The conversation also explores Jetson’s new book, "Aging While Black: A Radical Reimagining of Aging and Race in America," which expands on the movement’s vision and calls for a more inclusive, community-centered approach to aging.
- Raymond Jetson, author and co-founder of Aging While Black
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By Vanessa FinneyPortrait of Raymond Jetson and Kali Graves at the Baton Rouge IBM lobby.(Tim Mueller Photography / TM)
In 2026, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded this episode third place in Racial Equity Reporting.
Raymond Jetson is an advocate whose work centers on equity, dignity and community-driven change. In February 2023, he helped launch Aging While Black, a national movement designed to amplify the voices and experiences of Black elders and to rethink aging in America at the intersection of race.
Jetson discusses the movement’s three guiding pillars: recalibrating the village, embracing innovation and rapid change, and leaning into Sankofa — the idea of looking to the past to help shape the future.
Jetson brings decades of experience to this work, including service as a Louisiana state representative, deputy secretary of health and pastor of Star Hill Church in Baton Rouge. He is an AARP Purpose Prize winner and a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging. As the primary caregiver for his 91-year-old mother, Jetson says his perspective on aging is shaped by both public service and personal experience.
The conversation also explores Jetson’s new book, "Aging While Black: A Radical Reimagining of Aging and Race in America," which expands on the movement’s vision and calls for a more inclusive, community-centered approach to aging.
- Raymond Jetson, author and co-founder of Aging While Black