WISDOM AT WORK: : Older Women, Elderwomen, Grandmothers on the Move!

A Leader amongst 23,000 Grandmothers!
Jolly Babirukamu, affectionately known as Kaaka Jolly – is one of those leaders who brings light into the world – motivating and mobilizing with boundless energy and deep insights. She is a teacher, Grandmother of 30 grandchildren, and a leader amongst the community of 23,037 Grandmothers at Nyaka, Uganda (founded by  visionary Twesigye Jackson Kaguri 23 years ago, first known to me as an early partner of the Stephen Lewis Foundation). Nyaka is a community-led organization that was founded in response to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, and provides free education to children who have lost one or both parents to AIDS, is a part of the Grandmothers Consortium in Uganda, and with resilient and compassioante leaders like Kaaka Jolly, will never waver.   

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Three powerful voices: Rosalind Pollack Petchesky, Esther Farmer, and Pam Sporn. For decades they fought Israel's Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, defying dismissal and disrespect from the mainstream community.   Now these  elderwomen are chaining themselves to the White House fence and taking to the streets to protest the genocide. Their insights are poignant, fierce, challenging and often raucously funny! They are modeling grit, intelligence, compassion, and how to mobilize around the "horror and the hope" of this moment. 

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Meet Alda Facio, a feminist activist, educator, creator and jurist whose work has influenced thinking about women's rights from Costa Rica to the United Nations. In this episode, Alda talks about her love affair with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and her 2 decades working with multitudes of women's human rights activists in the excellent Women's Human Rights Institute! Her pioneering efforts light the way to show us how the law can be harnessed as a formidable tool for justice and advocacy, and how  a U. N. Convention can unite women across generations and geographies to bring about meaningful change.  Drawing on the inspiring activism of the Mothers and Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, we discuss how love and older women's determination and stature can be powerful catalysts for achieving social justice and equality.  With warmth and irrepressible humour, Alda brings us insights about human rights activism and personal revelations that delight and enlighten. 

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Join me for an intimate conversation with Louise Lamothe, a Swampy Cree grandmother and great-grandmother,  whose story is a testament to the healing journeys and deep insights older women and Indigenous ways of knowing and being have to teach us.  There is so much to learn from Louise, as she shares stories of her work as a palliative care nurse around the world, integrating Indigenous practices to nurture spaces of compassion and reciprocity.  Her profound wisdom on ceremony, connection, and respect for the land offers invaluable lessons on bridging gaps created by historical trauma from colonial harms, and creating the possiblity of healing.

Louise's travels alongside the many lives of those she has touched, whether in palliative care, or the study and practice of Indigenized expressive arts therapy, and the reflections she shares are deeply moving explorations of love, loss, reclamation, and the enduring healing power of older women's wisdom for all of us, now and into the future. 

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This week, I had the honour of sitting down with Hendrica Okondo, a natural storyteller who makes the phrase 'living memory' resonate, with profundity and humour!  Hendrica paints a vivid picture of colonial Kenya and independence, with economic, cultural, human rights and scientific insights and learnings that challenge and delight.  Her stories of the women in her family, her studies, and work through the years are not just heartwarming, but lessons in subtle and overt forms of power, and feminism(s) that ripple through generations.  From indomitable familial matriarchs  (and supportive male figures), to the dichotomies of Catholic observance and her mother's brewing business, don't miss this vibrant journey with Hendrica - from the Beijing women's conference to her current work with young feminists! This episode is a tribute to the continuity we gain from Elderwomen in our movements and communities - and the critical importance of women's voices and agency, an intimate narrative highlighting the profound impact of each generation's experience of oppressive systems, and the nurturing of resilience, liberation and equality.  

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When the echoes of jazz legends still rumbled through Cleveland, a determined young man named Winston Willis carved out a slice of American history. His remarkable sister, Aundra, joins me to share a riveting tale of triumph and tragedy, as she unveils the story of her brother's rise and fall in her new book:  "Winston Willis: A Memoir".  From the grooves of a vibrant jazz scene to the chilling grip of systemic racism, Aundra guides us through the heart of a metropolis where her brother soared to the heights of entrepreneurship. And then....

Aundra recounts the David-and-Goliath battle her brother waged against the discriminatory systems - a fight that symbolizes the broader struggle faced by countless African American entrepreneurs and landowners.  Aundra's searing, humorous and courageous account is a sobering reminder of the tenacity required to challenge the deep-seated racism of the day.

There's a deeply human story woven throughout, as Aundra opens up about her family's intimate connection to the civil rights movement. From receiving a letter from Martin Luther King Jr. to meeting Muhammad Ali, this episode is a testament to the strength of family bonds in the face of adversity.  Aundra's own reflections on aging and the precious act of storytelling by our Elders, to underscore the importance of giving voice to those who lived—and thrived—through pivotal moments in history, ensuring their legacies are not lost to time.  Join us for an episode that not only honours the past but also ignites a conversation about the future, a chorus of jazz and justice resonating for generations to come.

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Grandmothers on the Move – A Grandmother, a Leader, a Visionary, and a tireless advocate for people living with HIV & AIDS, Pfiriaeli Kiwia is the inspiring founder and program director of Kimara Peers Educators and Health Promoters in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.  Mama Kiwia brings the indefatigable grandmothers of sub-Saharan Africa at the heart of the response to the AIDS pandemic, raising millions of orphaned grandchildren, right into the room with us. Her insights and her story of turning personal determination into powerful collective community action are guaranteed to stay with you! Part of the Grandmothers on the Move podcast series on the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign – Solidarity, not Charity! This is where hope lies – at the grassroots – with grandmother leaders like Pfiriaeli.

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Dr. Paula Rochon: Women's Age Lab - a Global First!

Join me for a conversation with the founding Director of the truly necessary, innovative and exciting Women's Age Lab! The first and only centre of its kind in the world!  Women’s Age Lab at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Canada is a space dedicated to science-driven system and social change that will improve the lives of older women.  A place focused on supporting the healthy aging of women by reimagining a system and society where older women and their distinct well-being and health needs are recognized and addressed.  Let's hope this excellent institute inspires many others

Check out the website for Women's Age Lab - where you can keep up to date with their ongoing, exciting work.

Follow them on Twitter at @WCHospital @RochonPaula

And join the Virtual Workshop Series - still some left - on Digital Literacy! Details and links can be found on their website! https://www.womensresearch.ca/womens-age-lab/

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New Podcast Titile :) Grandmothers on the Move is now:  Wisdom at Work: Older Women, Elderwomen, and Grandmothers on the Move! This week I bring to you Grandmothers for Refugees from Australia. Thoughtful, personal and political - from "Grandmothers Unite! to jolting others out of their comfort zones to rally against the egregious treatment of refugees in their country, these three Australian grandmothers and their peers are taking a stand for decency, democracy and connection. Join me in listening to the Wisdom at Work of Elizabeth Cox, Jane Touzeau, and Janine Laurence.

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Welcome back to Grandmothers on the Move for a tremendous intergenerational conversation about wellness, Elderly women's wisdom, and the creation of a powerful Tanzanian organization by Rustica Tembele and her daughter Neema Tembele - Tap Elderly Women's Wisdom for Youth!   "Grandmotherly Wisdom meets WHO's mental health Gap Action Program", TEWWY's website reads;  mobilizing the power of elderly women trained in creating safe spaces, interpersonal counselling,  Wisdom&Wellness Circles and more.  Rustica and Neema have a vision: answering the need for youth & community access to mental health support, and the equally compelling need to tap into older women's wisdom to build and strengthen that well-being and resilience.  Don't miss this inspiring conversation, and visit TEEWY's website at: https://tewwy.org/

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